..... and says without younger volunteers replacing the old guard, they may be done for:

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/20 ... cass-story (subscriber-only, lots of background)

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2015/09/02-cass (public, skimpy on details)

http://cs.trains.com/trn/b/observation- ... lroad.aspx (public blog by Chase Gunnoe, lots of background)

https://www.facebook.com/CassRailroadLo ... =1&theater

they are all walking around carrying IPOD thingies laffing at the sthupid videos people make

well, since they do that perhaps its time to wise up and get some kind of ap on them things for people to muse at and go and have some fun at the cass weekend...

well now you can go there and ride anyways, can't you....

Well luckily from the Chase Gunnoe interview listed above it sounds like the DGVR has a nice solid plan of hiring young blood into their own shop forces and having the older heads on their way out teach them what they need to know before they make their exit. Plus running everything as a business and doing things to keep those younger employees retained with the DGVR makes the future sustainability of keeping the equipment itself running sound much more promising.

From the way the interview is worded it sounds like Mountain State is welcome to try and continue what they're doing but their demise wouldn't be a massive hit to what the DGVR is trying to do with the place.




My question would be what is this group doing (if anything) to get younger people to put the Ipod down?

As a younger railfan myself I took at look at this groups website and honestly there's nothing really on there to entice anyone younger to come out and help them. Their photos page of work being done show it all being performed by guys at least twice my age that I wouldn't have anything (outside of trains) in common with and all of their photos have a complete absence of anyone younger doing anything. At best there's a couple of photos with somebodies grand kids standing in the background with their backs against the wall and hands idle with nothing to do.

Plus Cass due to its remoteness has its own challenges. The group says on their own webpage that there are only 8 bunks available for volunteers on a first come first serve basis for people who come to the site with warning that states:

"Don't embarrass everyone by not planning for your own lodging and food."

Even if I lived the area, a sentence like that on your volunteer page tells me that I don't want to bother fooling with you if your attitude is going to be "Yeah, we're in the middle of nowhere, but it's not our problem, so don't bother us about it."

Two ideas: camp cars available to workers, and a formal program offered to entice younger people with the opportunity to get real hands-on training and start a career. Perhaps it could even offer college credits through a WV community college?

Like this program at Davis & Elkins College?
http://www.dewv.edu/center-railway-tourism

That is probably the biggest issue. Cass in such a remote area that the National Radio Astronomy Observatory is about 10 miles down the road, in a place chosen due to the lack of radio signals, electronic noise, etc.

The best, and worst, thing about Cass is just how remote of a place it is. The fact they have to tell you "Don't forget to bring food!" indicates this pretty well. There are not a lot of good options, and anything that makes it more difficult and expensive for volunteers is going to discourage them. Add in the fact that very few people live nearby, and it's not surprising that they are having trouble finding volunteers, even though it is one of the premier tourist railways.

There was a group of young people at the 2015 railfan weekend that appeared to be both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Cass. From what I overheard of their conversations, they had been coming to Cass for a significant number of years.

However, from what I overheard of their conversations it appeared to me that they were both extremely provincial as well as quite negative about both the Mountain States organizers and the D&GV managers and employees.

As a group, there were enough of them that maybe the Mountain States people (who must know them) should contact them and give them the responsibility for planning and coordinating the next railfan weekend.

From what I heard, they seemed to think that they could do a much better job. However, I suspect that they do not realize that when you volunteer and coordinate, that you don't get to take the pictures that you want to take and get into the front of the photo line first.

I'd forgotten about the whole D&GV taking over issue.

There was quite a bit of debate over whether that would be a good or bad thing, I think there was discussion here, and also a Facebook page promoting a petition to stop the change and how it was going to kill off Cass etc, etc.

As with most political changes at volunteer organizations, I suspect that there are ruffled feathers, hurt feelings and people who no longer hold the position that they once held. (Disclaimer, I do NOT know any specifics in this situation. Maybe everything is just wonderful and nothing has changed. If so, that is a rare case indeed.)

Given that, I suspect that plays into the whole thing.

Yep 4000, just like that, or perhaps with less structure and more flexibility.

Bob, as usual, you are right - it is a good and a bad thing, depending. It is, however, the thing that is. Objecting to it as a done deal serves nobody well. Working within it to make it better benefits everybody involved. Nothing done now can either help or hurt those who are no longer involved.

I too happened to catch some of that theme from those same folks. I'd be willing to bet that the most vocal among them are not the types that would care to spend the large amount of time needed to put on a weekend like we were fortunate to enjoy. One of those guys needs a tune up when it comes to consideration and manners amongst others.

Just my thoughts & FWIW, I followed up my promise that weekend and sent Mountain State a check towards the Climax rebuild.

If any heritage railroad or museum was active in the area I reside in, I would probably, as an 18 year old, find time to volunteer at least once a month. Sadly though, the only rail preservation operation that was located within a reasonable distance from me, the Pittsburgh Transportation Museum, went belly up more than a decade ago. The next closest operation to me is an Hour and a Half drive to and from.

It isn't always an issue of us young people having games or ipods or whatnot, its sometimes an issue of a lack of places to volunteer such time at.

Don't forget the willingness of said operations to let you do anything other than sweep the floors.
Several years ago (before it became impossible to get time off and couldn't count on having any specific weekend off at my job) I offered to help out with an operation somewhere (I won't name names, so don't ask).
I got a big giant 'meh' reaction from them. I'm a college graduate, very articulate, not obese, and a former Army officer, so I know how to come across professionally. I would say how I was greeted, but I wasn't greeted at all. Most just got a raised eyebrow, sneer and the comment, "Yeah, just don't think you're going to get to run the locomotive because we have people for that already." Yeah, welcome to you too... Without even asking what kind of background I had (heck, I could have had 20 years in a railroad for all they knew), this truly unimpressive public rep made it clear that they could always use people to sweep up the place from time to time. Oh, and I should be thankful for the chance to do so. They were very specific on that point that they'd be doing me a favor. My response should have ended with, "...and the horse you rode in on," (and it almost was) but I decided to be the only professional-acting person in the conversation.
If they did that to me, I can imagine what they'd do to a 18-year-old asking the same question.

So I wanted to take a few minutes here and hopefully dispel some bad info that i see in print here.
First the MSR&LHA Climax restoration team welcomes any member in good standing to all of the build sessions no matter their age. We presently have a very active female member who is 22 years of age for example. We encourage the younger generation to come and take part.
Second. The statement in regards to a bed and chow reads like this ; "Please don't embarrass your self and others by arriving without making arrangements for food and lodging". What this means is that we need to know how many attendees we have so that you are assured of both a place to sleep as well as food to eat. Lodging and food are FREE for any build weekend participant. That's three meals on Saturday and two on Sunday. This happens without fail. I know because i buy the food!
Third. There are 12 beds available at the Terry House on most weekends. not 8.
Fourth. We do NOT run the trains. The Cass staff handle that. (no PR person that i am aware of here....)
Fifth. Cass is quite a drive but worth the trip. It's 6 hours and 300 miles one way for my self and I make the trip every other week without fail. You just have to want it bad enough.

For what it's worth I don't believe that I have spoken to any one of you in person to the best of my knowledge. i will be happy to have new work staff any time' and look forward to meeting you all.
Please check out the Facebook Page for Mountain State and drop me a line there if you like.
Thanks,
Rob Hilburn
Project Leader / Climax Restoration #1551
MSR&LHA