The event’s and topics on this board over the last week have illustrated perfectly to why rail preservation beyond additional collections to existing museums or for profit tourists lines will no longer exist. These are the exact topics I prefer to stay out of and after working in the rail preservation industry I’m honestly not one much to post at all. No I have worked with a handful of people on here and I do know I’m not the easiest to get along with to start however, there is a three - ish point list that I feel like needs to go out in what we can and correct.


1) Inclusion- as of right now there is an active topic about sexism in the industry. It is very true and watched at a place that has now been bragging about their first female fireman. We also have strong discrimination against age and who people know if you aren’t in the silver hair club or very close some there with such membership you are SOL and if some how you make it you will never be able to either advance or help make improvements.

2) the Untouchable- this is kind of a big one over the last week with our communities current events. We have elevated certain individuals to Saint like status and disparage a single negative word against them and doing so will make you an outcast. In all reality we all need to be honest with our selves no one deserves this status here. It’s one thing to not disregard their advice but it’s another to blindly deferre judgment. This is exactly how we ended up in this community with this Wasatch debacle and the moderators being threatened legal action by allowing discussion on RAILWAY PRESERVATION on RYPN only involving publicly available information. But falls from that high and underserved of grace hit the hardest to an individual and I hope the moderators know they have no action that can legally be taken against them.

3)Priorities- An epidemic currently plaguing all US museums (at the very least) is a lack of priorities. Just hoping from project to project and never finishing one. I are willing to bet everyone one here has at least 5 cars next to the shop awaiting work that have been there over a year or shoved back out not finished to make way for a new project. We need to actually stick with what we start so we don’t end up looking more and more like scrap yards. The other half of this is we need to figure both succession plans for when key staff or owners retire as well as contingency plans incase we can no longer operate or existing in our current locations (I.e. if we can not be on this plot of land or spur anymore we have a fund of $$$$ to move to one of x number of possible sites)

Sorry about the rant but it is something I feel like needed to be said to the community after this week,

-Daniel Huppenthal

I do not think that those three issues would case the death of rail preservation. I think the threats to us comes from a larger society that does not value work that involves the manipulation of real things. From manufacturing to mining to transportation to the trades, modern culture wants to place a stigma on any career that doesn't involve sitting in a building working on a computer. Then when our schools teach that industries such as railroads only could thrive because they took advantage of marginalized groups and that they produce emissions that contribute to supposed climate change, developing an interest in railroads may make a youth an outcast among his or her peers. There is a reason why it seems that facilities located in rural areas seem to develop a better volunteer base than those in urban areas. Rural areas are where you find more people who are engaged in the manipulation of real things to make ends meet.

I really don't mind that facilities have a Back 40 that has a collection of unrestored equipment. As long as the stuff is not out front and center, having some equipment in reserve provides for future restoration opportunities and also provides tradestock for the day that someone else comes along that wants or needs that equipment. But having a yard full of unrestored equipment with no plan for completing any projects aside from hopes and wishes is not an acceptable situation.

I wholeheartedly agree on building sustainability into our operations. Own your land and have a succession plan.

BTW There are no longer any Untouchables on RYPN. We are not playing those games again. The days of threats having any influence on this forum are over with. Eliot Ness is here and is not backing down.

I disagree. There is more diversity in preservation than since 1980 when I started in this business. It's not perfect but things are moving in the right direction. There are more women, people of color, and more LGBTQ than you probably realize. I'm not saying there is a not huge problem of people my age and older who refuse to change and only want to work their own kind doing things the way they've always do it. Change is happening.

In my RYPN is still the best for people working in preservation to share news, ideas, find suppliers, and work together. The internet has gotten ugly in recent years, people do not treat each other they way they would in person. I've been guilty of that on other platforms and have learned from it. We all need to be a little more kind to each other.

The impact of the pandemic will be felt through the national for some time and preservation is really hurting in many places but Americans are resilient and we will move forward somehow. There are a lot of good things happening if you look.

Tom Gears
Moderator

Many of the above issues are important, but somewhat micro in the larger picture. In our lifetime, Railway preservation will partially diminish, because some museums and tourist railroads aren't adapting to attract visitors and families. The days of static exhibits in stuffy buildings with faded placards are gone. You'd better start writing up your auction handbill today if that's your museum's long term plan. Your museum/railroad needs to be an enthralling and vibrant destination that attracts a diverse population and keeps them coming back. This can be achieved through many avenues: a highly scenic train ride, the rustic charm of a fully-immersed historical experience, highly interactive hands-on exhibits, slews of special coordinated events (in cooperation with local eateries, brewerys, etc.) With all of the attractions and tourist dollars, how will your museum compete and strive to stand out above the rest? Families are probably your main target and they are looking for fun, interactive, and memorable adventures.

As a member of the younger class myself, there are a number of reasons why younger folks probably feel maligned in the preservation community. Most of the time, it's not a fault of the "old guard" either. Rick hit the nail on the head. Society on a whole has less interest and incentive in performing actual work. I've always chuckled at the phenomenon of how many younger folks show up in droves when the first match is lit in a boiler, yet for the decades leading up to that point, little activity or interest. There is a spoon-fed expectation that joining a railroad museum automatically means that you'll be nominated for the Board of Directors or tasked with making the big decisions off the bat. How unrealistic. And, there's nothing more off-putting to longtime volunteers than a know-it-all who steps in the door and wants to implement changes. My advice: A strong helping of humility will go a long way to opening doors. Check your ego and politics at the door, too. The "old guard" has a sentimental attachment to most aspects of the museum that they helped found or lead. Remember the old adage that respect and trust is earned? Well, it's true! Show enough knowledge to impress, but listen, learn, and then more active opportunities are unlocked...

...Or, start your own museum and implement your own rules.

I'm gonna point some faults out on my self here. The younger generation such as my self we do this cause we have a honest interest in it. But we are working trying to juggle work life and everything else that comes with it. I've had many offers from groups to come out and help an learn something. An almost 80% of the time I step back look at my schedule and can't see anywhere to take the time to go and do it.
Rail preservation as a whole is in a really good spot lots of organizations are changing for the better catching up with the times.
There are people Like Rick who are literally welcoming anyone to come and get dirty and learn. (I still keep saying I will get up there somday.)
Bet the best thing is if you are willing to go out and give it a shot there are so many organizations you will find the best one for you.

Illinois Railway Museum, Durango, Strasburg, Tennessee Valley, Nevada State, - these are just a few operations where I have seen lots of young men AND women in operations and restoration.

I think the future is very bright for rail preservation. It will look different, and that’s good.

Also a big thanks to Tom for mentioning the LGBT community in rail preservation!

This all is not an issue of work ethic but more of a personal experience with several trades under my belt and witnessed experience internally all excluding the external issues that we face which was partially addressed by my comment on how we are starting to look more and more like scrap yards with a diminishing volutes force and those that are maintains a status quo or are lucky enough to have a paid force (which is the future knowing people + a decade or - 2two decades is what will be the enviable retention unfortunately which is where a lot of the hopping between organizations that I have witnessed comes from) can possibly exceed the back log but only in very rare cases.

As an after note with thought before posting there are exceptions to the paid people in the 30 year range but those organizations that are well enough ran are few and far between and know who they are (if you have to think about it you are not one).

What is needed in the immediate future are effective and attractive events and displays that provide the public with an introduction to your museums and the railroad industry, can be presented in a social distancing compliant format, and can be promoted on local community television, in any available local newspapers, and through selected drops of flyers at popular local businesses. If you find something that works well, share the idea on RYPN so that other museums can learn from your experience.

PC

The truth is that there's a little train lover in just about every person born. Some more than others. This love crosses all boundries, male, female, half&half, white, colored, brown, mixed etc. It will assure us that this thing we so enjoy will be here forever.

If you live within 100 miles or so of Altoona Pa. you should consider joining the Friends of the East Broad Top Railroad as that truly one of a kind ng railroad is at the starting line of a total rebuild and there are many ways to get involved as a volunteer.

Happy New Year, Ross Rowland

New England Steam Corporation is a broadly inclusive organization, and adding newer, young members all the time. We don't question gender, orientation, color, religion, or political affiliation.
You need to be over 17 years of age.
You need to wear all safety and PPV equipment as directed.
You need a work ethic.
You need to know when you don't know, and ask somebody for instruction or assistance.
That's how restorations thrive.

Mr. Peartree's comment above is exactly the kind of thing we don't need on this forum.

These threads save me a great deal of time in that I can go back and just copy and paste my reply from years ago to exactly the same type of thread.

From: http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=40335&p=257900&hilit=lint#p257900

We ain't dead yet, so will you guys cut it out already? Nobody's perfect, therefore no organization is perfect. Everyone and everything on the planet needs to compromise on their ideals and make the best of reality as do the majority (though not all) of posters on Rypn.

Kelly, I like that comment!

Belly button lint and opinions..... everyone has them except people with “outies”. I typically just roll my belly button lint into a little ball and flick it into the trash can.

I agree. Unsubstantiated accusations are not welcome here and his comment has been removed. This forum is no longer a free for all where people can freely make unfounded accusations and attacks. Want to do that, go to Trainorders or Facebook.

I hate the word inclusion, I think it’s a buzzword. I’m sure we could fill a dozen pages with rants about various organizations with good old boy mentalities. Simply put, those organizations will fail, or have already failed. Pick up a tourist railroad guidebook from 25 years ago and compare it with one from 2021, that’ll tell the tale.

Can we please get back to topics about ‘the train that wouldn’t die,’ ‘J&L goals for 2021,’ or ‘updates from Strasburg?’ Please?