<P>The thing that we keep talking about here is interpretation. What does this mean and how do we go about it. There is so much to that can be done. Just because we have a locomotive, rolling stock, and track does not me we have to do an interpretation of a railroad.<p>A tourist train can be a moving platform in which interpretation can have many angle. yes we can show how a branch line railroad operated when grand pop and great-grand pop were riding trains but there is so much more. <p>Many of our train rides pass historic places only to have them mentioned as a quick side note. How something you can put your hands on? When a train passes the ruins of a factory the made the first widget pass one around the train, let people touch one. See if there is a widget collector or group that would like to take part in explaining what they did and why the factory was there.<p>Why not build some time into the schedule to allow for a stop to inspect the ruins. This might not be something you can do everyday but it would add a lot more to the whole interpretation.<p>Something I have learned as a teacher is you have to connect what you are trying to teach someone to something they already know. This connection is what someone will remember and make them come to you and say " Wow that is something I will always remember."<p>Example: "Old number 7 is pulling our train was built by Baldwin in 1920, she is a 2-6-0 type steam locomotive" is read over the PA. Yeah right, we have just educated these people big time!<p>Example #2: A car host has a 2-way conversation with those on board he/her car and asks the folks on board; "Who can tell me what kind of locomotive is pulling our train?". Someone will chime in, "A steam locomotive". next the host asks "who can tell me something about steam?" and someone says "you get it when you boil water on a stove". "Right" says the host, "now to boiler water we have a guy in the cab called the fireman who shovels coal into the firebox". "Now who can tell me something about coal?"... and it goes on.<p>Now you have a 2-way conversation that is going to tie what you are telling them to something they already know. Now you are doing something! The folks who are in this car are really going to learn something.<br>

<P>good points - most RR museum's do a very poor job of it. We collect, and, somwtimes restore, and collect, and sometimes operate, and collect some more. However, the main purpose of a museum is to EDUCATE!<br>




lundquist@sdrm.org

<P>"To provide educational value to our community", the primary reason for recieving the 501 (c) (3) non profit IRS recognition neeeded to attract donars. <p>Does a room/barn/yard full of assorted "junk" with varing degrees of labeling, if at all, meet that commitment?<br><br>

<P>and not have a museum (ie - Amtrak, BNSF, etc) - and - you can also have a museum without any equipment! The equipment exists at museum to enable us to tell the story of railroad history!<br>




lundquist@sdrm.org