I have to ask, if I may, what types of activites and work did you do for the organization at 14?

I bring this up as it's something that's recently starting to be discussed at the organization I'm involved with. The main focus is how to get young people involved, want to feel welcome, and want to participate and feel needed in restoration activities but still have to limit (and in some cases not allow) thier involvement in certian activities due to being under 18 years of age due to insurance purposes. I'm not talking about the equipment itself either, this includes tools and machinery in the "shop". The organization may be liable and not covered by insurance if someone under the age of 18 gets hurt. This could include getting hurt with a drill to simply falling off a piece of equipment.

So I have to ask those out there, how does your organization handle people under the age of 18? What activities/work CAN or CAN NOT they do? How do you hold thier interest in staying IF they are limited in what they can be involved with until 18?

As I look back at that early involvement at 14 and what was going on over there. It was mostly, "Hey go a hammer and a wrench out of the tool car." I did my share of cleaning general labor, nothing too technical, but I was there around the "Real Trains". I do however distinctly being treated as one of the crew. I did get my time in the firebox and smokebox helping with the cleaning. I also remember everything being explained to me and how it worked and what it did. To this day many of those guys that were there still have my respect and I sill consider them friends.

As growing pains happened I learned about cars and girls and did not show up for a few years. I got involved at a second place and was surprised to learn that I was being trained by a 15 y/o, being in my mid 20s. I will also add that it was very soon that I found out how much I could learn from him. I still call on him on a regular basis.

The second origination was very family oriented and there were many sons there working along side their Dads. Those young men still are keeping steam locomotives running and they now are bringing their children around there starting the 4th generation there.

In reply to the liability issue at that time parent permission slips was how it was handled. I don't remember running any machinery at 14 other than a golf-cart. I do remember the 15 y/o who trained me was qualified as a brakeman and fireman at that age when he was 16 he had me firing for him and he was the engineer. (He was better than most there) Bear in mind that these things were done quite some time ago when things were more lax and not as many law suits.

Mark A. Frazier

I think it's a mistake to knee-jerk into "Well we're not going to let kids do anything at all because that's easier than trying to figure out what's safe." If there's anything kids hate, it's stupidity. Think back to when you were 16 and all the patently unreasonable rules that adults made up. Now that you're on the other side, you go "oh, there were reasons for that"... no, you were right the first time.

There are a lot of tools in a machine shop that a kid has essentially 0.00% chance of being injured on. A quality sandblast cabinet comes to mind. Yes, they require supervision, but what volunteers don't?

It's about having common sense and an understanding of your people and their capabilities. Regardless of their age.