Bob;

You bring up some interesting points in your article, and you have ferreted out interesting places. I'm 41, going on 42, and I'd agree with your comment about age. Usually, I am one of the youngest around, with the possible exception of a father son/daughter team once in a while.

Thoughts:

1) Boy, was I pleasantly surprised to volunteer for a really long weekend a month ago at the Heber Valley Railroad, out in Utah. On my first day there, I felt like I was the oldest person there. There were a few of us "oldies" running around, but the number of young men, and the competence of these men was impressive, as was the total feeling of cooperation amongst all.

2) I also have had the pleasure of being engineer of our Shay, and having my 11 year old daughter as fireman. She also has driven "our" Shay; what a thrill that was for her, even though she needed help because of strength and knowledge. (no, it was not me supervising her) What a thrill for her, and something that will hopefully inspire her to continue to be at least somewhat interested.

3) In the Shay, and in olden times when we ran the ex. CPR G5a pacific #1201, we'd let kids/people up into the cab when we were sitting for a while. Some are interested, some not, but most will remember the experience.

4) I just got back from a long weekend at Strassburg/SteamTown/EBT; Strassburg especially, getting anywhere the locomotive and/or crew was impossible; at Steamtown I managed to pigeon hole the Engineer for a couple of minutes when he was off the locomotive. Previous e-mail inquiries to arrange to visit the cab (to see a stoker in operation) had indicated "no way". The EBT was, as usual, friendly, but it is visited mainly by the converted, not the general public.

I can understand keeping people away from locomotives from a safety/litigation point, but, how does one garner interest in something from a distance? I call taking people into the cab "P.R." work, and it does at times pay off. Without that interaction, our locomotive is just a hunk of noisy/dirty metal with little interest.

I don't know what to do except to volunteer where I can, and to continue to do the "P.R." work.

Any thoughts?


john.stewart@crc.ca

We did a summer program that put college age people to work in our restoration shop for a few weeks but they were for the most part already committed railroad preservationists by avocation. I am proud that two of the 6 have chosen to try to pursue it as a career.

Access to engine cabs and workshops should be encouraged whenever possible but it is difficult to do this safely. Most parents aren't real good about keeping their kids under control in areas they don't fully appreciate can be full of hazards.

We have posted signs and an off limits policy, but when the time can be spared to give an interested parent and child an escorted tour, we are happy to do so.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

John,

At NCTM it is now common practice to bring the engine into the depot so visitors can get into the cab during the long lunch break between the 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. runs. I usually volunteer to stay with the engine during the break and gulp and grab a 10-minute BBQ sandwich when the rest of the crew comes back; it's worth every penny of being able to show the folks the engine and get them where they want to be. It is something we should try to do more often for the folks who show up in the afternoons.

I recall some years ago we took a visitor on a cab ride. He was almost in tears thanking the crew at the end of the day. Share that cab space, y'all, as long as its safe. Jim

http://nctrans.org
Wrinnbo@aol.com

One person that has impressed me is "Daylight Doyle". When ever a group of youngin's are around, he always takes the time to answer questions and show them around the 4449. He has said that "when I die, I want to know that someone is taking care of her... If it were to sit and rust, I'd rot in my grave".

I myself have given "cab tours" of the 4449 when we have gone on our trips. I just love to wave people into the cab as they stand on the ground and give me the look that I know I had before I started volunteering. They never leave the cab with out a smile.

Dave Brown

At the Naugy, we give cab tours during the station stop/layover. Kids, moms, dads, grandparents, all get a kick out of it. "Want to try the whistle?" usually gets an enthusiastic response! And, it give us a chance to talk to our visitors-- how are they enjoying the visit, answer questions, find out where they have come from. We also offer cab rides, simply sign a release form and fork over $15 additional fare. We usually get one every trip, and usually not buffs. We are running diesel power; it might be a bit different with steam locomotives, but at least the cab tours should be possible.

The other day, I was telling two of our twenty-something members about some of my escapades in engine terminals, towers, cabs and cabooses during the 60s and early 70s. They couldn't believe it. Railroading was still approachable for a kid thru those facilities, but not so today. The preserved lines are probably the only places a kid can be "invited in" in that way that many of us were, years ago.

If we don't hook some kids on this, there will be lots 'o razor blades in about 30 years.

hpincus@mindspring.com