Dear Railway Preservationists,

This is a topic that would be well discussed here and with the Tourist Railway Association. You've all heard of the Sister City program how about starting a "Sister Railroad Program".

Alittle background growing up on Colorado Narrow gauge, later volunteering on the Georgetown Loop and working on the D&Sng. I have emigrated to Germany after my engineering degree. I am a member of a high class 2 foot gauge railway museum in Frankfurt. Now I am discovering the railway preservation scene here in Brazil. I am struck by how many simularties there are, I mean there are the two of the biggest common denomiators involved; people and steam. Neither one of these was invented recently.

In my limited exposure to the railroad scene in California, Colorado, Germany and Brazil I see many things that one could share with one another. The worst that could happen with a sister railroad program is that people could get to know other railroad enthusiasts in the world and one might exchange advertising.

Some of the common experiences I see shared by all. Local Politics, aging equipment, the pool of preservationist is getting older and fewer, railroads and railroad history is not "main stream" in our cultures and especially with the younger generations anymore, spare parts and restoration skills are disappearing, history has to be "interrupted" for new audiences and a balanced family oriented program has to be developed, fire dangers can cancel steam trips in Germany as well as Colorado, and the list can go on.

My proposal requires the outreach of orginations like TRAIN and others Railroads to reach out to each other through the help of international railfans like myself. Railfans travel railroads don't. Through railfans acting as liasons and introducing the railroads to one another they take and active role and show interest by exchanging the contacts names, translating when necessary and providing the railfans perspective what the railroads have in common or what one operation does better or differently.

Railroads should have simularities in the operations, equipment oder orgination but from different countries.

My first suggestion would be Cumbres & Toltec (US), ABPF Campinas (Brazil), Alfred County Railroad (South Africa), Förker Oberalb (Switzerland), Harzer Schmalspur Bahn (Germany), Sweden, Austrailia, New Zealand, ....

At the very least every RR can put up signs and flyers from the other "Sisters". It could be so much more exchange of maintanence techniques, parts suppliers, ways to motivate volunteers and obtain funding, argumentations to overcome obsticals and political setbacks.

Does anybody wish to discuss this with TRAIN members? I'm alittle removed and the only members I know are at the Royal Gorge RR.
Through the wonders of Internet and Email we should be able to have a virtual "kick-off" meeting if we can find forum (like RyPN) to host this.

I'm available on this board or at windbergs@yahoo.com to discuss this. Come on Railfans let us help our favorite industry.

Thor
a Clorado narrow gauger in Brazilian exile

A fine idea, and one that I have been involved in talking about before.

In my limited experience, primarily Australia, Wales and England, simply being involved with a steam operating organization opens a lot of doors. If connections are made via internet in advance, even moreso - I discovered I was booked as a fireman on an Australian railway when the GM pounded on my hotel door one morning.

Why can't we formalize some sort of mutually beneficial arrangement? I correspond with some European expats in Latin America now, and they are doing some very interesting things it could benefit us all to learn about. I just don't know what we might have to offer in exchange.

Personally, I'd be up for a staff exchange program, whereby we could trade operating / mechanical / management positions for a limited duration of time - maybe 3 or 4 weeks - to learn how things are done in other places. Largest obstacles might be providing housing, and transportation costs.

dave

I also think it is an excellent idea! In the United Kingdom, there are a number of sister or "twinned" railways. For example, the Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) is twinned with the Sandstone Heritage Trust, South Africa, and the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen, Germany.

It would make sense if museums here were to get involved in such a program, that a group like the 2' gauge WW&F Rwy in Maine would become a twin/sister with similar gauge railways like the Welsh Highland, Sandstone, etc. Standard Gauge museums could do likewise. Unfortunately, for those of us with an interest in 3' gauge railroads, there seem to be many in the USA, but not as many 3' gauge railways in Europe.

Still, like Thor, I agree it is worth looking into.