I've been involved in restoring and operating steam locomotives most of my life. From the Billy Jones to the YMSP and Roaring Camp. When the motivation for operating steam is to generate tourist revenue, the motivation is easy to grasp. Yes, I like trains, but I've never been a photographer, I think only ever chased a train once, I don't really read volumes about bygone logging companies or the heyday of the SP. I prefer living rather than watching. But I often wonder why so many, probably several thousand of dedicated volunteers spend their time working for free to do a job that thousands before us were happy to be rid of with the coming of the diesel. I know why I do it, because I greatly enjoy the time I spend with good people while recreating a time that came and gone long before I existed. These days I don't get to volunteer as much as I would like, but the time I do spend is precious in it rarity. Often the prospect of spending a day in the locomotive shop or out on the railroad in the engine or on the train is like Christmas morning as a child. But I would like to hear your motivation.

Why do you volunteer? What motivates you spend your time, and ultimately your money to work for as a volunteer to do a difficult and dangerous job for free?

My motivation for asking is not totally philosophical, museums are losing the battle to draw in new volunteers. Today's youth, tomorrows volunteers, don't have the same interest in preservation that our older generations do. Perhaps if we can identify our motivations, perhaps we can motivate next generation.

I've always been a railfan (since before I can remember), and I used to draw crayon pictures of one of the old diesel locomotives I'm now helping maintain. I usually do equipment maintenance, occasional operations duties, and a very small amount of right-of way work.

I think my biggest reasons for volunteering include:

1. C'mon, I get to hang around trains all day. :)
2. Preserving the equipment.
3. Learning about past technology. This is a biggie.
4. Giving families an opportunity to ride a real honest-to-goodness train. I love being able to talk to kids who are just like I was when I was little and especially their parents who I can give pointers and ideas for cool things I've found and that my parents found for me. "Oh, your kid likes model trains? There's this great little used model train store on the other side of town. All they sell is model trains. The guy knows and has everything. You should check them out." or "Oh, your kid's likes The Polar Express? Did you know that it's a direct copy of a real engine? You can even go see one that's the same type of engine next week a couple hours away..." Many of them have never and will never again ride a train, and I like to think I'm helping to spread the enthusiasm for it.
5. Exercise and getting out of the house and away from the computer.

And for the record, I consider myself a bit of a young whippersnapper considering the average age of our work crews regularly runs above 60-65. :)

Insanity. ;-)


Really though, the days where it all goes well, the train is full and everyone got their donuts and cider, they get to see a "real" NS freight go by while we're laying over. Talking with people to appreciate the work involved with operating and maintaining a 11 mile railroad with a dozen volunteers. Stopping in downtown and letting people up into the engine on a summer day. Seeing a father and son who "have the bug" and is loving every second of the trip. Standing in the open air car at about midnight returning from a fireworks show and seeing the fireflies over the millpond as we glide across a bridge. Hearing the loco fire up on the first shot. Pulling into town on the weekend of the fall festival and seeing people lined up on the sidewalk waiting for us.

THAT is why I volunteer, and looking forward to THAT is what keeps me from losing the last of my marbles.

Because I want THAT to continue I go through THIS,

Board meetings that start at 7pm and go till after midnight. Herding cats-er volunteers. Half a tank of gas per trip to the RR on a college budget. Endless brush cutting. Dealing with politicians and the local governments. 11 miles of track and hand tools only. 15 riders on a summer day and still sucking it up and pressing on. Looking at the budget and not fainting. Looking at the budget after bridge inspection expenses are figured in and not fainting. Praying the 70 some year old engine holds up for one more season. Dealing with trespassers and vandalism. And a lot more.


I got a bit long winded, but I think you'll get my point.

I, along with the other 12-14 volunteers at the PTHT did it to see the rolling stock and the station property restored to it's former glory. There is also a great love of history and it's preservation that comes into play. Why else would we work in snow, frozen ground, rain and excessive heat to something to look at? But as stated above, maybe there is a bit of insanity to spend so moch time and money on someone else's property. Remember that you just don't run down to the local railroad store and order an 1890 caboose or a 1950 boxcar. The only ones out there are the only ones that will be around for generations to come to see how this country came to be before highways and trucks. We had a group of school kids in one day and one of our volunteers was telling them it took two train rides for him to get to school. That blew their little minds. What no school buses?

It's all about the history!

Later!
Mr. Ed

A lot more interesting than playing golf.