I was in NYC on business today. After paying my respects at Ground Zero (my first visit since December), I did a little magazine shopping before letting NJ Transit whisk me back to Joisey.

I purchased my first copy of Railway Heritage magazine.

http://www.heritagerailway.co.uk/

WOW!!!!!

It was the July/Agust issue with news of operations in England, restorations and all sorts of other tid-bits the blokes across the big pond are up to. There's a wonderful article on the second round of restorations underway of the Barry scrap yard engines. The easier ones are already under steam, so now the basket cases are getting thier chance.

It is so funny to hear American's talk about how "old basket case will never run, she needs firebox work." Yet, the Brits are steaming engines that were glorified sewer pipes!

How do they fund all this? How do they get insurance for all those amazing mainline trips with steam?

It is ironic to note that apparently the British buffs have in-fighting, too. The big row is how so many industrial steamers are being made into Thomas toys and other innappropriate restorations.

I was also struck by the idea that many of the mainline steamers are owned by private individuals or groups, and they make the rounds of tourist railways.

How do they pull that off?

It seems there are some lessons to be learned.

Rob

Ahead of the Torch
trains@robertjohndavis.com

It goes even deeper than that.

They have repatriated quite a few locomotives from overseas, something we seem only capable of dreaming of. Included are several S-160s, a Vulcan-Foundry built KF1 4-8-4, and lots of industrial lokies; a gentleman imported 25 locomotives from Mozambique just a few years ago. (He wanted a traction engine, and the lokies came with the deal.)

There are lots of places where you can be transported back to fifty or so years ago with structures, trackside signalling and so forth. I am green with envy of one my regular penpals in the UK with his constant reports of mainline steam sightings.

Not to mention a group trying to build a mainline steam locomotive from scatch, and the cottage industry which has built several smaller steam locomotives long after steam locomotive construction "officially" ended with the last Hunslet built in 1971.

The British (and Europeans in general) have a much greater appreciation of things old, and "gricers" and "foamers" are considered mainstream, not quirks.

Compare to our "Wal-Mart and McDonalds" mentality mentioned below; the mainstream culture here has little appreciation or understanding of things old. Our geography may also work against us; as Dave illustrated in his article, it is easy to get in several museums over a week or on weekends.

The "industrial culture" mentioned in reference to Steamtown is better appreciated in the home of Watt, Stephenson, Trevethick and other pioneers. And finally, they are not as heavily bound as we are by our insurance and litigation system.

I haven't even touched on the traction engine scene. One listing of traction engines in Australia was discontinued because so many Brits were using it as a "shopping list" of engines to import. New Zealand and Chile have cultural export limits in place and still traction engines are being sneaked out.

I have been hearing reports from the Great Dorset Steam Fair; it sounds like it was good as ever. Something we may never see again in post-Media-and-911 North America.

The UK has had it's preservation disasters, the fate of Battersea Power Station is one example. But what was of interest to me is how many groups in involved in discussions about what to do with what is left of the station. Is there similiar levels of participation in discussing the fates of railroad structures here?

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

> I was in NYC on business today. After paying
> my respects at Ground Zero (my first visit
> since December), I did a little magazine
> shopping before letting NJ Transit whisk me
> back to Joisey.

> I purchased my first copy of Railway
> Heritage magazine.

> http://www.heritagerailway.co.uk/

> WOW!!!!!

> It was the July/Agust issue with news of
> operations in England, restorations and all
> sorts of other tid-bits the blokes across
> the big pond are up to. There's a wonderful
> article on the second round of restorations
> underway of the Barry scrap yard engines.
> The easier ones are already under steam, so
> now the basket cases are getting thier
> chance.

> It is so funny to hear American's talk about
> how "old basket case will never run,
> she needs firebox work." Yet, the Brits
> are steaming engines that were glorified
> sewer pipes!

> How do they fund all this? How do they get
> insurance for all those amazing mainline
> trips with steam?

> It is ironic to note that apparently the
> British buffs have in-fighting, too. The big
> row is how so many industrial steamers are
> being made into Thomas toys and other
> innappropriate restorations.

> I was also struck by the idea that many of
> the mainline steamers are owned by private
> individuals or groups, and they make the
> rounds of tourist railways.

> How do they pull that off?

> It seems there are some lessons to be
> learned.

> Rob


Battersea Power Station Mixed Use Proposal
james1@pernet.net

NM

Ahead of the Torch
trains@robertjohndavis.com

James,

That was a good report. You are noting the same things that I see in maritime preservation over there vs over here. The HMS Trincomalee (built 1817) was restored to the sum of 10 million pounds sterling. Ever hear of anything like that in this country. Much by a railroad museum!

Lets face it folks, interest in industrial archaeology (old things that move) is never going to be main stream in the good old USA.

Young people today are willing to accept the video tape and the coffee table book in lue of travel. I am always telling people to go there! Then of course buy the book!

The British Isles is a wonderful place to travel: the people are friendly, speak a similar language and the beer is outstanding!

They speak narrow gauge, Industrial steam, Traction and stationary steam to mention a few.

Ted

ted_miles@nps.gov

> Lets face it folks, interest in industrial
> archaeology (old things that move) is never
> going to be main stream in the good old USA.

Why not Ted? How are we failing to make this force which created the exceptional standard of living we have in this country relevant?

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

> Lets face it folks, interest in industrial
> archaeology (old things that move) is never
> going to be main stream in the good old USA.

> Young people today are willing to accept the
> video tape and the coffee table book in lue
> of travel. I am always telling people to go
> there! Then of course buy the book!

Ted,

It's not all gloom and doom when it comes to saving historic heavy metal. The loss of CABOT is a tragedy, but in the San Francisco Bay area, a determined group DID get HORNET almost literally out of the scrapyard at the last possible moment. Yes, they were predominantly men in their 50's and 60's, but I see much hope with the new generation.

Don't forget the Brit's record of historic preservation isn't perfect. The failure to save WARSPITE, KING GEORGE V, or DUKE OF YORK, not to mention a single HALIFAX or STERLING bomber ranks up there with the loss of ENTERPRISE, and all of the Pearl Harbor battleships. So things aren't perfect on the other side of the pond either.

Also, recently the USS CONSTELLATION was recently restored to the tune of approximately $9 million in Baltimore, thus guaranteeing the survival of the last intact US Naval vessel from the Civil War. And CONSTITUTION did sail under her own power in 1997, an event that should have sent shivers down the spine of every American. Hopefully that event can be repeated.

Every time I volunteer at the B&O Railroad Museum I see younger railfans from 5 to 30 who are rediscovering the age of trains. I have had the privilege of talking with many of them who will be running and supporting these endeavors when you and I are in the nursing home and no longer able to do so.

We wish we could save and protect more, but we have overall gotten much better at historic preservation in the last 25 years although there is certainly room for improvement.

kevin.r.gillespie@verizon.net

> Why not Ted? How are we failing to make this
> force which created the exceptional standard
> of living we have in this country relevant?

> Dave

Dave,

I don't think it is a failure on our part per say, we just have our work cut out for us.

Our standard of living is also based around the concept of "planned obsolesce". Yesterday's computers, cars, electronics, buildings, you name are obsolete; just throw them away and buy/build another one. That rusted hulk in the park has no value, it just needs to be scrapped.

"Thomas" has been a tremendous help with younger generations; and the 50+ crowd with memories of steam at work also have a connection with railway preservation already.

The group that needs to be reached the most is the 15-50 group. "Thomas" came along after they grew up, and they have few or no memories of steam at work.

I was thinking last night about the resurgance in biking. Who would have thought that yuppie executives and older folks would leave their air conditioning, luxury cars and electronics behind, buy a Harley and leather clothes, and hit the open road? I sure wouldn't have.

Perhaps Rob Davis, with his sense of advertising and popular culture has some insight to this; but my guess is good advertising connecting with a desire to return to a simpler life, one that is free of today's "burden of luxuries" was the driving factor behind it. And hey, to both guys and gals, the image of striding that noisy "hog" is "cool" and "sexy". (Not to me though.)

I think the same thing could be repeated with railway preservation. We need to somehow break out of our "old men playing with toys" mold and make ourselves more mainstream with the general public. Perhaps somehow offering events in conjunction with local biker rides/events may be one way to create a "cross over effect". Meets in conjunction with antique car shows is definitely another.

50's hamburger joints, 50's cars, 50's dress, and 50's music is considered "cool" by more than just the 40+ crowd. While it will be difficult to sell industrial archaeology in the same vane -- it doesn't have "the chrome, the flash, the hip" of say a '57 Chevy -- portraying it as the backdrop of the 40's and 50's (like the famous O. Winston Link drive-in photograph) may help people find a connection with it.

In the light of the "favorite steam excursion experience", please let me share what my favorite experience was. In April of 2001, my son and I attended a special event at the Texas State Railroad in Rusk. It jointly spotlighted the Texas & Pacific Railroad, and the American Freedom Train; with Texas and Pacific #610 being restored as a backup locomotive for the Freedom Train.

We arrived late late on Friday, and walked in the middle of a slide presentation. Now, my son Nicholas was six at the time, and the only child in the room. There were displays everywhere; I thought "oh no, we're about to get the cold shoulder".

Nothing could be further from the truth. Everyone treated Nicholas like a king. They told him how glad they were to see him there; and how exciting it was to see a young man who was interested in trains instead of airplanes and spaceships.

Next day we toured the roundhouse. I lifted Nicholas up into the cab of #300 while it simmered under steam. I believe that was Nicholas' first visit to cab of a working steam locomotive; unfortunately, it was also his last (for the time being.)

Our train was pulled by TSRR #201, which was relettered for Texas & Pacific for the event. As a 4-6-0 it was a little small for the train; in combination with the rain, it made for some great stack talk, even if we didn't exceed 40MPH.

Nicholas had his first photo runby that day; we then had good ole Texas BBQ in the shed at the Palestine end. We all sat down on the ground next to 610 to eat; and toured the equipment in the shed afterwards.

The staff built a small fire in 610's firebox for the smoke effect, and then used their RS-1 to push 610 out for a cermonial meeting with 201. Nicholas then had time to play with the Thomas layout in the depot before it was time to board the train for the return trip.

On the way back, we meet an engine driver from a Swiss Railway, who was also riding that day. He gave Nicholas a postcard from his railway, and during the slide presentation that night took a look at the pictures for Switzerland in the French version of "Surviving World Steam Locomotives". He was very complimentary of our efforts; which was my biggest encouragement that trip.

Everyone continued to treat Nicholas very, very well, and he left that trip loaded up with trinkets. We were not dressed warm enough for the cold wet weather that day; but we were both warm inside when we left Rusk; Nicholas sound asleep from a great weekend.

I went to that event looking forward to riding behind steam once again, and hoping to sell a CD or two. I came away realizing what a difference it makes when families feel welcomed to your museum or event, and not a burden or liability hazard. If we could repeat that feeling across the country, and give them some added reason to want to come out in the first place; it would certainly make a difference.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Locomotives
james1@pernet.net

James,

You've touched on some excellent points (and a great Texas story!). I agree when comparing North American rail preservation to British operations, I see a "difference" more than a "failure" on our part. A friend one pointed out that of the 350+ BR engines they have, two-thirds came out of the Barry Scrap yard and in American we don't have a Barry. That's true. But I'll add that Striegel's, the Portland parks, dying mom and pop museums and all the abused park engines nationwide add up to our own very scattered Barry.

As a side note - The one difference that really surprised me is the number of operating British steamers that are privately owned and elased out. According to HR magazine, there is actually a steam SHORTAGE in Britan! Wow!

Anyway, back to the program...

The disposable society is a very tough nut to crack, as you said. I have a few thoughts, though I am not sure they add up to a cohesive picture.

The Machines

The machines - We are a machine-oriented culture. NASCAR is huge. There are children's videos about Caterpillars. I am biased, but I think trains are the biggest, most awe inspiring machines ever built. The steam locomotive, of course, would be the queen of all machines since there are few others where so many of the guts are external.

So, part of the puzzle is taking our natural interest in machinery and positioning the locomotive in a manner that the weekend Harley yuppie understands he can get even more thrills out of being the weekend On-Time Tyner!

The Vision

The vision - This next idea flies in the face of American heritage railroading, so please forgive me.

Do everything you can to get people on your train, and then get them off it.

Say what?

I say "run-bys."

Sure, they are a foam fest staple for the Kodaclub and the Fujifoamers (I'm a Fujifoamer now). Great! But, they are also the BEST way to see what a steam locomotive is all about. So, I humbly offer that on EVERY steam trip EVERYWHERE there be a portion where the riders have a chance to get off the train and watch the engine in action.

I am not saying this is a PHOTO RUNBY. Just the opposite, this is a DEMONSTRATION RUNBY. Have a volunteer hoard the crowd and give a little pre-run narration, and then have Tyner crank the old girl past the throngs in a smoky haze.

That's the visual appeal of steam, and you just don't get it during station-stop run-arounds or from the coach seat. For a kid into noisy whirling things, it's like visual crack.

As most of us how we got hooked on steam, and you'll hear stories about seeing one in action. (Mine was watching Ross Rowland blast Hoboken with #759 outbound in 1973.)

The Sound

On board, I am all for narration in one direction of a trip. Tell the folks everything you can to explain the history of the line and reason the trains run. Then, set them up for a silent return trip.

Set them up?

Yes.

Explain what sounds they are going to be hearing. What are the brakes doing? Why are there regular chuffs? Or, why your shop hasn't fixed the chuff-chuff-chuff-pause-chuff of your engine (kidding!). What's the white steam popping off? Why does the whistle moan?

If you give some insight into the sounds and smells, that quiet return trip will not just let them hear the engine talking... they'll have an understanding of what it is saying. And please, let the quiet side of the trip be the uphill side!

I've got a million other thoughts, but these three are on my mind this morning. And, yes, I see them as part of that marketing I love to pontificate about. These are more ways to "sell" the public on a train.

What do you think?

Rob Davis


Ahead of the Torch
trains@robertjohndavis.com

> How do they fund all this? How do they get
> insurance for all those amazing mainline
> trips with steam?

Rob - one thing that always struck me was the low cost of restorations in the UK relative to our own. Materials, labor - both cost much less there.

Funding? More wallets per square mile. The UK has about 60 million people in an area about the size of Georgia and Alabama combined. Lop off Scotland north of a line between Glasgow and Edinburgh and you lose a lot of land and very little population (and I'm ignoring Northern Ireland as well).

The owners of those wallets also tend to have a much deeper knowledge and appreciation of their history, and of course they have more of it as well. So while we spend our weekends at the Mall, a British family is more likely to visit historic sites, including railroads.

And "preserved railways" tend to do a bang-up job of understanding their market, providing an experience people are willing to pay for more than once. One thing they get that most of our "tourist lines" don't: AUTHENTICITY SELLS. Most stations are period dioramas right down to luggage on the cart and appropriate advertisements and signs. (When's the last time you saw a REAL recreation of the atmosphere of a station here? Not even Chama can compare to Horsted Keynes or Oakwood or Ramsbottom or Loughborough Central or Alresford or . . .)

Several lines in the UK have 200,000+ riders per year - I can only think of 3 here that approach or exceed that number.

Insurance for main line trips? The whole culture of liability, compensation and law is different. The government doesn't set a "wergild" of 200 shillings for a ceorl and 1200 for a thegn like the Saxons did, but the average Englishman doesn't go running to the local ambulance-chaser when he gets a hangnail. Compensation is usually handled without going to court.

> I was also struck by the idea that many of
> the mainline steamers are owned by private
> individuals or groups, and they make the
> rounds of tourist railways.

> How do they pull that off?

With lowboy trailers ("low loaders" in England). A Pacific and its tender can be carted most places in England by truck because the British "loading gauge" (system of clearances) is comparatively small. It's actually cheaper to carry them this way than all-rail transits, and it's not uncommon to see one on the road.

Even more common are the smaller locos being traded round.

> It seems there are some lessons to be
> learned.

You betcha.

JAC

SteamCentral

> ...A friend
> once pointed out that of the 350+ BR engines
> they have, two-thirds came out of the Barry
> Scrap yard and in American we don't have a
> Barry. That's true. But I'll add that
> Striegel's, the Portland parks, dying mom
> and pop museums and all the abused park
> engines nationwide add up to our own very
> scattered Barry.

See John Craft's comments; while it's true that they could be considered a "Barry Scrapyard" in their own right; the distance between them is what it makes it so difficult to find a big enough customer/interest base to fund it.

Unless you are in an area that already has a large population base and/or a large tourist base, who will be there with wallets in hand to ride? I think some operations are doomed to never succeed because they are too far away from the customer base or the tourist trampings needed to make it work.

> As a side note - The one difference that
> really surprised me is the number of
> operating British steamers that are
> privately owned and elased out. According to
> HR magazine, there is actually a steam
> SHORTAGE in Britan! Wow!

John Craft also expounded well on this. While we don't have that many privately owned steam locomotives, did you know there are roughly 3800 steam vehicles in North America; most of them in private hands? Yet; in between Media, insurance costs, and liability concerns, it looks like steam shows and steam show attendance is way down this year. (9-11 certainly didn't help either.) The current realities as well as opinion towards antique steam engines will have to change before steam can become "mainstream".

Steam vehicles are about the right size to travel the country on a flatbed, as Craft describes. The same thing occurs with steam vehicles in the UK as well; although some hook up a "van" (travel trailer of sorts) and drive their traction engine or steam roller to meets as well!

> The Machines

> The machines - We are a machine-oriented
> culture. NASCAR is huge. There are
> children's videos about Caterpillars. I am
> biased, but I think trains are the biggest,
> most awe inspiring machines ever built. The
> steam locomotive, of course, would be the
> queen of all machines since there are few
> others where so many of the guts are
> external.

My thoughts exactly. Motorcycles also have the "guts on outside" appearance and high noise levels that steam locomotives have. Motorcycles have brightly painted tanks and chrome; should we go back to painting whitewalls on wheels and maybe even chroming the driving rods?

Maybe not...

> Do everything you can to get people on your
> train, and then get them off it.

> Say what?

> I say "run-bys."

> Sure, they are a foam fest staple for the
> Kodaclub and the Fujifoamers (I'm a
> Fujifoamer now). Great! But, they are also
> the BEST way to see what a steam locomotive
> is all about. So, I humbly offer that on
> EVERY steam trip EVERYWHERE there be a
> portion where the riders have a chance to
> get off the train and watch the engine in
> action.

I LOVE this idea. For those who are soaked in experience with steam locomotives, seeing a snoring, hissing steam locomotive rolling 5MPH past you is no big deal.

But, the average John Q. Public has never even SEEN a working steam locomotive before, except maybe in movies!

> I am not saying this is a PHOTO RUNBY. Just
> the opposite, this is a DEMONSTRATION RUNBY.
> Have a volunteer hoard the crowd and give a
> little pre-run narration, and then have
> Tyner crank the old girl past the throngs in
> a smoky haze.

Don't be surprised if that 5-15 minute runby makes more of an impression on the general public than a 12 hour "death march" at 70 MPH, but from inside an air-conditioned coach, insulated from the sights and sounds at the point.

> That's the visual appeal of steam, and you
> just don't get it during station-stop
> run-arounds or from the coach seat. For a
> kid into noisy whirling things, it's like
> visual crack.

BTW, one Sunday, I brought my Mamod toy steam roller to my Sunday School class for an object lesson. (If you don't understand the connection between steam and spiritual matters, contact me off-line) You should have seen the faces of the kids when I prepared it, fired it off, then ran it; all the while telling the lesson. Most of them have never seen a steam engine before; the concept of a fire burning in it's belly amazed them.

> As most of us how we got hooked on steam,
> and you'll hear stories about seeing one in
> action. (Mine was watching Ross Rowland
> blast Hoboken with #759 outbound in 1973.)

Mine was watching the stationary engines in the steam lab at the university, and SP 4449 passing through town on it's way to the World's Fair in New Orleans. Those were about the only time I got to see working steam until Wes Barris' website helped re-ignite my interest in steam locomotives about seven years ago.

> The Sound

> On board, I am all for narration in one
> direction of a trip. Tell the folks
> everything you can to explain the history of
> the line and reason the trains run. Then,
> set them up for a silent return trip.

> Set them up?

> Yes.

> Explain what sounds they are going to be
> hearing. What are the brakes doing? Why are
> there regular chuffs? Or, why your shop
> hasn't fixed the
> chuff-chuff-chuff-pause-chuff of your engine
> (kidding!). What's the white steam popping
> off? Why does the whistle moan?

> If you give some insight into the sounds and
> smells, that quiet return trip will not just
> let them hear the engine talking... they'll
> have an understanding of what it is saying.
> And please, let the quiet side of the trip
> be the uphill side!

I LOVE this one!!! This is basically what the TSRR did on that memorable trip. Another nice thing about this concept is that often the kids fall asleep on the return trip, leaving the moms and dads to soak in the sights and sounds in blissfull peace.

> I've got a million other thoughts, but these
> three are on my mind this morning. And, yes,
> I see them as part of that marketing I love
> to pontificate about. These are more ways to
> "sell" the public on a train.

One more thought: In my previous post, I mentioned the Thomas layout in the depot; TSRR actually has one in both depots (Rusk and Palestine).

If you don't have one, GET ONE! (Brio works fine, too.) And once you get one, be sure and keep it in good condition; if some kid ripps a section of track out, replace it, even if it means opening up a box from stock and only using one or two pieces.

My son Nicholas likes to go to Books-A-Million just to play with the Thomas layout there. (Even though our layout is bigger. :) ) If you don't have one, you are not only missing out on one of things that brings local families back, but you can sell a few pieces here and there as well in your gift shop.

Ditto to John's comments about making our museums time capsules. I am not certain it has to be accurate; but has to invoke that "back to a simpler past" feeling. Having events in conjunction with antique car events, Harly meets, or other historical-oriented events would help. (The Museum of Transportation in Galveston actually offers free admission during "Dickens on the Strand".)

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Locomotives
james1@pernet.net

Ah, but one must get them there first to experience the event which we hope will inspire them to show up in the first place. Catch 22.

My question wasn't so much microcosmic as societal - how can we as a society address an appreciation for applied technology? I have some personal sense that we have been somewhat ashamed of our industrial heritage compared to England, that our academic system steers students into "clean" bureaucratic careers and "losers" who can't cut it there become the hands - on mechanics of the world.

I have more respect for the worst mechanics than the average bureaucrat. At least mechanics produce some result of quantifiable and lasting value.

Have we left education in the hands of academics for too long? Is a "college track" program suitable for every student? Even college doesn't produce well rounded people capable of critical thought and problem solving any more. This used to be taught in high school, and specific problem solving skills in trade schools which were considered almost professional training grounds 60 years ago.

So, have we perhaps weakened our country by sending our skilled training overseas and largely eliminating our heavy industrial base? Does this reflect real societal needs or are we just victims of what trends have been marketed to us since the 1960's?

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

As long as the the Industrial Revolution is pictured as the product of greedy capitalists, the cause of all our pollution problems, indifferent killers of workers and destroyers of family life there will be no longing to see the "nostalgia" of the bad old days gone by. How can you recreate an era when steamboat pilots, locomotive engineers and yes even interuban motormen were well thought of in the community? How can you recreate an era where a "mechanic" had some respect because things were made to be repaired not thrown away? How do you build something to last when Hollywood spends 50-60 million dollars on extravaganzas with a two week life span? Colonial history, Pioneer History and Civil War history projects are able to draw fair sized crowds ... Railroad history, eeehhhhh Wish I had some positive answers!

lamontdc@adelphia.net

Dave,

there is very little that can be added to your comments, except to say that for some reason, our society has decided that FANTASY should be a substitute for reality. The biggest selling video games are the ones with the realistic graphics of a space alien or zombie infested world of shoot 'em up death. The most profitable computer websites deal in porno. The ways we think of gaining wealth have nothing to do with production or transportation, but on manipulation of "the system." Our gods are self serving athletes paid to play childrens games on TV, worshipped by an army of fat, flatulent, beer soaked buffoons(if you disagree, just look at the idiots at the local sports bar, or waving in nothing more than grease paint and Fruit of the Looms from the stands).

The analogy to the Harley Bike crowd (I have owned two in my life) has less to do with the machinery or nostalgia, than it does with the yuppie babyboomers wanting to relive a misspent youth as pretend thugs. I see all sorts of professionals spending vast amounts of money on bikes and leather in order to look like outlaw biker drug dealers(ala the Hells Angels).

What is wrong with American society as relates to historic preservation of any kind? Everybody, no matter their age, wants to be a teenager,in the "IN"crowd) and historic preservation ain't "cool."
Britain, on the other hand, revells in eccentricity. And what we do certainly qualifies.

>I have some personal sense that we have been
> somewhat ashamed of our industrial heritage
> compared to England, that our academic
> system steers students into
> "clean" bureaucratic careers and
> "losers" who can't cut it there
> become the hands - on mechanics of the
> world.

Absolutely. The academic system equates intelligence with academia, not use of mind and hand.

> I have more respect for the worst mechanics
> than the average bureaucrat. At least
> mechanics produce some result of
> quantifiable and lasting value.

We allegedly are differentiated from the animal kingdom by the size of our brains and the fact that we were ( are ?) TOOL USERS.

> Have we left education in the hands of
> academics for too long? Is a "college
> track" program suitable for every
> student? Even college doesn't produce well
> rounded people capable of critical thought
> and problem solving any more. This used to
> be taught in high school, and specific
> problem solving skills in trade schools
> which were considered almost professional
> training grounds 60 years ago.

Spot on again. I have a very good vantage point to assess what is commonly being produced by this system (amongst a few very bright minds that turned out right): We are awash in Fey slickers that have been led to believe that the object of their careers is to land a job for which they will be immensely overpaid. Period. The product of their employ is temporal and therefore of little interest to them.

> So, have we perhaps weakened our country by
> sending our skilled training overseas and
> largely eliminating our heavy industrial
> base? Does this reflect real societal needs
> or are we just victims of what trends have
> been marketed to us since the 1960's?

Fear not Dave, we have exported the Western blight and every nation that can is working 24 x 7 to emulate us. What will happen when they export *their* industrial base ? To whom ?
Atlas Shrugged ? Perhaps its not the intelligentsia that will book, but the wrenches...

Bill

staybolt@bellsouth.net

James,

> The group that needs to be reached the most
> is the 15-50 group. "Thomas" came
> along after they grew up, and they have few
> or no memories of steam at work.

How true. I'm "approaching 30" and sadly never had the chance to experience mainline steam. When I tell folks I'm a fireman on a steam locomotive most of them think I'm a "fire fighter". Few realize what is involved in operating a steamer. That's the beauty of Thomas, the parents are learning right along with the kids.

> In the light of the "favorite steam
> excursion experience", please let me
> share what my favorite experience was. In
> April of 2001, my son and I attended a
> special event at the Texas State Railroad in
> Rusk.

You just made my day! Committee members from North Texas Chapter of NRHS & the Trinity Valley Railroad Historical Association worked very hard planning that event. I'm honored & humbled to learn it is a "favorite steam excursion experience"!

> Nicholas had his first photo runby that day;
> we then had good ole Texas BBQ in the shed
> at the Palestine end. We all sat down on the
> ground next to 610 to eat; and toured the
> equipment in the shed afterwards.

Funny what I remember most is the RAIN! Eating in the shed was the only place we could get everyone together under one roof. In retrospect the shed was MUCH more memorable than eating on the lawn.

> Everyone continued to treat Nicholas very,
> very well, and he left that trip loaded up
> with trinkets. We were not dressed warm
> enough for the cold wet weather that day;
> but we were both warm inside when we left
> Rusk;

The kids are one of the best parts of my job. To see them running toward the engine (with parents trying to keep up) warms my heart. Even if I'm called a "driver" five times a day, there's value to the knowledge being imparted via Thomas. It's great that kids (and their parents) are learning about steam locomotives, all while being entertained. If that means steam will survive another generation I'll gladly live through "A Day Out with Thomas" events (ok, maybe I'll grumble... a little). =)

> I came away realizing
> what a difference it makes when families
> feel welcomed to your museum or event, and
> not a burden or liability hazard. If we
> could repeat that feeling across the
> country, and give them some added reason to
> want to come out in the first place; it
> would certainly make a difference.

Feeling appreciated is important, whatever side of the equation you're on. Volunteers, patrons, passengers, employees, etc. all need to feel they're important. Sometimes it's the smallest gesture that does it too. For instance, a few weeks back a little boy walked up to the engine and gave us homemade chocolate chip cookies to thank us for the train ride. Now maybe it's because I really like chocolate chip cookies or maybe because it's nice to be appreciated for simply doing my job, either way I'll never forget that small effort on his part.

Thanks again for your post. It's great to know the TSRR event made for good memories.

Natasha

71446975@quixnet.net