If someone like the Guy you thought up pops into existence, i'm sure me and many others would call them an idiot.

The specifics may be too specific, but trust us, PEOPLE LIKE THIS EXIST. And they apparently need to be called out for said idiocy.

I've been told plenty of tales of both ends of the spectrum: The experienced, knowledgeable person started at the bottom because that's "what we do," and the entitled person not conditioned to hearing "no" who bolts as soon as they figure out they don't just hop in the engineer's seat or the equivalent. And I've experienced a few of a couple extremes: a place that would only use me as "cannon fodder," and a major event where I unexpectedly had full staff privileges waiting for me because of specialized expertise.

I’ve been on both sides of this coin. One non-rail preservation outfit I worked with had a regime change into a Good Ol’ Boy social network and I refused to be their fawning lackey so buh-bye. Others I still work with appreciate input no matter where it comes from.

I get the feeling from this thread that ORHS is a bit different from some - but hopefully like most - as we welcome everyone that wants to work with us. Doesn’t matter your age or what you look like or what your orientations, etc. might be. We don’t have an established hierarchy to “pay your dues”. Everyone does what they are able to do no matter the task be it from scraping paint to conductor or engineer. I actually enjoy not being in the cab (heresy, I know) and am happy we have new trainees so I can have my boots on the ground more often during operating events. You can get the full meal deal here. You wanna be an engineer, we’ll train you. You wanna repair track, do research, wire signals, organize displays, be a car host, do paperwork, pack bearings, etc. etc. etc., we’re here for you. You might get dirty, but you’ll have fun.

To get somewhat back to the original topic after tooting our horn, our CEO is female and I’m unaware of any kind of blatant discriminatory blowback she may have gotten because of her position but I’m sure it happens from outside the organization. I’m also sure you’d find out real quick if your remarks were out of line....

While this discussion has been interesting, to say the least, i'd also like to return to the topic at hand.

Personally - i've seen (and dealt!) with a lot of misogyny - and many of my female friends in train spaces have, too. Although this isn't strictly preservation, i tend to feel with quite a few male railfans that they have two opinions to women - if they're attracted to them, they'll swoon and be explicit over even the least explicit photo - and if not, they'll make the same, tired "i bet she has a penis" joke.

Of course - this is my experience on primarily online spaces, and i understand and appreciate the differences. Just feel like throwing this out there.

It’s the same in person as well in my experiences.

Not mentioned:

The woman railfan who shows up at the meeting/train show/etc. and is instantly assumed to be the wife or GF of one of the male attendees.

Now,the reality is, in too many hobbies I've been involved with directly or indirectly, THAT'S THE TRUTH. Ham radio. Magic. [Insert random male-dominated geekdoms here.] Even the ones that turned into active, contributing members--car operators, club secretaries, etc.--got into it because of a male significant other.

On the other hand, there are some hobbies--music, anime/manga, etc.--where the balance is far better. And if you men want a dose of the "other side," go (as I do) to shows for fiber arts/wool/knitting. 80% female, and the other 20% are either vendors or carrying wives' bags.

Since it seems as if you are lacking some responses from females in railroading....

I just wanted to say that the only time anyone I have worked with has ever had any doubts about my abilities as a locomotive fireman, it was while firing for a contributor to this thread. I'm not exactly sure as to where the idea comes from that females cannot handle working in railroading, but I have handled every single time that I have fired for him no matter how difficult the trip was. Never once was there a lack of steam or water and nobody died.

Other than that, I am the only female working in train service at this particular railroad. Yes, I am also the only female who works part time in the shop as well. I do any job that a guy would have to do from lapping valves to being shoulder deep in oil and grease pulling heads off of a diesel locomotive, to welding and using torches. Every guy that I work with treats me like anyone else in the shop, not differently just because I am a girl. In turn, I don't ask them to bend over backwards to change how they operate to accommodate me being a girl. I don't ask for the humor to change or for them to watch their language. If anything, I'm probably worse with both of those things than some of them are.

There is more of an issue with the general public and railfans not wanting to talk to me because they think I'm there to get my picture taken and will ask a guy who knows nothing questions instead of me.

So with that, as long as a person is doing their job well, don't worry about what is in their pants. I in no way condone females that can't do the job being put in just because they are a girl. But, if the person earned where they are don't worry about whether they are a girl, boy, young, old, etc., just let them do their job.

Listen to SteamGirl.

There are a LOT of top-notch women in this field determined to show off their real talents--in part because, in reacting to sexist stereotypes, they push harder and expect never to get away with anything.

There's a machine/molding shop in town (down the street from me) that does lots of custom production of specialized fittings and parts, for their own trade and others. They've reported the same problem places like Strasburg and CSX have: They can't find competent machinists that know the trade, metallurgy, fluid dynamics, etc. and can think for themselves how to solve a challenge or problem, AND can pass drug screening/background checks, show up dependably, etc. Like many such places, they've been forced to troll the regional vocational-technical schools, trying to snap up prospects like football scouts seek out prospective players.
The last four machinists they have hired in this fashion have been female.
I understand there's a similar story out of some shop in this field...........

I fired for a woman steam engineer and she was very good at her trade. Some of you know her and her husband used to post here. I have personally hired female train and engine crew, and they were more than competent in doing what at times were very difficult assignments. They asked nor were given any quarter, and they were excellent at the work they did. I know others in the biz and I would work with them anytime.

SteamGirl - if we had a thumbs up button, I’d click it. And... Welcome to the Interchange.

Well put, and I’d ride with you anytime. I’m too busted up to offer to do full shifts of heavy work—arthritis got a hold in my teens—but if anything needs a good cussing or a whack with a sledge, I might be some help. It makes me happy to see so many women getting into all kinds of trades, because every time a kid sees one of us getting dirty and being happy, she might think “You mean I can do that?”

I do recall one man who showed up on TrainNet back in the day and had a bad attitude about my being there. He didn’t volunteer or work anywhere rail-related himself, but he knew all about why nobody else was doing it right. It was easier to keep doing the job he claimed I couldn’t do than to take time to yell at him, and when he realized nobody was impressed, he went away.

I'm also very glad to hear from some of the ladies, especially since I'm starting to see some posts I can agree with.

Over 40 years ago, I was hostling for BN, and my (ex) wife was a "switch bitch" for D&RGW (her words, not mine). She was one of the first, and the company told both the men and the women the same thing "We don't want ANY trouble". They had to share locker rooms (but not showers), and a lot of the guys had pinups in their lockers. HOW AWFUL --- men like to look at naked women. For shame. The girls handled it by buying some issues of Playgirl, and putting up some pinups in their lockers. Gee whiz, I hate to shock anybody, but we're all still friends.

And yes, I know a young lady who is a fine steam fireman, engineer, and mechanic, employed full time. I don't know if she has any pinups in her locker or likes dirty jokes, though. It hasn't come up so far.

Not only that, but I'm mighty glad that a young lady with a steam engineer's license and a mechanical engineering degree works for the company that is building the new boiler for my locomotive. Same deal, I'm just glad to have a capable, interested person taking care of business. Nobody could do a better job than she is doing, and nobody else would try as hard, I'm certain.

Give it Hell ladies !!!

Here is a little "facebook wisdom"! However, it does seem to have validity and cries out to be posted somewhere on this site. Here is as good a spot as any perhaps.

Thank you everyone who replied to my post!

Just remember that the real women in railroading aren't the ones whining and complaining about every little thing and begging for recognition. We are just covered in grease like the rest of the guys, cracking some dirty joke or cussing something that's not working right.

There are definitely still a few guys out there that are against women working on trains or working in shops. I've dealt with that before and I know a couple of my friends who are currently dealing with that issue. I think the key is for railroad management to make sure that the people they are promoting to higher positions aren't discriminating against females, even if it isn't blatant. I wasn't able to do shop work until we ended up with a new boss for the shop. All I could do before was clean cars occasionally.

Hopefully the higher ups start noticing trends of when females are leaving railroad jobs after staff changes and work to change that.


Steam Girl

\ Please allow me to say that as old fashioned ( and just plain old) as I am I have had the pleasure of having a female fire person assigned to me several times when running # 40 at New Hope and she did an excellent job in every respect.

Far as I'm concerned if the lady can do the job more power to her. We need all the young ones to get bit by the steam bug as possible so why eliminate half the population from the candidate pool.

IMHO- Ross Rowland