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Re: Rail Tales - endangered railroad museums
Author: Erik H.
Date: 05-02-2015 - 09:54
SP5103 Wrote:
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> 10. - Add your own, I know there are more. Its
> hard to imagine that the first generation of LRVs
> are being retired and some are headed to
> preservation.
Statements like this don't exactly encourage me to help out. Non-profit organizations are a great way to give back to the community by teaching, especially younger members of our society, skills that in turn they can use to better the organization and the community.
This is from the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation's website:
" The locomotives are each maintained by their own group of volunteers. In all cases, the members of these groups have worked together for many years and have learned to trust each other while performing complicated or dangerous tasks. It is very rare that new members are added to these groups. However, if you have advanced skills as a welder, machinist, or other highly specialized area, you might be invited to discuss how you might contribute.
We also have a responsibility to develop the next generation of volunteers to maintain these publicly owned treasures. If you are young and strong, mechanically inclined, are willing to get dirty, perform any assigned task, and have the passion to dedicate the next 20 to 30 years to learning about steam locomotives, one of the engine crews might consider you as an apprentice.
And yes, this is intentionally worded to sound discouraging as the reality is the number of people who express interest in working on the locomotives far exceeds the opportunities. Only those showing the most passion and dedication to the ORHF mission may earn that opportunity. If you are willing to work at special events and/or spend time at the enginehouse helping with any task that needs to be done, it affords an excellent opportunity for people to get to know you and see your passion. Ask to be notified of general projects or sign up for one of the above Rail Heritage Center roles."
[www.orhf.org]
Basically this says "If you want to get up close and personal, forget it. We don't want you. But, we'll gladly use whatever free skills that you do have, but it won't get you up close and personal with the train."
Needless to say, my household donation budget goes elsewhere. And my - and my wife's - company matches donations which I gladly will do the paperwork for.
-------------------------------------------------------
> 10. - Add your own, I know there are more. Its
> hard to imagine that the first generation of LRVs
> are being retired and some are headed to
> preservation.
Statements like this don't exactly encourage me to help out. Non-profit organizations are a great way to give back to the community by teaching, especially younger members of our society, skills that in turn they can use to better the organization and the community.
This is from the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation's website:
" The locomotives are each maintained by their own group of volunteers. In all cases, the members of these groups have worked together for many years and have learned to trust each other while performing complicated or dangerous tasks. It is very rare that new members are added to these groups. However, if you have advanced skills as a welder, machinist, or other highly specialized area, you might be invited to discuss how you might contribute.
We also have a responsibility to develop the next generation of volunteers to maintain these publicly owned treasures. If you are young and strong, mechanically inclined, are willing to get dirty, perform any assigned task, and have the passion to dedicate the next 20 to 30 years to learning about steam locomotives, one of the engine crews might consider you as an apprentice.
And yes, this is intentionally worded to sound discouraging as the reality is the number of people who express interest in working on the locomotives far exceeds the opportunities. Only those showing the most passion and dedication to the ORHF mission may earn that opportunity. If you are willing to work at special events and/or spend time at the enginehouse helping with any task that needs to be done, it affords an excellent opportunity for people to get to know you and see your passion. Ask to be notified of general projects or sign up for one of the above Rail Heritage Center roles."
[www.orhf.org]
Basically this says "If you want to get up close and personal, forget it. We don't want you. But, we'll gladly use whatever free skills that you do have, but it won't get you up close and personal with the train."
Needless to say, my household donation budget goes elsewhere. And my - and my wife's - company matches donations which I gladly will do the paperwork for.
