My First Time Volunteering

That's great, Brody!

Remember, do more listening than talking. If you are unsure of anything, ask questions. Don't run, and use all your senses. Railroaders are great people. Enjoy learning from them!

Brody, you are getting involved with a GREAT group of people! And you are sitting right next to "Mr. President" (as I always address him when he calls me on the phone.) As Steve says in the above post, listen a lot and learn from the "old heads."

Sitting at that table with you are a couple of the best steam guys in the country! The next time you are at the shop, take a close look at the 765's ash pan. Note all the compound curves, angles and odd-shaped pieces in it. The last guy on the left side of the table in your picture made that ash pan by himself in his shop...from scratch!

OGR Webmaster posted:

Brody, you are getting involved with a GREAT group of people! And you are sitting right next to "Mr. President" (as I always address him when he calls me on the phone.) As Steve says in the above post, listen a lot and learn from the "old heads."

Sitting at that table with you are a couple of the best steam guys in the country! The next time you are at the shop, take a close look at the 765's ash pan. Note all the compound curves, angles and odd-shaped pieces in it. The last guy on the left side of the table in your picture made that ash pan by himself in his shop...from scratch!

I had never met Bill until that day. I knew he was the president so I was surprised when I read the name on his helmet. But some pretty funny jokes were said during lunch. My mother was there, and she asked everyone what they did as their day job, and when it was Steve's turn, somebody else chimed in and said,"He's a forester, and he sleeps in the caboose during the week!" We all had a laugh about that. But I realized also how dirty 765 gets after the operating season. The valve gear was disassembled, and their was an orange bucket that was nearly full of grease that had leaked out of the valve gear! Also, my gloves changed color when I rested my hand on the pistons.

Good for you, Brody!

And, you're starting this at such a young age, too. Who knows what position you can work yourself up to in the steam preservation/operation world!!

I'm kinda jealous.

Jim