Steps to volunteering on the 765

I'm not a volunteer with the 765 but a quick Google search found the application that the Fort Wayne Railroad historical society has for volunteers 

http://fortwaynerailroad.org/volunteer/

D.D. Page posted:

Hello, this post is intended for our webmaster. I'm a teen and I was curious about the steps of applying to volunteer for the FWRHS. I was looking forward to learning how to care and fire the 765 in the future. Of course i'm not wanting to do this right away, but in the future i'm definitely going to apply. I was just curious about what traits I should instill in myself and or prepare for before applying. Also what are the steps of the application and what classes will i have to attend? thank you D.D.Page 

I would believe the first thing to do would be to join the FWRHS.

http://fortwaynerailroad.org/become-a-member/

and live close, so you can hang around a lot.

Thanks for the question, D.D.

As BigDodgeTrain said, the first step is to join the FWRHS. Once you become a member, go to THIS PAGE  and fill out the Volunteer Information form. Once those things are done, plan to head for the shop on Saturdays as often as you can. The shop is at 15808 Edgerton Road in New Haven, IN, in the Casad Industrial Park. You don't live too far away. At the shop, look for Steve Winicker, our Chief Mechanical Officer, or Zach Hall, Assistant Operations Manager. Introduce yourself to the guys and start showing up on a regular basis. Help out where you can and look to learn something new on every visit.

We hold annual Operating Rules and Safety Rules classes which are mandatory for participation on the crew.

It's not rocket science, just a lot of hard, dirty work spread over lots of long hours.

The other advice I would give is.

1. Show up early and often ready to work.
2. Pay attention and ask questions. 
3. Be happy to do any task given you, no matter how trivial it might seem or how tough and dirty it is.  You will be sized up by the old heads to see how serious you are and whether you can follow instructions, complete tasks and work with others.
4. Be eager, but always  work safely.
5. Be respectful of others, particularly those that have donated FAR more time than you have. Nobody likes a smart aleck or know it all newbie.  
6. Volunteer for the tough non glamour jobs before, during, and after excursion runs.  If they need somebody to vacuum out passenger cars at 2AM on a Saturday night between trips, sign up for it.
7. Lead (and follow) by example.

OGR Webmaster posted:

Thanks for the question, D.D.

....The shop is at 15808 Edgerton Road in New Haven, IN, in the Casad Industrial Park. 

Rats! I don't think my girl's going to want to move!

Here's a satellite view of the 765's home shop.

Thanks Rich and the others that responded. I look forward to volunteering in the future.

Rich, is the FWRHS facility a purpose built building? Or was it a preexisting building? I ask because, from the satellite view, it appears that it's located in rail-driven industrial park that seems somewhat abandoned.

Rats!  Houston is too far away!

D.D.PAGE,

Just my two cents: always try to listen and learn from the folks you are going to volunteer with. It would also help you to begin reading and learning about the theories of steam locomotives, and there are some EXCELLENT technical reference books available.

Also, here is some advice:       You will progress through three stages, 1) You don't know anything. 2) You will have learned just enough that you THINK you know everything. 3) You have learnt so much, that you then realize just how little you REALLY DO KNOW!       Try not to spend too much time in stage 2), and progress to stage 3) as soon as you can.

Mill City posted:

Rich, is the FWRHS facility a purpose built building? Or was it a preexisting building? I ask because, from the satellite view, it appears that it's located in rail-driven industrial park that seems somewhat abandoned.

The FWRHS building was purpose built by them after years of working out of borrowed buildings.  The facility is the former Casad Military  Depot built circa WWII to store munitions and other raw materials needed for the defense effort.  It was heavily laced with rail sidings and served by both the NKP and by the former Wabash line that runs to the north.  765 was overhauled for it's first return to service in the late 70's on a section of track that formerly connected the depot to the Wabash line.  Since the mid 80's, military operations steadily wound down at Casad until a few years ago when some of the buildings were storing  mercury.  As the military moved out, some sections were converted to a standard industrial park.  It is a fine place to house 765, EXCEPT that is somewhat remote from Fort Wayne and most people have no idea where it even is. Hence the dream of moving the whole operation downtown in to the proposed Headwaters Park.  It's a shame that all of the track in the Casad facility is not still in place.  With a little work, a nice couple mile loop could have been set up for FWRHS operations, but that ship sailed well before anything like that could have been done.

As DieselBob said, the 765's shop building was built for the specific purpose of housing the 765. It is an 80' x 150' Butler steel building with two tracks inside. It is heated and insulated. One track has an inspection pit so we can get under the locomotive to inspect the brake rigging and running gear. There are huge concrete pads built into the floor for jacking the locomotive, as we did back in the late 90's when we rolled all the wheels out from under her. These pads rest on bedrock, about 10-12 feet below the level of the floor.

The shop had a dirt/gravel floor for many, many years. Just last month we were finally able to afford to pour a full concrete floor.

Our connection to the outside world is at the east switch at the Casad Industrial Park. We connect there with Norfolk Southern on the former Nickel Plate main.

DieselBob and Rich, thank you for your replys. The area does look pretty desolate and abandoned, and fully understand the dream of moving to garner awareness. The building may be lacking the esthetics, desired creature comforts, and functionality as an Age of Steam, but it gets the job done. Certainly a worthwhile and admirable endeavor.