ABOVE LEFT: Author Grant Lilly waves from the cab of 2-8-2 No. 70, a Baldwin graduate from 1929, as Stathi Pappas runs the engine. ABOVE RIGHT: Not only is motive power (steam and diesel) a part of RailCamp, but working on rolling stock in the shop is also part of the course. RailCamp provides an immersive experience for youth in all types of railroad work, both heritage and modern.
qualmie to North Bend and then to Sce- nic Snoqualmie Falls. During the por- tion of the ride from Snoqualmie to North Bend, the group of campers I was with rode on the vestibule of the back car, which was also the lead of the train. When we arrived at the station at Ridge Bend, the conductor called me off the train, handed me his radio, and gave me instructions on how to communicate with the dispatcher to obtain permis- sion for the train to leave the station. Once our group returned to the train, we punched the tickets of all the pas- sengers before returning to our seats and enjoying the scenic ride to the wa- terfall. After the train returned to Sno- qualmie, we drove back to the NRM, where we participated in two more ac- tivities. The first was restoration work on a 19th century chapel car. We learned how to strip finish off a wall and also to shellac wood. We then each made a small bookshelf with one end including a piece of rail mounted on wood. To complete this project, we had to use many power tools such as sanders and power saws. We also had to countersink a hole to screw into the board and tap a piece of rail. Saturday was our last true day of camp in Washington, which included another trip to MRSR. Our twelve campers were split into two groups. My group began the day with an extremely remarkable ride through the scenic Washington Cascades, including an in- credible view of Mount Rainier. Howev- er, it got even better in the afternoon. Just after lunch, I rode with two oth- er campers in the cab on the first leg of the journey. We enjoyed the thrilling sounds of the locomotive working up- hill. On the return trip, we assisted the conductor as he detrained the passen-
gers. Additionally we assisted the pas- sengers of the next train in boarding before heading back to our dorms for the last time. At the dorms, we held a debriefing about the week and packed for our early departure the next day. The week I spent in the Seattle and Tacoma, Wash., area was nothing less than life changing. I have made several friends that I hope I will remain friends with for a lifetime, and also learned so much about trains and railroading that it wouldn’t be possible to recall it all in a single article.
It is mostly the hands on experiences that I will remember and will be the most helpful to me if I choose to pursue a career in railroading, but I know that everything else will also have a tremen- dous impact. I am truly thankful for the privilege of attending NRHS RailCamp Northwest. I know it is a week I will never forget.
Grant Lilly is a junior at Mount He- bron High School in Ellicott City, Md., where he is an honor student. In 2011, he attended the NRHS Steamtown RailCamp in Scranton, Pa., on a schol- arship sponsored by the Middle Divi- sion of the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society. Grant has been a member of the Washington, D.C. Chapter NRHS (DCNRHS) since 1997 where he occasionally volunteers on DCNRHS projects. Grant enjoys fishing and ornithology and is an avid fan
of the Baltimore Orioles and
Ravens. He also plays the oboe in con- cert band and percussion in the Mount Hebron Marching Band. RAILFAN & RAILROAD publishes a RailCamp story each year as part of an effort to encour- age a future generation to get involved in railroad journalism.
UPCOMING 2014 RAILCAMP SESSIONS
Railcamp East: Wilmington, Del. July 6-11, 2014
Longtime partner Amtrak will host campers at its National Operations Center and High- Speed Rail Training Facility in Wilmington, Del., where they will be immersed in the daily operation of the nation’s passenger railroad. Students will also spend two days at the Strasburg Rail Road and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pa., where they will learn about restoring steam locomotives and vintage passenger equip- ment. The railroad museum will also teach campers about the unique history and cul- ture of Pennsylvania railroads. Lodging and meals will be provided at the University of Delaware in Newark, Del.
Railcamp Northwest: Tacoma, Wa. July 27-August 2, 2014 Activities will include a day with Amtrak at the newly renovated King Street Station in Seattle and its adjacent maintenance facil- ity. Students will visit the operations center of Tacoma Municipal Belt Line (Tacoma Rail) and participate in a working inter- modal operation. Other locations include the Northwest Railway Museum at Sno- qualmie, Wash., and the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad at Mineral, Wash., where campers will help with preservation activi- ties, physical plant maintenance and train operations. New to the program is a day at Seattle’s Sound Transit facility to explore the operations of commuter trains and light rail transit. Students will be housed at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma.
Registration is now open, please visit
nrhs.com/program/railcamp for details.
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