A taste of railroading: Scouts sample train life at Age of Steam Roundhouse
SUGARCREEK – Scouts from throughout the Tuscarawas Valley learned firsthand about railroading – from driving a spike into a railroad tie to operating a handcar down a short piece of track.
More than 80 Scouts from the Netawatwees District of the Buckeye Council of the Scouts BSA participated in Saturday's railroad merit badge program at the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum outside of Sugarcreek. The Scouts arrived on Friday, camped overnight, spent Saturday learning about trains, train equipment and safety procedures and headed home on Sunday.
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"I honestly really liked just getting to push and pull some of the parts of the trains," said Zachary Balash, a member of Troop 38 in East Sparta.
Lillie Gillaspie, a member of Troop 1 in Dover, also liked the program.
"It was fun. I liked learning about trains the most because I generally love trains," she said. She especially enjoyed learning about train maintenance and helping to drive the handcar. "It was awesome."
Rory Chismar, a member of Troop 72 in Strasburg, liked learning about railroad technology.
"There was a piece of technology we saw which goes on the back of trains in place of a caboose, which flashes lights and tells you the air pressure in the train. Quite interesting," he said.
Before last weekend, Chismar didn't know much about trains.
"Not too much, just what I learned watching Thomas the Tank Engine," he said.
In addition to East Sparta, Dover and Strasburg, Scouts from Gnadenhutten, Carrollton, Orrville and Stow participated in the program, which will help them earn their railroad merit badge.
"It's a great opportunity for the boys to come down and experience it," said Jim Hill, scoutmaster of the Strasburg troop and district chairman. "It adds so much to the merit badge experience because of all the stuff that's here. They can see it, instead of looking at a picture or something to identify it. It's sitting right here.
"It's an outstanding facility, and it's really outstanding for a railroading merit badge."
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During the program, the Scouts learned about railroad safety; about Amtrak and how to plan a trip on Amtrak; freight railroads; railroad equipment, both passenger and freight; diesel locomotives; railroad technology; and model railroading.
Tim Sposato, chief mechanical officer for the Age of Steam Roundhouse, said the organization has always worked with the Boy Scouts on programs.
"Jerry Jacobson, the founder of all this, was big on Scouting," he said. "He helped them a lot over the years. Back when he had the Ohio Central Railroad, we actually started the merit badge program that we're currently doing today."
This is the sixth time the railroad merit badge program has been held in this area. Three of the programs were held at the Morgan Run locomotive shops in Coshocton, when Jacobson owned the Ohio Central, and three have been held at the Age of Steam Roundhouse.
"They get a taste of railroading from all angles, and that covers the requirements and then some," Sposato said.
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The railroad merit badge program is held once every four years, Hill said. On other years, they do programs on aviation at Harry Clever Field in New Philadelphia, American heritage at either Schoenbrunn Village or Fort Laurens and traffic safety.
Balash attended the program at Harry Clever Field and got to ride in a plane. "I got to fly it. I was in the co-pilot seat," he said.
By doing the programs on a four-year rotation, most of the Scouts attending Saturday's event will have moved on to other things by the time it is held again, Hill said.
Watch Scouts try their hand at driving railroad spikes, as well as operating a vintage handcar.
View the full photo gallery below.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Area Boy Scouts attend program at Age of Steam Roundhouse
