Re: Future Cumbres & Toltec Engineer

John,
keep up your dreams. Nice to see that not every "youngster" is "gameboy addicted". And is willing to get some dirt under his nails too.
I made my fireman's test when I was 16 over here in Germany and 2 years later I went to school ( during summer holidasy) to get my engineer license for hobby use in a RR conserbaton club.
At age 20 I started to work for German Federal RR fulltime as well.
I will remember the day of the practical test as it was yesterday (boy it was a cold day in September 24 years ago !!) We went to the engine houes early in the morning and set up our s g 2-10-0 (German RR class 50, built in 1932) for service. After 2 hrs we switched to the depot and our consist were 1200 tons of old freight cars for repair. Tons on this engine were limited to 1300 in mountainous regions and the shops were in the mountains (2000 - 2500 ft). The commision climbed on board and under their supervision we started our trip to the shops some 150 miles away. The rails on the branch lines we have to use were wet and covered over and over with fallen leaves. Speed and drawbar pull was limited, fortunalty we have stocked some dry extra sand in the tender to refill the sandboxes on our way. Ans we used every littel grain of it). After some 4 hrs we finally had made it and I had my licenese in my hands. From this day on, I am eager not to miss the 15 hrs I have to make on the throttle every year to keep her alive. And I will do till I am too old to to so.
At the end some "advise":
Listen carefully to the things the oldtimers will tell ya, experience it 70 % of the job.
(Yep, I knew it is hard when you are 14, but it will be the best if you recall it some years later as I did now).
Do not ignore safty rules, two of my best friends did and died at age 24 and 26. A steam engine is no toy and safty rules are a compilation of some 200 years of experience and science.
Steffen