Before the thread was closed, Brian asked: Hello Brian: The A&M has its own excursion service. All of the allocated excursion resources are invested therein. If the railroad is under FRA jurisdiction, the FRA has requirements that must be met in order to become, or remain, recognized (by the FRA) as being a valid Certified Locomotive Engineer card. Such things as vision, hearing, driving record, criminal record, rules knowledge and proficiency, etc, are all under FRA scrutiny. In regards to becoming a Certified Engineer, it varies (but not much) per railroad. Generally: The first step is getting hired as a Conductor Trainee. (Not easy right now in this down economy.) Once hired, as a Conductor Trainee, you will have class time (to learn rules, etc), must pass the required exams, and then successfully complete your probationary period. Only after all of the above is accomplished will you be able to work as a Conductor. Most railroads then require two years minimum as a Conductor before you can be considered for promotion to Locomotive Engineer. IF you are selected for promotion, there will be more class room time with exams that must be passed, student engineer time followed by additional class room time, plus final exams that must be passed. Once Certified, one has to have regular vision and hearing tests, as well as yearly rules classes/exams that also must be passed. A Certified Locomotive Engineer will not only have to be proficient with all the rules the Conductor has to know, but in addition he/she will have to know the rules that pertain to being a Locomotive Engineer. Once all the above is completed, you'll be turned loose to start handling trains and then the learning process really begins. Andre
Thanks, Andre, for answering my questions from my Tread "Saving The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad". I was wondering how I was going to get the answer to these questions. OK, you need a license to opreate a diesel locomotive, What about Steam Locomotive?? I hope you can answer this, before "Friscomike" find out that this Thread is tie in with my Thread. I guess I need to tell you and everyone else, that was interest in Saving The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad, Why my Thread was closed?? Well to answer this is because according to "Friscomike" The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad was not Frisco related or an Frisco origin railroad. Actually, The Eureka Springs Railroad, started in 1882, was connected to the old Frisco line, The St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, in Saligman, Mo. about 20 miles from Eureka Springs, Arkansas. But of course The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad is landlock not connected to NO main line. But when I do get (own) The ES&NA RR I was expend the line to Seliman, Mo. and reconnect to The old Frisco Line, now The A&M RR, and then I will have a 20 miles plus to work with. I have set up an Yahoo Group to continue to get help to Save The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad. My Yahoo Group is call Saving The E.S. & N.A. R.R. you can visit it at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/savingesnarr. Also my website for Saving The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad is still online at http://www.savingesnarailroad.com. Saving The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad Brian Waller
If the railroad is NOT under FRA jurisdiction, such as a private industry, tourist, etc, then such operations have their own method of training engineers. Perhaps some of the larger steam tourist operations (such as the Durango & Silverton RR) have a more formal method of training, but I don't know. The biggest challenge for a steam-powered tourist operation is not engineers, but the mandated FRA inspections and maintenance now required of steam operations. (Ever since the fellow blew up his steam tractor and caused some casualties/fatalities.) This has driven the cost of operating steam upward to where many of the smaller operations have ceased using steam, or folded altogether. In regards to the ES&NA steam engines: Each engine will have to be re-flued, crown sheets inspected, boilers inspected/tested, static tested, etc, AND pass all tests to become FRA certified before they can ever haul their first passenger. One steam operation I am slightly familiar with has recently spent $645,000 on only ONE steam engine to maintain compliance. Andre
Thanks, Andre, for telling me this. I don't really know if The ES&NA RR is under the FRA rules or not. But thanks for telling me and also thanks for telling about the license thing. Also one more thing, a couples of members who have did some posts on my Thread "Saving The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad" are asking me "Why my Thread closed??" Well I am telling them all to visit this Thread to find the answer to this question. I like to continue talking to you, but I am afraid that if we continue with this Tread that "Friscomike" will find out what we are doing than this Thread will closed. Do you have my e-mail address?? If you don't than you can get it from my website. Saving The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad Brian Waller
Brian W., Some friendly advice... Just in case you are upset... don't be upset with "friscomike", this is a great site and he's a great guy. Many good questions were asked, great advice and directions in which to search were given. I believe folks here have enough information to help them decide whether, how, when, how much, etc... to help you and if they need more, they know where they can find it. Best Regards... Craig
Hi Mr. Waller, I was just going to ask if it was ok to use the pictures on your website on the facebook version of our group. It would help illustrate the condition that the ES&NA is in. We have around 80 members on the Facebook area that are train fans. Since you aren't going to get a facebook, me and Dominique are running the page. We have some photos posted of the ES&NA, but they are from my second visit to the railroad in 1997(I was 3 years old!!!) and the line wasn't no where as bad as it is today. Just asking your permission to use them I'll put them up so you won't really have to do a thing. BTW have you started on the groups newsletters???? I haven't gotten anything yet and would like to see and maybe contribute ideas to the letter. Ship it on the Frisco!!! Murphy Jenkins
Brian, As a newcomer to this site, please note that this site is intended for the preservation of the Frisco Railway through photos, memorabilia, models, etc. While we may touch upon connecting roads, that is not our focus. That is why I recommended that your financial solicitation thread be removed from the site. It simply is not the right forum for the ESNA nor for solicitation of financial support. Your desire to save or otherwise preserve the Eureka Spgs RR is admirable and challenging. Your decision to set up your own email is a step in the right direction. We welcome any contributions you might have related to the Frisco or the Eureka Springs operations with the Frisco. Friscomike does a great service to this society by taking care of this outstanding website that we all care about. All members need to ensure that we keep the standards high and speak up when appropriate.
Hello to everyone, Thanks to all who care about me trying to Save The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad. I will continue to stay active with this group, Fricso.org. I will also try to keep my dreams and my goals up high to try to Save The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad. At least I try getting something started here, but I did not know that this turned out this way, about my Thread being closed. But at lease my website is still up. The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad live on. Saving The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad Brian Waller
Hello to anyone who is interest, I will be adding a new Thread call "The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad". I will be posting only pictures of what The ES&NA RR look like today and this time I will not be asking for help. I am asking for permission from "Friscomike" to do this, so I will not get in trouble again. I have not gotten an answer back from him yet, but I do hope soon. Also, I will try to not to get to carry away like I did in my last Thread I started, "Saving The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad". This new Thread "The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad" that I am going to be starting, I will only be posting pictures of what The ES&NA RR look like today and I will be also adding some history of The ES&NA RR, then & now, and also along the connecting with the old Frisco line in Seligman, Mo. I hope I get the premission from "Friscomike" to do this. The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad live on. Thanks, Brian Waller
Hello to who is interest or is interest in The ES&NA RR, My second Thread "The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad - Then & Now" was just been closed this morning because according to Mike (Friscomike), he said that the Thread was getting a little out of hand. So my second Thread is closed. But I have someone that is going to help me get though this. When I started my second Thread "The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad - Then & Now" I was only going to posting pictures of what The ES&NA RR look like today, also along with the History of The ES&NA RR and with this new Thread I was NOT going to ask for help, like I try to do in my first Thread. Well I sorry for anyone's that was interested in The ES&NA RR and the History. Well I will think of something. Thanks, Brian Waller Railroads Historian
