Kids R Kids Learning Academy Presentations

I loaded up the Woodings CBI motorcar (we call it the "pumpkin" since it orange and has rounded curves) on my trailer yesterday and took it down today to the Kids R Kids Learning Academy in far north Austin (actually across the border in Williamson County, but still part of the city of Austin) for their annual Child Safety and Protection Festival.  Set the motorcar up in the parking lot, raised an EZ-Up for shelter, and placed a table to display Capital Metro and Operation Lifesaver material.  Last but not least, I set up an easel and offered OL presentations to the families that dropped by to take photos of their kids in the motorcar.  Letting the kids in the car is not without risk, since they sure do love to push, pull and manipulate every handle, button and thingamajig they can get their hands on, but it worked out OK today.  Here's some photos of the families and kiddos clustering around the motorcar:

I did a total of 12 presentations, reaching 20 adults and 21 kids, or 41 in all.  Pretty small scale but we aim to reach as many as possible, even if it's only two, three or four at a time.  When I see kids really looking at the OL coloring book, like in the photos, I begin to believe the effort really is worth it.  Plus we're helping out Capital Metro in its service area with rail safety education efforts, which is one of the goals set forth in our lease of the Llano-Scobey Spur line from Capital Metro RR.

Temps weren't nearly as hot as last year, probably got up to 90 or so by 12:00 noon, when the fair officially ended.  Had plenty of help getting the EZ-Up up and taking it down but it always takes a while to winch up the motorcar and secure everything.

This was my third appearance at the Academy.  I did the Safety Festival here this time last year and also came back in December to do OL presentations to several classes.  But I only bring the motorcar to the Festival since it is a lot of work to get it on a trailer and bring it down, then unload it back at the homestead. 

Sugandha Jain, my contact at the Academy, promised to e-mail me some more photos taken by their photographer, so I will post them here when available. 

RPI OL Presentations 9 June 2012 at San Angelo

RPI was invited to participate in the San Angelo Railway Museum's "Hobo Days" festival on June 9, 2012, by both setting up a motorcar display and doing Operation Lifesaver presentations under the eaves of the historic, restored depot that now serves as a repository of railway collectibles in San Angelo, TX.  I set up a table as well as an easel and did a total of 11 OL presentations to about 37 or so adults and children.  Not a lot of folks in the audience each time but the idea was to reach as many as possible.  TXDOT and the Texas-Pacifico Railroad, which leases the line through San Angelo down to Presidio from TXDOT, are eager to see more OL presentations since the TPRR is increasing the number and speed of its trains through town.  I was able to meet both TPRR and TXDOT officials during the day.  Here's a shot of me at my table, ready to offer an OL presentation:

President Leland Stewart, Jerry Light, Robert Casares and myself brought motorcars for an RPI display to help snag potential new members.  RPI member Marty Reimer dropped by to visit during the day.  Here's some photos of the RPI exhibit:

The first motorcar in the lineup, an MT-19, belongs to TXDOT and is on loan to the San Angelo Railway Museum.  It used to run on the former KCS line.  Then comes Jerry's renovated Woodings CBI, my Woodings CBI, Leland's MT-14K and Robert's M-9.  All in all, the motorcars gave visitors a good idea of the variety of motorcars used in the old days.

As we were leaving to have dinner, Jerry showed us some old motorcar sheds fashioned by the KCS out of old boxcars:

This exhibit and OL activity helped cement RPI ties with the TPRR and showed TXDOT that RPI is definitely willing and able to provide OL presentations to target audiences.  We hope these efforts will pay off in the long run for all RPI members.  In the meantime, a good time was had by all.

OL Presentation May 25, 2012 at Paredes Middle School, Austin

I rustled up an OL presentation opportunity at Paredes Middle School this afternoon by calling persistently until I found a helpful and interested person, Debbie Sanders.  Went down with my railroad crossing sign as a prop and a thumb drive with two different OL presentations, both drawn from the standard menu of Powerpoint pictures.  I alternated the different presentations with various classes.  The staff brought in students that were on their study session breaks to the library, where I used a school projector and computer to present.  I was able to do four presentations for a total of 99 students, so I would count that as a very successful afternoon.  And Debbie indicated they might ask me to come back in the new school year to do some more, so that would be a great long-term opportunity.  Paredes Middle School is south of Slaughter Lane, west of IH-35 by about a mile or so.  The students were 12-14 years old, a great age to reach them with railroad safety info since they will be driving in the not-too-distant future.  Here are several photos that Debbie took during one of my presentations:

Yesterday I arranged another OL opportunity for the Kids R Kids Academy Child Safety and Protection Festival this coming July 14 in northern Austin.  I did it last July or August so this is a repeat.  I will be doing OL presentations along with a motorcar static display so that will draw interested persons in.  Of course, the presentations will be to a maximum of four or five persons at a time so its hard to build up high numbers like you can with presentations in a school but we do our best no matter what.

And I will similarly be doing a motorcar static display and OL presentations at the San Angelo Railroad Museum Hobo Days event this June 10 in San Angelo.  Although that's not in the Capital Metro service area, where I focus my efforts, we think it will help us generate good will toward RPI in the railroad community and that is priceless.

RPI Takes Operation Lifesaver Presentation to Kingsland, TX

Cassandra Chambliss, den leader of Cub Scout Pack #303 in Kingsland, TX, saw our motorcars while stopped in front of the Junction House Restaurant at the Antlers Hotel complex in Kingsland.  I told her I do Operation Lifesaver (OL) presentations and she asked me put one on for her Pack at an opportune time.  I agreed and we settled on Monday evening, April 23, 2012, inside the Junction House Restaurant.  The Antlers used to be a major stop on the Llano Branch (100 years ago).  RPI motorcars run past the restaurant each time we do a work session or other run on the Llano Branch.

I gave the OL presentation to 15 Cub Scouts (and siblings) and 15 adults, mainly parents.  After the presentation I gave the Scouts a tour of my Woodings CBI motorcar and the RPI rail-mower, both of which I had brought up on my 16-foot trailer for display at Cassandra's request.  I think they had fun checking them out and hope the visual association will help cement the rail safety lessons in their mind.  I also enjoyed chatting with Jeremy and Christina Lee, the owners of the Junction House restaurant, about the historic restaurant building (it's the house that starred in the horror flick "Texas Chain Saw Massacre").

A bunch of photos (credit to Cassandra Chambliss) follows.

RPI Supports Cap Metro at Dove Springs into Wellness Community Health Fair

Per Capital Metro authorization and on behalf of Cap Metro volunteer support group Railroad Partners, Inc. (RPI), I represented Capital Metro at the 2012 Dove Springs into Wellness Community Health Fair at Consuelo Mendez Middle School, Austin, TX, on Saturday, Feb. 25, by providing a table display of Cap Metro bus and railroad materials, plus Operation Lifesaver literature and giveaways for the kids.  The event was held inside the school gymnasium and had approximately 600-700 attendees.  I made contact with and provided items to approximately 150 parents and children, using Spanish about 75% of the time.  This was the most Spanish-intensive event I have worked so it was fortunate I speak Spanish.  I spent about 11 hours on this activity since Cap Metro called me into Austin twice before the event to pick up the latest materials they wanted distributed at the fair.  Here's a photo:

Plus, at the end of the health fair the sponsors handed out certificates of appreciation.  While being called a "Better World Hero" might be a little over the top, it was nice to see our efforts were appreciated:

This event was a major one in UT's "The 2012 Project", one in a series of annual days of volunteer labor by UT students in a local community.  This year's project focused on Dove Springs in southeast Austin (south of Lady Bird aka Town Lake), so UT students were doing other work in the community, such as picking up trash and fixing up homes, etc., that same day.  All in all it was great for RPI to be able to play a helpful role in this much bigger effort.