Bitten by the steam bug at an early age, Mitchell Johnson will seize any opportunity to go where operating steam locomotives are being worked on. On the mechanical side, the 19-year-old lends a hand in two 4-8-4 restoration projects: Reading Company T-1 No. 2100 of the American Steam Railroad Preservation Association, Inc., and Chesapeake & Ohio No. 614 of RJD America LLC. The operating side has opened the door to both firing and servicing opportunities on Western Maryland Scenic’s 2-6-6-2 No. 1309, New Hope’s 2-8-0 No. 40 and Reading & Northern’s own T-1 No. 2102, to name a few.
How did you get involved in rail preservation?
Mitchell Johnson: I have loved trains and steam locomotives since I was a little kid. When I was 14 years old, I was given the opportunity to go to the Hocking Valley Scenic Railroad and fire its small 0-6-0. That introduced me into actually getting to work on steam locomotives, and from that day forward I wanted to do more. Then when I was 18, I was given another opportunity to go out to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and fire No. 1309. That introduced me to big steam and wanting to dedicate myself to them.
I ended up talking to Rob Gardner, the president of American Steam Railroad, and asked him what it took to start working on No. 2100. He gave me the list of steps to becoming a volunteer, and in January 2023, I became a regular member at ASR and started volunteering almost every weekend to get more experience.
As a young preservationist, what have you found to be the most challenging aspects of the industry?
Mitchell Johnson: Traveling. The American Steam Railroad is relatively close to me, but it’s still an hour-and-a-half drive for every weekend. But not everyone is going to have a steam locomotive in their backyard as some people are going to be 6-10 hours away from the closest one operating. There are a lot of locomotives running, but many are kind of condensed. So, if you happen to live in an area where there’s not much steam going on, it’s going to be hard for you to get into it and get involved.
What’s been most rewarding for you so far?
Mitchell Johnson: For me personally, the most rewarding is getting to work on steam with my father and all the guys I’ve met at ASR. It creates a bond that can’t be broken. I was able to fire No. 1309 with my dad running, and that was one of the most surreal experiences of my life.
I’ve also got to travel across the country with him and the guys to meet others through railway preservation and not only photographing trains, but work on them together. A group of us from ASR went out last year to help service No. 2102. That was a great experience and was one of the most rewarding things I had to do.
Where do you see rail preservation as it is today and what do you hope it’ll become for the future?
Mitchell Johnson: I think it’s going in a very positive direction and it’ll continue that way in the future. In the next five years, you’re going to see a lot more steam locomotives coming back online. That’s creating opportunities for other young preservationists who want to get involved.
All these organizations are going to need young guys and girls joining to continue on the legacy for the next generation. That is really what’s keeping steam alive is because of people’s enthusiasm in them. So, you’re going to have a lot more locomotives returning with opportunities for people to get their hands dirty and work on them.
What advice would you give for any young person looking to get involved in the industry?
Mitchell Johnson: I would say the biggest piece of advice I can give is to give it 110%. Whenever you show up, give it your all, listen to what others have to say, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Not everything you do is going to be fun work though. I get the opportunity to go out and fire a couple of times a year, but most of the time it’s working on the locomotives, going into the tender, needle scaling, and all the other maintenance needed. So showing up during those times and proving that you’re dedicated is really going to help. The people around you are also going to notice that this means a lot to you, and that you truly care about the industry and rail preservation.
I would also say to not be afraid to join. I know for a lot of people, that can be intimidating because they might not have any of the skill set and experience. When I joined American Steam Railroad, I had never really done a lot of this stuff as it was still very new to me. But the best advice I can give is that the experience you get is working on a steam locomotive. You can read books and watch videos on it, but there’s nothing like getting your hands dirty because every machine is going to be different.
