A career in rail preservation is always possible — it’s a matter of finding where to begin. For 23-year-old Logan Smith, it all started by volunteering at the Illinois Railway Museum on Sundays. Over time, he began working more often and with increasing responsibility, from fireman to head of the Railway Post Office events, and connections to others in the industry. The latter eventually landed Smith a full-time position with Florida’s Walt Disney World Railroad’s maintenance team at the Magic Kingdom.
How did you get involved in rail preservation?
Logan Smith: I started with IRM in 2019. I showed up about a week after my 18th birthday and they put me right to work. That’s one thing that IRM is really good at is they’ll always need the help. At first, I was only really going on Sundays because of my school schedule and work. But then I started taking Saturdays off and started going out there more and more over the next year. I was at the museum for up to six days a week during the summer at least.
Back in the summer of 2022, we went to do a hydro test on Frisco 2-10-0 No. 1630 and found a superheater gone bad. A bunch of us came out to help, one of them being a friend of mine named JD Marzec. He and I got to talking as he was looking at going down to join the team that was working on the railroad here at the Magic Kingdom.
He messaged me a few months later saying, “Hey, we need somebody for this [maintenance] position.” So it was me and another individual from the museum who applied, one thing led to another, and right after I graduated college in May of 2023, I moved down to Florida and have been here ever since. Because of the Illinois Railway Museum, I was able to make a career out of it which I never thought was possible.
As a young preservationist, what have you found to be the most challenging aspects in the industry?
Logan Smith: As a preservationist, I’d have to say the most difficult thing is learning all the different ways to do one task. I learned very quickly that the Santa Fe didn’t run their steam locomotives the same way that the New York Central did. The real trick is figuring out what works for you and what you feel works best for the specific equipment that you’re working on.
Down here at Disney World, we have two 10-wheelers that are exactly the same and built by Baldwin. But they operate completely differently. So, it’s one of those instances where you got to learn what works best for you and the equipment in the moment. That took a couple of years for me to figure out, and I’m only six years into this.
What’s been the most rewarding for you so far?
Logan Smith: I’d have to say being able to find a career within this industry. It’s uncommon to be able to find a decent, good-paying job, and something you can stay in for a while. But, I graduated college, packed everything up, and moved down here within a month. Being able to meet all the people that I’ve met and work down here, including my girlfriend, and just being able to work on steam every day is just the coolest thing to me. So, I’d have to say the most rewarding thing is being able to get a job like this. But not only that, it’s being able to share my love and interest with people who are on vacation and genuinely interested in the trains.
Where do you see rail preservation as it is today and what do you hope it’ll become for the future?
Logan Smith: In the couple of years that I’ve been involved with it, I’ve seen it grow.
IRM, for instance, is always growing and expanding. You have new people showing up who can offer a new set of skills. In the time I was there, I also watched the museum build three new buildings: It opened two and is looking at building its new welcome center soon.
And it’s the same all over the board. You see places opening new buildings to store their collections inside, or smaller museums setting up new exhibits all the time. It’s really neat because you’re able to watch all these museums expand within the past couple of years. It also seems like they’re becoming more popular, too.
What advice would you give any young person looking to get involved in the industry?
Logan Smith: If they want to get involved with preservation, don’t be afraid to just walk up and ask somebody. No museum is going to turn you away. They’re going to open their arms, let you work, and, depending on how often you’re out there, you’ll be able to rank up.
If somebody is looking at starting a career in rail preservation, keep your eyes open. I know that the Strasburg Rail Road and Durango & Silverton are usually hiring. Even California’s Disneyland was recently hiring for its railroad. The biggest thing for me though was having to move away. But, any advice I could give on that is if you don’t do it, you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life. I’m still here two years later, and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.
