Todays episode comes live from the Day out with Thomas, We chat to volunteers and guest to find out what makes this years Day out with Thomas so special.

In this installment, we have the privilege of reconnecting with founding member number 7, Harvey Laner, as he takes us on a journey through his experiences as a passionate rail fan. Join us as we delve into the early days of Harvey's start in the hobby, where his love for traction and railways ignited. Through his vivid recollections, we gain insight into the thrill and excitement that drove him to capture the beauty of trains in motion and the stories they carry. In this episode we see how the hobby has evolved and what it looks like today. This episode offers a delightful exploration of one individual's deep connection to the captivating world of railroads.  

In this episode, we meet two individuals, John Mobley and Stephen Priest, who played pivotal roles in securing the donation of the 5704 to Southern California Railway Museum (SCRM) and overseeing its remarkable cosmetic restoration. As a true classic piece of Americana, the Santa Fe 5407 holds immense significance to railroad history, and SCRM is honored to add it to their collection and care. Join us as we explore the locomotive's storied past and learn about the exciting journey of its cosmetic restoration. Once onsite at SCRM our talented volunteers will begin its mechanical restoration to ensure this historic gem is preserved for generations to come.  

Join us as we meet two dedicated volunteers, George Chapman and Bill Face, who are hard at work in this restoration barn. Together, they are undertaking the meticulous cosmetic restoration of LARy 665, a captivating process on its own. However, their expertise and attention extends beyond this project as they are also hard at work restoring LARy fareboxes, crafting trip number plaques, and assembling battery boxes for Pacific Electric streetcars. Tune in to hear about the passion, dedication, and craftsmanship that goes into preserving these invaluable pieces of transportation history.

Welcome to a spine-chilling episode of Rail Pass - brace yourself as we explore the mysterious world of the supernatural at Southern California Railway Museum (SCRM). In this hair-raising episode, we meet a group of courageous volunteers who fearlessly conduct ghost hunts in various locations within the museum. Armed with a special thermal gaming camera, they reveal the unseen, capturing heat signatures and creating digital frames to visualize ethereal movements. These ghost hunters employ an array of tools to document paranormal phenomena, from capturing unexplained movements to detecting energy fluctuations and eerie sounds. Join us as we hear about their experiences and what they plan to do next.

Pacific Electric 1299 is a truly unique piece of SCRM's collection. This is a Pacific Electric deluxe business car. This car was purchased in 1958 and was originally brought to the Pamona Fairgrounds - it was not until 1998 that it came to SCRM. Since coming to the Museum PE 1299 has not been operational - until now! This podcast provides a brief introduction into the initial restoration of this unique car. 

SCRM has an amazing fleet of historic operational diesel locomotives that provide train rides to the public and unique Run One experiences for those interested in testing their skills at operating these massive machines. Restoring and maintaining a collection like this is no easy matter, and would not be possible without the help and guidance of the Diesel Services Foreman Dave Althause. In this episode we are introduced to Dave and learn more about the projects and work he has done during his tenure as Foreman.

Southern California Railway Museum was founded by volunteers, and when this Perris location was selected in 1958 there was little infrastructure - meaning that volunteers were tasked with the installation of many things we may take for granted in our modern world, such as our information and communication systems like phones and wifi. To help our listeners understand this facet of SCRM RailPass is talking to Allen Holliday who is the Chief Information Officer at SCRM and has organized and spearheaded various projects that have helped improve communication and connectivity within the 100 acres of the largest railway museum in the western United states.

SCRM's iconic Ventura County Railway No. 2 is undergoing its regularly scheduled 1472 inspection. To help us understand what is involved in this rigorous process RailPass is talking to Jeff Lamb, the Steam Crew Foreman about the inspection, what they have accomplished so far, and what work is still needed to get VC-2 back up and running at SCRM.

Southern California Railway Museum is the largest railway museum in the Western United States, and as such it contains numerous priceless and irreplaceable artifacts, both large and small. In order to maintain the safety of our collections SCRM implemented a Fire and Emergency Services unit. In this episode we talk to Chris Baldwin who spearheaded the implementation of this unique discipline and learn the different ways that FESU protects our unique collection.