Dedicated Volunteers Wanted to Preserve Historic Railroad Equipment!

Are you ready to make a difference? We always need dedicated volunteers to help us maintain and operate our historic rail equipment. Your role could involve anything from hands-on maintenance and repairs to guiding curious visitors and even operating locomotives and other equipment. Every task you undertake will contribute to the preservation of our rich rail history. 

Our volunteer program is designed to be inclusive and supportive. We provide comprehensive training and ongoing support to all our volunteers, regardless of their prior experience. We value your passion for preserving rail history and want to hear from you. Join our team today and be a part of preserving the magic of rail history for future generations. 

  • Mechanical Department
    • Electrician
    • Mechanic, Diesel
    • Mechanic, Steam
    • Railcar Repair 
    • Pipefitter
    • Welder
  • Support    
    • Carpenter
    • Electrician
    • Event Volunteer
    • Painter
    • Safety
    • Training
    • Track Maintainer
    • Yard Maintenance
  • Operations – The following operations positions will require intensive classroom and field training, including Customer Service, Emergency Preparedness, CPR/First Aid and Operating Rules. 
    • Brakeman
    • Car Attendant
    • Conductor    
    • Engineer    
    • Fireman    
    • Hostler   

Volunteer Registration

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

From our newsletter – 745 JOURNAL – On most Saturdays at the LASTA yard on Jefferson Highway, you will find people of all backgrounds engaged in all manner of tasks. Many of the things they do there have nothing to do with their profession, and some things could be considered a “lost art”.  They do it for a sense of accomplishment, for camaraderie, to save a piece of history, to learn a new skill or resurrect an old one.

You might find an electronics technician installing an air conditioner, a chemical engineer replacing a boiler bolt, or a NASA engineer spraying paint. We have mechanics, accountants and railroad employees past and present. Volunteers mow grass, sandblast, create displays for the theatre cars, cook, sell merchandise, edit newsletters, and operate equipment. The list of tasks to accomplish at the yard really is endless and most do not require any previous railroad experience.

Ask any volunteer and you will most likely get a different answer as to why time is spent on a given task. You could get a technical explanation like “if this doesn’t get repaired the water won’t flow”.  Or you may hear “old things like people need a purpose”.  One thing is for sure, LASTA volunteers restore dignity to mechanical pieces of our history – not only through its preservation but its operation. There is an undeniable satisfaction that comes from having a hand in a restoration – in “making things they way they were meant to be”. — Bill Hamblin