Railroading Merit Badge
2013 Program Information

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The Boy Scouts of America have recognized a Railroading Merit Badge since 1952. This is the fifth year of our Scouting program at the Niles Canyon Railway.

During 2013, the Pacific Locomotive Association will sponsor many half-day merit badge study sessions at the railroad's service facility (called 'Brightside') in the canyon, to sign-off some of their requirements. We may also sponsor a few full-day programs* (see pre-requisites for the full day sessions below) at Brightside, to help Scouts complete their Railroading Merit Badge or Council Badge.

The half-day sessions are a drop-in format (come any time between 9 am and noon). There is no cost for our sessions, but you must RSVP in email by 7 PM on the Thursday before the session. If there are no RSVPs, we will cancel the session, and tweet that it is cancelled. This allows our volunteers to prepare to work on other activities if the scouts have not planned to visit. Please be prepared, and RSVP (and follow @ncryrrmb on twitter.)

During these half-day sessions, we will work on one or two requirements at a time. Priority will be given for scouts to sign off other requirements on that day, if they have studied some requirements and they come to the session prepared to sign off. The sessions will be held from 9 am to noon.

Girl Scouts can attend our sessions as well! Juniors will be able to earn a Railroading Council Badge from the North Carolina Coastal Pines Council, because that council badge closely follows what we are teaching for the BSA Railroading merit badge. GSA leaders should contact us for more information.

Mission Peak District's Merit Badge Extravaganzas: There are currently no MBX's on the Mission Peak calendar for 2013. If they are able to host them later in 2013, we will try to be tere for the Railroading Merit Badge.

Scouts are strongly encouraged to review the current Railroading Merit Badge Requirements on the Internet (and explore the helpful links at the bottom of that web page). Scouts should also consider buying or borrowing a new (color) revision of the 2009 Railroading Merit Badge Handbook. This new rewrite hasn't changed the requirements, but it has added a LOT of good, useful information, making it a better resource for learning what a Scout will need to know for this merit badge.

The Merit Badge dot Org website also has a Railroading Merit Badge Worksheet avalable in PDF format. While it is not a requirement to use this form, using the worksheet is a great way for a scout to organize their notes to be prepared for their sign-off.

Did you know that California led all 50 states in 2007 - 2010 for the most fatalities, and the most serious injuries, from trespassing along the railroad right-of-way? Operation Lifesaver is trying to change that through Education, Enforcement, and Engineering. (Hint: Part of their Mission is the reason that both BSA and GSA badge programs have a requirement to learn about this important organization.)

Sign-off Meetings with a Railroad Merit Badge counselor may be possible to schedule (by email, in advance) to come to a troop meeting, or to meet at the Sunol Depot during regular NCRy operating days (please check the main NCRy web page for our operating dates).

Send email to RRMB at ncry.org to:

• Sign up to attend a session
• Ask questions about the requirements
• Arrange a sign-off meeting with a counselor

When you come to a session at the railroad, the first rule is "Safety First", and we start with a Safety Briefing *outside* the gates to the yard, *before* we go into the facility itself. Drivers should park safely to the side of the road, outside the gates. We have limited parking in the facility, and we reserve that for our volunteers who are bringing tools to work on restoration projects, so that they do not need to walk their tools in and out. We appreciate your compliance with these rules.