Coast Starlight Volunteer Training Scheduled For 2013

Training dates and times have been set for volunteers in the South Coast Railroad Museum's 2013 Trails & Rails program aboard Amtrak's Coast Starlight trains. Orientation for new volunteers will be held Wed., Feb. 13, from 7 to 9 p.m., in the museum's Visitor Center, 300 North Los Carneros Road, Goleta. Day-long guide training for new and continuing volunteers will be held on Saturday, Feb. 23, starting at 9 a.m. (The Feb. 23rd training location will be announced during the Feb. 13 orientation). New volunteers must attend both the training and orientation sessions. These sessions are only offered once a year.

Point Conception and lighthouse

This exciting opportunity for local volunteers to travel, interpret, and explore West Coast rails is being offered by the National Park Service and the railroad museum, in partnership with Amtrak. The Goleta-based museum has conducted educational programs aboard Amtrak trains since the 1980s.

Railroad bridge at Gaviota

Each year, from March through October, Trails & Rails guides provide a unique travel experience to Coast Starlight passengers, presenting informative talks and public-address announcements about the natural, cultural and historical significance of the route, and points of interest and things to do in the area. Two versions of the program are offered: Some volunteers make their presentations during a one-day Santa Barbara-to-San Luis Obispo roundtrip; in summer, some guide teams make an overnight trip to San Jose.

Trails & Rails volunteers do not need to be historians or naturalists. The program sponsors are looking for dedicated and entertaining volunteers with an enthusiasm for public speaking, travel, and human interaction. Uniforms, program materials, travel, meals, and overnight lodging are provided.

Volunteers must be at least 18 years old, in good health, and available to make an average of at least two one-day trips per month during the eight-month period that the program is offered.

For more information about the Trails & Rails Program aboard the Coast Starlight, contact: Trails & Rails Coordinator, South Coast Railroad Museum, 300 North Los Carneros Rd., Goleta, CA 93117. Phone: 805-964-3540. Or, via e-mail.