It all started about 10 years ago when mom and dad took off to Hawaii and I stayed with grandma. We spent the weekend at her lakeside home and enjoyed the company of my aunt and my newly born cousin, who is three days younger than me. Finally, grandma broke out the Thomas movies. I was hooked.

A few years after that I found my self engaged in the hobby of model railroading, buying a new model any time I had some cash I watched video after video and kept myself filled with tons of railroad facts. Soon that hobby would bring me to meet my best friend and adopted grandfather, George Anderson. George and I now venture from train club to rail conventions and any other train thing you can think of. We have made the dozens of trips between my house and George’s home in Cerritos which happens to be a three minute drive to our local HO club. After a few years of running George’s Bullmooses and some of my engines, I grew bored with the hobby and I craved for something bigger and better. Soon again I found myself in another position. This time, running live steam engines and gas powered diesels at a live steam railroad in my neighborhood park. This finally pleased me and I had found my destiny.

Just a train brought me to know many people who I truly love and made friendships that will last me a lifetime. The next time you sit at a rail crossing think back to my story to remember that trains don’t just carry goods they carry some of our souls.

Charlie is 11 almost 12 years old and a junior member of SCLS. He is proficient in running the gas powered diesel locomotives as well as learning to run the club's American 1.5" scale live steam locomotive. The future of our hobby is almost certainly guaranteed with enthusiastic young people like Charlie actively participating in live steaming.