Every year, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 Gap Road, Strasburg, recognizes one of its many helping hands as Volunteer of the Year. This individual is selected from a pool of nominees by the Friends of the Railroad Museum, who seek to express their appreciation to a volunteer who has shown extraordinary dedication to the museum and its programs. In March, the Friends' board of directors named lifetime rail fan Kevin Hale as the 2024 Volunteer of the Year.

Hale's nomination form describes him as "quick to learn, quick to adapt and so friendly and easy-going," and his commitment to the Railroad Museum over the last five years has been observed by fellow volunteers and visitors alike. But the Brownstown resident's love for locomotives dates back to his adolescent years spent in New York City. Hale inherited his interest in trains from his father, who would often take him on subway trips from Queens to Coney Island to see the vehicles up close. "Most people go to Coney Island in the summer; we'd go any time of year just to ride," Hale said.

Hale left New York to attend graduate school in Pennsylvania with the ultimate goal of becoming an ancient history professor. After deciding to tread a different path, Hale moved to Philadelphia to work in the lumber business, but he never lost his love for trains or history; he remained in the lumber industry until his retirement in 2018, and he teaches history and civics courses for homeschoolers to this day. Hale said his passion for history plays a large role in his affinity for trains. "I've always loved machinery, but I'm not a mechanic. I could maybe change the oil filter on my car," added Hale. "I'm fascinated by these old machines. It's incredible to me that people without computers or electricity changed history and the way we live."

As a volunteer, Hale noted his primary duty is to take groups of visitors and students on tours through the museum. When he doesn't have a scheduled group tour, Hale said, he often oversees pieces of equipment to enhance the experience of guests who filter into the museum. Due to safety risks, visitors are not permitted to enter train cars or get up close to the machinery without a volunteer present. "I feel a responsibility to be there as often as I can. You've got to be dedicated to it and give up a Saturday or Sunday sometimes," Hale said. "You really feel you make a difference."

According to Hale, train enthusiasts travel from all over the United States and other continents to visit the Railroad Museum, but he is often surprised by how many locals are not aware of its vast collection. "There's a hundred pieces of equipment and locomotives that are almost 80 feet long," said Hale. "There's stuff here going back to the 1830s. It's just incredible."

For more information, visit http://www.rrmuseumpa.org.