Off the Rails with Rowdy and Bethan

In this week's episode of Off the Rails with Rowdy and Bethan, we're calling this one the "Hangover Edition." Neither is actually hungover, just running on fumes after submitting our CRISI grant and getting Polson 70 back under steam. The result? A completely unscripted episode in which no one is entirely sure what was talked about... but apparently it was a lot. 1.) The final...

In this week’s episode of Off the Rails with Rowdy and Bethan, Bethan is M.I.A., and Calvin - commonly known as "Production" steps in to talk about all things YouTube and his entry to the Chugg Life.  1.) Who is Calvin? What's he do aside from "Production" stuff?  What's his entry to the ChuggLyf been like?  2.) Behind "The YouTubes." How it got started, how...

In this week’s episode of Off the Rails with Rowdy and Bethan, Rowdy is conspicuously absent, leaving Eric in the hot seat for a special Pridecast focused on LGBTQ+ history in railroading and logging railroads, with a look at where we are today. Eric and Bethan spend some time discussing the unique "flavor" of Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad in the Year of Chugg™ (2026) and the team that has...

In this week’s episode of Off the Rails with Rowdy and Bethan, Rowdy and Bethan are back to the usual shenanigans, with a bit less food-centered content than "the talent" prefers. They detail activities where they're parading around undercover, hanging out with the "Big Kids," a.k.a. freight folks.  1.) Recapping the ASLRRA Conference that was held in Minneapolis from Apri...

In this week’s episode of Off the Rails with Rowdy and Bethan, they discuss the “tough stuff,” their take on radical transparency, and a recent situation regarding anonymous complaints to the FRA about Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad’s repair work on steam engine, Polson 70.  1.) Radial transparency. Why has MRSR taken this approach from the start? How does radical transparency fit into our organizati...

In this week’s episode of Off the Rails with Rowdy and Bethan, Rowdy and Bethan dive deep into a topic near and dear to them, "Responsible Railfanning."  Here's what comprises this episode:  1.) Introducing while Bethan loads up on the Red Bull. There's some buffering. 2.) How to safely foam. With some really, really big things happening in heritage rail space this year, we wan...

In this week’s episode of Off the Rails with Rowdy and Bethan, Rowdy and Bethan do what they do best - talk - a lot....while "sipping tea." Both self-proclaimed history nerds, they dig into their ongoing effort to broaden the story told at the museum by shifting the focus to include the people who lived along, worked on, and were impacted by the railroad and logging industries in the Pac...

In this episode of Off the Rails, Bethan is back from D.C.and both she and Rowdy are barely surviving the latest version of the plague. Bethan recaps the massive undertaking that is Railroad Day on the Hill (huge shoutout to the ASLRRA for pulling it all together): long days navigating Capitol Hill, heightened security, and the importance of sticking to the ASLRRA playbook to deliver clear, consis...

In this episode of Off the Rails, Bethan is MIA, and the "talent" is upgraded, with Eric Mencis volunteering as Podcast Tribute.  Left without supervision, Rowdy and Eric dive into the deep end of the foam.  Then things take an unexpectedly foamy turn. What starts as a straightforward conversation is both informative and hilarious, as the two discuss what goes into planning and executing...

In this episode of Off the Rails, Bethan and Rowdy dig into what it actually takes to make steam work on a railroad, and we do not just mean lighting a match and hoping for the best. Before getting into the nuts and bolts, there is an unavoidable recap of the Super Bowl rivalry, very much against Bethan’s wishes.  From infrastructure needs, water supply, track conditions, shop capabilities, and th...

In this episode of Off the Rails , Rowdy and Bethan are back after a longer-than-planned break to share where they’ve been. Recorded before the big Sportsball game, there was a quick detour into Seahawks talk, and a tangent on the surprising similarities between Christmas trains and potty training. The mood shifts as they recount the Old-Testament-level flooding that hit the railroad in December,...

In this episode of Off the Rails, you'll hear about how important the Christmas season is for tourist railroads.  As Rowdy jumps ship after 5 minutes to get the train consist ready for the season,  Bethan is joined by Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad's  Hospitality Manager Eric Mencis to unpack what it takes to launch our all new for 2025 Christmas Train,  Christmas With The Clauses and the &...

This week our ringmasters detail their entry to the three-ring circus, known as heritage railroading. Bethan’s accidental journey to Executive Director,  Rowdy’s childhood fascination that turned into a lifetime on the rails.  This episode includes a thoughtful discussion on Jim Wrinn’s 10 Rules for Tourist Railroads, a bit of discussion about ever-changing social media algorithms and more Q&A...

Can a 1472 waiver spark joy? Rowdy and Bethan turn FRA fine print into a darned good listen—mixing wisdom and Monty Python with their game plan for marketing the madness on social media, YouTube, and wherever railfans scroll. Climb aboard for good vibes, greasy gloves, and the strangely satisfying clickety-clack of compliance meets content. Become a sponsor and help keep Off the Rails 'On the...

Fresh off the 2025 Heritage Rail Alliance Conference in Durango, Colorado, Rowdy and Bethan sat down to record before they’d even unpacked. They cover the week’s train trips, seminars, and share a few thoughts on what they’d like to see at future conferences — with the occasional tangent about food. Bethan’s suitcase came back 12 pounds heavier thanks to Colorado green chili, and both of them soun...

The impact of politics and a weakening economy on tourism and a heritage railroad.  Did you know that running our steam engine is significantly less expensive and more environmentally friendly to operate than our diesel engine?  In this supersized episode,  Bethan and Rowdy discuss this, regressive tax structures and how to make things roll in a remote and rural small community tucked at the base...

Join Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad Superintendent Rowdy Pierce and Executive Director Bethan Maher in this first episode of Off the Rails! Why DO they have a podcast?  Listen and you'll learn the answer to that very valid question and so much more.  Topics include how to bring legitimacy to the industry in a sustainable way, finding young talent to learn steam and answering questions like &apos...