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Eric Peak

Written by Carolyn Kneedler

Eric Peak

The hardest ticket to get in Sacramento in December is one to ride the “Polar Express” train which leaves the CALIFORNIA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM in the evening and travels to the North Pole (actually to a location known as “Baths”) and back, during which children and parents (in their pajamas) enjoy the reenactment of the adventures described in the popular holiday book.

RSVP volunteer ERIC PEAK played a role in the development of this new feature attraction when he suggested a couple years ago that the museum’s trains could be outfitted with electricity from a single source so they could be used for trips at night. It was not long before museum staff thought of turning it into the Polar Express train for the holidays, which has become a big hit with the public.

Always interested in trains as a young boy, he lived near the very first passenger steam operated train in the world, which ran from Stockton to Darlington, England. At the age of only 15½ he joined the RAF (Royal Air Force) where he got his technical electronics training and worked with radar equipment.

ERIC is an electronics engineer newly arrived in the United States in 1999 from northeast England - a town called Newcastle-upon-Tyne. His motivation for leaving England was to marry a woman from San Francisco and they now make Sacramento their home. He is still working full-time as a design engineer for Lighting Science Group Corp. This is a firm that, for example, assembled the electronics for the New Years Eve ball that drops at Times Square, N.Y.

Today Sacramento tourists can enjoy him, his English accent, and his quick wit on weekend afternoons and evenings when they visit the Sacramento Southern Railroad terminal in Old Sacramento. His official volunteer job title is “on board mechanical services for the Polar Express”. However, he has also functioned as a car attendant, interpreter of the journey, a brakeman, and he helps look after the “rolling stock” (the cars).

ERIC says he loves to work with the old machinery and to be part of the Railroad Museum family where he can “trade insults” with the other volunteers - both men and women. He points out that there will be a new docent class starting in January 2009 for people who want to become part of this amazing state museum.

To explore volunteer opportunities throughout the Sacramento region call RSVP.

Website: www.rsvpsacramento.org

To arrange an appointment at: 

    3727 Marconi Avenue Sacramento, 95821
    between 8:30 and 5:00 
    Monday – Friday
    Call: 916.875.3631