Are you a member of a modular club?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
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1- I’m curious as to how many forum members are in a modular type model railroad club?

2- How often does your club meet and where?

3 How long is the average meeting?

4 How much are your clubs dues, if any?

5- Approximately how many club members also have their own home layout?

6- What is the general geographic location of your club?

7- How many members are in the club?

8- In your opinion what are the pros and cons of a modular group? (You may want to answer this one last.)

9- Is the club multi scale… eg. HO, N, G?

10- Does the club actively try to recruit new members?

11- Does the club rent storage space for some of it’s property?

12- Approximately how many public displays does the club do per year?

13- Does the club use any type barriers such as fencing around the layout when in public venues?

14- What was the most unusual venue the club as set up in?

Thanks for any answers!

Jarrell

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2- How often does your club meet and where?

Once a week, members homes and restaurant meeting rooms.

3 How long is the average meeting?

Average 2 hours

4 How much are your clubs dues, if any?

$50 if paid at one time or $5 monthly if paid by the month.

5- Approximately how many club members also have their own home layout?

about 5

6- What is the general geographic location of your club?

Central Georgia, USA

7- How many members are in the club?

25

9- Is the club multi scale… eg. HO, N, G?

Multi scale, mainly HO and N with some O and G.

10- Does the club actively try to recruit new members?

Yes, for the most part. It’s not like we take out newspaper ads but we do encourage new people to join.

11- Does the club rent storage space for some of it’s property?

Yes, a small storage unit for some equipment.

12- Approximately how many public displays does the club do per year?

Approximately 3 or 4, sometimes maybe 5 or 6 plus a small static display at a local library and occasional work done with Boy Scouts (think merit badges)

13- Does the club use any type barriers such as fencing around the layout when in public venues?

Yes, the plastic lattice type fencing held in place by stanchions made of pvc pipe.

Most unusual venue?

A tent .

Jarrell

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I didn’t expect the Spanish inquisition!

Seriously,

  1. Yes I am a member of a modular club.

  2. 3 business meetings per year.

  3. About two and a half hours.

  4. $25 per year

  5. Just over half do.

  6. Midwest

  7. Thirty members total, about twenty active.

A. A chance to run long trains especially passenger trains, and to socialize with some others in the hobby.

B. Dealing with some of the personalities.

  1. HO exclusive.

10.Yes

  1. Yes, a small amount of gear.

  2. Six or Seven, we target ecery other month with one or two extras.

  3. Only plexiglass on the fron of the modules (which atre at 36 inches for kids to see better).

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1- I’m curious as to how many forum members are in a modular type model railroad club?

Yeap

2- How often does your club meet and where?

Once a month, at most. Usually once every 2 months. Round robin as to who’s house it is.

3 How long is the average meeting?

Meetings are generally 1 hr with 3hrs of chatting in between.

4 How much are your clubs dues, if any?

$36/year waved on years where the club funds are over $750 except for new members, they still pay the $36, and if the trend continues won’t have to pay for the next year or two

5- Approximately how many club members also have their own home layout?

5 with something up. Another 3 with plans for one.

6- What is the general geographic location of your club?

South and Western Wisconsin

7- How many members are in the club?

17(?)

8- In your opinion what are the pros and cons of a modular group? (You may want to answer this one last.)

Pros. Lots of advice (needed or otherwise) on layout construction, era fidelity, rolling stock issues, engine issues, etc. They serve as an excellent sounding board for new ideas, tips on hobby techniques, and (if the cash incentive is large enough) a ready resource for someone else to do the painting and decallng of engines. Also a ready supply of spur of the moment items to get a train or car running when it’s your turn (i.e. truck tuner, spare axle, truck, etc.) As long as it’s not consistant or if it is consistant that member goes above and beyond to recipricate (i.e. I always make sure my tools are available to the club members.)

Cons. Some people just d

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  1. The Olde Newburgh Model RR Club.

  2. Every Wednesday evening, 7p to 9p with an optional adjournment to a local diner.

  3. Two to three hours.

  4. $10 per month.

  6. Walden NY. North of Newburgh NY, Orange County.

  8. Having to arange to have everybody at the show for set up and break down. Allowing members enough time to run their trains at the shows.

  9. My club has a permanent modular HO layout set up in our meeting room as well as a permanent N scale layout. We display another modular HO layout at shows as well as an N scale T-Trak modular layout, an 8’ X 8’ lionel layout, a small Thomas G scale layout and another privetly owned small N scale layout.

  10. Yes. By distributing fliers, distributing business cards, an occasional ad in RMC and by word of mouth. We also have a website (newburghmodelrrclub.org)

  11. We rent the room that we have our layouts in at the Walden VFW hall. The traveling HO layout resides in a trailer at a members home and the T-Trak is mostly owned by the members.

  12. 6 to 7.

  13. No barriers.

  14. We once set up the HO layout in the Old NYC station in Newburgh in December with no heat. It is now a Pizza restaurant…

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Jarrell,

You’re answering your own query. Are you allowed to do that? LOL!

Tom

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Ours is a loosely organized club that vacillates between wanting tighter organization and no organization. I am a distant member who does not attend most meetings. Meetings are every 2 weeks, rotating among members’ homes. Meetings are supposed to be 2.5 hrs, but frequently the business portion doesn’t start until the supposed end of the meeting. Initial part of the meeting is supposed to be about helping with home layout, modules, or rolling stock.

Dues are what you think should you contribute to the pot for any club-owned equipment (NCE DCC command station, radios, etc). Often, one member will buy or produce in bulk for multiple club members. Anderson Power Poles, skirting, and cabling are examples. Members typically donate items like fitter rails, fitter tracks, and rail joiners as needed.

South Denver area - although there are lurker members as far away as Texas.

The club moved from a sectional layout to Free-mo (HOn3) a few years ago. The pros of the club are learning from each other, and the friendly assistance to continually improve one’s modeling and knowledge. A big pro for me is the chance to operate on a layout that I will never have the resources (time, money, space) to produce at home. Another pro is the work being done by the club to bring mountain railroading to Free-mo operations.

The con of any club is that objectives and goals are not totally shared among by all members. Nearly everybody actively supports so

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"Why are you conducting this survey?

Fred W"

Sheer curiosity, Fred. And I thank your for participating. I’m always interested in how disparate groups go about accomplishing almost the same thing. Fencing is a sore spot in our club so I’m particularly interested in the answer to that question. But we all face the same problems with storage, dues, transportation, where to hold meetings etc. and it’s enlightening to read those answers also.

Thanks,

Jarrell

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OK I’ll bite. most of my answers are going to be based on the club I used to be in. They are 3000 miles away from me now so participating in their activities is a little much for me.

1- I’m curious as to how many forum members are in a modular type model railroad club?

Was a member of the Tidewater Modular Group in the MER Division 4

2- How often does your club meet and where?

Every other week we would have meetings at a member’s house for clinics or layout work.

3 How long is the average meeting?

Depends on what is going on but usually a couple of hours.

4 How much are your clubs dues, if any?

Cant remember any more but I remember it was not alot. NMRA membership was required.

5- Approximately how many club members also have their own home layout?

I new of 4 of them including my own

6- What is the general geographic location of your club?

Hampton Roads Virginia

7- How many members are in the club?

I wanna say more than 20 active. We always seemed to have quite a showing.

8- In your opinion what are the pros and cons of a modular group? (You may want to answer this one last.)

Best thing about it is doing public displays and seeing a child smile when they get to run a train around the layout. A con would be… Hmm… with the VA club I cant think of any but the club I would like to join here in WA the club meets and shows are too far away for me to join most of the time.

9- Is the club multi scale… eg. HO, N, G?

Our group is HO scale but there is also an nTrak group in our division.

10- Does the club actively try to recruit new members?

Promoting the club through local hobby

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I’m a member of FREMO (Friendship of European railway modellers)

We have about 50 meetings in a year, spread over Europe. You find the meetings for 2012 here.

Those meetings are usually usually closed on events for our members, but guests are welcome. It’s dangerous, you could get a throttle and run a train faster than you say hello. [:)]

I participate in about 6 meetings per year. Most meetings are three or four days. Our next narrow gauge meeting is from Thursday to Sunday.

By this time there’re about 1500 FREMO members, most in Germany, Netherlands, but growing groups in Danmark.

Wolfgang

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1- I’m curious as to how many forum members are in a modular type model railroad club?

Yes

2- How often does your club meet and where?

Usually once a week when there is no show, at a building reserved for our use at the museum, for construction. Usually one business meeting per year

3 How long is the average meeting?

4-5 hours or until people leave to leave

4 How much are your clubs dues, if any?

Just have to be a member of the RCT&HS, various levels of membership available

5- Approximately how many club members also have their own home layout?

I think most everyone has SOMETHING at home

6- What is the general geographic location of your club?

Reading/Hamburg PA

7- How many members are in the club?

8- In your opinion what are the pros and cons of a modular group? (You may want to answer this one last.)

Pros - bigger layout than may be possible for a permanent layout, wider exposure than if it were in a fixed location.

Cons: Limited times when it’s operational, size may be limited by the venue.

9- Is the club multi scale… eg. HO, N, G?

HO only

10- Does the club actively try to recruit new members?

Yes

11- Does the club rent storage space for some of it’s property?

The RCT&HS owns property for a transportation museum and we have a building on that site to store stuff and work on the modules

12- Approximately how many public displays does the club do per year?

5-6

13- Does the club use any type barriers such as fencing around the layout when in public venues?

Nope. No ‘moat’ around our layout. There are clear plexiglas panels installed around the outside, you can walk right up to the layout and view it. Most any adult or teen is taller than the panels and has a completely unobstructed view. We don’t have p

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1- I’m curious as to how many forum members are in a modular type model railroad club?

I’m in the club that SMassey was with in Virginia (Hi Mike!) We were a group within the Tidewater Division of the NMRA, but formed an independent club four years ago.

2- How often does your club meet and where?

When we started, we met once or twice a month at members houses for round-robin work sessions and planning. In May of 2010, we were contacted by the manager of a local shopping center and offered a space to set up our layout in until it was leased. When the space was leased, they offered us another, as the layout was a great attraction for customers. We now have open houses twice a week and meet every Tuesday evening for work sessions. Several members have a key to the place, and there is usually someone there each night working on their stuff or running trains.

3 How long is the average meeting?

Most meetings are less than 30 minutes, but the work is never-ending! Open houses are four hours or six hours, but that’s train time.

4 How much are your clubs dues, if any?

Our dues are $24.00 per year, but members must also be NMRA members, and pay those dues. There is a $25.00 initiation fee to join.

5- Approximately how many club members also have their own home layout?

At least 8 in various states of completion.

6- What is the general geographic location of your club?

The United States. Being in a military town, most of our members come from different parts of the country and try and model a part of their home area.

7- How many members are in the club?

Between 40 & 50, with about 30 active and involved.<

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1- I’m curious as to how many forum members are in a modular type model railroad club? - My children are.

2- How often does your club meet and where? - Once a Month.

3 How long is the average meeting? - 4 hours.

4 How much are your clubs dues, if any? - $15 year.

5- Approximately how many club members also have their own home layout? - No idea.

6- What is the general geographic location of your club? - Colorado

7- How many members are in the club? - about 30

8- In your opinion what are the pros and cons of a modular group?
Hard to keep focused as it is out of sight out of mind. Hard to keep interest as operation is not “at will” but only at pre-determine shows which may or may not be convenient. Not good because operation usually ends up being runing trains around in circles. Good because each person can do their own thing on their tiny patch of the layout. Good because one can participate on a large layout with out the cost/effort of doing the whole thing themselves. Good because one can run longer trains then they would if they only had their own. Good because one does not have to dedicate mass amounts of realestate (basement - extra bedroom - out building - attic) to a model railroad.

9- Is the club multi scale… eg. HO, N, G? - yes

10- Does the club actively try to recruit new members? - yes

11- Does the club rent storage space for some of it’s property? - no

12- Approximately how many public displays does the club do per year? - 10

13- Does the club use any type barriers such as fencing around the layout when in public venues? - yes rope

14- What was the most unusual venue the club as set up in? Children’s Hospital

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1- I’m curious as to how many forum members are in a modular type model railroad club?

Yes 30+ years

2- How often does your club meet and where?

2nd Tuesday every month but Dec. when we have our Christmas Party. Public Library

3 How long is the average meeting?

45-60 minutes

4 How much are your clubs dues, if any?

$10.00 year

5- Approximately how many club members also have their own home layout?

quite a few

6- What is the general geographic location of your club?

St Louis

7- How many members are in the club?

More than 50

8- In your opinion what are the pros and cons of a modular group? (You may want to answer this one last.)

Pros

9- Is the club multi scale… eg. HO, N, G?

HO & N scale layouts

10- Does the club actively try to recruit new members?

Yes ( Must work at Boeing or married to a Boeing Employee)

11- Does the club rent storage space for some of it’s property?

Yes Plus we have trailers

12- Approximately how many public displays does the club do per year?

4 to 5

13- Does the club use any type barriers such as fencing around the layout when in public venues?

Yes, a rope line

14- What was the most unusual venue the club as set up in?

The old St Louis Union Station Train Shed

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We use a rope line set out about 3ft from the edge of the layout.

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[quote user=“jacon12”]

1- I’m curious as to how many forum members are in a modular type model railroad club?

I am a member of the New Brighton Connection Modular RR club in the Twin Cities, MN.

2- How often does your club meet and where?

We meet once a month for club business meetings. We just had our January 2012 meeting tonight. Just got home a few hours ago. Typically its a round robin and we meet at the homes of members. We meet from September through June and take a break off for the summer. Some members will still hang out together building new modules.

3 How long is the average meeting?

Around 2 to 3 hours.

4 How much are your clubs dues, if any?

I cant remember what I paid for initiation. It was less then 20 bucks. After that, its 5 bucks a year. Yes… A year.

5- Approximately how many club members also have their own home layout?

I can think of 3. Several more have layout plans under way.

6- What is the general geographic location of your club?

Midwestern.

7- How many members are in the club?

I cant remember exactly but around 30-40. There are maybe about 10-15 whom are active enough to attend meetings and shows regularly.

8- In your opinion what are the pros and cons of a modular group? (You may want to answer this one last.)

Pros. Much cheaper then monthly dues to a brick and mortar model railroad club. One of our club members was just talking tonight about a new local club he just joined that has a several 1000 something square foot space for thier planned club layout. He paid 190 dollars initiation and pays 40 bucks a month.

This is also a great way to enjoy running trains if you dont have t

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Massey. Do you know Dave Herbert? He was talking about being a member of your club at our meeting tonight. He just moved back to Minnesota from Virginia and even though he has always been a member of our club. He went off our inactive list to fully active member just last month since he is now back in MN.

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Thanks to everyone for the information!

Anyone else?

Jarrell