Do you like your club?
I’m in one until I get track layed (which will be very soon). I like it overall, I’m the only one who seems to like running trains.
I don’t like the club that I’m in. there is too much dissention and extreme aversion to technololy.
Ch
If I could find a club without Hiarchy, anarchy and malarchy I’d consider it.
Unfortnately, if there is one single aspect of this great hobby of ours that will destroy it, it’s the narrow minded arrogance that does exist in many, many clubs around this country. Wheather it be from rivet counters or from control freaks that are there for no other reason but to assert their self perceived power over every other member in the club, this arrogance and attitude can and does drive long standing members and new members away, never to return. I for one wouldn’t join another club if you paid me. Twice was definately enough for me. I feel that those who are lucky enough to have a good club should stay with it, but those who don’t, get out now before it destroys your enjoyment for the hobby, and what ever you do, don’t ever look back, always look ahead.
I belonged to a great club in Sarnia, ON. For a very short time unfortunately. I moved away from the area which is the only reason I left. I fact it was that club that got me interested in running trains again.
It was a great group of guys. Wanting to get things done, but laid back as well.
I do miss Tuesday nights!
The clubs around me now, I dunno, they just don’t seem very interested in new members, except for their money.
One club a friend of mine was a member with, he was the first new recruit in years & he left after a year. Too much in-fighting I think.
The club closer to home. I had inquired about at a train show a few years ago said they wern’t accepting any new members. So I decided that there wasn’t a club around me good enough for me!!!
Clubs can be a good thing, but they can also bring the worst of the hobby out.
In my opinion, you have to decide if joining a club is right for you or not.
If there was a club around me like the one I belonged to in Sarnia, then I’d probably join it.
Gordon
I go to an informal “club”, a small group that gets together at a friends home to run trains, conduct bull sessions about various topics (mainly trains/railroads/railroading), and go on the occasional railfanning expedition.
I have to say that this club is one of the best things that has ever happened to me, one of those things that God had a hand in arranging.
I’ve gained several friends, have learned a lot about model railroading and railroads and have been on some very enjoyable railfanning trips.
Even if you do have a home layout I highly recommend that you find some fellow model railroaders/railfans to hang out with. [:)]
If you don’t like the “politics” of a formal club, and you should understand that all clubs, no matter what type of club it is, a model railroad club, a social club or whatever, will have “politics”, your best bet is to just find a small informal group to assocate with. Either that or just learn to deal with group/club politics and don’t let it spoil your good time.[swg]
I have been in and out of the Pomona Valley MRC since 1976. Before that I ran with the Lockheed Employees Recreation Club. If you have trouble in a club, look in a mirror and see what you need to do to have fun. I like having a decent sized layout with big turns. I can filter the noise there as I do here. Delete or forget it quickly. Few get a chance to crap on my ideas if I keep them to myself.
They elected me Treasurer so I am not unappreciated.
Lindsay
Someone would stay in a club that they are not happy with?
[#wstupid]
Facinating!
Of course I’m happy with the club I am in[:D] Otherwise I would have left years ago!
We lost our lease and our layout 9 years ago. We started building modules and hauling them to shows. We had meetings round-robin style, cookouts, work sessions, etc. mostly in each others homes. We go railfanning together. We have all learned to get along, and kill the political crapola before it gets started. Life is good!![8D]
I’ve never been in, or even seriously considered, joining in a club. If you were or are in a good one, thats great. If you have had a bad experience, I’m sorry to hear that .
Randy
If it were not for a local club, I would not be able to run my trains because I don’t have room for a layout in my house.
I’ve enjoyed being a model railroader for twenty years and a member of a club for the last eight years. I however can not say that I’ve enjoyed all eight years with this club. When I joined there was allways a positive attitude around the club, then as the membership changed we went through a period where things were not as rosey. The current attitude around the club is truly great, we have a membership that interacts and works great with one another. The reason I joined a club was to learn as much as I could about model railroading so that I could apply it to my own layout. I can say without a doubt that this has happened. I think that everyone should experience belonging to club at least once.
We have 6 members in our club. There’s really no heirarchy, although we do have a President and Treasurer for officers. We manage to get along without having to resort to a bunch of bickering.
Projects are a group effort, although each of us has a different area we’re working on. Nobody “owns” the layout and the plans are extremely flexible.
I’m not in a club. Besides I don’t think too many clubs would allow my type of railroading on their layouts. I’m in the planning stages of building a 40X60 ft building on my property to house a model club. Mainly to allow anyone to run trains whether their own or one that could be provided for them. Access to the layout would not be restricted to members only. I know many around here that would love to run a model train but either don’t have any or don’t have a layout.
This idea might be far fetched but the hardest part is coming up with the money for the concrete. 40X60 needs alot of concrete!! Anyway that is a hint of what I’m working on. Maybe it will work out maybe it won’t.
Thanks,
Jeremy
Same for me before i got my layout started i could only run trains at my club. Is there anyone out there that there personal layout is used by others as club layout or does a round robin group.
The results should be 100% yes, because if you are in a club you do not like, you should get out. But I digress…
Apparently I am fortunate, as my local club is mostly good people. There are a few people that seem to have no social life and come to meetings only to start trouble, but I mostly ignore them, and only associate with friends and run trains. There are only a few of us that actually do work, but the rest who come down for camaraderie or to run trains appreciate our work, so it is all good. Even the old fogey members allow us to make changes… at least when they’re not looking ;]
I voted “no” meaning I am not a member of a club at this time. I helped start a club years ago in a small town. I enjoyed the layout we built, but somehow it was less than a satisfying experience. Some years later I joined a fairly large club. Enjoyed the railfan trips and working at the train shows, but there were (as you might expect) a few guys who mostly liked to cause trouble. I’ve lived in another area for over 11 years now and have not joined a club. I would love to have a small group of friends meet together and operate, etc. on an informal basis. As has already been stated, the minute it becomes a formal club it becomes policitical.
Ed
If I didn’t like my club, I wouldn’t be a member. Life’s too short for petty BS and group politics, and I tolerate neither.
Thankfully, my local NMRA group is pretty active and dynamic. Our monthly meets attract 50+ members, and we hold three different annual shows. The monthlies always have decent clinics and local layout tours, and I’ve met many friends through these activities. Most importantly, attending the club’s meetings has allowed me to operate on some of the neatest layouts I’ve ever seen, which is well worth the price of membership!
You guys who have good clubs are lucky. Here in Lil ole Charlotte, we don’t even have such a thing. Oh, there was one in the town of Rock Hill SC a few years ago but the city chased us out of the bldg. and as far as I know the layout or a great deal of it is still in storage. I see a few of the members at train shows once in a while and ask what is happening and they say “Nothing.” I was almost a member of a club in Va. when I lived there. I left after the first night and didn’t look back. The big Poobah in the club showed up about an hour late, reeking of whiskey and spent his time running a brand new Athearn SD-40 off the end of the table. He was a former engineer for … well for a railroad. I like the idea of an informal group of people in a round robin type of setting but no more formal clubs for me. I learned my lesson. And that’s [2c]
JR
Yes…I like it for what it is, and don’t for what it isn’t.