I need help starting a club!

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Some of my friends and I are wanting to start a club. I was just wondering if anyone can help us.

2

Brace yourself for a lot of hard work. Get the basics of the club agreed upon and down in writing up front. Make certain everyone joining buys into the concept up front. All too often people will join and immediately want to start changing things how they want it. A club requires a lot of give and take, but there are people who join an 1950’s era club and then want to immediately add an intermodal yard. A club can’t function long term like that.
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=41258

3

Either that, or do away with the formality all together.

There are a lot of “round-robin” operating groups in my area. There is no club layout - each guy hosts everyone at his layout on average once every few months. When you are at that layout, “house rules” apply.

If you want to write something down, here is a good set of rules: visit http://www.ovgrs.org/ and click on “Club Information”. Scroll about 1/2 way down for the “Rules”.

BTW, the biggest club in my area (www.ovar.ca) does not have a club layout, and therefore avoids the whole issue altogether. Instead, we sponsor activities and have a dinner meeting once a month with a guest presenter, display table, and so on.

Andrew

4

I agree with masonjar. I belonged to a club and it was nothing but politics. The bigger the scale, the more money they were allowed to spend(we had 3 scales) Of course, I model N, so we got the least money. Forego the idea of a “club” and do the round robin thing, or just build one for yourself.

5

Round robin works well to avoid alot of the politics. But a “club layout” in the form of modules allows for recruitment and maybe snacks for the round robin through donations. Since individuals build the modules they can go hog wild and most of the outside world wont know that SD90s with double stacks dont belong next to coal towers and roundhouses. So long as the modules mate properly that is.

6

I need help with one to. i found if they bring The Jackie D they get a discount.

My $1 and 2 cents.