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Trains News Wire EXCLUSIVE: NRHS prepares for new leadership as it reveals plan to reinvent organization
I applaud this move to redefining although I’ve not been a member for over 25 years. In the 1970’s there were cracks in they system and programs as railfans themselves changed. Trying to accommodate the old timers and the new fan was suicidal. Part of the problem then has been addressed here: the idea of being a social club rather than an historical society. Unfortunately too many fans are no longer historically oriented but in the moment of instant video and digitally produced long lens composition. My problem was that I was more the historian and not the contemporary photographer and decided to leave. If this is carried through, there will be a loss in membership which I hope will only be temporary as they get focused and armed with what’s needed to be an historical society. I know many fans who love to get together for coffee and doughnuts and watching slides and videos but not commit to anything further in the “hobby”. There is a place for them, of course, and there should be. But if you call yourself an historical society you take on other burdens than just taking and viewing pictures. I wish both sides of the argument well and hope they find themselves.
I applaud this move to redefining although I’ve not been a member for over 25 years. In the 1970’s there were cracks in they system and programs as railfans themselves changed. Trying to accommodate the old timers and the new fan was suicidal. Part of the problem then has been addressed here: the idea of being a social club rather than an historical society. Unfortunately too many fans are no longer historically oriented but in the moment of instant video and digitally produced long lens composition. My problem was that I was more the historian and not the contemporary photographer and decided to leave. If this is carried through, there will be a loss in membership which I hope will only be temporary as they get focused and armed with what’s needed to be an historical society. I know many fans who love to get together for coffee and doughnuts and watching slides and videos but not commit to anything further in the “hobby”. There is a place for them, of course, and there should be. But if you call yourself an historical society you take on other burdens than just taking and viewing pictures. I wish both sides of the argument well and hope they find themselves.
I always thought Molloy was trying to bring our organization into modern times. I didn’t know the newly elected president, but I am disappointed to hear now he wants to hang on to a chapter oriented society, against the re-invention committee recommendations. Preservation requires adapting to current times, not living in the past. This is not good news for NRHS’s survival.
Why all the down comments about NRHS Chapters? Chapters are where the real work of the NRHS is done. One thing the Nationals did very poorly in recent times is support the chapters and the Heritage work they do. Ask any of them and you will hear… “What have you’ve done for us lately?” Yet, their members keep sending in their dues year after year. Yes, the the way the NRHS has been doing business is broken, but that’s not because having membership is the reason, how the society has managed itself can be blamed for that. The mere fact that dues paying members keep paying year after year is not the cause of losing money, how you spend it is. If this change does happen, we’ll lose a lot of members, members who are consistent and reliable to their local chapter and community and pay dues. It’s been said the NRHS is inverse, that it only cares about itself, well… of course it is, how else do expect it’s members to be? When was the last time you gave money to your Independent School District in the name of High School Sports because you care about sports? Or did you give it to your High School Booster Club to support your child’s team because you wanted the team to be successful. Yeah, I thought so and that’s why NRHS members will continue to support their local chapters who are doing the work of rail heritage in their local community. So Yes, supporting chapters is the right thing to do. Where we went off track was trying to support members while trying to be all things to all people. That is not the nature of the typical member, they only care about what’s important to them. And there’s nothing wrong with that, as a matter of fact, it’s something you can depend on and know their heart is in the right place. They will remain loyal for a lifetime.
Skip, I applaud your comments and after our discussion this weekend, I find myself trying to fully understand how we, as a chapter, can fully benefit from “renewed” NRHS. I feel, as you do, that membership has been the primary means the NRHS has existed for this many years. But, membership alone is not what the NRHS needs. A solid funding mechanism, focus on preservation, and in particular, being the clearinghouse for such preservation efforts is what many of the chapters that have museums collection have wanted. Many of the Gulf Coast Chapter membership feels that way, but many are not fully grasping this complexity of the NRHS problems (financial and otherwise).
But what about those social groups…chapters that exist only as groups of enthusiast without ties to museums or preservation activities? Those will likely find themselves left behind since I doubt many of them have grown their membership over the years. I just don’t know if those groups would survive regardless of the status of the National organization. North Texas Chapter is an exception as are several others, but the majority will find it increasingly difficult to stay valid without the local membership. National can’t address these chapters needs because that is really not what the NRHS was ever about, in my opinion.
And chapters that have abandoned the NRHS did so because of the very question that has been said, “What have you done for us lately?” Supporting efforts to preserve railroading history at a national level has merit, but National organization need local “troops” to provide the direction, and that is were Chapters become important.
You simply can’t be all things to all people. NRHS MUST CHANGE and unfortunately, those that are not centered on being advocates for historical preservation, education of a wider public audience, probably won’t like what the NRHS must become.
One other comment: Look at the ALS Challenge has done. Going from
What about those social groups that pose as chapters? Well, what harm are they doing by existing?
At the very least they can keep paying dues to help the bottom line and with some real support from a national organization they can learn how to better there local situation in fundraising, education, advocacy, activities that engage the public and maybe even take on a heritage project or support one financially that advances the mission.
Here at the North Texas Chapter, we made a decision to not take on any assets and remain social in nature, yet we are constantly doing activities that engage rail heritage or enthusiast world. From our fundraising efforts, we donate to local museums. We host media/slide shows, not just at our monthly meetings, but at local train shows which are mostly attended by outside public, not just our members. And our latest project is a new book release by David M. Bernstein on the Southern Pacific Eastern Lines 1946-1996 to be out by December which advances rail history in the region. And of course, we hosted a NRHS National Convention in 2008 that brought great value to the region at the time and put money in our account so we could do good things in our community.
I realize not every social base chapter can do all things, but with a national organization focused on development of chapters, a lot more can be done through a chapter the members and the whole rail heritage community could benefit from. You know, since we’ve haven’t had any real support from the national organization for chapters, maybe we don’t realize or believe it can happen that way… but I believe it can!
With that said, I’m all for being a clearing house for national rail heritage projects on a massive scale as the new plan offers. If we can do that, more power to us. Although, I do not feel having a membership based organization is holding us back. It think it takes leadership to engage the mission and set us on a more responsible financial pla