Alternative to the NMRA Master Model Railroader?

[ocalicreek]

The main point is that the internet and digital media are not necessarily making an achievement program obsolete. Its all based on the willingness of us as model railroaders to participate in it or not. This decision is not based in digital media, but in the personal feelings of people.

I strongly suspect that for every "extroverted" model railroader of the "Pre-internet era", you'll have several more who probably just kept to themselves, happy with their basement empire, who never joined the NMRA and were never interested in achievement programs (rather, i suspect the NMRA attracted the types who saw value in such a program).

All the internet did was reveal the thoughts of people across the globe, extending our awareness beyond our immeadiate area and to people we would be otherwise unable to reach.

You're probably right that the hobby is going to be making big changes to take full advantage of these new connections, but i think achievements will have their place, and that those who want to play the model railroad achievement game will. There is no reason it cannot adapt to today's needs.

Yes, this is very much along the lines of what I'm thinking. In the same way we have folks who 'lurk' on forums that may be first-rate modelers who, for whatever reason, choose only to read and watch and remain on the sidelines of the forum, and that's okay.

I don't think it's feasible to change the AP or MMR program to reflect what changes have occured in this new digital era. Some things just have to go away as others rise to replace them. There will always be some sort of AP whether or not the NMRA has a hand in it. Perhaps it will arise out of discussions like this one!

We have a saying in the church about doing new things for new people. The big latin phrase is 'ecclesia semper reformanda', that is, the church always reforming. Culture goes through these shifts and business even more rapidly, I'd wager.

And to borrow another example from my professional life, I remember a conversation I had with a fellow after an outreach event. He and I handed out hot cider and candy canes with an invitation to our Christmas worship services. This was a few years back when my wife and I were serving a small, struggling church in SoCal. He asked if I thought our event was successful. I said I'd have to wait and see how many came on Christmas Eve as a result of our event. He replied that already he knew it was Not a success, simply because out of the whole church (30 or so folks) he and I were the only ones that showed up to the outreach event. His definition of success was different than mine and mine has been like his ever since. Sometimes acheivement isn't measured by meeting numeric goals but by the collaboration, the participation in the journey. I think we need both. This is why, I believe, some of the AP areas are related to group events, not just solitary work. You don't dispatch a railroad all by yourself, or write articles for nobody to read.


Okay...plenty to chew on tonight...will think/read/converse/write more tomorrow. Thank you to everyone for participating in this conversation.


Galen