Wow! There are a couple real horror stories there!

I guess I'm a whole lot luckier than I realized!

The Scale Rails of Southwest Florida Model Railroad Club is 100% NMRA and when there are model railroad conferences, like ""Prototype Rails 2010," an NMRA-Sanctioned event or the recent NMRA Sunshine Region Western Division Winter Meet, along with presenters like Tony Koester and Andy Sperandeo of Model Railroader Magazine, several of our club members, including two having earned the NMRA's "Master Model Railroader" designation were also presenters.

I have not seen any "poor modeling" represented on the layout and so far, have not witnessed anyone independently make decisions regarding taking on "personal" projects on the layout either. Everyone "plays well together" and no one steps on anyone else. Those involved in layout maintenance or upgrade projects go about their tasks, and when a new member shows up (that would be me, in this instance) someone will approach and ask the "newbie" if they'd be interested in "helping out with 'X' project on the layout." Any decisions regarding the layout, the building or planned programs for the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts or the general public are discussed at monthly meetings.

We do have members who show up for the monthly meeting, say little and don't do much else and one or two who just show up to "hang around and talk railroad talk."

It sounds like when I discovered this club (at a point where I desperately needed a couple friends) and began visiting a couple afternoons a week, enjoying the "getting to know you" period, when members encourage the new person to discuss model railroading, where else in the country they have lived (almost no one is really from Florida) and then talk about what's going on with the club, I was truly blessed when they voted unanimously to accept me as a member!

Yessir! A real good group of guys ... they even start each monthly meeting with the saying of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, which hangs prominently at one end of the layout room. Yes, I suppose I am blessed to have found those gentlemen, much as I was blessed to find this forum and all of you fellows ... a finer assemblage of diverse approaches to the hobby is found nowhere else on the Web!

P5se Camelback Wrote:Wow! There are a couple real horror stories there!

I guess I'm a whole lot luckier than I realized!

The Scale Rails of Southwest Florida Model Railroad Club is 100% NMRA and when there are model railroad conferences, like ""Prototype Rails 2010," an NMRA-Sanctioned event or the recent NMRA Sunshine Region Western Division Winter Meet, along with presenters like Tony Koester and Andy Sperandeo of Model Railroader Magazine, several of our club members, including two having earned the NMRA's "Master Model Railroader" designation were also presenters.

We have our share of talent, but no one who is a major player or NMRA master modeler. At least one of our members i think deserves it, he seems to know how to accomplish anything and has the tools to do it. He machined for me a jig to make grab irons for my catenary supports, and devised all sorts of layout-engineering, like lift-up layout sections that can be cranked into the air. Most of us are average guys though, and we do work pretty well. Those new guys who've built some of these things will eventually learn, which is great. I wouldn't want to make my club sound bad, because in reality, Just about everyone gets along, and very rarely is there a fight. Most of them are willing to help me or teach me new skills. Considering the relative freedom to run what you want, my club is light-years ahead of some. ( i understand that prototypical running is important to some, but being stuck with "only N&W from the 1950s" is a VERY limited modeling area, and I'm surprised such clubs exist).

Quote:I have not seen any "poor modeling" represented on the layout and so far, have not witnessed anyone independently make decisions regarding taking on "personal" projects on the layout either. Everyone "plays well together" and no one steps on anyone else. Those involved in layout maintenance or upgrade projects go about their tasks, and when a new member shows up (that would be me, in this instance) someone will approach and ask the "newbie" if they'd be interested in "helping out with 'X' project on the layout." Any decisions regarding the layout, the building or planned programs for the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts or the general public are discussed at monthly meetings.

We do have members who show up for the monthly meeting, say little and don't do much else and one or two who just show up to "hang around and talk railroad talk."

It sounds like when I discovered this club (at a point where I desperately needed a couple friends) and began visiting a couple afternoons a week, enjoying the "getting to know you" period, when members encourage the new person to discuss model railroading, where else in the country they have lived (almost no one is really from Florida) and then talk about what's going on with the club, I was truly blessed when they voted unanimously to accept me as a member!

Yessir! A real good group of guys ... they even start each monthly meeting with the saying of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, which hangs prominently at one end of the layout room. Yes, I suppose I am blessed to have found those gentlemen, much as I was blessed to find this forum and all of you fellows ... a finer assemblage of diverse approaches to the hobby is found nowhere else on the Web!

Yeah, that sounds like an excellent outfit. If i'm ever down that way, i'll have to stop in and visit!