09-02-2012, 06:19 AM
I had all the camaraderie that I needed when I was doing a major paint job on a 1 to 1 scale SW7 20 years ago. There were 140 dues paying members in the group. Everyone had lots to say at the meetings but not 1 person in that group had time to help on the project which had to be completed in 45 days for a big planned festival. I had one young fellow show up to help every day and the last 5 days there were about 6 guys helping. NONE of these folks, including me, was a member of this so called club.
The day before the festival, after all of the hard work was done, and the paint applied, about 30 of them showed up to take pictures of them installing the vinyl lettering. I am not exaggerating the response from this group. Of course we didn't have any trouble getting folks to ride the train.
I now have a model railroad club of my own. I am the president and CEO. My friends can come and help when they want, run trains when they want, or just sit and chat. No pressure on anyone. I go to one of my friends house and help him when he needs help and offer encouragement when he doesn't,
Over the last 30 years being involved with "historical" societies and other groups I have run into too many people that are legends in their own minds to ever want to be involved with any club, regardless of what their goals are.
There are clubs that seem to do OK, but I hear complaints from their members too about lack of participation in the work involved. a certain few do all the work while a certain few want to be the club officers, and these two groups are not the same people in most cases.
The modular clubs seem to have the best luck as there is not an investment in rent or buildings, and they set up at train shows. The one I am familiar with meets once a month at various restaurants in the area and the members get free passes to the train shows when they set up the club does have some of it's own equipment, but not trains or cars, just things needed to make the displays better. Most of these fellows are great, but there are always a few that are not pleasant.
I had a great bunch of volunteers at the KJR but we did not have a club. I wanted help, not "whatyadoisers"
Charlie
The day before the festival, after all of the hard work was done, and the paint applied, about 30 of them showed up to take pictures of them installing the vinyl lettering. I am not exaggerating the response from this group. Of course we didn't have any trouble getting folks to ride the train.
I now have a model railroad club of my own. I am the president and CEO. My friends can come and help when they want, run trains when they want, or just sit and chat. No pressure on anyone. I go to one of my friends house and help him when he needs help and offer encouragement when he doesn't,
Over the last 30 years being involved with "historical" societies and other groups I have run into too many people that are legends in their own minds to ever want to be involved with any club, regardless of what their goals are.
There are clubs that seem to do OK, but I hear complaints from their members too about lack of participation in the work involved. a certain few do all the work while a certain few want to be the club officers, and these two groups are not the same people in most cases.
The modular clubs seem to have the best luck as there is not an investment in rent or buildings, and they set up at train shows. The one I am familiar with meets once a month at various restaurants in the area and the members get free passes to the train shows when they set up the club does have some of it's own equipment, but not trains or cars, just things needed to make the displays better. Most of these fellows are great, but there are always a few that are not pleasant.
I had a great bunch of volunteers at the KJR but we did not have a club. I wanted help, not "whatyadoisers"
Charlie