MRR Club Experiences

[Lester Perry]

I was never a club member. But in the mid 90s I was considering joining a club. They had / have a modular layout that is quit large. One week end they were setting up in a local mall. I kinda knew / know the president and he invited me to bring a train to run. I gathered up about 75 coal cars and a couple of locomotives and went to have some fun. Most of the members knew me so not being a member was not a big deal. I built my 75 +- cars and 3 or 4 locomotives in a large yard they have. I was ready to pull out when a guy showed up with plastic tubs full of trains. They stopped me, and shut down the outside track of double main so he could put his train on that track. Now this is in a mall with many many spectators wanting to see train run. He built his train and started to run. It went about ten feet and derailed. shut down the outside track again. He got it going again and it went about ten more feet and stopped. He got it going and he stopped again. and again and again. I suggested to a group of guys who were trying to help him that he go into the yard to address his problems and allow my train to come out assuring them it will run as I run it at home all the time. They said no this guy has no home layout to run on just wait a few minutes. After about 15 or 20 minutes I quietly packed up my toys and went home. I don't need the club, I have been approached many times by them but I am not going to join. I still see many of the members, They no longer ask me about joining. I have been to several meetings but not for me. I tried to start a round robin club. I almost got it going but it fail

So I run my trains and occasionally some one stops by and we run some trains.