N Scale Column Research

[C855B]

I currently belong to a club formal enough to be a 503(c)3 corporation, but this is primarily due to a couple of very astute professionals who understand the advantages of this, especially when it comes to our fundraising (99% is a train show). Otherwise, no scheduled meetings except the annual biz meeting, and setting up an N-Trak layout at six or seven shows each year. Everything else is ad hoc. Great bunch of guys.

Relative to Lee's concerns about "what makes N scale different?", I will say unequivocally that it is N-Trak. HO (and larger) clubs exist and existed for one primary purpose, IMO: to acquire and manage layout space that could not be afforded by the individuals. No other reason. The politics are quite frequently an issue because of the community property and the fuzzy gray lines that bound the "yours, mine or ours". N-Trak doesn't need this, by definition. So unless it is the rare property-owning, moneyed group, N clubs are therefore primarily about the social relationships.

That said, the article about my railroad interests in last Sunday's paper (Weekend Update) is already bearing fruit relative to a local club. I was at our history museum today, and was approached twice today by prospective members, with one saying that he has four other guys he knows who may be interested. The value of this "club" setting is, frankly, going to be assistance in rallying enough support to build and run a personally-funded layout otherwise too big for just me to handle.

[Ike the BN Freak]

I am not a NMRA type guy because I don't take my hobby that serious. It is a hobby, not my job.

I was when I lived in Vegas, but only because if the club was 100% NMRA, we could get the insurance through them fairly cheap.

[R L Smith]

I've been an NMRA member for quite a while.  The annual membership is about the cost of 3 or 4 good quality freight cars, for which in return I get a semi-decent monthly magazine, the opportunity to attend local, regional and national meetings, plus the opportuntity to meet up with other like-minded folks -- the OpSig is a good example -- via the above-mentioned events.  For the record, I also belong to the E-L Historical Society, but have never belonged to any model railroad clubs with dues -- just informal round-robin type groups, and in each case I've been the only N scaler in the group.

My point is, I don't think we N scalers have a lock on informal gatherings and camaraderie. Earlier this year I drove 5 hours to operate on Michael Winicki's wonderful layout, which happened only because of this forum.  However, I would also drive 5 hours to operate on a good HO or O layout too.  I think I'm more likely to find out about those layouts by being a member and attending local or regional events.  (Sidebar: you don't have to join the NMRA to join OpSig.)

Someday (I hope) the NMRA will catch up to and use media such as this forum.  The biggest handicap the NMRA has is the generation-old perception that it is a good-old-boy network filled with self-proclaimed 'experts'.  I don't believe that is how it is today.  YMMV.

Ron

[Nato]

                      From the land of WNS ,no that is not a midwest radio station ,but "Wasatch N Scale" ,this is really a club that has evolved over the years. It started off as the "Utah N Rail Modelers" a pure N quack (Trac) group with a bizillion members,I had already been a lone wolf modeler,but a member of N Trac for 2 years when contacted by local N Gaugers wanting to start an N Trac club here in Northern Utah. Eventually we began weeding out all the junky modules, refined our standards and became a sectional layout with a 2 track mainline,some quality N Trac modules were grandfathered in. Then came a final split about 8 years ago,that has led to the current club,with a modular,but sectional (several modules can form a scene) approach,yes we still have a 2 track mainline, and use code 55 track which the last version of UNR used.Our dues are a low $30.00 a year,we attend three to four local shows a year,one in nearby Evanston, Wyoming,but have no perminent place to set layout up and run between shows. That is ok as some of us do have home layouts.                 I see a great value in clubs if there is one in your area you meet modelers with similar interests,and you can also have work sessions or Op Zessions on each others pikes. I'am also a N.M..R.A. member,but have never been really active in the Wasatch Division here,although one of our UNR members  (when we were old club) was Division Superintendent in mid 1980"s. Now NMRA group has built a layout to take to shows representing the organization that is T Track,this coming from mostly HO Scale modelers,veddy interkesting. In closing let me say Join a Group if you can and make friends,this from a former longtime Lone Wolfer.                 Nate Goodman (Nato).