Form a local model train club - it's fun!

John

Like many affinity-based organizations, train clubs seem to follow an organizational life cycle.

1) Fueled by enthusiasm, hobbyists decide to create a group to share the fun of the world's greatest hobby. Keeping it simple at the outset, there is no charter, no dues, no club house, just informal meetings at the homes (and layouts) of the members.  Guys bring a six pack (Coke or beer) and wives may provide snacks at the meetings. The FUN stage.

2) The club grows as more members join, perhaps with little or no scrutiny by the founding members of the reality of their interest or "credentials." The need arises to "get more organized" with some written guidelines, dues, and leadership elections.  Ambitious plans emerge for a public presence with a train show(s) at a community center or church or school gym. One member offers to create a website, and another volunteers to write publicity for the local press.  The GOLDEN AGE stage.

3) Differences of opinion crop up about purposes, priorities, and projects followed by some political wrangling. It becomes harder to steer the group and/or control some pesky members. Some members quietly fall away because "It's not fun anymore." Some members grow older and are less able to do the work:  staging train shows, recruiting new members, raising funds for products and projects, sustaining interest over time.  The DOWNHILL stage.

4) Many members realize "It's not like it was," and many drop out and become "lone wolf" hobbyists with no club connection needed or wanted. The group slowly but surely moves toward dissolution, and it ultimately dissolves. The FINAL stage.

Organizational consultants often point out that groups often contain three sub-sets:
* Members who are active -- the core of the group
* Members whose needs have been nearly satisfied and may feel they've "learned enough" or "had enough"
* Members who have aged-out, worn-out, or are ****ed off. They soon leave.

One can (and should) envy train clubs who have steered a course for long-term success.  Their history could be the topic of  a Ph.D. dissertation on organizational development.

In the context of this thread, hobbyists who are club-oriented should try to remain focused on the GOLDEN AGE stage. Carry on, regardless.

Mike Mottler   LCCA 12394

@Mike H Mottler posted:

John

Like many affinity-based organizations, train clubs seem to follow an organizational life cycle.

1) Fueled by enthusiasm, hobbyists decide to create a group to share the fun of the world's greatest hobby. Keeping it simple at the outset, there is no charter, no dues, no club house, just informal meetings at the homes (and layouts) of the members.  Guys bring a six pack (Coke or beer) and wives may provide snacks at the meetings. The FUN stage.

2) The club grows as more members join, perhaps with little or no scrutiny by the founding members of the reality of their interest or "credentials." The need arises to "get more organized" with some written guidelines, dues, and leadership elections.  Ambitious plans emerge for a public presence with a train show(s) at a community center or church or school gym. One member offers to create a website, and another volunteers to write publicity for the local press.  The GOLDEN AGE stage.

3) Differences of opinion crop up about purposes, priorities, and projects followed by some political wrangling. It becomes harder to steer the group and/or control some pesky members. Some members quietly fall away because "It's not fun anymore." Some members grow older and are less able to do the work:  staging train shows, recruiting new members, raising funds for products and projects, sustaining interest over time.  The DOWNHILL stage.

4) Many members realize "It's not like it was," and many drop out and become "lone wolf" hobbyists with no club connection needed or wanted. The group slowly but surely moves toward dissolution, and it ultimately dissolves. The FINAL stage.

Organizational consultants often point out that groups often contain three sub-sets:
* Members who are active -- the core of the group
* Members whose needs have been nearly satisfied and may feel they've "learned enough" or "had enough"
* Members who have aged-out, worn-out, or are ****ed off. They soon leave.

One can (and should) envy train clubs who have steered a course for long-term success.  Their history could be the topic of  a Ph.D. dissertation on organizational development.

In the context of this thread, hobbyists who are club-oriented should try to remain focused on the GOLDEN AGE stage. Carry on, regardless.

Mike Mottler   LCCA 12394

   

Thanks for the thoughtful input Mike.

We did elect officers, President (me) and a Vice President. My goal is to always keep the club light - no by-laws, clubhouse, club layout, etc. I think to grow like that would turn our happy experiences with each other to work - no good.

At this point almost all of our 24 members are active as far as LITCA Events go - usually between 16 and 20 attend our lunches. A couple of the guys have series health issues, and one still works for a living.

Yes, I am the one who communicates the most, designed our logo (with the help of my daughter), suggested and acquired our caps and suggested and designed our cards - but that is ok - it is all appreciated by the group and fun for me.

No need to design a new website - my warrenvillerailroad.com has been adopted as LITCA's official website. No problem here either - I really like working on it and sharing with it.

All of the LITCA'ers are good people, not a looser amongst them. I don't see the group growing much more - we don't actively seek members.

If someone wants to drop out (nobody has at this point), because they don't like the light, easy going nature of LITCA - they are free to do so - no hard feelings.

@Lionelski posted:

In the past I mentioned our local train club, the Long Island Train Collecting Aficionados. Sharing and spending time with a great group of guys is very uplifting, much like doing so with our online friends here, only more so.

I thought that our story is worth telling so I immortalized it here: https://www.warrenvillerailroa...tion-of-a-local-club

If you've formed a local club, or wish to do so, I'd love to hear about it!

John,

Great post! I have been a member of one local “club” for over 40 years. When I went to my first YORK in 1980, a life long friend from HS introduced me to a gentleman , “John Forcenito”; that lived about 15 minutes from my home in Brooklyn. 30 seconds into the conversation John invited me to his home. I didn’t go. A few months later  I met John at the METCA show in Garfield. He asked why I hadn’t come over; so about a week later I went with my son. John had a 16 x 40 layout that was awesome. In the following weeks I went back with my son. Then John said to me that some other men would be coming on Tuesday evening; and I should come. That was the beginning of TNT (Tuesday Night Trains), although it took a a year or so for the name to emerge. The initial group was 5 or 6 of us. We met at Johnnys every Tuesday, and we traveled to local shows and YORK together. Over the years the group grew to about 25 men. There were others that came occasionally. We lost Johnny in 1998 and two others within a year. The nucleus stayed together and Johnny’s first friend opened his home on Tuesday nights. We are still very close even if we don’t see each other every week. Most of us have left Brooklyn so that makes it hard.

In 2014, three days after I moved into my new home in NJ; I received a phone call that a group was forming to construct a Christmas layout. I was asked to come to a meeting at the clubhouse. I went and we talked about which gauge, size of layout, etc. Our first layout was up and running by December 2, two months from that first meeting. The first group of 11 has grown to about 25. The level of interest varies; but the layout has grown and improved every year. The club adopted the name Equestra Train Club.

Neither club is formal. Just a group of guys with the same interests. It’s been a great ride.