Model railroad club without politics

Well Josh, I think you have the right idea. I've been in a number of clubs with layouts, once you have money, rent and property, politics naturally follow. I've found that round robin groups are usually the most fun. Unfortunately, I don't live in your neighborhood (about 600 miles away), or I would join right away.

BTW, I've always felt that one of the major shortcomings of this forum is the inability to find members by location. I would love a way to identify others living in my area to set up a group like yours.

Round Robin Clubs are good.  You can find out you may need some rules though such as, does everyone have to have a layout and take a turn as host on a regular schedule?  Does size matter, i.e. are you going to want a 15 member club and a guy hosting who only has an 8 foot single track loop?

Things like that . . . .

Dennis

Good luck.  Politics has driven me out of several organizations from trains to cars to the theater  and, finally military re-enacting.

jim pastorius posted:

Good luck.  Politics has driven me out of several organizations from trains to cars to the theater  and, finally military re-enacting.

Yep, I agree with Jim 100% here. There is a round-robin group that has very little politics that I can see, but that's the only such group I've ever seen (and maybe I'm not looking hard enough to see the politics in action).

Frankly, politics and some downright schoolgirl-levels of drama caused me to quit the hobby in utter disgust from a HO module group in Florida (that I helped found) in the 90s. I didn't come back for almost 20 years due directly to that.

Well our group has been in action for the better part of 50 years I have only been a part for the last cupple. We don't focus on the this that are listed above like layout size or number of people. All are welcome. So offer food or snacks some you bring what you want. Those of use that want to work on layouts help each other. The ones that want to run trains run trains and the ones that want round house talk talk. Any scale any size or level of completion. If you invite all and some don't come no big deal.  If you only invite a few then you cause problems. And if you don't have a layout oh well others do. So much of what could be learned and taken in gets lost in the political process of clubs. If you are just there with no agenda then anything is a plus. No disappointment with no agenda.

I would join a round robin group in my area but will not join another modular group or a club layout due to the issues named above. 

In our area it is almost impossible to get a modular a group going. I tried 3 times and each and every time it ended in bad feelings, people complaining  and finally everybody stops coming. 

many moons ago I suggested to the moderators to have a map posted where you could put your location & code it such as "visitors by appt only", good places to visit or off the beaten path hobby shops. Never went anywhere that I'm aware of. I would have found this invaluable when travelling on vacation.

We have a round robin group and each hosts dinner once a month and every member has a layout and live within a 50 mile radius and there are eight members.

Mikey

Round Robin groups are a great way to enjoy the hobby.  Keeping things simple are my only advice.

Our club group works well. No dues, no officers. We do have a member that sets up our annual host list. The club is popular enough that it has been difficult holding the membership down so that all can be accommodated at a host home.

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

BTW, I've always felt that one of the major shortcomings of this forum is the inability to find members by location. I would love a way to identify others living in my area to set up a group like yours.

 

if everyone put their locations like you and I we would know where everyone is.

An informal "brown bag" train hobby group that meets over a McD meal (or something of their own making) in rotation at the homes of group members/hosts sounds great. Talk trains during mealtime, and then adjourn to the train room for a work session on that member's layout or an operating session. Some hobbyists would probably be satisfied with that modest level of engagement with little or no money involved.  Others seeking participation in a grander enterprise may gravitate to an organized train club with more to offer (and more to take -- dues, time, energy, fund-raising, and investing creative thought in organizational development).

Trouble is ... humans are political animals by nature and issues may soon arise even in a small group. However, it's supposed to be about the fun of sharing the world's greatest hobby.  New group members should demonstrate a suitable hobby-related purpose, eagerly participate in group meetings, and host an occasional meeting as expected. Anyone could signal waning interest (or they "got what they initially came for") by simply not coming to a few meetings and quietly dropping out without going away mad or stirring up a revolution.

Mike

bigdodgetrain posted:

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

BTW, I've always felt that one of the major shortcomings of this forum is the inability to find members by location. I would love a way to identify others living in my area to set up a group like yours.

 

if everyone put their locations like you and I we would know where everyone is.

True, but that's not exactly what I was referring to. The forum has a feature where you can view the membership as a map. The problem is, that only tells you how many members live in a given state (or country). It doesn't tell you anything about which which ones. Without going through every profile you can't tell who's your neighbor. Total needle in a haystack!

Maybe I'm just used to the TCA directory. They made it easy, but they are a private club, and the forum is far from it. I'm sure that this has to do with privacy, which is why some members don't want their state known. What would be helpful is a list of member names by state.

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

bigdodgetrain posted:

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

BTW, I've always felt that one of the major shortcomings of this forum is the inability to find members by location. I would love a way to identify others living in my area to set up a group like yours.

 

if everyone put their locations like you and I we would know where everyone is.

True, but that's not exactly what I was referring to. The forum has a feature where you can view the membership as a map. The problem is, that only tells you how many members live in a given state (or country). It doesn't tell you anything about which which ones. Without going through every profile you can't tell who's your neighbor. Total needle in a haystack!

Maybe I'm just used to the TCA directory. They made it easy, but they are a private club, and the forum is far from it. I'm sure that this has to do with privacy, which is why some members don't want their state known. What would be helpful is a list of member names by state.

When on the member page, there is an advanced member search feature on the top right. There is now a search feature by postal code. There are two members in Josh's postal code.  It seems like the forum listened. One may need a few postal codes of the area in reasonable driving distance.

Then, as bigdodge mentioned, the results are dependent on each members willingness to make profile data viewable or provide a contact email.

Where is the map page?

rogerpete posted:

Where is the map page?

well, you don't really need it to do an advanced search- but, here is the answer

Select members from the blue menu bar> members page - on the right is a blue context menu that reads "sort by name">hover the cursor over that and the rest of the menu appears>select "view as map"

Any place without politics sounds good to me. Sadly - in my area, there are far too few people, let alone model railroaders, to have a club.

p51 posted:

jim pastorius posted:

Good luck.  Politics has driven me out of several organizations from trains to cars to the theater  and, finally military re-enacting.

Yep, I agree with Jim 100% here. There is a round-robin group that has very little politics that I can see, but that's the only such group I've ever seen (and maybe I'm not looking hard enough to see the politics in action).

Frankly, politics and some downright schoolgirl-levels of drama caused me to quit the hobby in utter disgust from a HO module group in Florida (that I helped found) in the 90s. I didn't come back for almost 20 years due directly to that.

I absolutely agree. I have found that there are folks out there who care little what the club is about. They merely view it as a vehicle to assert personal power over others.

I took a look at your website. AWESOME layout!!!

ALAN

Looks like PA is a good place to start a club, it's the only state in red on the map!

Jim 1939 posted:

Our club group works well. No dues, no officers. We do have a member that sets up our annual host list. The club is popular enough that it has been difficult holding the membership down so that all can be accommodated at a host home.

If it wasn't  for all those Pesky NYC fans  trying to repaint and re-letter all our locomotives it would be a peaceful club!

You would be surprised how many "closet O railroaders there are out there that have come out of the wood work.

Never thought we would have to limit our club member list. What is nice though... is our guest list just grows and grows!

If you just View As Map, you get the map that was posted above and all it does is show how many in each state when you hover over a state. If you do a Members/Advanced Member Search, you get options to Search By Geographical Area that displays actual member locations as a List or Map by entering the Country and Zip Code with more options for Exact or Within 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 miles.

Moonman posted:

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

bigdodgetrain posted:

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

BTW, I've always felt that one of the major shortcomings of this forum is the inability to find members by location. I would love a way to identify others living in my area to set up a group like yours.

 

if everyone put their locations like you and I we would know where everyone is.

True, but that's not exactly what I was referring to. The forum has a feature where you can view the membership as a map. The problem is, that only tells you how many members live in a given state (or country). It doesn't tell you anything about which which ones. Without going through every profile you can't tell who's your neighbor. Total needle in a haystack!

Maybe I'm just used to the TCA directory. They made it easy, but they are a private club, and the forum is far from it. I'm sure that this has to do with privacy, which is why some members don't want their state known. What would be helpful is a list of member names by state.

When on the member page, there is an advanced member search feature on the top right. There is now a search feature by postal code. There are two members in Josh's postal code.  It seems like the forum listened. One may need a few postal codes of the area in reasonable driving distance.

Then, as bigdodge mentioned, the results are dependent on each members willingness to make profile data viewable or provide a contact email.

 

Carl, THAT'S IT!!!! Very well hidden. I wonder if that showed up with the forum software upgrade. Thanks!!!

that is very cool. click on the balloon and see who it is.

lots of forum members live around me.

now to get them to join our clubs.

https://ogrforum.com/a...emberResultsType=MAP

I would have never found the map feature in a million years! 

Josh, I have been in a Round Robin group that meets once a month at each others homes. No dues, no politics. But over the years guys have passed away and as to layouts, a few do not have one at all and it is a mix of gauges,  some HO, one O gauge two rail, one On-3 and a couple of three rail. There have been times when there was not a month someone was hosting so we would get together and do a dinner. I have also joined a group of guys in the Cleveland area called the Tuesday Night Crew. It is a fun group of guys that meet Round Robin from fall till summer every Tuesday night. Great bunch of guys. I have made a number of new train friends through that group. The TCA offers a list of members that may be opened to having visitors. I have found most of the time, if not all of the time when they list a new member in my area, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, I give them a call and say welcome to the TCA, tell who I am and tell give them an invitation to come over. None so far have. I hope you have luck finding a group eventually.....Paul

To some model railroaders it isn't necessarily a social hobby.

rogerpete posted:

I would have never found the map feature in a million years! 

I agree Roger!  Both the list and map work like a charm!  Thanks Carl, Dave, and all!  

I agree Jim, the hobby doesn't need to be social for everyone.  I was a loner in the hobby for decades, but like being able to share the hobby with others.

jim pastorius posted:

To some model railroaders it isn't necessarily a social hobby.

Alan Rogers posted:

p51 posted:

Frankly, politics and some downright schoolgirl-levels of drama caused me to quit the hobby in utter disgust from a HO module group in Florida (that I helped found) in the 90s. I didn't come back for almost 20 years due directly to that.

I absolutely agree. I have found that there are folks out there who care little what the club is about. They merely view it as a vehicle to assert personal power over others.

I took a look at your website. AWESOME layout!!!

ALAN

Thanks a lot. Alan, you made my day with that comment!

As for it not being a social hobby for some, Jim is of course correct. With all hobbies, there's going to be a few that would rather go it alone, or use everything as a conduit for assert their will on others. Think of Sheldon from "Big Bang Theory," trains and all, and I can tell you I've seen people exactly like him...

...only much older.

Trouble is ... humans are political animals by nature and issues may soon arise even in a small group. However, it's supposed to be about the fun of sharing the world's greatest hobby.  New group members should demonstrate a suitable hobby-related purpose, eagerly participate in group meetings, and host an occasional meeting as expected. Anyone could signal waning interest (or they "got what they initially came for") by simply not coming to a few meetings and quietly dropping out without going away mad or stirring up a revolution.

Mike Mottler really says it there. I think when we say "no politics" we really mean "people who model exactly like me and don't disagree with me." The hobby has become more diverse. At one time, Lionel meant non scale toy trains. Now it's different. It's not a matter of one way being more correct than another.

And we can see evidence of that diversity (and politics) right here on the forum: One company versus another. One operating system versus another. One track system versus another. Scale versus traditional: Witness the comments on any Mendards topic. Here's a company taking advantage of available tooling, making attractively priced traditional items (and a couple scale ones), yet many want them to become LionScale at Menards prices.

Someone once posted a comment to me saying "If you're not running with command control, you can't possibly be having fun running trains." Now, there's an opinionated statement and absolutely NOT true at least on my layout. Just because something is popular here on this forum or doesn't get many posts about, doesn't mean that is reflective of the hobby as a whole, or what sells and doesn't sell. Even Scott Mann said in so many words, what people say they want made and what they are willing to buy are two different things.

It's not a matter of politics but of acceptance and diversity. I like non-scale 027. I don't mind the scale product: I enjoy seeing people's projects and layouts, even though it's not how I model and operate. But I can't help but wonder, if I brought one of my engines to run on someone else's layout if they would welcome my contribution and interest, or if they would heap criticism on me saying "You can't run that on this layout. We allow ONLY scale stuff."

Sure, that in part is preference. But it runs a close risk of becoming politics. Democrats hang out with Democrats and Republicans hang out with Republicans. They have different philosophies but sooner or later they have to compromise, accept the differences and work with each other. When that doesn't happen, the politics can soon ensue.

Same for the train hobby and for train clubs. Again, just food for consideration, but maybe when people say "no politics" they might be saying "people who model and operate exactly like me." And in this day and age in the hobby, that's getting harder to do.

Diversity ??  I have modeled in 7 gauges, three in scale and I still hate politics.

Neat!

The only thing lacking is far more figures, especially ones standing in your shots...

Tried the search by zip, cool feature. Used my zip and came up with quite a few as well as someone who had been a club member but has been deceased for quite awhile.

brianel_k-lineguy posted:

Same for the train hobby and for train clubs. Again, just food for consideration, but maybe when people say "no politics" they might be saying "people who model and operate exactly like me." And in this day and age in the hobby, that's getting harder to do. 

They can also be saying, "I don't want anyone to decide how everyone else is going to do something" and there's nothing wrong with that. In many groups, 1-2 guys will tell everyone else how it's going to go, and there often is little fun in that.

I almost joined a On30 module group before I realized I could build my own layout, and what stopped me was when they decided all modules had to be locally themed. Problem is, I only got back into model trains to model a specific RR that is nowhere near this part of the country. So, no drama on my part, I just faded away. I still say hi to them when I see them at events and think they have a good setup when I see them at shows. I even see some of the members at various local layout op sessions.

Just because they went a direction I had no intention to go, doesn't mean there were ill feelings or that I felt they were wrong. But, if one guy had made that call and demanded everyone, against their best wishes, go that way, I'd feel different about it.

In short, politics can (and often is) very different than a simple overall guideline.

Starting a club sounds like fun, providing it generates interest with more than a couple people. But how does one do that without "the politics"? I don't belong to one myself but I'm curious, how should a club be run? I mean there's got to be a yard master or some semblance of order, doesn't there?

Starting or participating in a club or organization is quite fun and rewarding.  I am a member of two different organizations and I have made new friends and acquaintances that I would not have met any other way.  I have also met some that I keep my distance with.  Keeping an open mind and remembering why it is that you joined will go along way.  Anytime you put two people together, you are going to have differing views.  Multiply that by how many ever members there are and now you have that many differing views.  Hopefully, through good communications, a consensus can be reached and everyone lives happily ever after.  

One organization that I belong to, I was very heavily involved in.  It is a modular group for which there is more work for some of the members depending on how involved one wants to get.  It was when I noticed that I was having more work than fun that I decided to move to the back of the bus.  They are a great group of guys however, it was time for someone else to take a lead.  Another group I belong to are also a swell group of guys.  It is a round robin style for which I have enormous gratification for them letting me belong.  They have a basic set of guidelines for which I am not able to fully meet but they let me belong anyway.  I am hoping to one day get a layout in my basement and have them all over.  Meanwhile, I try to have a gathering once every two years that is out of the ordinary for everyone to get together and have some fun.  I have been to most all of their layouts and have seen some of the most unique things in their own style of modeling and building.  

This is what being part of a club or group is all about.  Learning new things, tricks and ways do do whatever.  Breaking bread and having drink, running trains and creating new memories with fellow train nuts.  No one can get along with everyone but, everyone can get along with someone.  Find that some one in the group or club and have a great time.  Remember, you did not join for the politics.  So ignore them and have fun.  It will only bother you if you let it.