TCA Membership

Strangely, I notice that February shows a gain of 286 members, from 26882 last December to 27168 in spite of the dustup over the dues increase.

Hello all,

this is my first post on the forum. of course I have to pick the hottest topic that just not plagues TCA but most volunteer organizations and clubs.  Membership.  as I skimmed most of the postings here on this topic I sense many a frustration and disappointment with TCA.  There were valid concerns brought up about membership of TCA and its future.  without rehashing all of them posted here, I want to say joining TCA & METCA is one of the best things I have done to continue to enjoy my hobby..... collecting trains.  I have never been to York... yet.  Since I have joined TCA, I have met some really great people and made some great friendships.  My father got me started with trains when i was 4 years old. I am 48 now and I thought I knew trains.  I found out i didn't.  Over the years as a TCA member I learned so much more about this hobby. I learned that this organization is a great resource of the hobby.  the TCA opens you up to a plethora of information and knowledge and people who know the hobby inside and out.  TCA is a great organization. does it need help. yes. it does.  You the hobbyist, the collector , the modeler, the operator can make it better. someone mentioned that TCA is all about old tin plate stuff.  not true. all gauges are welcome. all types of trains are welcome.  those who said that articles are only about pre or postwar, my response......is if you are an HO guy, write an HO article. or G, or N. submit your articles to the Quarterly.  promote your interests.  another big issue is about future members. the younger generation is going to be tough to persuade. they are buried in their cell phones and digital games.  One of the ways we at METCA are trying to combat that is doing what my METCA President posted earlier.  We man what we call the METCA table at train shows.  We promote TCA and METCA by showing visitors what TCA & METCA is all about.  we talk about the hobby. we talk about trains. we talk about anything just to show how friendly the hobby and TCA is.  Lets promote the hobby and TCA. lets make it better.  those that join because its a business to them, well, they are motivated by different reasons.  we, who enjoy the hobby of trains should promote and pass it along to everybody and anybody we can.  I know we at METCA do. 

Kevin Quinn

VP METCA Division

98-47167

This is from the TCA faq.

"Who can join? Any person who collects or operates tinplate trains, who collects any items relating to tinplate trains, or professes a serious interest therein may apply for membership."

Is modern scale equipment "related to tinplate"? In my mind, no, so I didn't think TCA would benefit me at all nor could I offer benefit to the association. The disconnect to me, however, is York isn't just about Tinplate trains. I'm joining this year so I can go to York for the first time but if the association doesn't seem to be a fit for my expertise and interest in modern scale equipment, then I don't think I'll be continuing after it expires. We'll see what they can offer and I'll see how I could contribute over the next two years.

Ah, oops. Didn't mean to bring back a thread from the dead. 

This is not exactly on point for this topic but someone mentioned how TCA members have fellowship among themselves as a benefit of membership.  I participate in several group hobbies, some of which involve people with big egos who could care less about the average person who does not meet their particular standards.  It is refreshing to be involved with model railroaders, whether TCA members or not, because there is no pretension among them for the most part.  They are willing to share and help others with problems and are not critical of other's efforts to create a layout that they are satisfied with.  Whether it is super realism or just a nostalgic look backwards using tubular track and old technology, there is a place for all--a most liberal attitude. That is why I enjoy the fellowship in this particular hobby.

I believe that you have summed it up very nicely GG-1 fan. There are many reasons why people join organizations and one of the best is for the fellowship of others with common interests. Since joining the TCA is 2002 I have met many fellow hobbyists and have developed some nice friendships along the way. You meet people from all backgrounds and occupations yet we all have one thing in common, our love for this hobby. Some people only want to join an organization if they can somehow benefit in a tangible way, like being able to attend York, while others derive other non-tangible benefits like making new friends and social contacts through the organization.

Steve Tapper

Well here we are a year latter, from the last time this discussion came up and I have been on the forum..... Haven't done much with my trains... family problems, health issues, getting ready to retire from the railroad as a locomotive engineer, 37+ years... and not very much has changed... we as a group, a special collective of people who really love our toy trains have many avenues to be able to enjoy our hobby... my children were brought up with trains, and have NO interest in them, my nephews whom I tried to get involved, the same, my grandchildren have no interest in "Pap's" waste of time... most of the wonderful people, friends whom I have shared this wonderful hobby with are passed onto glory... and the TCA, well, after this york and this Dec., my time to renew, or not, stares me in the face... I have been a member since 1977. The one thing I would like to comment on today is the total disregard so many here have for the older members of the TCA, if were not for us, there would not be a TCA for you to to join....  when I read about "I don't care if there are only 20,000 members or less" it breaks MY HEART! The increase in dues is not a large burden for me, but for so many of the older members, it really is! How cold and callus! As to the organization itself, If someone like Larry Battely, and I am sure 90% don't recognize his name, was still in charge of the finances,(he led the way to pay off the museum the first time), I'll just bet he would have found some way to include the "Legacy" members and not cast them aside like some used up trash...  I have so much more on my mind, but am just disgusted and need to put this to rest...   

For now, enjoy the hobby in any way that makes you happy...

Old Uncle Al

After 35 years as a member I cancelled my membership in a letter to TCA today.

This is the content of that letter and I kept it polite, courteous and to the point.

Dear friends:

    Effective immediately please cancel my membership in the Train Collectors Association. The dues of $50/yr. are no longer reasonable or a good value to me.  I could easily afford the dues but cannot spend more money for less value.

The magazine has dwindled to the size of the newsletter, but the postage that you spend to fill member’s mailboxes with extra recycling is probably enormous. If this is an effective way to run a business, the dues keep rising and the memberships decline. TCA could save memberships by replacing all of the paper mail and using email for greatly increased revenue that would have kept the dues constant.  The people who insist on paper should pay more for the mail subscription price while those in the modern computer world (that accept email magazines and newsletters,) should pay a lower price, that you will actually make more money on.

The general direction of the association as I see it is downward.  Look at the membership barometer. You are losing 200 members per month. A couple of my neighbors have dropped out. Now you’ve lost a 35 year member.  Are you happy now?

Sincerely yours,

 Dennis A LaGrua

I have been a member for 30+ years and I will gladly pay the dues increase. It is a great organization and I have made so many friends it is hard to count.

If you decide to give up your membership because of a 15.00 per year increase Then good riddance. Have a nice life but I doubt it.

David1,

That response was quite unnecessary. A number of us (and i'm referring to those of us who have been members for 20 to 30+ years) have given up our memberships for various reasons most of which seem to center around the business (or lack of) practices of the TCA and that albatross, the museum. Just two days ago i was having lunch with a former 40 year member who also went to York twice a year, and discussed this very subject. He felt the TCA either has a bad business plan or perhaps is completely without one.

While you may feel otherwise, the personal nature of your comment ("Then good riddance.") seems, to me at least, a bit uncalled for.

jackson

agree with jackson's post. $15.00 increase this time,how much next time?it will be sooner than you think.-jim

Yes, you may be right it is a little over the top but the man has done nothing but bash the TCA for a long time. 

The tca  does have some issues they need to be addressed but it is still a organization for us train guys to belong to. No group is perfect and neither is the TCA but you must stay and try to change it. 

I feel for the guys that are priced out of the TCA because of the dues increase but nothing is getting cheaper, been to the grocery store lately? 

quote:

A number of us (and i'm referring to those of us who have been members for 20 to 30+ years) have given up our memberships for various reasons most of which seem to center around the business (or lack of) practices of the TCA and that albatross, the museum.

I agree that the museum was a mistake, and that the TCA needs to do something to make it self-supporting. (And I don't mean by shuffling budget/expense numbers).

One possibility would be Corporate sponsorship (but who?).
Otherwise the museum should be closed.

Regardless, I plan to remain a TCA member for a long time to come.

I disagree that the museum was mistake. To me the mistake was taking out a mortgage on it after it was paid off. Opinion.

I just just read all four pages of this thread and I found it very interesting. I wasn't crazy about the dues increase but I decided to stay a member. Yes, one of the reasons I stayed is York but it isn't the only reason. I agree the TCA has had some mismanagement but I wouldn't cancel my membership over that. 

Another thing I find interesting in this thread is how some people have stated that all kinds of hobby groups or organizations are experiencing membership problems. I wonder what do the younger people of today do in their spare time? If they do participate in any type of hobby why are they against joining an organization dedicated to that hobby? I can't answer this as I have no idea.

Forget about York and go the Big E instead. The only reason I joined the TCA was to gain access to York. Only Building 8 at York was of interest to me, and everything in Building 8 can be bought over-the-counter or online. So when the TCA's dues skyrocketed, I let my membership expire.

If you let your membership lapse, you might want to update your signature. It still has your former TCA membership number.

I'm not a member and never had been for one reason or another normally financially but when they dropped the requirement to have a another TCA member recommendation to joined I knew it was heading down a road it really shouldn't it just opened a avenue for these sellers on EBAY, ChooChoo auctions ect. to state there TCA members and alot of people see that and it's suppose to mean something well with my knowledge I have now saying your member of the TCA doesn't mean anything to me. Sorry but I know others who feel the same way that they really dropped there values when they did that. I understand they were looking to increase the membership but in the same time ( to me anyway)  the drastically dropped the integrity of the organization at the same time.   

quote:

I have now saying your member of the TCA doesn't mean anything to me. Sorry but I know others who feel the same way that they really dropped there values when they did that. I understand they were looking to increase the membership but in the same time ( to me anyway)  the drastically dropped the integrity of the organization at the same time.   

There are a lot of members who felt this way.

That said, you still have the ability to use TCA arbitration if BOTH parties to a sour transaction are members of the TCA.

C.W.,

I for one wish that the Moderator would lock or delete this thread. Enough has been said about TCA, my goodness. For all of those out there who want to moan and groan. If you're not a member or you're wanting to cancel your membership.  ................Do it dang it all. Why feel that you have to announce it. If so, dig out a quarter and call someone who cares.

God Bless,

"Pappy"

Yes the museum was a mistake. And to mortgage it again was a bigger mistake. I mean what good is it. 

To show off trains from some TCA collectors is a poor excuse to burden the entire membership with cost of the old and dated so called museum. 

Yes i am a long time TCA member but have been against the building, the expansion and the running of the museum. Time for it to go to trash heap of society. 

Sorry for my blunt opinion of the museum but it is what it is. 

I do enjoy York though. 

Not to mention the thrashing the Museum always seems to take.

As Pappy says, anyone that upset about it can drop out.

-Dave

quote:

 If they do participate in any type of hobby why are they against joining an organization dedicated to that hobby? I can't answer this as I have no idea.

Because the internet makes the networking, the sharing of ideas/information, and the buying and selling:

1. Mostly free

2. easy from your living room

3. instantaneous

4. practically limitless

Other than York, I get little value for my money. So its as if I pay $77 a year to go to York, and $38.50 per York show is still a decent value what you see at the show.

In the scale/2-rail world, the NMRA has similar issues with dues increases. The National headquarters building was sold, and the library & museum displays were moved to the California RR Museum supposedly to reduce operating costs, but the dues still keep going up. I became a life member in the early eighties, which was a good thing for me (even though at the time it cost more than a week's wages, before taxes), because I would find membership costs hard to justify now that I'm retired.

Bill in FtL

You mean to say that I can't have a nice life without the TCA? Well my life improved a bit after leaving TCA . Not that money is a problem but I now have $50 more to spend this year. When I dropped out after 35 years, I took a good look at what the TCA is doing, what it isn't doing and decided that $50 a year was a waste of money. I dropped my newspaper subscription years back for the same reason- no value in it. There is better news online so why subscribe? This forum and OGR magazine provide FAR more for the model railroader than the TCA. It isn't even close and its a $35 investment.  

TCA caters to the pre and post war collector.  If you look at model railroading trends over the past 20 years there is a clear trend towards operating and new technology. I would say most of the model railroaders today are operators not collectors.

The museum, complete with a library and a librarian????  What is the purpose of this expensive building and paid staff? Does it benefit the membership when most members live miles from the facility? Donate it to the Pennsylvania RR Museum, stop the bleeding and get the TCA staff on their payroll.

The publications- They are getting much smaller but the focus is on antiques not on the new technology that most operators are using. Printing and mailing costs are escalating and have to be enormous. Printed media is on the decline

The chapters. I will admit that they do an excellent job, in particular the ED leads the pack. What I don't understand is that a chapter like METCA puts on a national event, and puts in lots of hard work to plan and run it. Then national TCA steps in and confiscates half the profit that the chapter volunteers earned. The chapter makes it and they take it. What entitles the TCA to have their hand in the chapter pockets?

In closing, I certainly wish the TCA and all its good members all the best but I consider that association as one who's time has passed 

A member in the know brought to our attention that there are some things going on behind the scenes when it come to your dues money.  The big thing is transportation expenses being charged to the TCA by certain members of the board.  Nothing like taking the Auto train to attend a meeting in Strasburg when airfair is much cheaper.

WOW How is it that a bunch of grown men can complain about the TCA and a $15 increase? You know that York is not the only reason that the TCA is there. You do have your local chapters that run train shows and get together. Also, the doing away with 2 members needed to join really hurts a train person who is not friends with 2 TCA members, and if he did know them they would sign for him anyway regardless. If you do not like the TCA then drop out. Stop bashing the TCA because you do not like the $15 increase or that you do not need 2 members to sign up.

Looking at all who posted here and are mad at the TCA, stop using your TCA number . Stop bashing something that over 26,000 members still love and still belong. Lets talk trains here.

Rich in NH

TCA 93-38162

Your life must not be all that good if you had to bring back to life a thread that had been inactive for three weeks just to continue your hatefest against the TCA.