Which model train organization to join?

Keith Levine posted:

I would value your thoughts on which model train organization I should join.

I was a member of the Lionel Railroader Club before it was merged into LCCA.  Since then, I've been a member of one of the several national train organizations.  I have to make choices in every area in which I participate in the hobby, and one of those choices is to belong to only one membership organization.  I'm not sure if my current organization membership is giving me the best value.  I should note that I'm an operator, not a collector.

What would you see as the pluses of the different organizations (for an operator) and which seems to provide the most overall value?

Cheers!

Keith

I'll sum it up like this; TCA = York.

Just when I thought I had seen it all at York, I walked into yet another hall with 100's of tables manned by guys who looked like me selling more trains and accessories than I could ever dream of.

I belong to just about all of them.  TCA gets me to York.  In my opinion the best run and best organized club is LCCA.  They are the best.    

Seems like I do a lot of agreeing on this forum! 

I've been a member of both groups in years gone by. If you want my opinion, I would go with the TCA! 

Like Mike said "TCA= York". If you have never been to a York Train Show, well all I can say is, "You ain't seen Nothin Like it".

The 1st time I attended back in the late 80's, I couldn't believe that there was that many trains in the world! It hasn't done anything, but get Bigger, each and every year.

It's also the best place to make your purchases, along with meeting some extremely nice folks, and folks from all over the world. All of the manufacturer's will be there, as well as, the good folks from the OGR Magazine.

When purchasing from a "TCA" member, I've never gotten, or made a bad purchase, and I can't say that about making purchases on line, from other venues.

I am taking a club "rest" right now.  But several of the national clubs have an "interest" focus, like toy trains in general, Lionel, or operation.  Maybe you should look to see if the club focus meets your own.

I agree.  TCA just because of York.

.....

Dennis

Keith

Being in LCCA and TCA, I  hope I don't ever have to ever pick one over the other.

1. Both have different goals and objectives to a certain degree.

2. Both are outstanding supporters for the hobby of modeling railroads.

The last reason is probably my biggest motivation to stay in both.

Larry

It depends on your interests.....If you are a scale modeler, you might want to belong to the NMRA, if in the small scales....not so much, if you are in O scale.  TCA if you collect old trains or run three rail or Flyer tinplate.,  AND to go to York.   I just belong to TCA after TTOS seemed to become less active locally, and LCCA was, obviously, Lionel oriented, and I am not ONLY interested in Lionel, but only interested in it when they accidentally, and very infrequently, make a prototype I want.   (I have same problem with MTH).  So I dropped out of all but TCA.   TCA is open to all kinds of trains.  Their focus is not narrow, and you can run them, collect them, buy and sell them, and manufacture them.  It is your club.

I belong to TCA, LCCA and LOTS and a local modular club.  As with any club, a little research on the clubs' web sites is a must.  They all list benefits of membership, and you have to decide which of those benefits are relevant to you, and really, there are too many to list here and do any of them justice.   You should also consider looking into any local clubs that may be close to you (or even forming your own).  Nothing beats a bunch of train friends you can get together with on a regular basis (I just got back from a Dalton, OH train show trip with a buch of my fellow PIHR members - lots of fun!).

For me, the primary reasons for TCA are York, the Quarterly, the print and online buy/sell benefits, and the occasional member-only offerings from various divisions.

For LCCA, it is the publications and good work they do in promoting the hobby, and the occasional member-only offerings.

For LOTS, it is the scale member-only offerings (most of the other clubs do mostly traditional size offerings).

I also do manufaturer clubs (MTH and Atlas Golden Spike) when they have an offering of interest, but I don't really consider these to be clubs in the same sense as the others I belong to.

Andy

I'm currently in TCA and LCCA.  As mentioned in previous posts, they each offer different benefits and have slightly different objectives.  Here are some observations based on my experience as a member of one or the other for over 25 years, in no particular order.

York is unlike anything else -  I drive several hundred miles each way twice a year to attend - but there's a lot more to TCA.  TCA maintains an excellent museum and library; these are tremendous assets, and IMO everyone who cares about preserving and disseminating the history of toy trains should support these assets.

TCA used to be rather arrogant, and many members were focused only on making money and acquiring trains.  LCCA has been less so, and this aspect of TCA has softened considerably over the past 5-10 years.

You'll probably find more operators in LCCA than TCA, but TCA is paying more attention to operators in recent years.

Both organizations have good printed materials.  TCA's magazine has far more information about about prewar trains than LCCA's.

LCCA seems to be more effective in trying to get kids interested in toy trains.  IMO, LCCA is more responsive to its members; TCA can sometimes be more of an "old boys" club.

LCCA is very Lionel-centric, especially after merging with the Lionel Railroader club, to the exclusion of other manufacturers.  The relationship seems a little bit too chummy, which bothers me.  TCA appears to try to give equal time to all manufacturers.

LCCA's convention cars have more subtle club markings.  I like that, but others might prefer markings that more obviously identify a car as a club convention item.

Another consideration is meets in your area - who has more?

If I had to pick one, I'd pick TCA because I feel an obligation to support the museum and archives for a hobby I love.   

Hang around long enough, and the TCA haters will come out.

LCCA did come up with the modular system with FasTrack which is the 3R type of Ntrack.

These are the clubs in Michigan, that are members of Pure Michigan, Bureau of Tourism.

See if you can find a Model Railroad Club, close to your train room, that has a layout, that is a hands on activity for the members. Building a layout. This would give you a chance to meet model railroaders in your area, and work as a team.  Good Luck

Michigan Model Railroading Links

Detroit Model Railroad Club    YouTube Page

Capital Area Railway Society

Chessie System Model Railroading

Chicago & Mackinac Railroad

LANTRAKLansing Area Ntrak Model Railroad Club

The Lansing Model Railroad Club

rails on wheelsWashtenaw County, Michigan's HO modular model railroad club.

I renewed for another year of membership of the FCTT of Rochester NY.  At only $40 a year this is a great value to be able to run the long O scale passenger consists that I like.  The members are a great bunch of guys who are very dedicated and helpful.

Been a TCA member for several years now, I joined the NMRA last November because of the clinics at their regional and local meetings. I am always trying to get educated in this hobby.

Is  TCA & York strictly Tinplate?

Marty Fitzhenry posted:

I belong to just about all of them.  TCA gets me to York.  In my opinion the best run and best organized club is LCCA.  They are the best.    

I would echo Marty's post here  I belong to most of them but the two that stick out are the TCA only because it gets me to York and the LCCA.  In my opinion the leadership , presentation, and commitment of the LCCA is second to NONE.    Everybody has been stating that they are Lionel only so they are not interested but take it from a mostly MTH and Atlas operator that the LCCA is the one that I would rate the best.  We have jointly sponsored some LCCA events at the club and everybody involved was dedicated to our hobby as a whole not just the Lionel part.  Their magazine and video's are very professional and informative.  The present President is one of the nicest guys you want to meet.  I wish I had half the energy towards the hobby as Al Kolis does.  I enjoy just hanging out with these guys at York and talking trains.  The LCCA is the best

The TCA and York is not strictly tinplate. The Train Collectors Association is not specific to any brand, gauge, or style of train. Articles in the TCA magazine run the gambit, as what will be seen / offered for sale at the York train show. I guess the majority of stuff at the show probably is Lionel, because that is what is most popular with both collectors and operators. Since our interests probably differ, I cannot comment on how much of the types of items another person likes will be there.

I find it refreshing that there have not been any negative comments so far. Asking which train club to join can be a little like asking what religion to join or what sports team(s) to follow.

As a collector, tinkerer, and light operator, I find that the TCA is the best club for me.

rockyshores posted:

Is  TCA & York strictly Tinplate?

No on both counts. York has EVERYTHING in abundance.......

I wonder if someone could expand on their reasons for joining LCCA.  The TCA seems to have more events if you will and there is York, which seems to be the premier event on the Eastern side of the country.  What makes the LCCA different?  Meets?  Publications?  Information sharing?  

Brandy, I just got off the phone with Mr Eliot Weisman who was the manager for Frank Sinatra and life long train pal.  I  do DCS work for Eliot on his layout.  Eliot informed me that Frank Sinatra never went to York.   I have been going to York from 1980 and I would have remembered that.

Ben, I consider Al Kolis the best leader of any of the train clubs.  Al is highly dedicated to the hobby.

If you want to go to York than TCA. If not than LCCA or both if you can. 

I belong to TCA,LCCA,TTOS,if you live in the east I would belong to TCA but LCCA is a very well run organisation and the officers go out of their way to make you feel like you are important to the club,that said I would belong to the LCCA.Next year I will drop TCA because I am going to my last York in October.

Mikey

Multiple times it has been mentioned the LCCA is well run.  What do they run so well?  If I were to sum up the number of times TCA and York is mentioned on this forum it would far exceed the times LCCA is mentioned.  So please share, what is it that this organization does?

necrails posted:

Multiple times it has been mentioned the LCCA is well run.  What do they run so well?  If I were to sum up the number of times TCA and York is mentioned on this forum it would far exceed the times LCCA is mentioned.  So please share, what is it that this organization does?

Hi necails:

The most important Model Train Objectives, that they manage is the LCCA Convention. This summer it will be July 25 - 30, 2016 in Kansas City. They also publish “The Lion Roars” The Magazine of the Lionel Collectors Club of America. This magazine has a lot of How Too Articles for Model Railroaders.

I have been a member of the LCCA for many years on and off. I am back in and glad to be.

They have a large foot print on You Tube. This You Tube Channel,  brings new people to the hobby and lets others see what model railroading is all about.

Start by checking out this OGR Forum Link

https://ogrforum.com/t...ssosway-layout-video

They have a fun activity called the Traveling Boxcar Program.

It is also my understanding they are involved with several fund raising activities for charity.

Hope this helps, The LCCA is also a sponsor on the OGR Forum and in the OGR Magazine. The LCCA also mails out all the Lionel Catalogs to the members. The person who could tell you more is Al Kolis - Club President. They have a full time office staff and LCCA Convention cars and On-line Store.

Hope you would consider joining. / Thanks Gary

I'm going to join the LCCA at some point this summer. That's it for me.

Thank you all so much for your perspectives on the benefits of the various national model train clubs.  You've really helped me think about which one would be of the most value to me.  (I say "one," because as I said at the beginning of this thread, I have to make choices in every area in which I participate in the hobby, even train club memberships.)

Cheers!

Keith

social train clubs are an anachronism created long before the idea of the internet was conceived,  if i lived <100 miles from York, i would probably join TCA for access to their library, but organizations like that are useless to me being over 2000 miles away.  they have a great publication, but i have no problem getting copies as a non-member.  when i do have a question, forums like this are around.

cheers...gary