Large Scale Central

Garden Railroad Clubs

General Discussion
#1

I joined a local club about a year ago, and now I am struggling with the choice of staying with the club or leaving. I found this club after one of its members (who had the centerfold spread in Garden Railways) gave me the email address of the president to contact for more information. I searched the web and found almost nothing about this club…one local newspaper article and a website that hadn’t been updated in many years. The group has about 20 members, 10 or so are what I would call active. The average age of this group is close to 65+. I have been to a few meetings and 1 other event since January. Here is my struggle…

Every meeting, the club goes over the calendar of upcoming events. This calendar is in the monthly newsletter as well and I feel it doesn’t need to be gone over time with so much detail. Occasionally there might be a topic of interest covered, but most of the meeting is talking about the calendar. I would like to see a workshop of some sort, ie. weathering, etc and possibly a round table discussion about garden railroading ie. The state of the hobby, etc.

At my first meeting, I suggested the club either update their website or create a free Facebook page for the group so people can find out about the club. It was met with, that’s a good idea, we’ll look into it. Last month, we had a guest from the bigger club in the area, and he suggested the same thing…yet nothing has been done.

I feel is if this club doesn’t want to grow or change the status quo. Just keep doing things like they did in 1999. In my experience, if you are not moving forward, you are dying. If I am going to invest myself and my time into something, in this case, the club, I want to see a benefit from it. For me, knowledge and learning are what I am looking for. Never stop learning is one thing that I try and live by.

If you are in a club, tell me how your meetings are structured, what other events does your club participate in? What are the good and bad things about your club.

I think I will commit to staying through the end of the year and then re-evaluate. I really like the members of the club that I have met, very nice and friendly people. Maybe I’m wrong…am I expecting too much???

#2

Ask around and find out who does the best of a subject and then approach that individual with: I’d like to do a work shop on X, can you help me?

I have a hunch, if you volunteer to take the work out of it for them, more will agree and after a couple successful events, more will become active.

When I started I had big plans, over the years I have reversed course and am simplifying. I don’t have the energy and I’m a young 66.

Happy Rails,

John

#3

Don’t bring me problems, bring me solutions. Said otherwise, “Do you mind if I do a workshop on xyz?”

#4

John and Steve are on-target - you make the offer to speak.

The old adage is: “If you want something done go to someone who is busy.”

Suggestion: Give more significance and energy to the club by extending an invitation to other clubs to attend your presentation. Now, people will talk and hopefully club separations won’t be the usual course for at least one event. My guess is the invitation will likely need your camera-ready announcement ad and a short statement of interest.

#5

I’m Vice President of the Orange County Garden Railroad Society. We have 64 member families and it is not uncommon to get over 50 people at the monthly meeting.

The meetings consist of a potluck luncheon or dinner at a different member’s home each month, with a big raffle. Monthly proceeds from the raffle go to buy the next month’s raffle prizes. Because BridgeMasters personnel are in the club, we get fantastic prizes from “collections” for very little money.

We do a monthly newsletter and set up at the Fullerton Railroad days.

#6

Bob Frein said:…

I really like the members of the club that I have met, very nice and friendly people.

Wow…I’d join up for that. And if THEY really liked ME, I’d pay double dues, I don’t care how old they are.

#7

…funny how we meet EVERY Saturday morning, and operate the railroad until noon, or so…if there was no operation, no-one would show up. We have been doing this for at least ten years or more, and we always seem to attract new people every year.

Of course, we only do this from about the 24th of May, until the weather gets too bad in October…but we are already planning for the operations next year.

We used to do the roundy-roundy stuff, but as soon as we started to OPERATE; no-one wanted to go back to Roundy-roundy…

The only charges we have are for the BBQ sausages at noon…members donate bheer, wine, soft drinks, coffee, and water.

What in hell are we doing wrong ?

www.ovgrs.org/

#8

Thanks for the replies…

John C. - I have no problem with that, but the club has asked for people to talk about subjects and have gotten no takers.

Steve - I agree…I’m that way in my business…I can do a workshop on a Root Canal on a 2nd molar, MIG Welding or rebuilding a Holley 4 Barrel Carb…Garden Railroading…Not so much. That’s one of the reasons I joined…to learn.

Wendell - We had guests from 2 prominent clubs last month…1 of which is an active member on this site. Maybe he’ll chime in.

Todd- I looked up your club and at least you have a website with information. Send me info on your next couple of meetings, maybe I can convince the leadership of the group we need a field trip to check out other clubs in the area.

John P - Age has nothing to do with it. Im 48 and the youngest member by several years. I brought a friend (Age 66) to a meeting a few months ago. On the drive home he said “we looked at a layout and ran trains for 30 minutes and talked about nothing for an hour”

Fred - Our meetings are weeknights at 7pm…I would much rather see a weekend day and more time running trains.

#9

Bob, I’m kinda partisan towards the BAGRS club in the Bay Area. I’m going to be a member as soon as I can get a check off to them. I was a member in the past, and talking to the guys in the club at the swap meet and convention this year made me want to rejoin again.

The other group that really impress me are the Southern California club called the Del Oro Pacific. They were at the recent NGRC convention in Santa Clara, and I enjoyed talking at length with a few of the members. I learned a lot talking with them and they are genuinely nice guys who are proud of their contributions to the layout and more than willing to help by answering all my questions, even dumb ones.

http://www.deloropacific.org/

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=o.282121495063&type=3

#10

I like our club. Its a bunch of old guys also. I am considered one of the youngsters at 46. We spend very little time with meeting details. The president gets up goes over the calendar fairly quickly; “business” takes about 10 or 15 minutes. And that is after we have extensively played on the hosts railroad for awhile and have had lunch. We eat at every meeting. Then we play some more. Lots of various chat session are going on. Aside from meetings we do several events, railroad and garden shows. But it is a fairly loose regimen and I enjoy the comrade, especially when trains is a pretty niche hobby and its hard to find people to share the interest with.

It isn’t perfect, and sure other things could be done. But since I am not in the place to make it happen then I really can’t complain. I second the notion of “making it happen” and “if your not part of the solution then your part of the problem” Even if you can’t give the lecture find someone that can and organize it. If you want a Facebook page offer to create it. You say they are doing it the same way they have been since 1999 well likely its the same people who have been doing it since 1999 and they are comfortable and have the club they want. New blood brings new ideas but they need to implement it. The old guys have no motivation to change it.

Thats my .02

#11

Bob Frein said:

Thanks for the replies…

(Big Snip)

Steve - I agree…I’m that way in my business…I can do a workshop on a Root Canal on a 2nd molar, MIG Welding or rebuilding a Holley 4 Barrel Carb…Garden Railroading…Not so much. That’s one of the reasons I joined…to learn.

(Even Bigger Snip)

Bob, pick a topic in Garden Railroading that interests you, study up, make some visual aids, and do the presentation. That’s what you do on your presentations on Root Canals, you make sure that you aren’t putting out last years gouge. Things change that fast in medicine, I’m sure they do also in dentistry.

I learn more by teaching than by being the student.

#12

Michael Kirrene said:

The other group that really impress me are the Southern California club called the Del Oro Pacific. They were at the recent NGRC convention in Santa Clara, and I enjoyed talking at length with a few of the members. I learned a lot talking with them and they are genuinely nice guys who are proud of their contributions to the layout and more than willing to help by answering all my questions, even dumb ones.

http://www.deloropacific.org/

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=o.282121495063&type=3

Many of the Del Oro Pacific members are also in the OCGRS including our President and their Vice President who are in both groups.

Our membership also include Bob Toohey who heads up the Fairplex railroad, Jeff Schulze of Bridgmasters, Curtis Roecks of Roecks Railroad Concepts, Dennis Cascarelli of Narrow Gauge Junction, and people who work with USA Trains personnel, so we have good representation in the hobby as well as with the manufacturers.

#13

Steve Featherkile said:.

I learn more by teaching than by being the student.

Steve isn’t that the truth.

Too many groups I have belonged to, went stagnant. I don’t enjoy sitting around telling stories at every meeting, I mean, I don’t when that is all that is going on. The one club I belong to started going down that road, and I almost quit. Then we got involved in doing shows, and sometimes we have presentations. I did one on weathering and another on hand laying HO gauge track. The president of the club and I did one tuning up rolling stock. I joined in, because large scale is easier to see then HO and easier to demonstrate things on. Its an all scale club, so we are all welcome to some degree or another.

So if you want the club to move ahead, you need to pitch in help get the ball rolling. Maybe I should take my own advice and get another demonstration together for a future meeting. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-embarassed.gif)

#14

Bob Frein said:

Thanks for the replies…

Todd- I looked up your club and at least you have a website with information. Send me info on your next couple of meetings, maybe I can convince the leadership of the group we need a field trip to check out other clubs in the area.

trains.

We are a very social club and it’s more about the people than the trains, though we do have some of the nicest layouts anywhere.

Meetings are the second Sunday of the month and are potluck luncheons or dinners during the summer. Dues are only $20/year ($10 after July) and include a club calendar. We purposely don’t keep much money in the treasury.

The next meeting is at Bob Keller’s in Westminster on Oct 9th.

Following meeting is on Nov 13 at Jere Edwards in Yorba Linda.

Jim Kruger puts on a Christmas display in Dec, provides the fare, and gets a visit from Santa so there is no meeting that month.

Gary Johnson also usually does a fantastic Christmas open house.

#15

Todd Brody said:

Michael Kirrene said:

The other group that really impress me are the Southern California club called the Del Oro Pacific. They were at the recent NGRC convention in Santa Clara, and I enjoyed talking at length with a few of the members. I learned a lot talking with them and they are genuinely nice guys who are proud of their contributions to the layout and more than willing to help by answering all my questions, even dumb ones.

http://www.deloropacific.org/

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=o.282121495063&type=3

Many of the Del Oro Pacific members are also in the OCGRS including our President and their Vice President who are in both groups.

Our membership also include Bob Toohey who heads up the Fairplex railroad, Jeff Schulze of Bridgmasters, Curtis Roecks of Roecks Railroad Concepts, Dennis Cascarelli of Narrow Gauge Junction, and people who work with USA Trains personnel, so we have good representation in the hobby as well as with the manufacturers.

Sounds like this is the Southern California club to be in! Go for it, Bob! That Fairplex railroad is outrageous. Would really like to see it in person. Same with Todd’s layout of course.