Model Railroading, Freemasonry, and other Fraternal Organizations

Add me to the list. We have the Masonic Train, mostly for nostalgia. I am a PM of my Blue Lodge and both Elizabeth and I are active in OES. Having a Masonic Lodge on the layout is a good idea. Never thought of it.

I am also a PM in the Blue Lodge, and truthfully speaking, I never thought of putting a Masonic Temple on my layout. Hmm, not a bad idea

Outstanding idea! The search is on for the right building! if anyone adds a lodge building to their layout, please post photos here!

Proud 10 year member and past treasurer of Howell Lodge #405 Honey Brook, PA. 

Geez I guessed that wrong. From the sound of the title I thought this was going to be about some kind of conspiracy theories on who really runs the country.

Don't think  they are taking members, but if I could, I'd join the Barbeque Lodge in Raleigh. 

The Illuminati run it along with the price of oil. 

As for myself, I losely quote Groucho Marx: "I would not want to be a member of any organization that would have me as a member...."

They keep asking me to join the Quiet Birdmen.  Being a child of the '60s I do not join organizations that exclude women.  Even those that hire women to jump out of cakes.

I am a member of National #568 in Barberton, OH an I am a Past Master of Garner Lodge # 701 in Garner, NC which coincidentally is right across the street from the Amtrack line. The train never fails to go by during a meeting. Garner Lodge decided to commission a Masonic coin to give out to visitors, the coin has a 4-6-4 steam engine on it, which I wear in my belt buckle.  I also was a Past Commander, Past Excellent High Priest, and Grand Illustrious Master of the Raleigh York Rite bodies.

I am just a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason Valley of Rochester NMJ

Blue Lodge Master Mason Unity Lodge Spencerport, NY

Where one Mason may know another, in the darkness, as well as in the light. There are posts then there are posts, and this is a good one. I wished that more young folks would check into the Order other than making judgement from some "BS" TV Show.

I'll stop with that, as I could go on and on, and I don't want to get kicked off the forum..........................................................Hiram!

Saw a Masonic Lodge kit in HO scale at a swap meet but didn't buy it.  It was all wood but couldn't figure how to convert the drawings and plans to "O" scale.

Sorry, Illustrious Master, not Grand Illustrious Master.

I remember as I was growing up all the good these organizations did. A lot of prominent citizens were members of the organizations. 

Speaking of following in paternal footsteps, it seems parents in general don't instill a sense of community in their children - I see it with the 20- somethings I work with. Very selfish, self absorbed. 

I'm the Grand Ledgermeister of the 1st Order of Sadly Deluded Rubber Scalers. If it weren't for the honor of the thing, I'd just as soon step down...but duty calls.

Jeff C

Lee, while I don't think these organizations will ever return to the heyday of the 1920s or 1950s/1960s, I don't think they will die out.  I am 24 so some would consider me a unique case.  But I see more and more of my generation joining these orgs.  Ususally when we get a new guy in our lodge and we ask him why he's interested we hear either "I was in a college fraternity" or "my grandfather was a mason so I wanted to see what it was all about".  I think it's precisely because it sort of skipped a generation that the younger generation (beyond the ones who are all about "me") are looking to be part of something bigger than themselves.  Right now it's just critical for the organizations to embrace the new members and not discourage them with "old boy politics", but hey, I even saw that in the Boy Scouts, haha.  As far as college fraternities go, I think we'll see a lot more rebranding and refocusing as the world gets even more P.C., but I don't think they're going anywhere.

Member of Susquehanna Lodge No.364, F & A.M. 

Brad

I am a first degree Knights of Columbus. My father in law was a 33 degree Mason. I had some of his post war Lionel O but have sold most of it. I still have his Automated milk car and Barclay type solders. I also have two of his swords and a vintage Masonic presentation cane from 1879.

You could be right, as you're in one of those groups and I've never been. What I'd read actually measured new membership in most of the larger such groups and some surveys that'd been filled out by sons of members who weren't signing up, as to why. It said that the numbers of new members are rapidly diminishing, and if it kepy up at this rate, most of the groups wouldn't survive one more generation.

Like the old folks says, I have no dog in that hunt and have nothing against groups like that (even though I really don't 'get' them).

And while I'm NOT comparing any of them to this, don't forget that the KKK was actually considered a social group along those organizational lines into the 20s with over four million members. It diminished mostly when that group went into some frightening 'fringe' activity into the late 20s. It collapsed into a tiny (and truly scary) group by the early 30s and was killed as any manner of mainstream group by the time WW2 started.

Again, I'm not comparing masonry to the Klan, just saying that social organizations have come and gone over the years and how some were percieved in the past...