Would anybody be interested in helping me start a three rail club?
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That doesn't sound easy to do. Most clubs I've belonged to (not limited to trains) had a core set of members that rotated club offices because no one else wanted to be in charge.
If there are no clubs in your area, maybe there is not enough interest. If there is a club, is it worth looking into? I visited a club years ago and it was meeting night. When it came time to start the meeting the crusty guy in charge told me non-members couldn't stay for the meeting as they were going to talk about splitting the atom or something highly secretive. I never went back.
Starting a club to have a club layout sounds like it would be very difficult. Otherwise, this forum is a better train club than any I've looked at. Hope someone has so insight for you. Let us know what happens.
Good luck.
GVD makes some good points based on experience and practical wisdom. He's right ... many clubs with senior members face reality ... as members put on years, they are less able to work on a club layout -- especially a traveling modular-style layout that must be taken from storage, set up at an exhibit hall, taken down after the event, and returned to storage until the next event. That oft-repeated process leads to burn-out.
Initially, clubs start with a burst of enthusiasm, but ...
* Club meetings are inherently boring ... budget talk, endless project lists, calls for participation to already-busy guys.
* Remember the "Rule of Thirds" .. 1/3 of the club is dedicated and active, 1/3 of the club is marginally interested and participates occasionally, 1/3 of the club is already on their way out of the organization.
* Constant recruiting is necessary to gather new members to replace the "lower 1/3."
* Constant fund-raising is often necessary to meet expenses: layout materials, control gear, locos, accessories, rolling stock, rent and utilities for a clubhouse (if there is one). Member dues are never enough to cover these expenses, and a club can't (should't) rely on a financially capable member to write checks.
* leadership is often difficult to maintain; typically, leaders are perpetual because no one else is willing/able to do the "heavy lifting." The smaller the club, the more difficult it is to retain intellectual horsepower.
Suggestion: For a small group, gather interested hobbyists for occasional meetings at member's homes in rotation and talk trains. Cleverly disguise the meeting as a pizza and beer party, so it's fun, not "work."
Mike Mottler (been there, done that)
Would a current club like to share a charter or rules and bylaws so I can take a stab at this? If I am not posting in the right place, please let me know.
My advice is keep things simple. Our members do not want extensive bylaws or meetings governed by Roberts rules of order. Rather we focus on the hobby and our friendships of which many have become like family to me. We have some very simple guidelines that maintain the vitality of our club. It has worked very well for the Detroit 3 Railers.
We are celebrating our 10 year anniversary in 2021.
I've always been surprised that there is not a club in the Philadelphia/Delaware County/ Main Line area. North Penn is the closest club in the area; I'd love to be a member but the 4-hour round trip would lower my level of involvement so much that it's not worth joining.
I consisted stirring interest in the area for a club, but like others have mentioned it is a huge time commitment to get a club up and running, plus you need the real-estate for meeting spaces/ club layout.
I am looking at starting something a bit more informal in north central Indiana. Doing away with many of the formalities and offices/policitcal nonsense that many times rips a club apart. Being in live steam G scale has shown me some of the ways layouts in both G and O are done for shows in the UK(the small scale live steam mecca of the hobby). Many of the O scale displays in what they call coarse scale, which is good old fashioned tubular Lionel 3 rail track, are just temporary sets up on folding tables grouped together and covered with green tables cloths(almost like indoor/outdoor green carpet). Track plans are determined by what everybody attending that day brings, same for trains and operating features. Members might come and run their trains for a bit then leave, some might stay for the whole show. Like others, you have a core group, that doesnt really change. An email goes out to all the members that the group will be setting up at this venue and those that can come are encouraged to reply. Sometimes more show up if they are able, there are no dues as nothing is club owned outside of 4 or 6 of the plastic topped folding leg tables and enough green table cloths/carpet to cover them. The trains and such come from members for each set up and vary with each event. One time it might be mostly Lionel with ZW control and the only sounds being horns and whistles. The next time might have TMCC going with Railsounds, or MTH DCS. Or one one each if a double track loop is running, or tripple or 4 track mainline. Of coarse the size can get bigger or smaller. I myself am died in the wool Lionel, with conventional ZW for control, 2343's rule my main line with 2035 for back up steam power right now. I have a name and all picked out, just need 3 or 4 more people to build up a core group to get it going. Then see who we can pick up for members once shows start up again.
This type of set up can be done both inside or even outside in a parking lot running off one of those little silent Honda generators. With the mess we are in right now, outdoor shows might be the only option for a little while, much easier to set up 4 or 6 tables, cover them with green cloth, throw down some track and run some trains for all the enjoy! AD
@Prr7688 posted:I've always been surprised that there is not a club in the Philadelphia/Delaware County/ Main Line area. North Penn is the closest club in the area; I'd love to be a member but the 4-hour round trip would lower my level of involvement so much that it's not worth joining.
I consisted stirring interest in the area for a club, but like others have mentioned it is a huge time commitment to get a club up and running, plus you need the real-estate for meeting spaces/ club layout.
So, you want a 0 scale club in the Delaware Valley area? This is to be a 3 rail club? How about one out of two?
The Cherry Valley 0 scale club in Merchantville NJ is always open for new folks. It is two rail but several guys have been active three railers just enjoying the size and heft of 1/4" : 1' trains. It's worth a visit on club night just to see if it is a fit for you.
Enter Cherry Valley in the OGR search bar to see some of the club's activities and some of their modeling. Many of the members participate on this forum.
They have about 2000 feet of track in a 35' X 73' basement of the Grace Episcopal church. They have open houses during some holidays.
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If you want to mozzie on down to the greater Wilmington DE area there is a round robin group of quite a lot of three rail 0 gauge guys with nice home layouts.
Once this mask confusion subsides your opportunities are just a short drive away.
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Nicholas Smith Trains in Broomall is a hard core 3 rail merchant. You may want to check with the folks there to see if there is any group 3 rail activities happening.
Robert I would be interested if I wasn't so far away.
Good luck.
@Tom Tee posted:So, you want a 0 scale club in the Delaware Valley area? This is to be a 3 rail club? How about one out of two?
The Cherry Valley 0 scale club in Merchantville NJ is always open for new folks. It is two rail but several guys have been active three railers just enjoying the size and heft of 1/4" : 1' trains. It's worth a visit on club night just to see if it is a fit for you.
Enter Cherry Valley in the OGR search bar to see some of the club's activities and some of their modeling. Many of the members participate on this forum.
They have about 2000 feet of track in a 35' X 73' basement of the Grace Episcopal church. They have open houses during some holidays.
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If you want to mozzie on down to the greater Wilmington DE area there is a round robin group of quite a lot of three rail 0 gauge guys with nice home layouts.
Once this mask confusion subsides your opportunities are just a short drive away.
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Nicholas Smith Trains in Broomall is a hard core 3 rail merchant. You may want to check with the folks there to see if there is any group 3 rail activities happening.
I'll definitely have to visit Cherry Valley sometime! I've heard and seen pictures of their layout and it is beautiful. I would also love to see some home layouts in the Wilmington area, is there a calendar of open house for layouts in the area somewhere or an email chain?
I actually live less than 15 minutes away from Nicholas Smith and go their at least once a month. While there is almost surely people there who would be interested in a club, it would be a time commitment to start the club. As others have alluded to, time is the most constraining factor as to why I am not a member of one of the clubs in the area and why I am not interested in starting one. That being said, if there was a club formed near Nicholas Smith, I would be highly interested in joining, I personally just don't have the time to get it off the ground.
@rkricko posted:Would a current club like to share a charter or rules and bylaws so I can take a stab at this? If I am not posting in the right place, please let me know.
Robert,
As the original poster, you were asking about starting a 3-rail club in or near Greeneville, TN. I suggest that you don't start with bylaws, etc. That comes after the club is formed and may be required if the club wants to become a 501(c3) charitable organization.
I suggest that you contact the local TCA group if there is one, place an ad in the local paper, post online with Craig's List, Next Door, FaceBook, etc., to invite people to a meeting at a restaurant to discuss forming a club. If no one contacts you about forming a club, you have your answer.
However, if one other person says that he or she is interested, meet with them to discuss your club idea. You can discuss the kind of club that you want to create - modular, permanent place, round robin at member's homes, etc. Maybe the club will begin meeting at your house to build and operate your own layout and then move to larger quarters.
Many if not most clubs were started with just one or two people. The NJ High Railers started as a modular club.
There is a 3-rail club near me that was one TCA member's idea. He recruited other TCA members to help him start the club. They now have a large and beautiful layout.
Once your club has a core group and a goal, you can worry about the details - finances, track plan, minimum radius, etc.
I live in the SF Bay Area, so I can't help. I wish you the best of luck. NH Joe
The annual November DE, PA, NJ, MD, open house month long schedule has been cancelled this year for the China virus.
Some of the folks on OGR participate in the Tri-State HiRailers round robin. Maybe one of them will speak up here?
If you're up our way, there's always the club I belong to...
See my earlier post. Trying to start an informal club in the Raleigh NC area. No response so far.
Terry, Try putting up notices on community bulletin boards, hobby shops, train stores. Run an ad in OGR or other publications. I bet there are folks in your vicinity who have some of the same thoughts.
It's one of those things you have to go after.
Thinking positively, explore venues where an effort like this could meet and build a layout.
In speaking with the pastor of the Grace Episcopal Church in Merchantville N.J. Where the Cherry Valley 0 scale club has been running since the early 1960's, I was told that their denomination is proactive to hosting ongoing special interest activities such as a model railroad club. Take the initiative and explore the possibilities.
Tom,
thanks for the response. Actually there is a club in Raleigh but it’s mostly HO. I really don’t want go the whole club, club house, club railroad route. I just want to find a few likeminded people to get together with from time to time to share ideas with. Maybe a round robin house visit. I’ve been a lone wolf my entire life and just want to find friends in the hobby
River City 3 Railers is a modular club. It was formed with a core of four Charter members. I cannot imagine doing it with fewer.
- First and foremost, you need to have members with the skills to build a layout.
- Be prepared for a MINIMUM buy-in of $500 per person.
- I would strongly suggest an agreement that the four corners are club property. IF someone leaves the club, you don't want to lose a corner.
- You need to agree to a brand of track. A mish-mash hodge-podge doesn't look good.
- Agree on a basic theme. High rail, postwar, tinplate, toy....
- Wiring has to be standardized so everything works together.
IF you would like to use tinplate track, we've got a bunch that has been donated to our club. I'll need to get approval, but if you'd agree to cover the shipping $$ you probably have a source of track.
Don't be afraid of an HO club. Trains are trains. If you need a fix don't be too concerned with the size of the needle.
You will find round robin groups are train nuts of all shapes and sizes. Not just physically but scale, indoors and outdoors layout, toy train, scale trains, round de round and operators. Just like the assorted group on board here.
One of the round robin groups here has HO, 3 rail 0, 2 rail 0 and G. One G indoors one outdoors. DCS, DC, DCC, TMCC, conventional AC and DC plus two out door layouts, one R/C track power the other R/C on board battery.
There is another round robin group of hard core dedicated sale operators. However they roam as a group and only operate using prototype disciplines with DCC on both HO and O scale layouts.
I have met most all of these guys and I have to say they are all a positive force in this hobby. Great resource of various backgrounds and experience.
Be open minded have fun and go with the flow. There is much to learn from each addict.
I thought that the traditional club (formal meetings, dues, bylaws, "buy in" costs, a club layout or even a modular-layout club ) were not what I wanted to get involved in. Also, I would rather spend my time working on MY railroad, not someone else's. It started with a guy asking "are there any OGR Forum Members out there in Northern Ohio?" or words to that effect. So with some other guys we created a VERY informal group called Northeast Ohio O Gaugers.
We have different members host each month, with different topics each time. We start off with breakfast on a Saturday morning- was in diner-types of restaurants, but most recently (Covid 19) at our house!
Here is our thread: (you can put this into the address line of your browser)
