# Thoughts on Model Railroad/Train Clubs



## morland (Sep 25, 2012)

I'm thinking of going to a local train club meeting to check it out. Do a lot of folks on here belong to or have experiences with train clubs? The local group here seems to be very organized by looking at their website...I'm thinking it might be good to hang out with others that have the same hobby addiction. 

Thoughts?

-Trever


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

Although I am not a member of a train club, I am a member of a ham radio club, 2x robotics clubs, and possibly soon to be a member of a Jeep club. I can not speak about train clubs specifically but will say that a club for the hobby you enjoy can be both a good and bad thing. It's a lot of fun to hang out with people who also share an interest in your hobby, and it gives you dedicated time every week, month, whatever, to play with your hobby and learn new things. 
The down side is that some people (like myself) can get carried away with clubs. They either end up spending more money on their hobby than they originally thought they would, or they end up volunteering for everything because it sounds like fun. Then at the end of the month you find that you may have too much on your plate and not enough time for everything. 
Like my dad always told me, moderation is the key to everything. 
I'm sure you'll have a great time at your next train club meeting!


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## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

I haven't plucked up the courage to go to a meet yet...


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## drabina (Mar 19, 2013)

You may want to check the club's rules first. There is a club near me but they require their members to work at least 8 hours on the layout each week. Nothing wrong with that, but if I had 8 hours a week to run trains on my small layout I would be happy. With family, work, etc, I can't drive there 4 days a week for 2 hours or spend a whole Sunday. In my case it is just simply not possible. YMMV though.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I agree that you should visit the club before you jump in with both feet. Most clubs will welcome prospective members willingly for a visit.

I belong to a modular club, and I think it's great, the people are great and we share a common interest. Another bonus is that since I decommissioned my O27 layout, all I have is a couple of loops with some sidings running through the three rooms of my office suite. However, I can go to the club and run on a very large layout, the main loop is over 300 feet and has lots of sidings and staging lanes.


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

belong to one and attend another one. i have a great time at both. there are alwasy some people that can get on my neveres but I stay away from those members as much as I can. ( hay fasha, see you to night at the club.)



gunrunnerjohn said:


> I decommissioned my O27 layout, all I have is a couple of loops with some sidings running through the three rooms of my office suite.


That is how you got to 17,000 post


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

No, you don't get that post count running trains, you get it running your fingers!


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

There's a club just a few miles from me, been there twice in 3 years. Seems my plans were the most foolish thing they ever heard on my first visit. Returned a few months later to learn I couldn't use a certain locomotive to pull that boxcar, it's from a different era! "Are you that stupid?" a direct quote by their senior know it all.

Now I'm sure, no positive that not all clubs are made up by a bunch of arrogant know it alls like this one. I just got lucky. I just looked, there's now 81 registered users. They had been well over 100.

Go and see how it is, maybe your luck will be better than mine. One thing for certain is the guys on this forum hold vast amounts of knowledge and are always ready to help.


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## eljefe (Jun 11, 2011)

JackC said:


> Returned a few months later to learn I couldn't use a certain locomotive to pull that boxcar, it's from a different era! "Are you that stupid?"


Did you say, "Why yes, I am. The couplers work together just fine!"


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

JackC said:


> There's a club just a few miles from me, been there twice in 3 years. Seems my plans were the most foolish thing they ever heard on my first visit. Returned a few months later to learn I couldn't use a certain locomotive to pull that boxcar, it's from a different era! "Are you that stupid?" a direct quote by their senior know it all.
> 
> Now I'm sure, no positive that not all clubs are made up by a bunch of arrogant know it alls like this one. I just got lucky. I just looked, there's now 81 registered users. They had been well over 100.
> 
> Go and see how it is, maybe your luck will be better than mine. One thing for certain is the guys on this forum hold vast amounts of knowledge and are always ready to help.


Jack, that hasn't been my experience at all with a number of local clubs! The club I belong to has some folks that are very "prototype" oriented, and others that are much more "free form", and we all coexist peacefully. My experience with other clubs and members around here has been the same. I think I'd just try a different club, because you must have hit one that's the exception to the rules.


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## eljefe (Jun 11, 2011)

No matter what the model-building hobby is (trains, cars, ships, planes, rockets...), I've seen both extremes in clubs. Some are die-hard inflexible "rivet counters" and others are "anything goes." Look around enough and you'll find people you're comfortable with.


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

eljefe said:


> Did you say, "Why yes, I am. The couplers work together just fine!"


Drat! Now you gave me the urge to do just that!
Trevor don't use my disappointing experience as an excuse not to go see your local clubs layout and meet those guys. Hope you find them the opposite of the local one here. As I said it was just my luck to run into a bunch of rivet counting know it alls. If there was another club within a reasonable distance I might consider joining, but there isn't. 

Just a fun filled fact, there's two hobby shops under 5-7 miles from this club. I can only speak for the one that I spoke with about them. He does deal with the individuals but passes on club purchases. Cutting his nose off to spite his face? I don't know. I do know you can raise his blood pressure 20 or more points by the mere mentioning their name.

Something happened and it's obvious he holds them in the same regard as I do.


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

The new guy in a club gets to clean track, take out trash, changes burnt-out lights, etc, and you are considered to know nothing about model railroading for a period of time. Interesting observation made by a fellow I know that joined a club ($65/month) and he left within 2 months.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'd like to know where you guys are finding these loser clubs! I'm sure glad I don't live near either of those locations!


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## sanepilot (Mar 11, 2012)

*clubs*



gunrunnerjohn said:


> I'd like to know where you guys are finding these loser clubs! I'm sure glad I don't live near either of those locations!


Hey,John,what planet do you live on..I have belonged to 3 clubs, some forums and most [not all] have their problems.. Remember the forum you recommended to me. What reception did I get being a new member. I haven`t been back only once. I don`t expect to go back. I`ve always been interested in a lot of hobbies and find that in all club and forums,they`re a bunch of good guys , a bunch of kia`s and a bunch of idc`s.You take the good,the bad and the ugly,I guess.A few on this forum have really taught me a bunch. I certainly appreciate that.Out of over 2800 members[I think this is right] not more than 20 persons do much posting or helping..I wonder,sometimes,what the others think of us.


This is my story and I`m sticking to it,cheers,Everett

New week starting, everybody have a good one or try harder to,It`s only what you make it,Everett


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## California RailFan508 (Jul 2, 2013)

Sigh...I wish there was a local O-Gauge club in my local area. Nearest one is over 100 miles away (Sacramento), and they only do HO Standard Gauge along with HO Narrow Gauge. Nearest O-Gauge club that I could find was Fresno (the one in San Francisco was an On30 club). 

Oh well. Hopefully one starts up in my local area soon. It would be nice to work with others to build an impressive club layout for all to see.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

My experience was so so...it's likely I won't do it again.


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## eljefe (Jun 11, 2011)

O gauge clubs seem pretty rare. I've mainly seen clubs for HO.


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

California RailFan508 said:


> Oh well. Hopefully one starts up in my local area soon. It would be nice to work with others to build an impressive club layout for all to see.


How hard would it be to start your own club? I'm sure there are other people you know who model O gauge in the area. You don't have to have a club layout to start with. A club could be something simple like just meeting at each members house once a month for food and talking/playing with trains. 

But I've never started a club so I may be talking out my rear end here. Just an idea.


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## sanepilot (Mar 11, 2012)

*getting tired*

Hey,Pete..Big Ed told me the same thing. I`ve had three men in white uniforms chasing me for many years. So far,I`ve been staying ahead of them buuuuut I`m slowing down,getting tired


Look out Monday,here comes Everett,I gotta go kick my wife and pet the dog.

Cheers everyone


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

It's not that hard to start a club, but you do need a critical mass. The easiest club to do would be a modular club, each of you build modules to a standard. Then you line up local activities where they want attractions like this. We have one or two visits to the Landsdale firehouse each year for our modular club.


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## golfermd (Apr 19, 2013)

Back from the beach. I joined a good club a few months ago, at least to me. They do have standards for the equipment you bring in, but are not [email protected]#! retentive about what styles are on their layout. We have guys running modern turbines and those who run steam. They all coexist quite amicably. It's really about the love of model railroading, not a specific facet. The standards are very reasonable. For everyone's sanity it's a DCC layout. Wheels must be metal (saves on gunk buildup on the rails), scale is HO, there's a training/probationary period for anyone wanting join... You get the idea. I wish you luck in your search.


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

There are a couple of clubs locally that I have considered visiting, but ultimately have not. I like doing my own thing on my railroad, abiding by my rules as I make them or change them or throw them out. 
I think there is an intimidation factor as well of rivet-counters and know-it-alls. 
Maybe I'm just not a club person - I have been a part of a couple car clubs, and enjoyed that - although both were really more social clubs than anything else!


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