Model Railroad Clubs

[willy6]

I'm thinking about starting a Model Railroading Club in my area because there is none.I'm an advocate of the Worlds Greastest Hobby. I want to know from y'all what are the pro's and con's of starting a club.And am I looking for trouble in this adventure?Your answers will make dictate my final decision because I respect all the people on this forum and the intelligent comments.

[MadLatvian]

I would also be curious to hear about the pratfalls of starting a club. I thought I would end up with space to build a railroad as the kids moved out but it ain't gonna happen; getting space that is. A club would give one an opportunity to build and run and socialize. So maybe it would be something I would also consider starting or helping start.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't make my final decision based upon what is said here! You need to make the decision based upon your interest in pursuing the idea. However, I think clubs are good. It's nice to be resected!

[cacole]

Whether or not a club would be successful depends on your locale and how many other model railroaders there are nearby who would be willing to join. I would inquire at local hobby shops in your area, and maybe even have a notice printed in your local newspaper and see how many other modelers might be interested in joining. If you don't have room for a layout, finding a suitable and affordable location is going to be your biggest challenge.

[Anonymous]

I'd suggest doing a road trip visiting clubs & talking to the people that run them. Nothing better than first hand knowledge & advice. Ideally, you might visit a club during a normal members night and a public operating session. You'll get the public performance as well as seeing the "behind the scenes" activities that the club revolves around.

You'll also benefit by the visual tour of the club, noting space usage, etc.

I joined a new club briefly during its organizing stages and it was exciting to be around people sharing the hobby. We visited an number of clubs around the area during the organizing phase. Unfortunately, there were life-changes that took me out of the area shortly after trains started running. After being out of the hobby for a while and finally landing up here in the North Country, my only disappointment is that now I'm seriously back into building layouts, there is no club for about 100 miles that I'm aware of. (And no hobby shop!)

Best of luck.

Wayne

[retsignalmtr]

several months ago i joined a longtime established club for the first time. they have a large ho layout and an n scale layout that is under construction. they also have a modular ho layout that they take to swap meets and shows.although i model in n scale i find that i am working on the ho layout more. if you start a club you have to decide which scale will be the focal point of your club. if you decide to have a club layout , you also have to find a place to construct the layout and have your meetings. then there will be insurance concerns. will your dues cover the rent , insurance, utilities, etc. you might try a round robin style of club, meeting in your members homes where their layouts are. my club is a 45 minuite drive from my home. i feel that belonging to a club will enhance my modeling and i hope that i can help the club with my skills.