Thanks! I was curious, as Al had a lot of O&W-themed mechandise at his shop, quite a bit of it custom made.
Flintlock76 adkrr64 O&W RHS, The O&W RHS? I have to ask, did you know Al Seebach, who ran the "Old And Weary Car Shop" train store in Tappan NY? That was one of my go-to places when I was visiting Northern New Jersey.
adkrr64 O&W RHS,
The O&W RHS? I have to ask, did you know Al Seebach, who ran the "Old And Weary Car Shop" train store in Tappan NY? That was one of my go-to places when I was visiting Northern New Jersey.
I did not know Al, though I certainly saw his name a lot over the years on various publications and in the annual election of trustees. I live in upstate NY, in the middle of what would have been the Northern Division of the O&W. I have never had occasion to explore much of the southern end.
I maintain my NRHS membership mostly as a way to support rail preservation in a general way. Initially, I joined NRHS when I joined the O&W RHS, back when the O&W was an affiliated chapter of NRHS. The O&W eventualy decided to unaffiliate themselves from the NRHS, at which point I became an at-large member of the NRHS.
The O&W was a RR that existed in the town I grew up in, thus my interest in it (even though it went belly up 7 years before I was born). I have gotten tremendous value out of them over the year, as they annually produce some top-notch publications, and I have used their archive service to get plans for a station I modeled in N-scale. The NY Central RR HS (which I just joined last year), also looks like they have much to offer, including a modelers newsletter and discounts on various model RR paraphenalia.
I think the locals offer the best value dollar for dollar, but supporting the national certainly has merit.
I've been a member for about 30 years. The first half of that time I never went to a convention. Now I go about every other year, depending if they meet in a rail town that is of interest to me. Usually they arrange for reasonable group rates at the hotels, much less than you would pay on your own. I support the society because they support many historical rail organizations to further preservation. Without the overall NRHS, there would be even more paper thin local clubs.
NRHS needs every membership they can get.
Speaking just for myself, but I have always seen paid memberships as a form of donation to the stated objectives of the organization. If they are already out there accomplishing things that you see as worthwhile, and you hope they will continue, then buying a membership is the natural thing to do. It allows you to get familiar with the organization as an insider, which can provide valuable insight as to whether you might wish to donate more.
If, on the other hand, you are only considering a membership in anticipation of what their organization might do for you,....well,...I'd imagine they already have their plates full with their own priorities.
As a general rule of thumb, I tend to pay close attention to the way such organizations use the concept of "we".
If they use the term "we" in a general, all-inclusive style only when they need money aka "we need to save this locomotive" "this is for 'our' future" "we need to make a difference" - - so by all means make your donations frequent and generous - -.
But then turn and use the term "we" in an exclusory frame of reference whenever their commitment to the base membership or surrounding community is called into question "This is OUR locomotive, so WE will decide what is fitting and practical" "we did not have time to make advance announcements" etc etc. Well I believe it's self evident that there is a problem of mindset in such organizations, and further donations just serve to enable them.
So, I think what it really boils down to, is the organization honest with itself, and is it accomplishing objectives that are worthwhile TO YOU?
When you duely feel to be a member of such an organization, only to have them start throwng the word "we" in your face in such a way as to be obvious they are not including you,.....can be an eye opener.
I've been a member of NRHS on and off along with a member of a local club in Central NY. It's mostly been a formality.
Sometimes, the question is less what the organization can do specifically for your club than it is the overall picture.
The Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Motorized Fire Apparatus in America (SPAAMFAA) is kind of a parallel of NRHS.
One of SPAAMFAA's sells is the archive, recently brought into the fold of a national antique truck group. Records are available on many related topics, including build information on many old trucks.
SPAAMFAA doesn't offer any assistance to local clubs, as such. However, they will assist a club who hosts a national convention, as my club did several years ago. We had great attendance from all over the country, and other parts of the world.
Travel and lodging is clearly the major expense for such an event, and I don't know how you can get around that.
On the other hand, unlike NRHA, many members of SPAAMFAA own fire apparatus of various ages. The recent Frankenmuth muster had a ~1906 horse drawn motorized pump running. Members regularly operate their apparatus at such events. Part and parcel with that is that said members very often have the resources to make such trips, often owning trucks and/or trailers capable of hauling their rigs around.
There were around 55 apparatus at Frankenmuth, MI last month.
Musters generally center on a parade and a display event for which there is no admission.
I'm not sure how that can translate into NRHS and railfanning.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
I thought that the NRHS would give my club the PH&D Port Huron some backing like accounting help and some lobbying help. Kinda like my local Baptist Church being a member of a conferance vs independent. But over the years I am not so sure the NRHS membership means so much anymore as there are a number of clubs that exist on paper only like the Mohawk and Hudson NRHS which was big in the 1970s and 1980s bur has died out at leaving OOS service passenger cars in Waterleivet NY. Also the cost of NRHS conventions has gone beyond those on a fixed income which is for many of us is only 900-1500.00 a month.
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