TCA Eastern Division Lays Down The Law

[poppyl]

This entire situation is sad and disappointing. What makes it even worse is that the offending pictures really aren't very good. The lighting is bad and it's hard to see any detail. You do get some feel for the size of the modular layout but that's about it. The most distinctive feature in the photos is the chandeliers.

The e-mail cast the situation in concrete and I don't see how any kind of compromise can be reached without the author or the Eastern Division coming out looking badly for either over-enforcing a rule on the one hand or backing down on their rules under pressure on the other, thus opening the door to ignoring other rules if people so choose. The ill-advised e-mail has backed them into a corner.

Poppyl

[mitchelr]

QUOTE: Originally posted by overall

I'm not a TCA member, but I wish someone would give me the short version of what happened and what rule was broken. Also, what is the rationale behind the rule?

George

George,

Basically, TCA has rules against cameras in the trading halls and against using walkie talkies/cell phones. I suppose the reasoning is that someone could use these electronic gadgets to their advantage and to the disadvantage of the seller.

Mitch[swg]

[overall]

I'm not a TCA member, but I wish someone would give me the short version of what happened and what rule was broken. Also, what is the rationale behind the rule? Maybe someone in the TCA who informed on these matters could comment?

George

[Anonymous]

All this over PHOTOS of trains on a layout?

Shame.

[3railguy]

It's not worth the Trackers time sweating over this because it's a hobby. The sensible thing for them to do is not respond, drop out of the organization, and never look back as though it was a bad dream or something.

[Anonymous]

The NCT group needs to refuse ANY apology at this point. The bridge is burned.

[Poppa_Zit]

This comes from a longtime TCA member (Midwest Division).

When I first read the email referred to above, I felt ashamed to be a TCA member. The email to the Trackers telling them of being banned from York for taking pictures of their own operating layout reeks so much of "officialness" it reads like it was written by Barney Fife. The author really needs to chill out and get himself a life.

This matter should have been handled either with a phone call or in person. Now the author will quickly become aware how written words can come back to haunt, especially when the Internet can move them quickly and efficiently.

It is no secret the TCA has been bleeding members for the last few years. It (and all its divisions) should be pulling out all the stops to not only attract new members AND new people to our hobby, but should also concentrate on finding ways to KEEP the members it has. Raising dues to offset decreasing membership is a slippery slope leading to a downward spiral... and, ultimately, oblivion.

I pay both national and local TCA dues, as well as dues in my local S gauge club. Yes, I am offended the TCA is so heavily "Lionel-" and "3-rail-" oriented, but I have learned to dismiss it. Thanks to the pleasure I get from this hobby, I feel obligated to support it in some fashion. Now I'm thinking that maybe after all these years, it is time for me to send my charitable donation somewhere else.

I have never been to York (my schedule prevents this), so the only physical thing from TCA I get for my national outlay of $32 a year is the publications -- one of which they've threatened to cut back and the other which virtually ignores S gauge. So maybe I'm not really a "member" as much as a "supporter."

I don't mind supporting an organization that has positive pursuits and can show results.

But here's a few words to the narrow-minded, shallow thinkers who run the TCA:

Why insist on keeping it (two signatures) a closed-shop, "good old boys club?"

In light of the membership down-trend, don't you see a need to retool your modus operandi?

You need to remind yourselves that everyone in the world doesn't model Lionel or O Gauge.

You need to deliver to keep receiving.

Don't let manufacturers run the organization.

[Anonymous]

As I noted on the referenced threa, they are indeed way over the top on this one, and I expect it will have some profound ramifications down the line. I've been an avid supporter of the TCA, TCA Eastern Division, and the York Meet for quite some time (and am an Eastern Division member myself), and to say I'm disappointed in seeing this happen is an understatement.

My hope is that a sufficient number of Eastern Div. members will take notice and then organize themselves to see that appropriate changes are made both in leadership and in policies. This is a black eye that the Eastern Division certainly deserved in this instance.

[nblum]

They're way beyond "over the top" and have achieved geosynchronous orbit around Pluto. ;) A reprimand and warning would have more than sufficed. This is truly the actions of folks who have lost all perspective and common sense. Hopefully they will apologize for their precipitous maladroit decision and get on with life.

[Anonymous]

http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/57660482/m/5731000693

Are they going over the top?