NMRA, nope, like others have said, just not anything in it for me. Now that said a few caviets:
I'm indoors, building a traditional benchwork and scenery model train layout, but in large scale. The NMRA has almost always been 80% geared towards HO and N, the rest geared to O, and S scales. Large scale has always been treated by the NMRA like an orange haired orphan child that nobody wanted. If they had instead of disparaging large scale garden railways (Plastic in the Petunias, was the discription I most remember) way back in the very early days, late 1980's, maybe they could have had an impact on the myriad of scales that have since come to run on G guage track, but for the longest time they just didnt seam to take it seriously, until come the late 1990's early 2000's they find its grown tremendously, try to step in and impose some sort of a declaration of standards with the intention of hitching their wagon to the large scale horse, only to find the barn door open and the horse long gone. Pity, we could sure use some standardized practices, but the way they approached the whole LS movement I'm not surprised both the manufacturers and the hobbyiest themselves have turned a cold shoulder to them. As it is today they may be talking but nobody's hearing them.
Now like I said, I have not been able to find any reason for me to spend the money asked, to join an organization that still to this day appears to consider my scale a fringe, perhaps we are but I think large scalers will have better luck working with the manufacturers directly thru the market place to get some sort of standardizations applied.
With the demise of 1/22.5 LGB, 1/20.3 F and Fn3 scale will likely gain new product lines, as will the "not-correct" 1/29 scale which has become the defacto "standard" of standard guage. There will always be a presence by the remaining LGB product line, but the long term trend is that we will end up with less scales in the new product line, 1/20.3 for narrow gauge, 1/29 for standard gauge, some finescale 1/32, and a few beautique 1/22.5 items from Europe. But the NMRA I see as having almost no real impact on any of this, this even though many members are now today avid large scalers. Overall, I beleive they are just too focused on HO and N.
Have fun with your trains
vsmith wrote: With the demise of 1/22.5 LGB, 1/20.3 F and Fn3 scale will likely gain new product lines, as will the "not-correct" 1/29 scale which has become the defacto "standard" of standard guage. There will always be a presence by the remaining LGB product line, but the long term trend is that we will end up with less scales in the new product line, 1/20.3 for narrow gauge, 1/29 for standard gauge, some finescale 1/32, and a few beautique 1/22.5 items from Europe. But the NMRA I see as having almost no real impact on any of this, this even though many members are now today avid large scalers. Overall, I beleive they are just too focused on HO and N.
Interesting outlook. I have been HO (basement) since my college days in the late 50's, so I am certainly focused on HO. I have been building an outdoor large scale layout since 1989, and in fact just spent a good part of two weeks working on it, while the HO sits. I find I can make time for two scales, two layouts, do my honey dos and still work at my profession.
I guess I am focused, but on the hobby itself.
Bob
pastorbob wrote: vsmith wrote: With the demise of 1/22.5 LGB, 1/20.3 F and Fn3 scale will likely gain new product lines, as will the "not-correct" 1/29 scale which has become the defacto "standard" of standard guage. There will always be a presence by the remaining LGB product line, but the long term trend is that we will end up with less scales in the new product line, 1/20.3 for narrow gauge, 1/29 for standard gauge, some finescale 1/32, and a few beautique 1/22.5 items from Europe. But the NMRA I see as having almost no real impact on any of this, this even though many members are now today avid large scalers. Overall, I beleive they are just too focused on HO and N.Interesting outlook. I have been HO (basement) since my college days in the late 50's, so I am certainly focused on HO. I have been building an outdoor large scale layout since 1989, and in fact just spent a good part of two weeks working on it, while the HO sits. I find I can make time for two scales, two layouts, do my honey dos and still work at my profession.I guess I am focused, but on the hobby itself.Bob
I have N inside and G outside. I think the NMRA has done a fine job with N Scale and what they need most , is likely , participation by G Scalers who can make their case's. I know this is true with N Scale in ANY model railroad orgaization.
I personaly do not ask anything for my membership other than to offer the support and thanks to those who are meeting with the industry giants to standardize and iron out and establish answers to issues.
Thanks to all of you guys , in or out. This was meant to be for my own quriosity and not for a bash party.
WE ARE ALL MODEL RAILROADERS , LEST WE WOULD NOT BE READING THIS
“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” -- John Lennon
cuyama wrote:What an encyclopedic litany of excuses and justifications.....You don't want to join the NMRA? Fine -- fortunately for you the organization and its volunteers freely share the standards work so that everyone benefits. Just spare us the lame excuses and self-righteous posturing.
mfifer wrote: I have N inside and G outside. I think the NMRA has done a fine job with N Scale and what they need most , is likely , participation by G Scalers who can make their case's.
I have N inside and G outside. I think the NMRA has done a fine job with N Scale and what they need most , is likely , participation by G Scalers who can make their case's.
I wouldn't disagree with that, as I said there are several avid large scalers high up in the NMRA today, but given the late start I fear its a "Sisyphean task".
At its current price of admission I'm also simply priced out, its way too high for my budget. Maybe if I hit those lucky 7 lotto numbers I'll become a lifer, if for nothing else to be an agitator in large scale
vsmith wrote: Maybe if I hit those lucky 7 lotto numbers I'll become a lifer, if for nothing else to be an agitator in large scale
Maybe if I hit those lucky 7 lotto numbers I'll become a lifer, if for nothing else to be an agitator in large scale
Now theres the spirit!