----- Original Message -----
From: Rollain Mercier
. . . . . . . . . the non-scale enthusiasts represent the larger part of
the Association and in fact, are the engine that drives it.
> > > > > > > >
Rolly as usual has some well thought out ideas, but good ideas always
engender more thinking. Is the high-rail & tinplate faction driving the
Association in the direction we want it to go in? Do we even know where we
want it to go?
And do high-railers and tinplaters consititute one monolithic block? I see
high-railers as trying to be model railroaders to the best of their ability
(& I think a lot of them underestimate their own abilities). And yes, they
buy AM and SHS products, and that's good. We'd be dead without their
contribution to the market. Tinplaters, on the other hand, in my stereotype
picture of them, obsess over A C Gilbert products, rarity, dollar value,
fear of identical-looking reproductions, &c. Everything except how well the
items recreate actual railroad prototypes.
These latter are the ones who, in my opinion, may go found a new
organization, call it whatever they want, with cute initials I hope, and
have fun.
Tom Hawley -- Lansing Michigan
Similarly, SHS and AM owe
much of their success to Hi-Rail operators and even though the owners
may have scale layouts, they know where their bread and butter sales
come from. Even Don Heimburger has a scale layout but you don't see
him changing the name of his magazine. As the late Gene Fletcher used
to say: "When you find a good thing, don't mess with it!"
Changing the Association's name just to keep up with the times would
be of such import that it shouldn't be considered without the consent
of the membership. I'm sure the BOD would agree to posing the
question, or at least setting up a committee to study the proposal.
If I were asked I would say no, but there may be a consensus in favor
of a change. But we'll never know unless it's put to the members.
BTW, looking at just the acronym "HOGS", one might get the impression
that they are H0 Gaugers...
Raleigh in Maine, waitin' for the rain...
At 03:45 PM 12/26/2008, Bob Werre wrote:
>Rollie, Our local informal 0 scale group calls themselves the
>HOGS--Houston O Gauge Society. Strangely they cater pretty much to the
>two rail folks. But they're proud of their name.
>
>And when it comes to unity and names, check out one of the club columns
>in either the Dispatch or Gaugian. You will see various club events
>sponsored by XXXAmerican flyer Club. I see nothing wrong with such a
>club but my 'perception' is that they probably wouldn't want me around
>but maybe they've just had that name for alot of years. Perhaps we have
>treated our narrow friends in the same manner. Remember when this
>association was formed there might not have been any narrow gauge in any
>meaningful way.
>
>I think all this discussion revolves around two things. The perception
>of Scale vs Gauge and closed minds. We've been over this before--we
>hopefully all model in S scale so if the other half can't understand
>that--well then we will remain with a name that doesn't say what we
>are. I had an aunt who won a camera in some contest. For years she
>would say--"Let me get my Kodak"! After I got a few years older--maybe
>12 or so--I read the camera's label--it was Argus! I'm sure she went to
>her grave with her Kodak--but we need to keeping going by gathering what
>we can where we can.
>
>When I was referencing my photo business organization I was trying to
>relate that the old guard had to give way to the new in terminology as
>well as other types of progress. So by your note, you do agree that we
>all model in 3/16 (or S scale) so lets acknowledge that--the
>implications can be explained away to those with open minds. I doubt we
>would loose any of the deep flanged brethren, as they love those yearly
>NASG cars. So if we change the name it will make those cars more
>valuable to boot!
>
>Now Bills comment about who is ignoring who has a great deal of
>merit--especially in the far Southwestern states. When Ed, Dick and
>myself attended some of the narrow gauge events, I could feel a little
>coldness and indeed one the our local Sn3 guys was very outspoken about
>such matters. So yes this will take time but it can happen.
>
>Bob Werre
>BobWphoto.com
>
>Rollain Mercier wrote:
>
> > and he notes -
> >
> > IIMHO you are comparing apples to onions. While the world of print
> > photography has changed to include internet as well as other media
> > (not just magazines) S Gauge has not. It's still 3/16" modeling
> > whether Hi-Rail or scale. Changing the name from NASG to NASS would
> > impart the idea that the Association is for scale modelers only,
> > regardless of the track width.
> >
> > However if progress must be made, one thought occurred to me and
> > that's the part of the name that may be more in need of change than
> > the word "Gauge" and that is the first word "National". And if a name
> > change is feasible it should be done all at once to "The Association
> > Of S Scalers". This would accommodate the many foreign members in
> > our midst as well as placate the scale only boys. So my suggestion
> > would be to drop the word "National" and change "Gauge" to "Scale"
> > making the shortened version: "ASS." Then we can all have a piece of
> > it! Nyuk, nyuk!
> >
> > Raleigh in nippy Maine...
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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>
>
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