When I switched to S two years ago, I immediately became a member of the NASG. Besides showing support for the organization, I wanted receive the Dispatch. I was expecting lots of Flyer-type stuff in the magazine, but I don't really find that. It is an enjoyable magazine to read (and the only S-specific one I get).
The way I see it, Chris, (and I don't mean to get political here), but the way to change an organization is to "infiltrate" it with people of a differing view (like the "Tea Party" is reforming the Republican Party). We, who strongly prefer "scale" modeling, can infiltrate the organization and eventually make it be more of a scale group. In about 20 to 30 years we are going to be the "old guard" and will still be modeling S "scale" (I turned 46 today). I believe we can change the NASG to be more scale by having more scale people join. By not joining, the organization would remain "toy train" focused. Of course, if the NASG didn't have the Dispatch, I'd probably wouldn't have joined. It is the same reason why I let my NMRA membership lapse, because the mag wasn't that good. The recent thoughts on having the Dispatch only go out every quarter would make me seriously reconsider remaining a member, unless the same number of articles that would have appeared in the 3 months are included in the one issue (i.e. each issue would be thicker). I think the NMRA has realized that members' biggest benefit of joining is the magazine. Without the magazine, far fewer people would join. Just my $0.02 worth, - Peter. On 09/18/2010 7:58 am, Christopher Borgmeyer wrote: > Bob, > > I understand where you're coming from and let me just say I understand many S > scalers have a long association with and involvement in the NASG and I'm > sure, not too many years ago, "all us" 1:64 types had to stick together. As > someone without that history, I look at the NASG and see a bunch guys playing > with American Flyer trains and an organization focus mostly on the toy train > history of S. None of that holds any interest for me. Additionally, and > again my personal opinion here, I believe the NASG's continued promotion of > Flyer or Flyonel seriously hampers the scale side of 1:64. Until we shed > that image of S as a toy train gauge we'll never attract scale modelers in > any serious numbers from the smaller scales (or even a few from the larger.) > In marketing and public relations perception is everything. I guess, in that > light, the organization's name says it all. > > Now, whether that impression is correct could be a matter of debate but I'm > saying as an outsider coming in to S that is how things look to me. If there > was a real S scale movement and a national organization of scale and proto 64 > modelers was founded I'd be one of the first to join. Viva la revolucion! > Until then, I will not support an organization that does not support me and a > real future for the scale outside of the toy train collector/operator niche. > > -- Let's not get moderated on this one. This is the scale group after all. > We're not here to defend Flyer or S gauge. Just explaining my position and > maybe giving the NASG leadership some food for thought. -- > > Chris Borgmeyer -- Peter Vanvliet ([email protected], or [email protected]) Houston, Texas "It is easy to give up; anyone can do that..." http://pmrr.org/ (my model railroad) http://fourthray.com/ (my company) http://houstonsgaugers.org/ (model railroad club) -- ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
