Chris, There is no doubt that sometimes our diversity is a millstone around our necks! That being said the NASG itself has sponsored several successful projects over the years--some plastic, some brass and a couple that worked for the hi-rail bunch at the same time. I do have a few of the Gilbert engines on display, not to push AF/hi-rail things, but to remind myself and others where model trains came from--perhaps a way of showing respect. After all during the era of Gilbert was also the era of Mantua couplers, motors that stuck out of the cabs of Ho engines, etc. If part of our membership wants to stick with the 'olden' days, that's their choice, but those of us to count rivets (when it suits me!), hand lay track and solder brass do so because we want to and only a strong organization we have is the NASG. As the dude who travels to every convention to photograph contest models that just happen to be mostly 'scale', I can say the quality of many of the models is as good as anybody, simply because they frequently win in other contests or are displayed with other scales with favorable comments. In the past we had John Bortz, Jesse Bennett doing that, now we have Stan Furnamack, Hiram Graves and others kicking butt! Of course, if you don't belong to the organiztion and it's Dispatch you probably have no way of really knowing.
Bob Werre BobWphoto.com > > > 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 > > Re: The NASG Dispatch > Posted by: "adguytrains" [email protected] > <mailto:robert_hogan%40bellsouth.net> adguytrains > Fri Sep 17, 2010 9:22 am (PDT) > > Chris... > > So why is that a reason no to join? There are plenty of us like-minded > "scale, rivet counting, prototype nuts who run (BUILD?) models in > 1:64" and belong to the NASG. You'll find good company and develop an > appreciation for great modeling in all forms of "S". > > Bob Hogan > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ 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/
