HI Brooks -- Well said. I am an NMRA member of long standing (1967, life member 1750) and I know Charlie Getz on a semi-personal level, having grown up in the bay area with the likes of Mike Kotowski, Eric Bracher, Bob Dupont, Paul Shimada, Don Fiehman, Dick Truesdale, and Charlie was part of that. I hope that over the next couple of years I can convince him to incorporate more S into the NMRA’s thinking.
However, these Associations are a business. We and the NMRA make our decisions based on sound (we hope) business practices. Their size is nearly 20 times the NASG, so their decisions are driven by segments (scales) other than S most of the time. If we want to have the NMRA support S more aggressively, we as a group – that is all of us -- need to not only look at belonging to the NMRA, but supporting the S projects that they occasionally do have. I still attend the local division meets of the NMRA, and an occasional meet at the regional or national level, time and finances permitting. Brooks is correct: you can learn a lot from these meets that is NOT scale specific. Most of them do not have a requirement to be an NMRA member to attend, but they will obviously encourage you – usually there is a reduced entrance fee to NMRA members. So go out and have a good time with the NMRA and the NASG! Bill Winans ---------------------- There have been a few postings recently about why the NMRA doesn't do more for S gauge...sell track gauges, offer convention cars, etc. Dan Vandermause and Gaylord Gil have commented on the value, and power, of sharing S to other modelers through NMRA open houses, op sessions, etc. From my experience, I agree completely. What I've always wondered is why more active S gaugers aren't involved in the NMRA. I've learned more about model railroading since I've become active in the NMRA than in the years before I got involved. And far more modelers in other scales have seen and operated my S layout...and perhaps learned something about S from me...than before I was active in the NMRA. If those of us who are ALREADY in S are not active members in our local NMRA clubs and activities, we are missing a good opportunity to help members now in other scales to learn the ins and outs of S and eventually want those track gauges and convention cars. While the NASG is a GREAT organization and does MUCH to promote S, it tends to keep S and S gaugers isolated from the broader hobby. The NMRA is not a HO or N organization, of course. We each might want to consider what we can do to be sure that S is not underrepresented within the NMRA organizations and activities in our local areas. S will be better for it. I know there are many demands on our hobby time and money, but I've found the two-way dialog with modelers in other scales extremely valuable. Just a thought.... Brooks Stover
