Like everyone else who remembers seeing the club in MR, it's now just in
the history books. Glad you were able to save a chunk of it.
It's too bad the club didn't have a Republic type voting process where
the rights of the minorities were also respected, but without several S
members it was probably obvious where things were going.
I once had a discussion with Bill Schaumburg (RMC) about that very
thing. His opinion was a bit different. He thought those old clubs
should fade into history, because most had become just a relic, run by a
few old guys and destined for cobwebs. Any club that wants to stay
alive needs to be recruiting and change with the times. As Bob Hogan
has mentioned this isn't easy with our numbers falling, but a club
layout is still a great alternative to a home layout providing you can
get along with fellow members!
Although I wasn't around when Houston SP station had a large O scale
layout he photos show nice trains but hardly any scenery. They would
have trouble portraying anything but a museum. Another club had a large
room at Union Station that was much newer and better (HO & HO3). They
were asked to leave the station and built a fairly large building where
they started fresh, but in this case some personality issues arose and
to my knowledge the club has died.
We now have two very large club layouts with nearly opposite financial
and organizational basis. For the time being both seem to be thriving
and one is always at any major show recruiting members, while the other
is open for viewing every Sunday.
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx
On 3/23/13 9:18 PM, Rusty wrote:
The West Bay Model Railroad Club in Menlo Park, Ca. Dismantled their
layout today. It--WAS-- a three scale layout; O, S and HO.
I took home the Henry Sprague operating steam shovel and the two
hopper cars he built. These date from around 1952.
----------The end of an era.------------
The new layout will be HO only. The HO members out number the O and S
member so they had a; 'fair and democratic vote", to end the the S and O.
Rest peacefully my friends
Rusty, as in James Rustermier
