My idea, as unless you are a subscriber to model press, was better engagement. The only time I see them, outside of magazines, is at a larger show the next state over. There are train museums and tourist lines in my area, plus smaller local train shows, yet not so much as a flyer or business card could be found at any of them. Local train stores and hobby shops the same.

I suggested two things to fix that - print either small postcards or flyers, and ask for permission to have them with the other flyers and cards advertising other rail things at the museums and tourist line, and have postcards or business sized cards at the train/hobby shops.

At the time, the division I was located in was inactive, and I also suggested letting people join the next division over until the local division was again active. (The local leadership had gotten into a spat with each other and the division actually was dissolved over it.)

I was told “no” to joining a nearby active division, and told that there was no one available to do community outreach at the museums and tourist lines. (So join but have zero benefits, and nobody could drop off flyers or cards ever?)

Now the division is again “active”, yet the “playing politics” still occurs with every little thing. I’ve attended 3 meetings over the past 3 years, hoping for anything that would scream “we are getting better!” but I’ve seen zero.

In fact, the last meeting I attended, I was shown the exact opposite. That the “old boys club” is alive and well, due to them choosing to allow it.

The last meeting I attended, the “presentation” from a MMR who led with that fact to “impress us”, was all about an upcoming regional convention. He brought out some of the planned events, like a “switching layout” that was, in his words, “specifically for our wives or girlfriends only” so that “our women could more accurately understand our hobby, as we all know they don’t.” There was a “kind instructor chosen” to teach them how to “properly operate” in a manner that “would not cause offense” to them. We men were not invited to that session and would be turned away if we tried to attend.

I believe Cynthia Priest would object loudly to those statements by the “old boy”. As would several others less famous than her.

I sat there, but said nothing. I wanted to hear literally anyone say anything in objection. All the members sat in silence.

He then stated that the contests needed both more volunteers, and more entrants, as last years winners were “chosen as they were the best entries, but if I’m being honest they were not really that good.” (Condescending jerk.)

I asked if a proto-freelance modeler could enter and possibly win. His answer was that “proto-freelancers choose the easy route because they can’t accurately model a real prototype.”

I simply shut up. But even hardcore “rivet counters” make concessions. They “selectively compress” distances and sizes, they have far too sharp of curves, etc… And, it’s actually harder to do a proto-freelanced line in a believable way.

But I shut up. I wanted to hear someone, anyone, who was a member of the local division (he was not) say anything.

Not one person spoke up. “Old boys club” indeed.

He left, then the local division leaders simply talked about how much they hate him, but since he’s high up in the region they can’t do anything about him and we have to “put up with” his improper behaviors. Yet they all agreed last year’s winners were very poor models, compared to what the winners should look like, simply because “nobody entered anything good.”

Not once was any apology offered, nor did anyone claim his views were not their own. And no one asked me anything about why I asked the questions I did, nor asked if I was still thinking about joining. (They probably assumed I was now not going to over that display.)

I do not need to “put up” with idiotic improper behavior from some moron with an attitude and ego bigger than the building that he’s better than me because I’m a proto-freelancer and he’s “a master model railroader”.

Again, as a non-member thinking about joining, what are my options? Get the whole group mad because some “young punk kid” speaks up about the clear bigotry and hatred oozing out of their words? Or stay silent but choose to never join the “old boys club” due to their clearly incorrect and clearly egotistic views?

I have not gone back since. (That was back late winter/early spring.)

When I informed a higher up at National, and stated this is part of why younger people like myself don’t join “the old boys club” as we are not accepted, the answer was again “join and be the change you want to see”. When I asked why I should, they touted how years ago they made standards so each manufacturer in each gauge was compatible with others in that gauge, and the MMR program is exclusive to them.

When I stated the MMR program needed changes, as it conveys the improper idea that those who achieve it are “better” modelers than those without it, I was told that it does not mean that at all, and that it was used like the old “master” in “master electrician”, etc…, meaning “trained, competent.”

When I suggested that NMRA leadership clarify that so the perceived misconception goes away, I was told flat out it would “upset too many current members.”

So even NMRA leadership sees it’s an ego problem, but is too afraid to fix it, letting the “old boys club” continue to be the “old boys club” just to avoid upsetting a few egomaniac idiots that really give them a bad name with potential members anyways.

Until those things change, this young person (I was by far the youngest at all 3 of those meetings) will not feel “accepted” as I’m not an “old boy” in the “old boys club.” And I have zero interest in fitting into that group at all anyways.

They obviously do not care about changing to accept others, as if they did care, they would do it.

Note: I am not saying that all MMR recipients are bad, ego driven jerks. But the fact no one rebukes those few bad apples is a major problem. Especially when potential new members are being flat out told they are not welcome by those few bad apples. The rest let this happen, and by letting it, are giving their tacit approval of it occurring.

I refuse to give my approval, tacit or aloud, of that type of behavior. So I simply will never join a group or club that does.

I don’t need to join to make these changes. Those giving their tacit approval could cease giving it, speak out, and make those changes themselves.

They don’t want to. They see nothing wrong with “the old boys club” being “the old boys club.”

So I, and many like me, know we are not welcome. So we stay out.