The Railroad Club

How did the layout turn into sort of a club? It's not a club, but it is, isn't it, in a way? Sure, it's a club, it's a club except I hold all the voting stock because it's my railroad and it's in my basement. But this railroad's a big undertaking. We've been working on it for 20 years. We've had a great time. If I would not have had three or four compatible fellows with me to build this railroad, we wouldn't be down here today. It's the only way to go. They brought a lot of knowledge to this model railroad that I don't have or would not have had if they wouldn't have been here. It reminds me of the Hartford Association that was published years ago in M.R., that's the kind of arrangement we have. When we get this one pretty well done, we're gonna start another one in Mark's basement, and then he's gonna be the hotshot and I'm gonna do what he tells me to. You refer to yourself as the benevolent dictator. Is that really a valid assessment of you? No not really. I use that term because I hold all the voting stock and I make the choices, I have the owner's prerogative. Well have you noticed any disadvantages of having this kind of arrangement? The fellows come, three fellows, every week and they've been coming I guess the same guys for 20 years, right? Well, we've- Pretty much. We've had one or two changes, but not very many. I don't think, I think that the advantages by far outweigh the disadvantages. When you have an association that long, there's bound to be differences of opinion, but we've found a way to accommodate them, and it's worked out very well. I wouldn't build the railroad without a group. What do you enjoy most about the group, friendship? Oh, sure, the association, the fun that we have. And what kind of fun do you have, besides building the layout, and you go railfanning. There's the railfanning. Occasionally we'll take the girls out, not as often as they would like but we talk about real railroading and what's happening. It's just been a lot of fun.