This is The Western Pennsylvania I-80 Group , a group of model railroaders that enjoy visit other layouts to operate and have a good time.
The goal of the I-80 Group is to have fun without all the rules that other modelers think that we all have to follow. The I-80 Group is a group of individuals that have broken away from the NMRA in order to continue playing with trains without someone else standing over us dictating what we can and can not do.
No Business meetings, No Officers or No need for a Permanent Home (as it’s a round Robin Group)
No paper Newsletter as that will only be via e-mail – eliminating the need for any expense.
Therefore NO need for any money - nor meetings to conduct any business.
This eliminates all of the Politics that seems to creep into any Organization over time!
What we want to accomplish!
Get back to having fun at our social events (mainly Operating Sessions at various members layouts or visiting [and OPs] with other modelers in the surrounding area – PA, New York & Ohio) .
We don't have to have a meeting to do this - We can do all of the necessary (MEETING/SCHEDULING WORK) on line and just have an Operations Session when we get together!
Does this make sense?
Anyone can be a member of the I-80 Group! And we would like everyone to sign on to the Yahoo Group so they can be kept up to date on the various Operating Sessions being planned for the coming year.
Our Sessions (they really can’t be called a MEETING) are being planned for a Saturday (when possible). This allows most everyone attend these sessions and still have Sunday to attend other area events, meetings or be with their family!
Sometimes this may not be possible and a Sunday will have to be used. We will try to keep these sessions from conflicting with other area events and meetings when possible BUT we are limited usually by the Host and their schedule to hold an Operations Session. So conflicts will occur, which is unfortunate!
Most of these events will be an afternoon session from 1 to 4 or 5pm. This will allow ample travel time to the event and still allow the member to drive back home at a reasonable hour. There will also be special events scheduled that will be an all day affair (9am till 9pm OPTUD – OP Till U Drop) but these will not be the norm.
The I-80 Group does not want to be seen as some sort of event in competition any of the other local area meetings or train shows (the reason for the Saturdays). This was never our intent!
We just saw a need that was not being filled and decided now was the time to make it happen. The Clarion Model Railroad Club (henceforth known as “The Club”) talked with many potential model railroaders during their Christmas Mall Show. THEY (potential model railroaders) expressed interest in Saturdays as a day that would be more convenient to visit The Club as Wednesday evenings presented problems with kids having homework and school the next day. So The Club has talked about having more Open House events on a Saturday afternoon and doing OPs on the HO & O layouts plus some How-to Clinics.
The Club runs on its own schedule and tries not to conflict with the many other area meetings and shows. Sometimes this is not possible and it was never their intent to cause conflicts. The Club usually works a year to a year and half in advance of any Special Events that they decide to sponsor.
The reason for the I-80 Group was formed was to try and keep The Club separate from other OPs sessions. It has been very hard for a number of members and visitors alike to understand that The Club has representation in the I-80 Group, like an individual member, as well as other area organizations. Due to the fact that most of The Club’s members are also members of the I-80 Group and other organizations around western PA, it is easy for confusion between the two separate and distinct groups.
The sole Intent and Purpose of the I-80 group WAS and IS OPERATIONS ! The goal of the I-80 group is for the members of the group to experience and learn from many different ways of operating a layout. We have eliminated business meetings during operations sessions because this requires the shutting down of the owner’s layout. Sometimes these meetings ran long, which shortened the OPs time available for the latecomers to a session, which was unfortunate! I-80 group members were always committed to OPs from the beginning and made every effort to attend any OPs session that they could!