Nostalgia & History > New NRHS Business Model Released

This link is from the NRHS web site at nrhs.com. This goes to a vote this Saturday, Sep 20. If you don't like it, contact your regional rep, or whatever they are now, and let them know.

https://admin.nrhs.com/public/

We don't know for sure but from what is stated, the recognition of "members" with 25, 50 and 60 year pins will cease. That's pretty minor in the grand scheme of things but there are probably a few of us who look forward to those small bits of fame.

What a shame! I was looking forward to a 50 Year pin in 2024.
How time flies.
ALLEN

switchlock Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This link is from the NRHS web site at nrhs.com.
> This goes to a vote this Saturday, Sep 20. If you
> don't like it, contact your regional rep, or
> whatever they are now, and let them know.
>
> https://admin.nrhs.com/public/
>
> We don't know for sure but from what is stated,
> the recognition of "members" with 25, 50 and 60
> year pins will cease. That's pretty minor in the
> grand scheme of things but there are probably a
> few of us who look forward to those small bits of
> fame.

Yes there are a number of Baltimore Chapter members who have almost 50 years of being a member. And they keep wondering why many people no longer wish to belong to the NRHS. Why be a member especially if there are no perks? And here in the Baltimore area there are no longer any rail excursions in operation and our B&O R.R.Museum is a shamble of what it could be. Yada, Yada, Yada.

A fair number of years ago when I was still an NRHS member I received in the mail, much to my surprise, one of these pins [ a 25 year I imagine ], along with a certificate "suitable for framing", and perhaps other stuff. At that time the National was going through one of its periodic funding crises, and I was appalled at the out-of-pocket expense of mailing these items. I wrote a letter suggesting that such award pins etc be offered to an eligible member as an option 'at cost' rather than just sending them out. I guess they didn't do that, but I still think it was / is a good idea.

Best, SZ

Boy, what a lot of work went into this. They not only repainted the Titanic but they sanded and needle gunned it down to bare metal before applying the base coat!

Bob

Since you brought it up: for much more info, please go to
http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37085
This thread is titled: "If not the NRHS, then what?"

bnsfbob is right! LOL! Where is the "Like" button? +1!
Definitely just rearranging the deck chairs on the poor ol'
doomed Titanic. It is definitely much too late to save the
poor ol' NRHS.

A number of people have posted very pointed questions
on RYPN, none of which have yet been answered by
anyone in the National.

The complete texts of the New Business Model and Proposed
Bylaws, etc., are on a page in the NRHS's website. Click on the
link under the headline: "Final Design of NRHS New Business
Model Now Available".
This will take you to the Public Information Pages:
https://admin.nrhs.com/public/

One huge change is that there will no longer be any "members".
(I quote from the Proposed ByLaws):
"ARTICLE IV. Membership
Section 1. No Members. There shall be no members, as such, of
the Society." !!

None of the Chapter members will ever again be allowed to vote
on who is on the Board of Directors or any Society officers.

I myself posted two comments on the NRHS' FacBook page
yesterday, but no one in the National has yet replied to either
of them.

Margaret
Former Central Coast Chapter Secretary and 31-year NRHS member



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/14 15:19 by Margaret_SP_fan.

Reading through it all, they went to a lot of work but, unless I missed it, left out what to me is a very salient issue. That is the ageing of the railfan population. This applies not only to the NRHS but the R&LHS, Winterail, etc., not to mention yours truly. How do these guys plan to attract new blood, especially kids? The conventions I've been to over the years sure weren't youth-friendly in my opinion and without new blood, the body will eventually wither away. I thought that when I joined the R&LHS in 1957 and I still think so, as I've gone from teenager to old guy.

And as the members age, retire and end up on fixed income, they will be less likely to travel to conventions, make donations, pay annual dues or subscribe to NRHS News or anything else. And if they do to some extent, it will most likely be for a local museum, railroad historical society for their favorite railroad, etc., not to some national organization with appointed directors, no real members and a business model of 'give us some money'. I'm not an NRHS member and thus don't have a dog in the hunt....these are just one lifelong railfan's observations.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/14 17:36 by masterphots.

Agree totally with Masterphots; the "new" NRHS (assuming
that's the direction they take) appeals to an older and
diminishing population. (And I've got a 50 years NRHS
pin somewhere in my desk.)

I chose not to renew several years ago, largely because of the
bureaucracy of NRHS management. And from the looks of it,
that isn't changing.

As the EBC (electronic billing contact) for a chapter. I wrote
several inquiries to "NRHS Management," to include pointing out
a major error in the Fernley spreadsheets, which was corrected
within 24 hours. Never did receive a reply to any of my
correspondence.

I'm no doubt biased, but don't see the NRHS being a major player,
even IF it survives. The only hope is if they would become
"user friendly."

masterphots Wrote:

> ...And as the members age, retire and end up on fixed income, they will be less likely to travel to
> conventions, make donations, pay annual dues or subscribe to NRHS News or anything else. And if
> they do to some extent, it will most likely be for a local museum, railroad historical society for
> their favorite railroad, etc...

I agree with this. It sounds like you call your own shots on how much to donate. There will be no tiers or levels of donations. The only thing I've seen that mentions anything like this is if you donate $135, you get the quarterly NRHS Bulletin for free. Otherwise, you subscribe to it at $29 per year. Seems like they overlooked or ignored some details for all the apparent thought they've put into this.