The Impending Demise of a Chicago Railroad Club

The NRHS and R&LHS represent the two largest and oldest railroad history organizations in the United States.

Rail fans are a ubiquitous part of railroading, and they come with a variety of interests.  Some can be found track side taking photographs while others haunt junk shops and specially organized rail ephemera shows looking for collectibles.  Much like birds of a feather, these fans flock together in special interest groups who have meetings where they can fraternize with like minded individuals.  Among these groups are umbrella history organizations, the two largest being the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society (R&LHS) and the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS).  The national groups hold annual member conventions that provide a variety of activities including excursions and social events for attendees.  These groups also publish periodicals and newsletters that cover various aspects of railroad history.

Photography continues to be a popular aspect of rail fanning.

These national organizations are subdivided into local chapters which have regular meetings with speakers and presentations that cover various aspects of the railroad industry.  Some of the chapters publish informative newsletters for their membership.  Aside from these main group chapters in Chicago there are at least four other smaller rail history groups that call the city home.  In some cases these groups began their lives as rail charter trip operators.  By offering a unique opportunity to ride behind vanishing steam locomotives or over tracks that passenger service vanished from, the groups thrived and maintained healthy memberships and ample volunteers.  For decades the nation was blessed with a plethora of railroads operated by fan friendly management.  That landscape has changed.

Rail Camp is an NRHS sponsored program that introduces young people to railroad history and operations.

Through mergers and consolidations the number of railroad operations have been winnowed down to a few major corporations.  Passenger service disappeared from private operation and is now under the purview of the quasi-governmental entity known as Amtrak.  The cost of operating rail charters has driven most groups out of the business.  Add to that the fact that many of the corporate railroad operators are adverse to having fan trips on their rails.  The issues of liability and interference with the money making operation of freight trains have diminished the opportunities for these types of private excursions into the category of rarity.  Most railroads that previously operated their own heritage excursion trains have left the market as well.  Paranoia since the attacks of 911 has created cadre of overly zealous railroad employees, security and even municipal police who view everyone with a camera as a terrorist.

 Common interests and camaraderie have long been a driving force of rail fan organizations.

This has left many fan groups and clubs with the monthly meeting model of operation.  A member or special speaker will show up with slides or a digital presentation.  It may be a program about a certain railroad, an aspect of history, or occasionally an aspect of modern railroads from an expert.  These meetings tend to attract a smaller audience and are often attended by what I term the "know-it-all" fan.  These people can suck the joy out of any gathering by interrupting a presentation with a litany of facts and figures and a desire to debate anyone about them.  To these individuals it is less about the social aspects of a gathering and more about a convenient soapbox for their rantings.  This in turn convinces any new attendees that their time might be better spent with more singular activities.

Railroad museums are another way history groups help interpret railroading to the general public.

Some chapters maintain historic structures to house their collections.  Others may own static equipment displays, such as locomotives or cars, or assist in their maintenance.  A select few may own operating locomotives that are used on special occasions or in museum service.  This requires members willing to underwrite the cost of maintaining those physical assets, and volunteers to staff and maintain collections, equipment and museums.  Volunteers are at a premium and those groups who have chosen this model often struggle with maintaining an active volunteer base.

Historic railroad equipment is a another example of preservation work by rail history organizations.

The aging demography of these organizations also factors in to their decline.  While rail fandom is still a poplar hobby, attending group meetings is not.  The internet is now the preferred social platform for the photographers and history buffs.  A wide variety of groups exist on Facebook alone that cater to a specific railroad, method of operation, or collectable ephemera.  No annual dues are required to join an internet group, and if you run into an obnoxious know-it-all you can always block them.  The end result of this shift to the "unsocial" media is a shrinking membership base for physical groups and clubs.  This in turn means fewer individuals willing to accept leadership roles to keep these groups going.  In certain instances the groups can shoulder some of the blame themselves.  Certain members hold leadership positions for decades and do little to groom leaders for the future.  When they are willing to give up the reins of leadership no one is there to take them up.

Partnerships with governmental organizations can be useful in preserving and restoring stations and other structures.

This is the situation one of the organizations I belong to finds themselves in.  With 36 local members no one appears to be willing to step in to take on the Chairmanship, and the Chicago chapter may cease to exist as of the end of 2016.  Having volunteered as a board member and program director for another rail organization I do not see myself as a candidate.  I'm sure the Chicago chapter is not alone in this dilemma. The national organizations are struggling with declining membership rolls and treasuries as well.  Railroad history groups and clubs may disappear just like the many things that attracted people to the genre have as well.  If these entities are to survive they will probably take a new form more suitable to the internet.  Some groups who maintain historic collections continue to thrive and have well-attended annual meetings.  Other small groups of fans gather for image presentations and socializing.  This still requires an active group of volunteers to help make the events a success.  And in the end, that is probably the critical element for survival.

Membership dues help to pay for publications that highlight the history of railroading.  Many of the articles are well researched and academic in nature.  This important service would be lost if the organizations who support it were to disappear.