The current edition's in our mailbox is massive and is devoted entirely to re-engined Baldwin DEs. Any more substantial a waste of members money is hard for me to conceive of on the part of our society. Ten pages with an explanatory roster should have been enough to satisfy the most fixated diesel loco nerd. Using the entirety of a well printed, expensive journal aimed at all the historical, or modeling base of the CNW,M&SL,CGW, and the Omaha roads, which the society ostensibly encompasses, for this matter is little more than criminally irresponsible. Given the vast amount of materials from all the engineering, operational, socio-economic, and cultural areas unexplored in this journal it is downright dumbfounding. Its great that someone finds this obscure subject interest- ing enough to want to research and write about it. That we should use the main organ of the society to serve to eliminate material of a broader interest, as well as of a similar limited interest entirely from its pages makes no sense. Years ago I had to leave the SP Historical society when they filled the pages of several journals (I believe it was then called the' Head Light'), with lists of all the SP freight car renumberings across the decades. That stuff belonged in a special publication(s), as does the detailed life history of CNW re-engined Baldwin DE switchers, where those who give a damn about it can buy them from the respective societies as discrete publications. What do you think? Good-Luck, Peter Boylan
I have never cared much for a historical society dedicating the entire regular publication to a single topic. It's nice they have so much data available. But I agree members would be better served through an optional seperate special publication. Boxcab E50
I'm not a member of CNWHS, but I've picked up a few copies of the publication at my LHS a few times. If you're not satisfied with the current issue and you need somewhere to send it rather than recycling it, I could forward a SASE for you...
Reorganizing the NORTHWESTERN mag's format I understand the matter of publishing material about subject(s) I don't give a crap about in historical society journals. As long as it is well done, it should see the light of day. Nevertheless, devoting a quarter of the years (actually more, since this is an enlarged edition) to a minor failed DE is ridiculous. The obvious way around it is , as with the MILWAUKEE Road groups current series on individual classes of steam locomotives, is publishing it separately for those who need/care about a book on re-engined Baldwin DE switchers. More specifically, another way is to devote a specific number of pages amounting to half the journal to sections (up to seven considering the size of each quarterly) to specific topics having broad interest and the remaining half of the journal can be used for one to three larger articles of greater depth. This is where the ten page with roster article on Baldwin re-engined DEs would go that I alluded to in initial thread, as a logical presentation on this subject. General Solution for any RR Historical Group The membership votes on the fixed sections that will appear every month from a list sent out with the annual ballot for the election of officers. The headings and content area would be described on the ballot. As for instance: 1) RIGHT OF WAY: RR structures and physical plant; 2) STEAM LOCOMOTIVES: there physical descriptions as artifacts, the physical plant devoted to them, and any economic and cultural phenomena peculiar to them; 3)DEs: same parameters as in 2; 4) STRAIGHT ELECTRIC engines including interurbans and street cars if any, to be covered as in 2 and 5; 5) PASSENGER SERVICE and EQUIPMENT including express and mail service (unless membership thinks they should be separate subjects; 6) FREIGHT CARS and their operation; 7) SHIPPING INDUSTRIES, and their traffic generated, as well as whatever information is necessary to understand them in the context of the eras covered as socioeconomic forces; and so forth. That is not a complete list, but it gives you an idea of a logical way to preclude the seizure of the journal by minority interests. It is meant as a policy for all RR historical societies that have the pretense of broad based coverage of some carrier(s). Obviously, if you are the RR BASCULE BRIDGE TECHNICAL SOCIETY then you will have a narrow focus. If you are devoted to the NYNH&H, then breaking down the passenger service, by creating specific sections on the dining service, pullman , express and mail service, and commuter coaches, and the like makes sense. Just covering FOREIGN passenger cars, their assignments, and the details of construction for such cars running in New Haven trains could fill many books. If you are the historic group for the original NORFOLK & SOUTHERN (merged into Southern RLwy in 1973) then you should cover their long salt water trestles that were their lifeline to the North in depth. In other words, find the important areas for your group and let the membership vote to create the fixed subject sections that appear in every edition. Do it proportionally, by having each ballot rate the desired subject- 1 to 10 (or whatever number of fixed subject sections there will be). Do your proportional count and... Bob's Your Uncle! I believe this is an optimal approach, to meet the matter of preserving diversity while allowing a few other, or a single long important subject, to be covered in any RR Historical group. Good-Luck, Peter Boylan
CNWHS Publication I think you are being entirely too hard on the publication. This is a historical society after all and surely you agree the Baldwins of the North Western are a part of history. I found the issue facinating. I learned a lot and was able to put the engines into historical perspective. In addition, the writing was good and covered the topic well. You don't appreciate the Baldwin issue, but although I have little interest in steam, if an issue was devoted to all steam I still would read it. My goal with membership is learning. I think that the CNWHS folks do a fantastic job at putting out a quality piece. I learn something from every issue. You give a list of topics that could be voted on. Will you manage the voting? Or does the volunteer staff have to do that? Once topics are decided, will you insure that writers are found for these topics who can both write well and make a deadline? For every issue? Editors of these kind of publications are at the mecy of what is written and available. They do not pay people for submissions. Have you made suggestions about what you would like to see in the publication? Have you asked the editor how you can help? Have you written for the publication or helped research material for someone who is writing an article? I haven't, but even if I had I don't feel I have the right to blast those who spend their time putting out a very nice product, even if I don't find every issue or article to my liking.