CNW CNWHS Bulletin (current Fall '08)

pjb Oct 8, 2008

  1. pjb

    pjb E-Mail Bounces

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    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
     
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    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
     
  3. slambo

    slambo TrainBoard Member

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    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... ;)
     
  4. pjb

    pjb E-Mail Bounces

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    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
     
  5. pogopod

    pogopod TrainBoard Member

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    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.
     

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