Layout Design SIG Status

GNMT76 Jun 26, 2018

  1. GNMT76

    GNMT76 TrainBoard Member

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    Has the Layout Design Special Interest Group folded? It hasn't put out its quarterly Journal for over sixteen months now, and multiple e-mails (via its internal e-mail system) to each of its officers over the past five months have gone unanswered.
     
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Is this NMRA?
     
  3. GNMT76

    GNMT76 TrainBoard Member

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    I don't believe so according to what I heard from the NMRA some time ago. It's a 501(c)(3) non-profit registered in CT. The website is: http://www.ldsig.org.
     
  4. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    BoD terms are all expired/or not updated, after several years. Too many "vacant" positions. A couple of activities showing "No longer active/accepting new entries at this time".

    This does not look good. :(
     
  5. TwinDad

    TwinDad TrainBoard Member

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    Their Twitter feed was active as recently as June 4 ... and that was an automatic cross-post from their Facebook page...
     
  6. GNMT76

    GNMT76 TrainBoard Member

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    Agreed. But if you look around a bit you'll see BOD names and term expiry dates between 2016-2018 and promotions for its participation at the NMRA convention this August. I also found a name and address for another officer on the website and just today located his landline phone number. However, when I called (four times now), I got a recorded message saying "The call did not go through." Three calls for assistance to my phone company and the operator only led to them dialing that number and hanging up before I could relate the failure of those calls to go through and get an answer as to why.

    But last October, I did receive a reply (to my AOL e-mail: see below) from, as I recall, the president. He told me that the Journal was delayed due to health problems and that the next issue would definitely be out in December. That's quite understandable. When no Journal arrived by February, I e-mailed an officer or two via its internal e-mail system. When I got no reply, I e-mailed other officers and, eventually, all of them - three times in the past four months. Still, zip.

    It wasn't until April 24, when I heard (on my AOL e-mail) from a gentleman not listed on the website, saying he was taking over the role of member services. A month later, he wrote again, stating that I never heard from anyone because I had used a Yahoo e-mail address, the replies to which "went missing." I cancelled that account over six years ago, thus making it impossible to use (and I'm quite a careful typist!). My current e-mail provider - and the only one I've used to contact the SIG - is AOL. The last reply I got from this gentleman was on June 1, saying he just provided "more information" to the treasurer and would get back to me. Two followup inquiries since have been ignored. The gist of my several final e-mails to the SIG officers - and to this gentleman - was to request cancellation of my membership and a refund of the unused portion (3/4) of my membership fee. Unused, because I never received the product or service for which I paid in February of 2017 - the quarterly Journal. :eek:

    In any case, it sure looks like no one is at the throttle - or even in the passenger seat - of this SIG.
     
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2018
  7. GNMT76

    GNMT76 TrainBoard Member

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    Mystery solved. The new Journal editor replied on another forum that the SIG is still breathing and that the next Journal is now at the printer's. :)
     
  8. Doorgunnerjgs

    Doorgunnerjgs TrainBoard Member

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    The LDSIG Yahoo group has been active (I get the digests) as recently as yesterday. It has been sporadic though, with as much 2 weeks between activity.
     
  9. Malahini

    Malahini TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks gents. I signed up to ldsig today.
     
  10. Doorgunnerjgs

    Doorgunnerjgs TrainBoard Member

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    FYI, from their Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/Layout.Design.SIG/) today:
    Layout Design Journal #61 (Second Quarter 2018) is in the mail now, so most print subscribers should receive it by the end of July. Email notices for the on-line downloadable version will be coming soon. It’s been a long wait due to the editor’s (me) family medical issues and then a lengthy transition to new Membership Service volunteers, but thanks for your patience – and to the new volunteers taking up their roles.

    This issue includes: Switching Challenge 10X11 HO layout previews large future home layout featuring Chicago, Burlington & Quincy switching in 1966. Western Pacific prototype-based San Jose, CA N-scale sectional switching layout update. Detailed design story of N-scale Central New Jersey Newark layout featuring innovative techniques, lighting, and construction. Learning layout scenery perspectives from museum diorama masters. Movable benchwork ideas for gates and elevators from Orlando 2017. Board of Directors election and KC 2018 NMRA Convention activities including Layout Design SIG Annual General Meeting.

    To download a free “Sampler” of a few pages of LDJ-61 and other recent issues, visit this link:
    http://www.ldsig.org/publications/journal

    We are now working on LDJ-62 and hope to mail it in the late summer; so renew soon if your membership is expiring. To begin or renew your Layout Design SIG membership, visit this link:
    http://www.ldsig.org/membership

    Byron Henderson
     
  11. GNMT76

    GNMT76 TrainBoard Member

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    Byron,

    Train #61 rolled into the station today, sixteen months after #60 departed for the junk yard! Thanks to you and the board for your efforts to keep it and future issues coming.

    The Journal continues to be a professionally-produced publication with high-quality photography. One suggestion: place a brief, non-model railroading bio of the authors at the end of each article. For example: Robert Engleberg is a retired engineer with IMB now living in Otumwa, IA. He and his wife spend two months each year traveling the world. Or: Seamus O'Malley is an architect and portrait painter residing in Dublin, Ireland. I find it interesting to learn a little about folks in this way.
     

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