NHRHTA gets interesting a'gin

Quick question on former employees, best to be posted here than there - is Alan Sherry still around?

I think he was one of the last hires on the NH [or at least he said he worked for the NH in 1968] - or when was the last hiring done on the NH would probably be even more interesting.

CannaScrews wrote:Quick question on former employees, best to be posted here than there - is Alan Sherry still around?

I think he was one of the last hires on the NH [or at least he said he worked for the NH in 1968] - or when was the last hiring done on the NH would probably be even more interesting.

Now there's somebody whom I have not heard anything about in a long, long time. He was/is not the individual whom I
referred to, the individual whom I referred to yesterday works for a short line in some capacity, I do not know just what.
Noel Weaver

I got busy and missed a few cycles of the discussion here. I just wanted to comment on Noel's post in the previous page about the situations where people who "lived the history" are not welcome because their presence might compete with the local experts. I have also encountered this reaction from railroad historical groups, and not just NHRHTA. In some cases the study of railroad history is a rather remote concern to some groups, particularly the ones that are primarily slide showing clubs. You get this curious reaction where they act like they are the owners of railroad history rather than students of it.

MX

The last is so true. They think they know everything but one of them isn't qualified east of Pelham Bay while another couldn't
find Back Bay some years back and others just follow the pack or at least these two. I am not going to be bothered with them anymore.
Noel Weaver

CannaScrews wrote:Quick question on former employees, best to be posted here than there - is Alan Sherry still around?

Noel - not fishing for anything. Sherry wrote a book over 10 years ago which got harpooned by some. I used to see him at train shows a way back. Just curious.

Besides - if you took a right at Readville heading north, you don't have to worry about where Back Bay is.....

I do not advocate "poaching" members from other sites, but you can let anyone who has been previously discouraged at other sites know that we encourage conversation of the New Haven unrestricted of personal preference or time period... The more, the merrier!

Otto, I was hurt by remarks there in January and I have vowed that I would not post there again. So far I have held to that
but I would welcome comments from anybody else on that one as to our little group here. Our group here does not end on
December 31, 1968.
Noel Weaver

I agree with Noel's last statement. I was born in 67, but AFAIAC still saw plenty of "New Haven history" in the years since I turned 1.

Yes, it is unfortunate that some folks in NHRHTA chose to cut off the study of history with the demise of the railroad, there is a lot of the former New Haven out there to see, and some of it is in better shape now than it ever was during the NHRR era. A number of other historical societies are quite flexible in their coverage of "merged" railroads after their principal interest disappeared. When you create a strict calendar based boundary it greatly limits the selection of material you will have available to publish in the future, restricts the number of speakers you can access to do presentations, and turns your organization into "a group of people showing slides as they wait for their chance to die". (a favorite line by a well known author).

MX

I sometimes visit their site. I am not a member either. I have gotten some of my questions answered there, and I am grateful. My questions are mostly based on operations. I guess that it is because I am a railroader too. people like Noel have filled in some of the blanks.
The tone of the forum seems very pompous! One should already know everything there is to know about any given topic. If a model company comes out with a new model, they all try to pick out one rivet, which is .000000000000000000000001" off. Many of New Haven's engines had unique modifications from the standard. The low clearance cab roof of the Alco switchers comes to mind. They all jump over why the manufacturer did not make that version. Why would some company like Atlas do it to sell a hundred or so, when the return would be in their favor the standard version?
They recently had a thread about what is relevant or irrelevant. Who do they think that they are? The New Haven meant different things to different people.The whole reason that we discuss it is because of our memories. I pointed it out, but just got sarcastic replies. My uncle's return home on leave from Charleston, SC, during WWII (where he hated the Atlantic Coast Line portion of the trip) have a deep meaning to him, for example. No one else might care, but the New Haven was like his first welcome home.
My son is 3, but he likes the New Haven. When he gets old enough to dig for more details, he needn't get shunned by them because he was not born knowing everything. What a way to turn someone off!
I stopped by their booth at the Amherst show. They seemed bothered by my question about the brass sides for a streamlined car. I am glad that someone else shares my views. I don't want to see them fail. They have done some good works. I just hope that there is an attitude adjustment before much of the research scatters to the winds.

B. Burns

Agreed, they aren't a bad organiization, they're a good organization with a lot to offer but unfortunalely it lies hidden behind some less than pleasant attitudes.

To all, I will try my best to answer NHRR questions IF I can but I will not make something up and if I do not know, I will tell
you.
I have issues with one or two over there but unfortunately the one or two with whom I have issues are on the board there so
I have no way of addressing the issues with them.
If somebody puts a question on there I will not step up with an answer even if I do know and I have NO KNOWLEDGE of toys,
models or scale trains.
My interest did not end with the end of the New Haven Railroad and anybody who interest did end with the end of the NHRR
is suffering a big loss in my opinion. Railroading has never lost its interest with me and it NEVER WILL either.
Noel Weaver

Come forth the lightning rod,
With bolts of red,
Now civility and decorum,
In this forum,
Are dead.


Or maybe a Hiaku

Quiet the forum waters flow
Until stirred by the east is red

Noel (and others) left your site. Why pursue him here? It's not your turf over here. Why the vendetta?

This really is getting idiotic. I know that Mr. Weaver can certainly defend himself, but I wanted to state that I am among those who find his postings among the most informative on this site.

Mr. Tower, why don't you express your opinion under your real name, as I do? Anyone can take anonymous cheap shots.