CLUB AGREEMENTS AND RULES
Objective: The intent of the following agreements and rules is to create a safe, friendly, organized, welcoming, and fun club for all members and visitors. Our assumption is that a club that is managed cooperatively by and among equals (rather than top-down and punitively) will best meet this objective.
AGREEMENTS
General Agreements: We agree to:
Treat each other with respect and in a spirit of friendship
Support and cooperate with each other in our mutual efforts to plan, build, and operate the layout
Put the overall welfare of the club ahead of our personal preferences, when necessary
Conscientiously care for club property and the property and equipment of other members
Deal with problems that arise among us immediately and openly as friends, not as adversaries
Help each other meet our agreements and follow clubhouse and operating rules in a friendly and constructive manner
Ensure that our club is an organization of friendship and camaraderie
Visit the clubhouse only during agreed upon hours, i.e. any day between 10:00 am and 10:00 pm, seven days per week
Sign into the building immediately upon arrival unless there is a scheduled event
Learn all steps needed to close the clubhouse securely, i.e. how to turn off power to the furnace, fans, layout, and lights; how to shut off the gas valve; how to secure all doors
Double check all clubhouse closing procedures (listed in the previous item) on days when we are the last to leave
Not to smoke within 50 feet of the propane tanks or in the clubhouse at any time
Keep all food and drink out of the operating area
Clean up our own messes in the crew room, leave no food in the clubhouse overnight unless it is in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container, empty the garbage can as necessary, and leave no litter outside
If we are the one to make the coffee, empty and clean the coffee pot at the end of the day or designate someone to do so.
Store our equipment boxes and containers in vehicles or in an out-of-the-way place under the layout, and not in the crewroom
Keep all walkways clear of chairs, boxes, etc., with the understanding that the only exceptions will be wheelchairs for disabled persons and tools in use during a work session.
Keep the restroom clean and stocked with supplies
Willingly help clean the layout area as necessary
Agreements regarding Guests: We agree to:
Make guests feel welcome by introducing ourselves and being sure that someone is showing them around the clubhouse
Meet at the clubhouse any guests we invite and show them around, or arrange for another member to do so
Have guests sign the Guest Book
Be sure guests follow any club agreements and rules that may pertain to their visit
Be sure that guests under 16 years old are supervised by an adult club member at all times
Agreements regarding Locomotive and Car Check-In: We agree to:
Learn the performance standards that apply to our equipment
Learn from a more experienced member how to apply these standards to our equipment if we are not sure how to do so on our own
Make an honest effort to meet these standards for each car and locomotive before we turn it in for approval by one of the Car Inspectors
Refine our ability to meet these standards
Agreements regarding Staying Informed: We agree to:
Read items on the bulletin board
Attend monthly board meetings as often as possible
Be fully familiar with Club Agreements and with the Layout and Operation rules
Agreements regarding Club By-Laws: We agree to:
Follow all bylaws and rules pertaining to the Clubhouse, both in letter and in spirit
Remind each other in constructive ways when by-laws are not being followed
Suggest changes in by-laws, when necessary
Agreements regarding Parking: We agree to:
Park our cars in the parking lot in front of the clubhouse
Park behind the hangar building only if the lot in front of the clubhouse is full and if it is after 12:00 pm. (NOON)
Layout rules apply at all times, except when superseded by Operations Session Rules during Operations Sessions.
When in doubt as to what to do next – STOP YOUR TRAIN!
Engineers will be responsible for returning all mainline turnouts to their closed position after their train has cleared the turnout. The exceptions to this rule are turnouts #12 and #26: it is the responsibility of the engineer of any train approaching these two turnouts to make sure that they are aligned properly.
All operators must pay strict attention to applicable signal indications in signaled territory.
Cars and locomotives that have not been checked in will not be left anywhere on the layout.
All testing of locomotives will be done on the programming track or on the loop of track under the paper mill area.
At the end of all run sessions the inbound/outbound tracks in the main yard will be cleared of all rolling stock and locomotives. Overflow from the sorting (classification) tracks will be placed in the storage yard under the main yard or in one of the staging yard tracks. The inbound/outbound tracks are the five double-ended tracks in the main yard. The sorting tracks are the five stub ended tracks on the main yard. The staging yards are the five-track yard inside the west side of the center peninsula and the three-track yard inside the mountain behind Alpine.
Items not currently being used for layout construction or operation will be stored under the layout or on the shelves at the north end of the layout room. Members will be held responsible for cleaning up after themselves in their work areas.
No chairs or other devices for seating one’s self will be in the layout room during run or operations sessions. The sole exception will be devices for enabling disabled persons to get around, e.g. wheelchairs, canes, walkers.
All cars are to be put on or taken off the layout in a yard or industrial area – not on the mainline or passing sidings.
Any cars moved between the set up for an operations session and the operations session must be returned to their original location. Car cards and waybills are not to be disturbed during this time except by the Trainmaster or one of his designated helpers.
Any car that is Bad Ordered will be placed on the check-in counter with a note giving the car’s number, reporting marks, the problem and the name or property number of the person reporting the problem. Any “Bad Ordered” equipment that has been repaired must be checked and approved by a Car Inspector before being placed back on the layout.
Operations Session Rules are only in effect during Operations Sessions.
All locomotives and rolling stock to be used during an Operations Session must be checked in and on the layout by the end of the Sunday before the Operations Session.
The Dispatcher will be called and permission obtained before entering or leaving the mainline.
The Dispatcher shall control all electrically operated turnouts with the exception of turnout numbers 1, 4, 5, 6, 22 and 23. The operation of turnout numbers 1, 4, 5 and 6 will be the responsibility of the Yardmaster.
The Dispatcher will be contacted and permission received before operating any ground throw equipped mainline turnouts.
All Special Instructions included with the Train Information Packet shall be observed.
All trains on the mainline or passing sidings will have a caboose or FRED equipped car marking its trailing end. All local freights will have a caboose.
Realistic scale speeds will be maintained at all times.
The Yardmaster must be contacted before any train may enter or leave the Yard.
Cars containing hazardous materials can be placed no closer than four cars back from the locomotives.
Helpers will be placed in the rear third of a train. The exception will be point helpers on passenger trains.
Helpers will not be placed in such a way that they shove against underweight cars. The exception to this would be if the makeup of the train makes any other arrangement impossible or impractical (i.e., the train is made up entirely of underweight cars or the last 1/3 of a train is underweight cars.)
Passenger trains may only have helpers added directly in front of, or in back of, the train’s locomotive(s). Helpers may not shove against passenger cars.
None of us wants enforcement of our agreements and rules to be a big deal—after all, we’re in the club to have fun. Obviously, we can all increase the fun and decrease the enforcement needs by being sure we meet our agreements and follow the rules.
Levels of Infractions: since not all infractions are created equal, the club applies the following levels of enforcement.
1. Minor Infractions:
Examples: violation of a layout or operating session rule, e.g. leaving a turn-out open, leaving a storage box in the lounge area.
Consequences: a friendly reminder for the first occurrence from the Trainmaster or any club member and a 25 cent fine to be paid immediately in the “club improvement” jar. The idea here is to be sure agreements and rules are followed, but in a light and good-natured manner rather than in a manner that creates hard feelings.
2. Major Infractions:
Examples: not securing the building, damaging equipment, disregarding the overall welfare of the club.
Consequences: these infractions require at least two board members to meet with the member committing the infractions in order to clarify and discuss the situation. Consequences can include, but are not limited to, the member reaffirming his/her commitment to the club, a fine, demotion in level of membership, expulsion from the club.
3. Persistent Infractions
Examples: repeated and frequent minor infractions or two or more major infractions.
Consequences: these infractions require action by the full Board of Directors. The likely consequences for persistent infractions include: loss of running privileges for a period of time specified by the Board; demotion of level of membership; suspension from the club for a period of time specified by the Board; or expulsion. Other consequences may apply at the Board’s discretion.