NMRA Membership

[Anonymous]

What does a Life Membership do?

Pretty much what it says:  Membership in the organization for the life of the member.  Life memberships are no longer offered by the NMRA.  I got mine back in the late 70s, as I recall, for something like $450 or so.  My dues are paid for the rest of my life, and I also receive the monthly magazine and other publications for the rest of my life.  That life membership has paid for itself many times over by now.  Truth is, it paid for itself, in my opinion, the year I attended my first NMRA National Convention--in Washington, D.C.  Met some great folks who have remained close friends; visited a wealth of great layouts (including the late John Armstrong's layout); and won a cab ride in Southern 2716, which pulled our excursion train to Charlottesville and back.

Along the way, I also contributed rather heavily to the building of the NMRA's then-new headquarters building, in Tennessee, which is as nice as the TCA's HQ in Pennsylvania and is the home of the NMRA library--a treasure trove of valuable model and prototype railroading information.  Most of the books in my own library will go to that collection when I pass away. 

[ModelTrainman]

What does a Life Membership do?

[Anonymous]

I'm a Life Member of the NMRA, and originally joined in the mid-70s.  Although I did not join because of any involvement in O gauge at the time (I was in N scale then), I consider my NMRA membership to be the BEST single investment I have ever made in the hobby.

NMRA membership is comprised primarily of those in HO and N scale (which makes sense because they are the two most popular scales in the hobby), but even after I became involved with other scales, ranging from Z to Large Scale, I still found NMRA membership to be the most valuable of all the various club memberships I hold or have held.

That's just my opinion, based on a good many years of attending what I consider the greatest national conventions offered by any group in the hobby, and after many years of finding new friends from every state in the union and from many other countries, as well.

[dwiemer]

the answer to your question, Depends.  I think that for folks who are into modular club type running, it is a definate Yes.  Also, I have gotten some good scenery ideas and realistic operational ideas from them, but, for me, it has been better as an observer getting some information from books/magazines with specific articles for things I need.  I think you would be better served with the TCA and perhaps getting a subscription to RR Model Craftsman, or one of the other scale railroad mags.

Good Luck,

dennis

[overall]

Does being in the NMRA benefit those of us who are three rail O gauge Hi-Railers? I have thought about joining NMRA off and on, but my experience in the past has been that they were mostly oriented towards HO and N scale. I am into the near scale O gauge trains running through realistic scenery. I am also interested in realistic operation with car cards etc.I was wondering what the NMRA's attitude was towards those of us whose interest goes in this direction.

 

Thanks,

 

George