NMRA

[Anonymous]

Any one know about this National Model Railroad Assosiation?
also anyone know where I could get a good track gauge? My dad's HO one is from the NMRA thats how i found out about it.
Scott

[vsmith]

I dont think you will find a large scale track gauge from the NMRA.

A little back history...The NMRA is a very very predominantly HO organization that for the most parts views garden rr's as an lunitic fringe of the model rr universe. A few years ago they tryed to impose new "standards of model railroading" onto the large scale community only to get rebuffed severly by both the manufacturers and the modelers themselves.

They got spanked because after being here for 20+ years ( garden rr-ing) we were completely ignored and looked down upon by the NMRA. Then when they realized garden rr-ing and large scale in general was where the boom in model rr-ing was happening, they waltzed in thinking everyone would bow down to them and just accept their expertice. They got slapped. Deservingly so, They didnt try to work with theexisting garden rr-ing community, they just said"stop what your doing and now do it OUR way". or something to that effect.

NMRA was a great organization back in the 60's and 70's. they are they reason why HO and N scale is so consistant scale and quaility wise, it was their "standards" that brought that about. But they were more eager to work WITH the HO and N manufacturers back in the early 60's with HO and 70's with N to assure the compatability issue was consistant one manufacturer to another.

That was then, Now they are a bit self-rightuous and extremely self-important as an organisation. Their own internal power struggles and ego-battles have really weakened a once great force in model railroading. If you are not doing what the majority in the NMRA membership is doing, namely mainline HO room sized layouts, forget it! your persona-non-grata to them. They dont know how to deal with different scales issues and innovation, look at large scale 1/29-1/32 scale issue ( All 1/29th must be abandoned, so say the NMRA rivet counters)and most recently the introduction of On30 (blasphemy sayith the NMRA rivet counters, "You CANNOT have a D&RGW loco at 30"guage it never existed, burn! burn!)

We desperately need the "Standards of Model Railroading" for large scale, the scale mess is proof of this but the answer is not going to come from the NMRA by any means. It will come from our own Large Scale organizations and participants working with manufacturers and other large scale operators.

[RhB_HJ]

Vic,

What do you mean tried, they are still trying! Just look at the proposed Standards that are under discussion.

They are "mighty interesting" and as soon as I calmed down enough - no reason me getting upset, I quit the NMRA 20+ years ago - I started to laugh.
Basically they don't even have the basics down. But that doesn't bother me a bit I follow the NEM standards.
At least those guys understand that the track gauge is 45.00mm and being as it's an inside measurement the tolerance will go to the +.

NMRA would have us believe that the Gauge is somewhere between 1.750" and 45.00mm with the tolerance going "wherever". [:-^][:-^] Dixie

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainmaster1989

Any one know about this National Model Railroad Assosiation?
also anyone know where I could get a good track gauge? My dad's HO one is from the NMRA thats how i found out about it.
Scott

Scott,

What's the intended use for the gauge?

Have a look here http://www.rhb-grischun.ca/ go to "Construction" "Track", the second page shows two track gauges I machined.

If by chance you plan on using these to check commercial track i.e. stuff from the BIG THREE (Aristo, LGB, USA), save the money!
So far, at least as far as I know, no one has been able to tie down those mfgs as to which standard they follow (other than their own!).

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by RhB_HJ

Vic,

What do you mean tried, they are still trying! Just look at the proposed Standards that are under discussion.

They are "mighty interesting" and as soon as I calmed down enough - no reason me getting upset, I quit the NMRA 20+ years ago - I started to laugh.
Basically they don't even have the basics down. But that doesn't bother me a bit I follow the NEM standards.
At least those guys understand that the track gauge is 45.00mm and being as it's an inside measurement the tolerance will go to the +.

NMRA would have us believe that the Gauge is somewhere between 1.750" and 45.00mm with the tolerance going "wherever". [:-^][:-^] Dixie

Well, after a very bad experience back in my HOn30 days I began using a different definition of NMRA:

National
Mean-sprited
Rivet-counters
Association

Sure there are a lot of very good people in the organisation, I just never meet any back in those days. Got so burned and angry I hung up the hobby for about 5 years. When I very tenatively got back into the hobby about four years ago, I Lone Wolfed it for about a year and a half, got onto this forum and have since been to a few LS events, meet some fellow large scalers and have been slowely coming out of the wolf den and into the forest again. I still an very very Lone Wolf at the LHS (HO mostly), but a lot more open at the LS shops like San-Val. Still taking a while to get over that burn...

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith



Well, after a very bad experience back in my HOn30 days I began using a different definition of NMRA:

National
Mean-sprited
Rivet-counters
Association

Sure there are a lot of very good people in the organisation, I just never meet any back in those days. Got so burned and angry I hung up the hobby for about 5 years. When I very tenatively got back into the hobby about four years ago, I Lone Wolfed it for about a year and a half, got onto this forum and have since been to a few LS events, meet some fellow large scalers and have been slowely coming out of the wolf den and into the forest again. I still an very very Lone Wolf at the LHS (HO mostly), but a lot more open at the LS shops like San-Val. Still taking a while to get over that burn...

Hey Vic,

That's what you get for going 2 1/2 ft gauge.[:o)][;)][}:)][:D][:D][:D]

I just read a small note in the Swiss mag; believe it or not there is a railway in Switzerland that has 1200mm gauge.

That's what I'll model next.[;)][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by RhB_HJ
[brHave a look here http://www.rhb-grischun.ca/ go to "Construction" "Track", the second page shows two track gauges I machined.

RhB_HJ,
Good idea with the door hinge. What did you use to make it?
Scott

[jmozz]

scott don't even go there nmra wants $60 bucks a year for nothing last year the northeast convention was in my town i have been modeling trains for 30 years when i got to the door iwas,not allowed in because i was not a member. they said i was welcome to enter if i wanted to join for 50 dollars well i went home and said nmra mens no money we don't want to know you jmozz

[Anonymous]

[2c]
I grew up with parents that said "stand on your on 2 feet".
As of now, I have, in the past gave money to police officers associations, red cross, police union, etc...
Well, now I am out money that could have been used else where.
So, I WILL stand on my on 2 feet WITH OUT the National Model Railroad Assosiation as I have seen letters online (some place) that made me want to puke.[xx(]
So I will apply my money (dues) toward my railway.

[IRONROOSTER]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainmaster1989

Any one know about this National Model Railroad Assosiation?
also anyone know where I could get a good track gauge? My dad's HO one is from the NMRA thats how i found out about it.
Scott

Scott,
This is the NMRA page: http://www.nmra.org/ They don't make G gauges, but do make them in N, HO, HOn3, Sn3, OO/On3, and O. NASG http://www.nasg.org/ has them in S. I have been a member for over 30 years and continue to find it worthwhile.
Enjoy
Paul

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainmaster1989

QUOTE: Originally posted by RhB_HJ
[brHave a look here http://www.rhb-grischun.ca/ go to "Construction" "Track", the second page shows two track gauges I machined.

RhB_HJ,
Good idea with the door hinge. What did you use to make it?
Scott

Milling machine.

I'm the lucky guy with a lathe, a milling machine, a ..........
well you get the idea.[;)][:)]

[Anonymous]

RhB_HJ
I'll have to find one of those then.
Thanks.
Scott