Edit/Update: I found the phone number and called. The answer is to use the phone and not email to contact them. In five minutes, the problem was resolved.
In 2103, based on the advice of many in this forum, I bought a six-month Rail Pass membership to the NMRA. It seemed to be worth it, so at the end of the year I bought full year. I got my card, my magazines, access to the site, and all was good. In August of last year, I responded to an early-renewal request and renewed my membership. (Charge showed up on my credit card statement.) Fast forward to the beginning of this year when I received a membership renewal in the mail. I checked my records and showed I am paid up through the end of 2015. No problem, must have been a clerical error. Logged on to the website and checked my history. Yup, all my payments showed up. Used the "Contact Us" page to send in a request to ensure I my membership was current. Weeks later--no reply. I go to check the status of my account, but I am blocked from logging on. It appears I am no longer a current member. There appears to be no telephone numbers on the NMRA site, so I send an email directly to their membership department. Still no reply. Have others had success in contacting NMRA? If so, what was the trick? $66.00 is a fair chunk of change just to throw away. (Heck, that's two more decoders.)
Richard
Richard,
It sounds like some sort of glitch. Just to clarify the math, when in 2013 did you sign up for the Railpass? That would take you six months from the date of application, so sometime between Jan. 2014 and June 2014 at the latest. Then you paid a year's membership, which would run for a year after that. That could end as early as Jan. 2015, but might stretch to June 2015, depending on the date of the original Railpass. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't take you through 2015, only part way through at most to June. It's possible it ended earlier than June, though?
A good way to get to the bottom of things is to contact your division clerk or superintendent.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Math is sound. Rail Pass in July of 2013 took me through the end of 2013. Membership in December of 2013 took me through the end of 2014. (This one worked.) Renewal in August of 2014 which should cover me until the end of 2015. (This is the one that disappeared into the black hole.)
RideOnRoad There appears to be no telephone numbers on the NMRA site, so I send an email directly to their membership department. Still no reply.
There appears to be no telephone numbers on the NMRA site, so I send an email directly to their membership department. Still no reply.
The NMRA is thinly staffed and can be frustrating to deal with. However this is from the NMRA site
Dave Nelson
National Model Railroad Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 1328Soddy Daisy TN 37384-1328Phone: (423) 892-2846 - Fax: (423) 899-4869
Okay, I am getting old. I went back to the Contact Us page, and there is a phone number right at the top of the page. (And it is on the back of my old membership card.) In the immortal words of Homer Simpson, "Doh!" I will try calling today.
And the answer is, use the telephone. They answer the phone and are incredibly helpful. I will edit the original post to reflect this.
As it turns out, my renewal was applied to another Richard Scott that lives in Arizona. They are getting it fixed and life is good.
Keep us informed.
RideOnRoad And the answer is, use the telephone. They answer the phone and are incredibly helpful. I will edit the original post to reflect this. As it turns out, my renewal was applied to another Richard Scott that lives in Arizona. They are getting it fixed and life is good.
That is strange are you sure teh email went through ? That has not been my expierence. I sent an email to Charlie Getz and within a few days I recieved a response.
YGW
The first attempt was using the form on the web page. I have to believe that went through. The second was using standard email. I did not get any rejection return emails so I am assuming it went through. Maybe the other Richard was a friend of the family.
YGW, I would be willing to bet that the difference here is that you e-mailed Mr Getz directly, while the OP used the "contact us" and "membership department" options.
Human beings are funny in that if you say to a group of people "I need xyz" you probably won't get what you are looking for, but if you point at one of the people standing in the group and say "I need xyz" you probably will.
A request (e-mail) made to a group is often met with the "someone else can handle it" mentallity, and that often leads to a "no one else handled it" result.
A direct to a person e-mail or phone call gives ownership of the task/request/reply to that person, and good business mandates that once given ownership that person will likely follow through and deliver a result.
Chris Ballinger
Modeling the Clementon Branch of the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines in HO scale
Chris
There is probably a lot of truth in that statement. In my career I know that in order for a task to be accomplished I have to assign it to a company and give them start and stop dates.
I've had good luck with email responses from the NMRA several times during the last 2 years. Let us know if you get anywhere.
It's hard to remember that MOST of the NMRA are volunteer postitions with only the main "crew" being paid. Sometimes things get a little backlogged until people can get away from their day jobs to get to NMRA stuff. Usually only a matter of days in my experience.
They greatly support and appreciate us modelers and if it wasn't for them manufactuerers would run rampant with products that don't work and play well with others. It's worth hanging in there. If you ever get to attend a National Convention THAT's really fun.
Jim
Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.