Not so long ago the NMRA nad the Model Railroad Magazine seemed to be joined at teh hip and in even further times past the owners knew each other and worked together. I remeber seeing conformance comments in MRR issued by NMRA. Why has it changed ?
If you refer to Model Railroader, their product reviews certainly continue to refer to conformance with NMRA standards. But it is true that one used to see more little "plugs" to join the NMRA in MR, both as small ads, and I do not know if those were gratis or paid for back in the day, but also in mentions in editorial content. You also used to see more promotion for NMRA national convention layouts (and even some major regional convention layouts) in MR. But that was also back when the NMRA Bulletin was a crudely produced black and white publication. Now it is a glossy paper magazine with excellent color photo reproduction and I imagine MR feels less need to serve as the NMRA's helpmate for publishing high quality photos of contest winning models, and layouts that are to be on tour, since the NMRA is now fully capable of doing so itself. I suppose that prior practice had the incidental effect of bringing NMRA events and activities to the attention of non NMRA members, and that has largely been lost.
Linn Westcott as editor often editorialized about NMRA standards, often being critical of them or of the proposed changes, but after all he was in general a more tech minded editor than MR has had in some time. Plus he probably felt he had more at stake in the NMRA being an early and influential member.
The NMRA's conventions are more than the big train show which seems to be mostly what the MR Video Plus area is interested in. But I do not know how much appetite there is to devote lots of MR pages to NMRA convention activities when, after all, perhaps just 10% of NMRA members attend their own national convention.
Dave Nelson
It would be interesting to see a graph of what percent of Model Railroader readers over the years were NMRA members. That would influence things too.
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
Back in the 50/60s if you wanted to join either the Columbus HO club or the Columbus O Scale club you had to be a NMRA member or willing to join the NMRA.
I also recall the local division meets was well attended and there was lots of voting on various things including some RP and Standards. After the business meeting there was refreshments and then came the popular home layout or club tours.The division used at least three school buses for these tours. If clinics and slide shows was schedule after the meeting the the layout tours was canceled.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Brakie
I belong to a division in Va and we still follow that format. The tours are still very popular and it is very intersting to see how MRR can be installed/built with such wonderful inventivness.
Steve Otte - I was wondering if you could comment on this thread ?
YGW
Dave Nelson is on target with his comments. MR's relationship with the NMRA is fine. Indeed, a large number of MR's readers are not NMRA members. Linn Westcott has been gone for 35 years now, so it's a stretch to compare MR and the NMRA that Westcott knew with today's versions.
Neil Besougloff
editor, Model Railroader magazine