The NMRA today

[douginut]

Much of the problem as I see it is that ...
1. dues paid to a national organization are dollars NOT spent on enjoying the hobby.
2. having spent that money for national membership it is not there for the LOCAL organization.
3. most of the younger hobbyists dont have the time or disposable income to support any organization which is most visible in it's activities 2000 miles away from where you live and work.

There HAS to be a better way of organizing this situation. I have actually been a member of the local NMRA group and also the national. The local was fun, the national seemed a complete waste of time and money AT THE TIME . my circumstances and the world is different for me now, (kids grown) and I may take a look. but it has always seemed like like supporting a beautiful local club in another state and region.

Doug, in Utah

[jrbernier]

DeSchane,

I live about 75 miles south of the Twin Cities. I do get up to the cities and do attend some of the TCD activities. I also go to the Prairie Lakes Division activities when I have time and the weather is not too bad. I know driving over 100 miles can be an issue in winter. Your area does have a pretty active division IIRC, and most of the time you can attend those fuctions without NMRA membership. I am a 'life member' and I have no annual dues to pay, but I realize that they are pretty steep. I used to live in the Twin Cities over 20 years ago and was very active in the NMRA/TLR and two of the local clubs. A work related move, marriage, and other family matters made me more of a 'lone wolf' and I have been working back into TLR activities over the past 5 years.
Check out the local division - at least you can find 'train' related friends that way!
You can find the divisions at the following URl:
http://www.thousandlakesregion.org/pages/divisions.html

Jim Bernier

[Anonymous]

I am not and have never been a member of the NMRA. However, I have only good things to say about the organization excepting the cost of membership. Even this I can't really make comment on, as I don't know what is gotten for the price. It is not that I am a Lone Wolf as I am a member of many other organizations.

The only reason I can think of (other than the fact I am cheap) is; I flew Radio Control for 15 years. I was a member of a local club (the flying field was on my property). To even fly R/C, you should be a member of a US national organization, which is the "Academy of Model Aeronautics" or "AMA" and I was a member, as they provide affordable liability insurance for the activity and maybe the best general publication on Model Aviation for the price of membership. There are many other issues confronting model aviation, which the AMA lobbies to protect. Since Model Railroading is a more individual activity, national representation for the model railroader is much less important.

When I left the R/C hobby, to get back into Model Railroading, I liked the idea that I could pursue a hobby without having to be a member of a national organization. I still like this idea for some reason. Now and then I think I might join, but I haven't, yet.

Maybe you members, can guilt me into joining!

I live in a rural area of Minnesota, the closest active NMRA contingent is 200 miles away in the Twin Cities. This may also have something to do with joining.

[rogerhensley]

Briefly, because I've said much of this before. The NMRA is working on making changes in it's very structure to make it more responsive to the hobby and to get 'back to basics'. The very Board is undergoing chenges.

As to Canada and Toronto, I can't really speak to that as I didn't inend to make that convention and Train Show for reasons going back years to two different trips to Canada.

I have had a very positive experience with my local division. It is probably stronger today than it has ever been. The active members are interested in the hobby first and foremost with the NMRA being the vehicle to showcase that interest. That works. What doesn't work is divisions (or clubs) that lock out new people from sharing their experiences. They become ingrown and tend to become stagnant and eventually disappear. Seeing the same 10 or 15 people around the table each month doesn't make it. We have that many at a Board Meeting.

In our case,, we hold 4 or 5 activities a year moved around the division and combine some of them with our own train show that draws in the public. That's how you grow. We probably have 75 to 80 NMRA members at each activity with another 60 or 70 or so members of the public including a fairly large number of kids (not counted in the totals if they are 12 or under). How can the hobby and the NMRA grow if you close yourself off?

Last item, it takes individuals to make it work. I won't say that you should try to reactivate a division because I don't know what it's like where you are. I do know that 'business as usual' doesn't do the hobby any good. As the phone company used to say, "Reach out and touch someone." Where that is being done, the hobby and the NMRA is healthy. Where it is NOT being done, the hobby and the NMRA is suffereing.

[BR60103]

TB:
I've never been overly active in NMRA since my interest is British. I went to the local meets for a couple of years, a couple of decades ago. The most involvement I've had since was the convention.
I still see the NMRA table at the bigger shows, and it seems to be the same people that started CARM.
I've seen the local NMRA go through bad patches and good. The region has never stopped, but divisions have suspended operations when there was no executive.

[trolleyboy]

Before I get to my main point I want to stress that I'm not attacking the NMRA I just have some questions and or misgivings. First off I would like to say that over it's existance the NMRA has done wonders for the hobby, with its standards codes of ethics etc etc.I have noticed lately that it seems to be taking a lessor role at least from my side of the fence.There used to be NMRA meetings WOD conventions how to clinic shows but lately at least in my neck of the woods these have all seemed to have gone the way of the Dodo. I used to look forward to the local meets and meet and greet some of the local and brought in tallent but now unfortunatly the local chapters seem to be more hands off than on. I'm wondering if it's just going through a "greying" period as there seems to be fewer and fewer younger members comming up through the ranks. Is it a lack opg going after new members ao are the younger gen of train modelers becomming more of the "lone wolf" I don't want to belong to anything type people. I'm in my thirties and have been in the hobby for at least 20 years that I can recall so I have seen the and the bad of the hobby. I know in Canada we have CARM which is suposed to cater to canadian modelling but in my heart of hearts I think it's really a swipe at the NMRA for what happened with the Toronto convention in 2003. I hope I'm wrong as I know quite a few of CARM"S starters and they are areally talented bunch of modelers. I suppose my question to the modelling poulace is this does the NMRA need to reinvent itself to attract some new blood or is it fine as it is.I want to agin say that this is a partcipation topic not a bashing topic I wanted just to take a straw pole of the railway modelling world NMRA members and non-members alike. I'm kind of on the fence as to weather or not to join or to join CARM or just to stay a lone wolf modeller. Thanks in advance for all input. TB