NMRA membership

[cmurray]

I used to belong several years ago. The Bulletin used to drive me nuts, though, because it would always have a nice model photo on the cover and then inside there would never be a follow-up article relating to the cover. Is this still true?

[cmurray]

I used to belong several years ago. The Bulletin used to drive me nuts, though, because it would always have a nice model photo on the cover and then inside there would never be a follow-up article relating to the cover. Is this still true?

[on30francisco]

I used to belong back in the 80s and early 90s. The bulletins back then were filled with a lot of helpful modeling information in all scales and gauges. I am disappointed with the contents of the bulletin today. Although I model in On30 and HO, I enjoy reading articles about all scales. I believe the NMRA today focuses on HO scale with little regard to the other scales. There is also too much politics involved. I once went to several regional chapter meetings and found the people very cliquish and arrogant. If you weren't modeling in their scale or theme they would be hesitant to talk to you let alone help you. I feel the NMRA has done a lot of good to promote model railroading and set standards for products, but I wish people would have an open mind when it comes to scales and themes. This is a hobby and hobbies are supposed to be fun

[on30francisco]

I used to belong back in the 80s and early 90s. The bulletins back then were filled with a lot of helpful modeling information in all scales and gauges. I am disappointed with the contents of the bulletin today. Although I model in On30 and HO, I enjoy reading articles about all scales. I believe the NMRA today focuses on HO scale with little regard to the other scales. There is also too much politics involved. I once went to several regional chapter meetings and found the people very cliquish and arrogant. If you weren't modeling in their scale or theme they would be hesitant to talk to you let alone help you. I feel the NMRA has done a lot of good to promote model railroading and set standards for products, but I wish people would have an open mind when it comes to scales and themes. This is a hobby and hobbies are supposed to be fun

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ddexterr

Back in the 60's when NMRA decided to stay with horn-hook couplers, I left.

A couple years ago in a hobby store in Georgia, I was about to purchase about$125.00, in HO equipment and kits..Was told if I was an NMRA member I get 10% off... I said you keep it for an NMRA member.......Heard recently that store went out of business.... " Delightful News"

Any LHS going under is bad news for a community, it means there isnt enough interest in that hobby to support a shop. Thats BAD NEWS for all, regardless of how the shop treated people, NMRA members or not. When I found out that the shop I mentioned in my previous posting had gone under I was disheartened because it was a great source of supplies and its lose left a hole for model RR's in that community. Just remember when the mom and pop LHS goes under, all thats left usually is Hobby People, and they dont stock jack-anything-worthwhile there.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ddexterr

Back in the 60's when NMRA decided to stay with horn-hook couplers, I left.

A couple years ago in a hobby store in Georgia, I was about to purchase about$125.00, in HO equipment and kits..Was told if I was an NMRA member I get 10% off... I said you keep it for an NMRA member.......Heard recently that store went out of business.... " Delightful News"

Any LHS going under is bad news for a community, it means there isnt enough interest in that hobby to support a shop. Thats BAD NEWS for all, regardless of how the shop treated people, NMRA members or not. When I found out that the shop I mentioned in my previous posting had gone under I was disheartened because it was a great source of supplies and its lose left a hole for model RR's in that community. Just remember when the mom and pop LHS goes under, all thats left usually is Hobby People, and they dont stock jack-anything-worthwhile there.

[Anonymous]

Back in the 60's when NMRA decided to stay with horn-hook couplers, I left.

A couple years ago in a hobby store in Georgia, I was about to purchase about$125.00, in HO equipment and kits..Was told if I was an NMRA member I get 10% off... I said you keep it for an NMRA member.......Heard recently that store went out of business.... " Delightful News"

[Anonymous]

Back in the 60's when NMRA decided to stay with horn-hook couplers, I left.

A couple years ago in a hobby store in Georgia, I was about to purchase about$125.00, in HO equipment and kits..Was told if I was an NMRA member I get 10% off... I said you keep it for an NMRA member.......Heard recently that store went out of business.... " Delightful News"

[Anonymous]

The standards are a great benefit to the hobby . I've met some great
people also . Have also expirienced the same attitude that VSMITH outlined
on 28 Aug 2003 10:35 pm and am considering not renewing because of it.
Attitudes like that also keep newcomers out of the hobby. Sure there are good people willing to help but a person might not seek them out because of thier first impression. So the NMRA and hobby loses another member.
Harry

[Anonymous]

The standards are a great benefit to the hobby . I've met some great
people also . Have also expirienced the same attitude that VSMITH outlined
on 28 Aug 2003 10:35 pm and am considering not renewing because of it.
Attitudes like that also keep newcomers out of the hobby. Sure there are good people willing to help but a person might not seek them out because of thier first impression. So the NMRA and hobby loses another member.
Harry

[Anonymous]

I was a member for 10 years. I still think the data sheets are an invaluable guide to getting a layout to run better. The standards that the NMRA has set in almost all areas are a god send to the average model railroader whether they know it or not. However, living to far away from a local group, working weekends(always) and the rapidly rising dues did me in.

[Anonymous]

I was a member for 10 years. I still think the data sheets are an invaluable guide to getting a layout to run better. The standards that the NMRA has set in almost all areas are a god send to the average model railroader whether they know it or not. However, living to far away from a local group, working weekends(always) and the rapidly rising dues did me in.

[Anonymous]

Not as one who sat on the outside and complained but as one who jumped in and worked hard for the local region and helped to put on a National Convention, I found it to be what several others have said: A "Good Ol' Boys Organization." I was never even close to the inside track.

I'm a rivet counting nit picker in my own right so that never bothered me but the politics were too much. I want to enjoy my hobby. If I want backstabbing and petty jealousies I can just go to work.

Also, as a minority scaler the overwhelming HO attitude is unappealing.

The best thing about the NMRA were the articles "Notes on a Timebook" by Bill Kennerly, back in the 70's. When he ran out of material, I ran out of membership.

[Anonymous]

Not as one who sat on the outside and complained but as one who jumped in and worked hard for the local region and helped to put on a National Convention, I found it to be what several others have said: A "Good Ol' Boys Organization." I was never even close to the inside track.

I'm a rivet counting nit picker in my own right so that never bothered me but the politics were too much. I want to enjoy my hobby. If I want backstabbing and petty jealousies I can just go to work.

Also, as a minority scaler the overwhelming HO attitude is unappealing.

The best thing about the NMRA were the articles "Notes on a Timebook" by Bill Kennerly, back in the 70's. When he ran out of material, I ran out of membership.

[Anonymous]

A member for more than 25 years I began to cull out some of the less useful information. The original data pack and addenda were my primary interest. As the organization evolved into a quasi publishing company, monthly magazine , et al,it seemed as though this was not one of the things that I "had to have." I still have admiration for those who work so hard to establish standards/specs, without which we would have a mish mash of model accoutements.

[Anonymous]

A member for more than 25 years I began to cull out some of the less useful information. The original data pack and addenda were my primary interest. As the organization evolved into a quasi publishing company, monthly magazine , et al,it seemed as though this was not one of the things that I "had to have." I still have admiration for those who work so hard to establish standards/specs, without which we would have a mish mash of model accoutements.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DTomajko

By the way,everyone is not a rivet-counter in the NMRA,but why should inaccurate or sloppy modeling be rewarded with a title like "Master Model Railroader"?Any goal worth acheiving is only worth as much as the effort it takes to attain.Good luck and good modeling.

Speaking personaly, my beef had nothing to do with doing "sloppy" or "inaccurate" work and expecting praise for it.

No, it had to do with attitude. When I was a lot younger I did HOn30 which at the time was virtually non existant in the mainstream hobby stores, so everything was kitbashed. I built up some reasonably decent variations (to me) of Maine 2 footers. Being inexperienced and not making the best copy of the subject I went to a get together at LCH which allowed people to bring in their stuff for advice (it wanst running well) where the local NMRA members proceeded to ridicule my stuff and discouraged me from even trying to do any more, "Stick to the boxed stuff, ya dont have any talent, in fact you should try somethen else, maybe knitting, har, har, har", others said that they looked fine but that these guys always pooped on other peoples work. The group wasnt inclusive of others, if you didnt vote there way, it was the highway, they only wanted "their kind" in the group. I found a better LHS later and didnt go there afterwords. It left me with a very bad opinion of the group. I know most all of the members of NMRA are not like that but at time it left me bitter. I felt like if I wanted to be accepted by them I would have to conform to thier viewpoints and opinions and I wont do that for anyone. Maybe the experience wasnt as bad as I portray in reality but in my memory it wanst a good experience for an inexperienced modeler to have.

Later I just found out that I preferred to do my own thing. I am now doing 1/2" scale, and they're realy are no "standards" so the sky's the limit imagination wise and thats what I like, freedom to do what I want, not have someone stand next to it with photos, a scale card, thier NMRA standards sheets ready to bash anything they dont like. (see Malcomn Furlow's new spread for example)

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DTomajko

By the way,everyone is not a rivet-counter in the NMRA,but why should inaccurate or sloppy modeling be rewarded with a title like "Master Model Railroader"?Any goal worth acheiving is only worth as much as the effort it takes to attain.Good luck and good modeling.

Speaking personaly, my beef had nothing to do with doing "sloppy" or "inaccurate" work and expecting praise for it.

No, it had to do with attitude. When I was a lot younger I did HOn30 which at the time was virtually non existant in the mainstream hobby stores, so everything was kitbashed. I built up some reasonably decent variations (to me) of Maine 2 footers. Being inexperienced and not making the best copy of the subject I went to a get together at LCH which allowed people to bring in their stuff for advice (it wanst running well) where the local NMRA members proceeded to ridicule my stuff and discouraged me from even trying to do any more, "Stick to the boxed stuff, ya dont have any talent, in fact you should try somethen else, maybe knitting, har, har, har", others said that they looked fine but that these guys always pooped on other peoples work. The group wasnt inclusive of others, if you didnt vote there way, it was the highway, they only wanted "their kind" in the group. I found a better LHS later and didnt go there afterwords. It left me with a very bad opinion of the group. I know most all of the members of NMRA are not like that but at time it left me bitter. I felt like if I wanted to be accepted by them I would have to conform to thier viewpoints and opinions and I wont do that for anyone. Maybe the experience wasnt as bad as I portray in reality but in my memory it wanst a good experience for an inexperienced modeler to have.

Later I just found out that I preferred to do my own thing. I am now doing 1/2" scale, and they're realy are no "standards" so the sky's the limit imagination wise and thats what I like, freedom to do what I want, not have someone stand next to it with photos, a scale card, thier NMRA standards sheets ready to bash anything they dont like. (see Malcomn Furlow's new spread for example)

[DTomajko]

I have been a member of the NMRA since 1990. I presently have to work weekends,(good pay keeps me from looking elsewhere),and don't get to any division meetings anymore.I miss talking with and learning from the many talented modelers in the Pittsburgh region.Some of these people are nationally known but most are not,but all helped to inspire me to try different projects and techniques.My modeling efforts have definately lagged since local division interaction ceased.The NMRA is only as good as it's individual members make it,lack of participation can doom any organization.By the way,everyone is not a rivet-counter in the NMRA,but why should inaccurate or sloppy modeling be rewarded with a title like "Master Model Railroader"?Any goal worth acheiving is only worth as much as the effort it takes to attain.Good luck and good modeling.

[DTomajko]

I have been a member of the NMRA since 1990. I presently have to work weekends,(good pay keeps me from looking elsewhere),and don't get to any division meetings anymore.I miss talking with and learning from the many talented modelers in the Pittsburgh region.Some of these people are nationally known but most are not,but all helped to inspire me to try different projects and techniques.My modeling efforts have definately lagged since local division interaction ceased.The NMRA is only as good as it's individual members make it,lack of participation can doom any organization.By the way,everyone is not a rivet-counter in the NMRA,but why should inaccurate or sloppy modeling be rewarded with a title like "Master Model Railroader"?Any goal worth acheiving is only worth as much as the effort it takes to attain.Good luck and good modeling.

[Anonymous]

I was a member in the early 90s but was a bit put out with the periodic newsletter that seemed to air more about the personality struggles within the organization than hobby related topics. I don't feel that I gained much from the organization but on the other hand I felt I was being forced into paying dues at the local and regional level. As far as the NMRA coordinating the industry into hobby standards, I'm sure the industry would have done that themselves. The cost of standardizing is passed along to the hobby anyways. I don't have an interest in the MMR awards, but I don't discount the program as a means of recognizing people who achieve a level of expertise that is hopefully shared with others. I haven't looked back at the NMRA because I enjoy my level of activity with the local modular club. My layout has grown to a full basement, DCC layout, employing most the tricks and techniques of the hobby, without being a member of the NMRA.
Looking at the membership level in the headline poll of this thread, I am under the impression that the NMRA needs to take a hard look at what they aren't doing right. I really don't know what it would take to draw me back into membership in the NMRA, but then there are a lot of other organizations relevant to what I do that I wouldn't find an interest in joining either.

[Anonymous]

I was a member in the early 90s but was a bit put out with the periodic newsletter that seemed to air more about the personality struggles within the organization than hobby related topics. I don't feel that I gained much from the organization but on the other hand I felt I was being forced into paying dues at the local and regional level. As far as the NMRA coordinating the industry into hobby standards, I'm sure the industry would have done that themselves. The cost of standardizing is passed along to the hobby anyways. I don't have an interest in the MMR awards, but I don't discount the program as a means of recognizing people who achieve a level of expertise that is hopefully shared with others. I haven't looked back at the NMRA because I enjoy my level of activity with the local modular club. My layout has grown to a full basement, DCC layout, employing most the tricks and techniques of the hobby, without being a member of the NMRA.
Looking at the membership level in the headline poll of this thread, I am under the impression that the NMRA needs to take a hard look at what they aren't doing right. I really don't know what it would take to draw me back into membership in the NMRA, but then there are a lot of other organizations relevant to what I do that I wouldn't find an interest in joining either.

[Anonymous]

I discovered the NMRA has nothing to offer me that I can not find in the modeling press or on the internet.

[Anonymous]

I discovered the NMRA has nothing to offer me that I can not find in the modeling press or on the internet.

[cacole]

I've been an NMRA member for several years, but will probably not renew. The membership cost is now $50 per year, and the organization seems to be nothing more than a self-glorification group of people who do nothing but brag about how great they all are; and it keeps getting worse with every issue of their Bulletin. Other than a discount on standards gauges and a CD ROM containing their standards and recommended practices, I haven't needed anything the NMRA has to offer, and their discount on those items is not worth the cost of the membership. I live in extreme South-east Arizona, which is supposedly in the Pacific something-or-other region of the NMRA. In addition to the $50 national membership fee, there was going to be an additional $30 or so Regional fee, for an organization consisting almost entirely of Californians. Their sample newsletter that I received was centered on what was happening in California, so there was no chance that I would ever be able or could afford to attend a Regional meet. They are having a convention in Phoenix, Arizona this year, but that is still 250 miles away. My main disappointment is the distances that must be traveled to meet other NMRA members, so in the sparsely populated desert southwest it's not worth it. People keep mentioning NMRA standards and recommended practices as a benefit -- but I'm sure the industry would have eventually adopted its own standards based on what people purchase, with those who manufacture things that are not standard going out of business. Look at the computer industry, for example. IBM set the standard for computer design without any outside organization telling them they had to or else.

[cacole]

I've been an NMRA member for several years, but will probably not renew. The membership cost is now $50 per year, and the organization seems to be nothing more than a self-glorification group of people who do nothing but brag about how great they all are; and it keeps getting worse with every issue of their Bulletin. Other than a discount on standards gauges and a CD ROM containing their standards and recommended practices, I haven't needed anything the NMRA has to offer, and their discount on those items is not worth the cost of the membership. I live in extreme South-east Arizona, which is supposedly in the Pacific something-or-other region of the NMRA. In addition to the $50 national membership fee, there was going to be an additional $30 or so Regional fee, for an organization consisting almost entirely of Californians. Their sample newsletter that I received was centered on what was happening in California, so there was no chance that I would ever be able or could afford to attend a Regional meet. They are having a convention in Phoenix, Arizona this year, but that is still 250 miles away. My main disappointment is the distances that must be traveled to meet other NMRA members, so in the sparsely populated desert southwest it's not worth it. People keep mentioning NMRA standards and recommended practices as a benefit -- but I'm sure the industry would have eventually adopted its own standards based on what people purchase, with those who manufacture things that are not standard going out of business. Look at the computer industry, for example. IBM set the standard for computer design without any outside organization telling them they had to or else.

[Anonymous]

Tim,
Would you join if the NMRA dues were cheaper, in your currency, and the money stayed in country. So there would be an organization called the "British Model Railway Association" which would be affiliated with the NMRA, and if travelling in the USA, your BMRA card would give you full entitlement to the rights and privileges of the NMRA member - I'm thinking shows here. And the American NMRA member would have like privileges in the BMRA.

In actual fact, the NMRA would become the AMRA (the American Model Railway Association).

[Anonymous]

Tim,
Would you join if the NMRA dues were cheaper, in your currency, and the money stayed in country. So there would be an organization called the "British Model Railway Association" which would be affiliated with the NMRA, and if travelling in the USA, your BMRA card would give you full entitlement to the rights and privileges of the NMRA member - I'm thinking shows here. And the American NMRA member would have like privileges in the BMRA.

In actual fact, the NMRA would become the AMRA (the American Model Railway Association).

[Anonymous]

Having read all the posts the common themes appear to be "it costs too much" in the "anti" camp and "look at the camaraderie" in the "pro" camp.

Let me nail my colours to the mast. I am not, nor am I ever likely to be, a member.

For a limey it is way too expensive.

As for the camaraderie, I don't have to join the NMRA to get that, there are plenty of local clubs and exhibitions where you can get that. Indeed you probably get more "buzz for your bucks" from those than from NMRA memebrship.

Tim Tumber,
Wiltshire,
England