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The Cost of a NMRA Membership

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  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, September 9, 2017 11:06 PM

7j43k

Getting back to the OP's original statement:

 

 

 
C&O Fan

I got a 6 month Temp Membership because my layout was on the tour for the nmra convention

I was surprised at the renewal price for a one year membership being 75$

 

 

 

 

Why were you surprised?  And why did you post that here?

 

 

Ed

 

Well,

$72 (thats the cost I found on the NMRA website, but maybe I missed something) is quite a sticker shock from $9.95, especially if you didnt know about it in advance.

When you break it down into club + magazine price it seems a bit more reasonable.  

$2.33 per issue seems like a decent price for a 60-70 page print magazine.  MR has been almost that thin (within 15pg of the high number) @ $5.99 an issue.  Granted the MR forums are a bit more broadly useful, and MR has other web content.

Most club memberships are in the ballpark range of $40 a year +/-$15. 

  • Member since
    July 2013
  • From: Northern New Jersey
  • 89 posts
Posted by Daywhitemtns on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 1:41 PM

I have nothing against the NMRA and I appreciate its Standards and Recommended Practices information. In fact I was a member, for three years, many years ago. I just find the Membership fee too expensive for my taste and prefer to use that money for other hobby expenses.

I am a member of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society however, because the membership fee is, for me, much more reasonable. 

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • 6 posts
Posted by diningcardave on Monday, October 23, 2017 11:54 AM
was a member since '69,so many changes both good and bad.Good-- met Famous modelers from then to present,attended conventions.when you joined,you were in local region.the came growth,politics ,national hq(no longer at location).saw life membership go away and member leave because of egos,b.s. other reasons.At 65,I'm wondering do i wish to rejoin,because you must be long to national to belong to local and attend events.the local say it for insurance by national (if i have open house,home owners insu
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 23, 2017 8:44 PM

diningcardave
the local say it for insurance by national

Thats it in a nutshell.  A more detailed explanation: 

https://www.nmra.org/liability-insurance

The "reader's diagest" version:

It is not only about you being covered, but everyone else in the division being covered.  

The people who are members do not want to risk becoming financially liable for any incident that may occur, because our insurance has the right to deny coverage for an event, if it can be demonstrated that non-members are being treated as members.  

diningcardave
(if i have open house,home owners insu

This got cut off for some reason, but if I may...

I cannot speak to what your policy covers, but typical homeowners policies do not cover injuries to guests, unless the policy has a clause covering this or one has an umbrella policy. 

Your policy also likely does not cover liability for other members, and our provider will deny coverage if we treat non-members (of the national organization) as members.  If someone other than you were found to be at least partially liable (ie the event organizer, division leadership, other member), they could be on the hook for damages.

Times have changed since 1969, and the reality is that insurance coverage is needed in the event of a mishap.   This is an unfortunate reality.  

I am actually going to be on the phone discussing this very topic tomorrow with NMRA national, because I have some questions about this policy.

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