This year I went to the NMRA convention. Not being a member and not knowing if I wanted to or could go to another convention, I purchased the temporary 6 month membership. Now, I am not expecting anything big here but one would think that after two months have passed that the folks at NMRA would at least send something to my address welcoming me and trying to convince me to sign on to the full membership. So far - Nada.
I also have not see this organization promote itself at LHS or other websites.
So…what gives. Is the NMRA just a convention organization or does it have another mission??
I have often wondered myself about this also. I looked at it a couple of years ago and could not find a good reason for joining other than political. They make the standards but other than that.
They should send a magazine and membership card. At least I think they do for the 6 mo. membership. Really the only reasons for joining are to attend the conventions, get the magazine or just to support the organization.
I’m not an NMRA member, but if you are don’t you have access to librarys of information that are available to members only? I think you might also get a discount on materials (Books, documents, etc.) that you buy from their organization. I have not been able to justify the cost of membership at this time, but would consider it in the future. Mostly, you can get all the information you need from just this forum. There is always someone here who knows the answer to a questioin or can point you in the right direction.
I am going to infer from your post that you took out this six month temporary membership at the convention and that wasn’t two months ago - it was barely a month and a half ago. I don’t know just what is involved in this new six month membership but give the system time to work; I get a little impatient too sometimes but I don’t know that the NMRA is any slower than anyone else.
I can’t even imagine a model railroad hobby without the NMRA - I have been a member since 1971 and a Life Member since 1974. Dues when I joined - and when I took out Life Membership - was only $5.00 per year. Today I know that it is signifcantly more expensive ($45.00?) but, even at that rate, I would probably still join. Look at it from this standpoint; in 1971 five bucks bought two of Uncle Irv’s freight cars so when I joined I gave up the purchase of two freight cars per year. Freight cars are not $22.50 on the average today, I know, and the rate is probably closer to three or three and a half cars but $45.00 would still be a bargain. Scale Rails magazine has been of immense help in getting started in scratchbuilding and kitbashing. I can’t go to the national conventions without being a member and I have been to two of the last three and four of the last seven of those; I’m looking forward to attending upcoming conventions in Anaheim (2008), Hartford (2009), Milwaukee (2010), and Sacramento (2011).
I can’t sit here and say that I always enjoy every issue of Scale Rails magazine but I can make that same statement about MR and RMC and over the years it (Scale Rails) has contained some very interesting articles. One just last month on Code 40 rail served to restimulate my interest in utilizing some of that code track on my currently-being-designed-new-(N-Scale)-railroad. Most of the articles are naturally oriented towards HO modeling but there is a dedicated section to N-Scale which I find interesting and informational and a per
Very well said Ray. Also a member here. One great thing to check out is the local Division meetings and such. In a lot of areas you get some really great grass roots kind of stuff and a chance to participate in activities in your area. I’ve made a lot of really great friends from my area.
Be sure to get to the National next year in Detroit area. I’ve seen the plans they are working on and it’s going to be a good one.
Clinchvalley is giving sound advice here…check out your local division’s activities if you wish to get something of value out of your temporary membership. The local guys are usually great and the meetings interesting. The same can often be true of the regional organization. But in any case, it is what you make of it. Don’t look for them to come to you, especially the National.
I was a member for nearly 20 years, too, until I finally threw up my hands in dismay and walked away over the National’s politics, lack of response to the membership’s wishes, and the financial mismanagement. At the Regional and Division level it was always a great organization but at the National level, save for its conventions if you can afford them, I consider the NMRA an overpriced failure.
Since regular membership is $48 and Rail Pass is $9.95, I would say you maxed out your membership by attending the convention and getting the magazine for 6 months (probably start in September). Keep in mind this is a mostly volunteer organization with a small HQs staff (all of whom probably deserved and needed some time off after the convention). As noted above your not getting the new member packet so your next thing should be the magazine.
I have been a member since 1972. I think the primary benefits have been the standards, the Bulletin under Whit Towers (and to lesser degree it’s successors), and the Division meets I have been able to attend. In addition I have a received a members discount on some of their books. Until they discontinued them for S scale, I also had been buying the members only Heritage and Living Legends cars.