I am planning to go to the convention and train show in July. I have only been to the show in Anahiem, never to the convention. I am intrigued by the sound of some of the clinics and tours, however I really don’t want to spend the whole week there. Some of the tours that I want to see are early in the week and the train show starts on Friday for NMRA members. I would like to be there Monday and Tuesday, visit relatives in Chicago on Wednesday and Thursday, back to the train show on Friday and Saturday attend the historic races at Road America. My questions are do I have to buy the Primary registration for $175 plus 70 for my wife and if so is it worth it? anyone else planning on attending?
I just received my validation from the NMRA convention for my check of $184.95 ($175 NMRA Convention + $9.95 NMRA Rail Pass). I plan to arrive on Friday afternoon and stay 3 nights in the HILTON Hotel adjoining the convention center. I happen to have my 65th --1945 Washington High School reunion on Sunday July 18th, so it is worth the high price for me! The clinics and model railroad tours, sound great. I also, plan to visit several old high school friends, and old sights in Milwaukee. Bob Hahn
I think the best way to get the information you need is to get in touch with the Registrar for the Convention. You can get that information here: http://www.nmra75.org/registration.htm
You can call and ask, or send an email to him. Good luck and I hope you get to the convention!
There is a one or two day registration available. You may need to register early as some of the tours may be sold out already. The cost of a convention is expensive(some of the computer industry conventions are much move expensive). The convention facilities(hotel) are expensive, and that always drives the price.
"Please refer registration questions to the convention registrar at 423-892-2846 or send an email to NMRACONVREG@comcast.net
Go to page 12 of the PDF registration form and you’ll see the info on the one day registraiton, the two day registraiton, the two day special, and the three day special. Read the materials with care to see just what the less than full registration entitles you to.
I just went and bit the bullet and bought the full deal. The partial days were not going to be cost effective for 2 people. I also got 2 tours with it so it should work out well. Now I have got to figure out the hotel situation as I will be bouncing back and forth between Milwaukee, Chicago and Elkhart Lake. By the way I am driving from Arizona to do this. It should be fun.
Will anything like this ever make it down south to Miami. Fl?. The last time was over 12 years ago if not more and nothing further south than Orlando !!!
The NMRA likes to move its convention around to regions of the country. 2010 in Milwaukee and then 2012 in nearby Grand Rapids MI is out of pattern because they wanted it in Milwaukee for the 75th anniversary. 2011 is Sacramento and 2013 is already spoken for (Atlanta GA) and after that I think it is the east coast’s turn again. So I suggest talking to your NMRA region (or division) to see if a proposal can be made for your area. I don’t think they’d go with Florida in 2014 right after Georgia, but look at 2015 / 2016. And believe me if that seems too far out to be planning ahead for one of these, it is not – particularly thinking of getting layouts finished enough to be photographable the year before the convention, and then be toured, operated on, and used for layout design visits during the convention itself.
Gary, the way the NMRA works this is to hold its annual conventions in the cycle of West Coast, Mid-America, East Coast. NMRA Regions within each of these venues must “bid” on hosting the convention, forwarding a detailed prospectus years in advance for what they plan and this must be accepted by the national organization. Hosting a national NMRA convention is a huge undertaking and not every NMRA Region is willing, or has the manpower, to do it. Unless, some group within the NMRA’s Southeast Region and more specifically the general Miami area, volunteers to do the work, you are unlikely to see such a convention held near to, or in, Miami. The only NMRA National scheduled in the southeastern states during the next 7 years is Atlanta in 2013. In fact, in the NMRA’s entire history only a single National Convention has ever been held in the immediate Miami area…and that was back in 1967!
