I got active as a modeler 6 years ago when I retired.
I joined NMRA 3 plus years ago.
I deem it very important to be an official part of HELPING this fine hobby survive. The NMRA,to me,does just that !
I have a good time at the meets and conventions. I like to attend the clinics, enter the modeling contests, play the switching contest, and just talk to other modelers. There is a wealth of information at these meets, and al in all, its quite worth it to be a member. You get out of it what you put into it, so once you start participating in all the activities, you will find you are having a good time.[:D]
Robert Ray
PCR Coast Division
Guess i’ve been a loner for most of my life, and it’s a little too late in life for me to change my ways now. I do appreciate, enjoy the displays at the MR shows I attend and marvel at some of craftsmanship type work I’ve seen, however at these shows, I meet with people not an association. The NMRA has accomplished some wonderful things, like standards for Model Railroading and without it’s interventions in the hobby, perhaps model rail would still be in the tin plate era. When the modeling budget allows, perhaps I’ll join, more as a supportive member than an active one.
Lonesome polecat
I used to be a member. I dropped out a couple of years ago when the big dues increase went into effect. (I might join again just to attend a national convention.) I think the NMRA honchos are still being unrealistic about financing their organization. Sell the headquarters! Contract out the library to a university! Most of all, rescind those cheap life memberships! I simply cannot believe it takes so much ca***o run an organization of hobby volunteers.
I have been an NMRA member since 1987, a NFR member & COD Division member for the same length of time. I finally got to attend a National Convention ( Maple Leaf 2003 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada), only because I live an hour’s drive north of Toronto. Up until then, my financial conditions prevented me from traveling any great lengths and staying in hotels/motels to attend a National Convention.
I do participate in the NFR’s Modeler’s Corner at Train Shows as much as possible, to promote the hobby, learn from other model railroaders as well.
I think the NMRA organization has done much for the hobby, but has fallen behind the times, but with the new Long Range Plan, the updated Scale Rails magazine, and change of focus towards the “times they are a-changing” era, I think they are on the right track.
I have read some emails concerning a Canadian NMRA, not as a seperate association, but as a partner with the present NMRA to provide input reguarding Canadian members wants and needs. I think this could be a good thing, as long as I wouldn’t be required to pay membership dues to both associations. That I could not afford.
Well, that’s my thoughts on the subject.
Moemann
I joined the NMRA 4 years ago. Over here there is a very active social scene and our Division have their own HO scale model with an N scale one under construction. But then I am biased as I am the Secretary of our Division.
Brian
I find it has a lot to offer and I can always learn better ways to do things and have fun a the same time. To me MR is an art. Well worth it.
I used to be a member, around 1996-97. But that was when my Dad was paying the bills! 
Now, in college, I don’t have the money to burn to join an organization that has very few benifits that I can partake in. I don’t have a lot of time (marching Band will do that to you!), and I can’t afford to travel long distances to conventions, though I would like to.
I agree that the NMRA has done a lot of good things for this hobby with their standardization of products. Without them, we would probably still be stuck with tinplate (if they even stayed in business).
However, for me I think this is a case of cost outweighing the benefits. Maybe if they threw in a subscription to MR (another thing that cost too much, imho), then I might consider it.
Bergie,
In Canada, the membership is $88 Canadian, only $12 shy of a hundred. It isn’t worth it. In ten years you’ve shelled out $880. I started a thread in the Atlas forum about 6 months ago suggesting that the NMRA begin to structure itself like the American Automobile Association.
In other words, there would be the Model Railway Association, the American Model Railway Association, the Canadian Model Railway Association, the Australian…, the British…, you get the picture. Why is this important, because the country of association would have its own dues. When you translate American dollars into other foreign dollars the membership fee gets almost bizzarre.
If the Canadian membership were more like the American one, I might join. The NMRA is pricing itself out of existence, and I’m afraid in other countries, it is doing that. I suspect if there were a Canadian Model Railway Association, like we have the Canadian Automobile Association we a “Canadian” dues rate, more would belong.
I used to belong but I feel guilty that I let my membership lapse. If it wasn’t for dedicated NMRA members that keep things going, nothing would be happening in this town. I certainly have taken advantage of the layout tours, clinics and meets that they have orginized. I need to reinlist.
Mike Laine
I have been a member of NMRA since 1963. I joined to be part of an organisation that promotes the hobby, shares its ideas & hints as well as setting the standards that benefit everyone, not just members.
I live in a remote area of Australia, so only get to local division meets & regional conventions in Australia. Wouldn’t miss it for anything. In my experience, NMRA members are “fair dinkum” modellers, always willing to help newcommers or experienced modellers alike.
spken
Living in Australia, I joined the NMRA to obtain more information about my chosen area of modelling, i.e. SP and California. The Infopak has been very helpful for Data Sheets, Standards etc. BUT try to join the local chapter? Too hard, too many self centred members and/or clubs interested in their own agendas. I gave up trying to join the Aussie chapter after 18months and let my membership lapse after 5 years. No regrets
Ed
Living way too close to a sewage treatment plant, I didn’t realize until now that the operators were “entertaining” us around here. Why no viewing windows in the tanks, like at Sea World ?I’m surprised there’s no fee for inhaling…mind you, there’s a penalty.[xx(][xx(]
Seriously folks, there’s no right answer here, just diverse opinion.
The poll so far is VERY inaccurate, ( and will probably remain so )as the NMRA could only dream of that kind of percentage membership, or even half of it.[:I]
There are joiners and non-joiners, in every walk of life. Take service work. You know, clubs like Lions’ and Rotary do outstanding service work all over the world. BUT hundreds of thousands of people perform service work in their communities,
without ever joining these clubs.
I used to be a Lion [ 15 years ]… I still do service work…but I got tired of paying for dinner meetings that I didn’t wi***o attend any more,especially with members who didn’t show up for the work parties.[V]
The technical initiatives of organized groups are always used by the non-member masses, whether it’s the NMRA, SAE, CSA, EPA, UL, or whatever.
I’ve never been an NMRA member.
In the past 30-40 years or so, I’ve shown a lot of beginners how to lay track, assemble kits, do buildings from scratch, whatever.
And how to buy products wisely.[8D]
regards \ Mike
As Robmik comments, so far these poll results are dramatically skewed in suggesting a large percentage of hobbyists are NMRA members. In actual fact, the percentage of all model railroaders that are NMRA members is more in the order of 7-9% and this figure has been gradually shrinking since their last dues hike about two years ago. The potential of a further rise in dues in the near future will undoubtedly serve to demini***his figure even more, making any claim that NMRA represents the hobby in any significant fashion rather moot.
CNJ831
Not a member, never have been, and won’t likely be one. I’ve looked over the membership benefits and they really don’t interest me. The whole thing seems like something people use more to impress others (putting it by their name, or Ad’s as a title). I’m not into that.
I enjoy the hobby enough, thanks.
As a one-time member, I did not feel that I got very much out of belonging to the NMRA.
To me, their greatest benefit to all modelers is standardization. Perhaps I could have availed myself to more of the services offered, but did not.
When NMRA increased dues a couple of years ago, I decided that it was even less worth belonging, and decided not to renew my membership
Rich Witt
Why should I pay somebody money to enjoy model railroading more that I already do. I rather use the money towards another engine or rolling stock.[:)]
I have been a member for over 10 years. As one of the posts have stated that it is only as good as the members. As in any organization there are jerks and arrogant air heads.
I have been to plenty of regional and divisional conventions and 1 national. Each one I obtained good information and met plenty of nice and knowledgeable modelers.
Yes, I do get disgusted with some of the things…ie… the new dues structure, but overall it has been worth the money.
The NMRA has changed in the last few years by trying to get involved in other scales. Overall, it has been a good experience.
Mike Lee
Tonopah and Goldfield in N
I have been an NMRA member since 1976. I have been to three Nationals: Eugene, Pittsburgh and San Jose. Each time it was a great experience. I do regret that can not attend all Nationals, the cost of travel (I live in the Netherlands) makes that impossible. I have visited Chattanooga and was proud to see our HQ. I have used the services of the library more than once and they’ve always been a great help. Thru the years I have met many model rails that I now call friends. I’ve learned a lot from all of them and maybe I gave them some in return. I feel every dollar was well spend. I don’t think I would like to do wthout them. Don’t think they are sleeping now, oh no, they are very hard at work, those VOLUNTEERS, for the benefit of the modeller.