It seems to me, after being a member of the NMRA for a year, that maybe a radically different approach should be taken to invite new younger members, or for that matter, any new members, into the organization. This is just me spitballing here, but what if Kalmbach Publishing bought out the NMRA, and set it up that subscribers of MR would also be NMRA members automatically? Every issue I see the reviews and the comparisons to the NMRA standars are there right along with them. To me, the NMRA is more a part of Model Railroader than it is its own seperate entity. Just a thought, especially since the NMRA just raised its dues.
To me, the NMRA has to become more relevant and visible to the modeling community, especially to newcomers.
When the NMRA announced a major dues increase this summer, President Pollock admitted the group basically is accepting a drop in membership because of it.
I wrote him urging the NMRA take the lead in recruiting. Rather than hitting a smaller membership with higher dues, why not try to grow the membership to increase revenues. I realize this is a somewhat radical idea in America today when companies increase profits not by growing, but by shrinking.
I suggested the NMRA staff and trustees establish a training program to teach region and division leadership how to recruit. One way would be to offer training sessions at national conventions so that those attending can take what they’ve learned home and apply to their efforts.
Another way would be to send staff members out to visit each regional convention at least once every few years to teach them there. In college, our fraternity did both of these things to help chapters learn to “Rush” new members. They had sessions at national conventions and sent out “chapter advisors” to visit on campus every few years. Too many times division and regional leadership seems to have know idea how to go about recruiting new members.
Too often you go to train shows and there is no NMRA, regional or divisional representation. There are no manned informational booths to answer questions and encourage people to join.
I’d like to see shows, too many of which have become only money-making flea markets, provide
free space to NMRA groups for such booths. If we don’t grow the hobby, your shows are doomed as there will be fewer model railroaders seeking to buy things from your vendors.
I would like to see flea market-only shows diversify by inviting portable layouts to set up and run, offer modeling clinics and model contests. Make the show more like a mini one-day NMRA convention. Expose all those from the general public who might
Terry,I can’t agree more with you.You hit the old
spike on the head about the train shows and lack
of NMRA representation.Train shows has indeed
became flea markets,High priced to boot.I remember when train shows was exactly that.The
showing of trains.This was in the 60’s.True the
crowds wasn’t to big,but there was alot of models
being showed.There was buying and selling going
on but that was between the attendees.There was
usually a slide show and some clinics,but no vendors.So what you are saying has merit.
I can understand the frustration of rising prices, complicated technology and getting everyone on board. Now with convergence comes even greater opportunities and responsibility. Having survived the massive changes; past publication the industry has continued on a proven ticket: excellence! I can only urge membership to NMRA as an savay unionman once said Theres power in numbers…
But Model Raialroader didn’t set those Standards and RPs. The Reviewer just reports on whether or not the item meets the Standards, etc. That is a long way away from being a part of Model Railroader. Other magazines do the same thing BECAUSE the NMRA is independent and a standard setting organization. That’s why what you just bought will work with a large variety of other manufacturer’s products. It has nothing to do with MR or RMC, etc. Ah, well…
Roger
Roger Hensley - rhensley@localnet.com
== http://www.nmra.org/standards ===============
== NMRA Standards & Recommended Practices ======
EVEN WITH THE COST GOING UP,I REUPPED FOR ONE MORE YEAR BUT ONLY AS "AFFILIATE"VOTING MEANS NOTHING TO ME,TH EONLY INTEREST I HAVE IS LOCAL LEVEL, AND I RUN LIONEL TRIANS,LOCAL PART OF MNRA,PUT OUT GREAT NEWSPAPER (GRAB-IRON),WITH ALL LATES DATE OF MEETING AND OTHER TRAIN RELATED DATES.
being the other side of the pond, belonging to the NMRA means that our divisional group (www.seaboard-southern.org.uk) actually has a very large model layout. I only have an extended 8’x4’ and all the other local clubs model British steam. Our group means that I can run real trains. No NMRA would mean no American layout.
I dont mean, get rid of the NMRA. I mean, I have seen what they have done, especially with interoperability of different manufacturers equipment (especially DCC). I mean, for sole profitability and surviveability, a merger with a larger corporation might mean that the same quality product would be turned out, but at a lower cost to the member, since it would no longer be a stand alone, but part of the bigger picture. I am by no means a business analyst, I just think that MR would be better, if not bigger if the two different entities became one. Ah well, this is why I dont have an M.B.A. Take care!
Matt
There seems to be a fundamental disconnect here. The National Model Railroad Association is a non-profit association run by unpaid volunteers and supported by dues paid by its individual members. “Model Railroader” is a magazine published for profit by Kalmbach Publishing Company, which is run by paid professionals for the purpose of paying dividends to the stockholders of Kalmbach Publishing Company. Would YOU pay dues to a for profit corporation so that it can pay dividends to its stockholders? Would you have the Boy Scouts merge with McDonald’s?
But the idea behind the merger is to not have to charge dues. It might hike the price of a MR subscription a little, but the addition of the NMRA content would greatly enhance the magazine. Plus, support for the NMRA library, and the museum wouldnt have to be shouldered (directly) by the member, but instead have a support base within the publishing company. I would support the organization that way, since to me (and maybe some others), it would only be making two good things one, and thence that much better.
Maybe if Microsoft took over the government we wouldn’t have to pay taxes either, but it would be as logical. A voluntary association of individuals ceases to exist if it becomes the subsidiary of a profit making company. Instead it becomes a corporate shill like Disney’s “Mouseketeers”.
Thats a little extreme, but I see your point.
Matt, You are asking the fox to guard the chicken coop. Instead of a group of people making plans based on the LONG TERM good of the HOBBY they would be TOLD to do what is good for the SHORT TERM good of the BOTTOM LINE. Not likely will that also be good for the hobby in the short or long term. Mike
Larry:
Our show here in Hutchinson, Minn., is modeled as a mini-NMRA convention. Sure, we have about 50 flea market tables, but our latest show two weeks ago also had 14 layouts including 1 Z, 4 N, 4 HO, 1 Am. Flyer, 1 S, 2 Lionel three-rail, and a Christmas G-scale set up and running that our club was giving away. We also had a popular vote model contest (winners got certificates and car kits, etc.), four clinics, general public door prizes hourly, and a separate drawing for layout people. We probably had 450 people at a large building on our fairgrounds. There was even a NMRA booth with region and division representatives on hand to recruit. If was fun and a lot of people stayed several hours, unlike many flea market shows where attendees make a quick survey of the tables, buy their stuff and split.
In the nearby Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, almost all shows that had layouts have died. All that is left are just big flea markets charging $4 a head to get in. They only care about the money. The only one with layouts and clinics, too, is the once-a-year Great American Train Show at St. Paul charging $6 per person. We’ve been told our show at $3 admission is as good or better at half the cost. Our next show is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 12, 2002. Watch for notices in the model magazines and on this web site under the Community events section. You can see our club Web site at: luceline.tripod.com There should be photos of the 2001 show on there in the coming weeks.
T
Terry,That sounds like a train show that I would
love to go to.I don’t have any thing against vendors,they help to pay the bills.Most train shows in my area(Ohio)is flea market with a few
layouts,some door prizes,and food stand.I do want
to point out this is only true of the ones I have gone to.No doubt there are better shows in
the state.