As an "O" gauger, is a NMRA membership worthwhile?

I don't think so, but maybe that's just me.

I was a member for many years. I didn't find their publication particularly useful but if you have an active local and regional chapter, its a good way to meet other modelers in your area you might not otherwise.

NMRA caters to scale modelers and most of those work in the smaller scales. If you like to build models then I think its worth it.

 

Pete

From what I know about the NMRA; it is mainly H.O. & N scale organization. 

Some of the two rail O scale people might use.

 

Generally speaking it is not for the O gauge three rail person.

 

Lee Fritz 

Not my cup of tea if you will....

If you are into scale models and structures, I think the NMRA would be worth looking into.  As a Highrailer, the OGR forums provide most of the information I need.  My PRR specific books provide the rest.

I love touring layouts, even when I go to shows such as Greenberg, Big E and York my main interest is to see the layouts and the work put into them. this is the big reason I joined the NMRA. they have a few local meets each year after which you are given a list and directions to layouts open to members on that day. to me it is all worth it just for that reason, I have seen many spectacular layouts in the area that I would have had no idea existed. Ideas for construction, track plans and design is info anyone can use no matter what the scale.

They have at times promised to cater to O scalers, but I have never joined as I have never found much of interest in their few publications I have seen (this has been true for MR also, for some time).  I have occasionally seen plans in a publication I've picked up (to look at) in shows, which, since I do build structures and rolling stock, would be of interest to me.  I have heard rumors I might have missed out on interesting plans,

sometimes publsihed in regional or divisional club publications?

Since they appear to mostly babble about HO, N, Z, layouts on a pin head, etc., I

remain underwhelmed.

 

And there you have it.

 

Pete

 

Not for me.

For 3-railers, joining T.T.O.S. is probably money better spent.

Absolutely not. Heavily populated with HO hobbyists and has no interest to me.

Indeed.  As an O scale modeler, I've been an NMRA member for many years now and while I may be the lone O scaler in the room at times, scale modeling and techniques are generally scale indifferent.  Information regarding prototypes is applicable to all scales.  The Division that I am in usually has an open house to visit every month; the regional convention generally has 20 or more layouts to visit and the last one of these had layouts of from N through O; live steam operations are also on the schedule for one of the neighboring Divisions this year.

 

There exists opportunity in the NMRA for 3-rail modelers as well.  The NMRA has all of the standards and recommended practices set and available yet little attention gets put to this area by both the manufacturers/importers and the modelers.  The concept being able to your equipment and run it on anyone else's layout, to promote maximum interchangeability seems lost.  It's a volunteer organization, but the O 3-rail languishes due to lack of input from that community.

I was a member for a few years when I modeled in HO.  I am in agreement with John S And mwb, if your local division has good layout tours and or clinics, you may want to participate.  O scale structures are as good in 3 rail as 2 rail. However, I don't recall anything from the national organization other than standards or anything in the Pittsburgh area division that pertained specifically to 3-rail Other than Neal Shorr's fabulous layout.

 

I hope Neal sees this thread and gives his perspective!

The value of the NMRA for 3-railers is in the ideas, clinics, and fellowship of other modelers.  I've gotten a ton of ideas from them.  OK, so 3-rail is an orphan at the national level, but who cares?  I don't plan on asking HO guys for approval anyway.

 

I've been a NMRA member since 1998, originally joining Mid-Continent Region Division 2 (Keystone) in Pittsburgh.  There are more than a few 3-railers in that division.  I'm a big fan of their Model Railroad Jamboree (held every spring) and have even presented at several.  In terms of exposure to new and novel approaches, it's a tremendous bargain.

 

I am now more involved with the Mid-Atlantic Region Division 11 (Susquehanna) in Central PA (because of location).

 

You get what you give.

 

George

I've been a member for over 40 years now, and while there aren't many 3 railers, I find it far more interesting than any of the 3 rail organizations. Granted there are many HO and N scale activities that don't apply to me, but much of the content is not scale specific.

 

I've been to a few of the national conventions, and there is always something that I am interested in to keep me running from dawn til dusk. With a wide variety of clinics, layout tours and other activities, I suspect that everyone here could find something they liked. 

 

Thursday night the local NMRA is having a clinic on 3D printing. That sounds interesting to me.

Exactly so.

You ask yourself this; would I get something out of it that O couldn't get online or through any of the current model railroad magazines?

Unless you plan on attending a lot of events and have a local chapter or group, I'd say you wouldn't get much out of it.

I've never been a member and have little reason to do so. Frankly, I get tired of the stance of other members, they get really ticked when you tell them you're not a member, I've been accused of 'riding the coat tails' of the group by enjoying industry standards that they pioneered.

Frankly, their 'shaming' assured that I wouldn't be joining any group that has members who'd do this...

I think joining the NMRA is a waste of money personally.  

 

When the Convention was in Grand Rapids Michigan a few years ago, the layout tour hosts were heavily leaned on to join the NMRA.  I flat out refused.  I dont use the NMRA standards for anything.  No sense in throwing money towards them.

 

Patrick

I have been a NMRA member for about 15 years.  NMRA membership is worth the cost if you have an active local division and you enjoying seeing modeling in HO and the smaller scales.  I have met very good modelers through the NMRA and have established some wonderful friendships.  The "NMRA Magazine" has excellent construction articles and layout stories.  My NMRA membership has also enabled me to participate in operations on some outstanding layouts.  I am a member of a Tuesday crew that operates and builds a N scale layout and a Thursday crew that operates and builds a HO layout.  I am also a member of a HO club.

 

Another advantage of NMRA membership is the opportunity to attend the national conventions.  I have always enjoyed the conventions even though you won't see much O gauge at the convention.  I attended one convention where all the tours with O gauge layouts on it were cancelled for lack of interest.  (Several other scales were also on the tour.)  This was a major disappointment for me.

 

Many of the O gauge manufacturers do not display at the NMRA convention.  MTH, Atlas and Bachman are there with their multiple scale offerings.  Most of their displays feature HO but they do have some O gauge.  I have never seen Lionel, 3rd Rail or Key at the 4 conventions I have attended.  One manufacturer told me that they don't attend the NMRA convention because it is a HO convention and it isn't worth his firm's time and cost.  Also, I haven't seen any of the major O gauge vendors (Charles RO, Trainworld, etc.) at the NMRA convention.  (I have been to one East coast convention.)  The NMRA convention is not the place to see what's new in O gauge or to buy O gauge stuff.  The scenery firms such as Woodland Scenics are at the convention.  Their items are good in any scale.  

 

With the possible exception of narrow gauge (On3 & On30), there is almost no O gauge activity, 2 or 3 rail, in my local NMRA division (Coast Division).  This is the reason I am also a TCA member.  I find that the TCA is a much better organization to be a member  for information about O gauge in general and 3 rail in particular.  My home layout is 3-rail.  I am trying to build it to scale standards except for the track.  The Nor-Cal TCA division is very active and is the only place to tour and see O gauge layouts (2 and 3 rail) in my area (SF Bay Area).

 

The O standard (vs. narrow gauge) gauge modelers in the SF Bay Area almost never have their layouts open for any NMRA tours or activities.  I have never seen a O gauge clinic or presentation at a Coast Division meet in the 15 years that I have been a member.  I asked a person whose O gauge 2-rail layout was featured in "Great Model  Railroads" why he wasn't open for NMRA tours.  He said that he was open once but no one came to see the layout and therefore it wasn't worth it to be open again.  Another outstanding O gauge 2-rail modeler told me that no one ever asked him to be open for a NMRA tour.  This person is a NMRA life member.  

 

I think that if you want to find out about scale model railroading and to see outstanding layouts, then NMRA membership is worthwhile.  If you want to focus on O gauge (2 or 3 rail) then the TCA, LCCA or TTOS may be better for you.  The best of both worlds is to join both the NMRA and an O gauge organization.

 

NMRA yearly membership is about the cost (MSRP) of one new Lionel boxcar.  MY NMRA membership is worth it to me.  I have too many Lionel boxcars already.  

 

Joe

 

 

 

 

I would tend to agree with the general sentiment that O gauge 3-rail doesn't jibe with the NMRA outlook.

Also, members located in urban areas will see more social and group-related benefits compared to those in remoter areas.

I havent seen a NMRA Bulletin in some time, so can't comment, but find myself constantly skimming through a stack of old copies I inherited. These are from when Whit Towers was editor and had the philosophy of making the Bulletin a "viable hobby rag." Good reading, great ideas for any railroad modeler. For that alone, a membership might be worthwhile, but to each his own.

It is a great organization and has done a lot for HO and N.  I love their conventions and layout tours.  I'm not currently a member but should join in order to support them.

 

Art

So you're not building your layout using any of the P48 standards? 

 

Am I the only one besides Patrick who sees the problem here? The convention uses layout tours as a benefit for the event and a drawing card. I know a few people who go to these conventions to see various layouts in a given area as their primary reason to go at all.

So, if a layout which would draw people to the covention is owned by a non-member, wouldn't it be in the NMRA's best interests to give said layout owner a membership for that year? He's providing something for the group, a group he doesn't belong to. So, what's in it for him?

"Hey, help us out, and by the way, you've got to pay us for the right to allow our people to tromp around your layout.."

Say what?

 

The entire convention experience was not very "fun"   The guys running it locally were great and I think did an excellent job but the National NMRA guys were a hassle and off putting. 

Model train Elitists are hilarious.

If you are a model railroader, regardless of scale, you can probably find useful information and contacts in the NMRA.    Remember, the prototype was all the same size, so all the modeling information you gather to make a model, is scale neutral, it applies to all scales.

 

If you are a toy train collector, you probably won't find as much to use there.

 

The NMRA standards and recommended practices support interchangability and compatibility among manufacturers.    The toy train manufacturers seem to fight compatibility like it is a curse.  

 

For example, in scale modeling, the NMRA established standard practices for DCC and they apply across all scales.    We can run our locos on any layout that is the same scale regardless of control system.    In the toy train world, you seem to have 2-3 different control systems that are incompatible and I think are not even upward compatible when new versions come out.    So the standards and practices that were developed and supported over the years provide value for model railroaders.   there is not much collecting information available that I am aware.

 

The gauge of the track you use if you are not proto-48, is an NMRA standard by the way.   and they do have track standards and practices for 3 rail.   

 

Is it worth the dues?    I don't know.   That is up to  you.    To me it is worth more than the collector organizations.  

I have never joined NMRA although I have enjoyed the annual NMRA sponsored layout tours when we lived in Houston and since relocating to the Atlanta area.

Over the years, I have picked up some good scenery modeling ideas from these tours and met (for the most part) some nice people.  Additionally, I simply enjoy visiting layouts, regardless of scale.  There are some truly gifted modelers working in other scales so why not enjoy their handiwork.

I did get a real kick out of a conversation I had with one layout owner during the Piedmont Division's fall 2013 tour here in Atlanta.  I was having a good conversation with the guy till I let slip I was into 3 rail.  The look on his face was as if a cloud had suddenly passed over the sun.  Elitist's like him aside, most of the scale modelers I talk to on these tours have been great!

Curt

The NMRA Bulletin became Scale Rails and then NMRA Magazine.  It is still a very useful "hobby rag".  I don't pay much attention to national organization "news", but the tools and building articles are extremely interesting.  Always some good ideas in it somewhere.

 

George

Good chance of that!

 

George

Any hobby elitists are so, and every hobby has them.

With the NMRA, it's the guys who have - or are working toward- their master model railroader certification.

I know one guy who has this and another who's working toward it. The latter is exactly what you'd think, the other you'd never know he had it as he doesn't come across like one of the 'chosen one' types at all.

I have always been utterly baffled by such things. My Dad once told me that if there are two or more people doing anything, eventually, someone's going to come up with some 'official' method to prove who's better at it. I'd add to that only the fact that it'll always come with a thick book of rules.

Other than being an Army officer in the past, I've never been one to make a point of my 'place' within anything (and in the case of the Army, I never made a big deal about my rank anyway). I'm just not that great of a competitive person and will never understand those who feel the need to place themselves over others.

And within a hobby? It's tough not to laugh at those who claim to be a master anything within a hobby. Wasted effort, the way I see it.

Are you having fun? Congrats, you just mastered the hobby!

True masters of any hobby never claim to be.

 

Pete

As with any purchase you have to evaluate value for dollar spent. IMO, the NMRA and TCA clubs are poor values for the O gauge enthusiast of todays world. One is primarily for HO scale modelers while other focuses mainly on antique trains. If you want to buy a green membership card for $50/yr and also receive a thin quarterly magazine for antique collectors, then the TCA has what you are looking for.

IMO, the best value is for the O gauge enthusiast is an ORG magazine subscription. Not only do they do much to support this hobby; at $35.95 /yr it is the premier O gauge magazine in the hobby, its thick, well written, up-to-date, has quality, articles, a wide variety of sources for trains and accessories and is overall a valuable reference for the enthusiast. 

 

Not to be repetitive; I was in the NMRA about 15 years ago, after I had become active in 3RO. I found that it had little value to me, but my main interest is rolling stock and

locomotives, and that organization and 3RO are not on the same planet. And that's fine.

 

If you build structures and such a lot, it has value. I do not. Scratch building/bashing rolling stock? Sure; I do it. Just build the car and adjust it for O-gauge trucks/couplers, but you can find plans and ideas many other places.

 

We need the NMRA, just like we need all the rivet-counters.

 

They keep the 3-rail cowboys like us honest; they are partly responsible for the scale equipment that we have today. Down deep a 3-rail Hi-railer wants his stuff to "look like theirs", but without the tedium and questionable build quality.

 

I'm glad that the NMRA is here, but it offers me little, personally. 

we have heard a lot of opinions here.for both sides. unfortunately we all know about opinions. I think the smart move here is to join for a year and evaluate it for yourself, not a wallet buster. 

I was into N scale some time ago and joined the NMRA. Joined the local chapter and after sending them emails and attending several meetings I was totally ignored. Contacted the national and never received an email back. 

 

The only time I was contacted was 6 months after my first year I did not renew my subscription. I told them why but never a response back. 

 

I hope it is better now but I doubt it.

I am a member of NMRA.  Reasons include supporting NMRA's promotion of the hobby, their archives, and establishment of standards.  All of these are valuable to all of us in the train hobby, and we owe it to ourselves to support an organization that supports our hobby.  TCA does the same thing for non-scale, and if I had to choose only one, I would support TCA.  NMRA's magazine has improved a lot; it contains information regarding scenery and structures that is useful to hi-railers.  It has lots of other good info that is more applicable to scale modeling.

 

As for the elitists, you'll find them anywhere.  

"Eeeww, you still run conventional control?"

"Eeeww, you RUN your tinplate trains?"

"Eeeww, you weathered your Lionel Big Boy?"

 

The Master Model Railroad (MMR) achievement award is awarded by the NMRA to those who have demonstrated a high level of accomplishment in model railroading.  It is much like the Eagle Scout program of the Boy Scouts or earning a masters degree from a college or university.  The MMR certificate has nothing to do with a person's personality.  Every person that I know who has earned the MMR is extremely helpful to other model railroaders and volunteers many hours to promote the hobby and to help others achieve their hobby goals.  

 

The MMR is very difficult to earn in my opinion.  You have to earn seven out of possible eleven different certificates.  This includes certificates for scratch building structures, building cars from scratch, scratch building an engine, volunteering for NMRA projects, building an layout, writing and publishing model railroad articles, wiring a layout and a few others.  The models that are built are judged by other MMRs and have to earn 87.5 points to qualify for a certificate.  For example, I believe you have to scratch build 6 different types of railroad cars to earn the car building certificate.  The people who have been awarded the title of MMR by the NMRA have worked hard and earned this honor.  I respect everyone who has achieved this goal.  

 

Joe 

 

 

Holy cow!! I qualify for an MMR, as horror of horrors, and EWWWW!, I meet most if

not all of seven of the eleven requirements (have to see the entire list of eleven). 

I also have a master's and most of a second I didn't bother to write the thesis for. I collect a little tinplate, but build all kinds of stuff, have written published articles, etc. all about three rail/high rail, O scale/gauge (of course).  Several of the above posts, especially about elitists, cracked me up.  Kinda interestng that HO is the Johnny Come

Lately, after O scale prominence prior to WWII!