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I could not find this with a search, either here or on Google.  I did see somewhere a figure of "more than 30,000 worldwide."  Is that info on restricted distribution?

 

I would like to have the current membership total (to the nearest thousand), as well as what the total was at peak year since membership news reflect declining numbers. In the Editor's Column of the October issue of the TC Quarterly the subject of declining membership was addressed, but the only numbers provided was that the TCA's membership was larger than that of the NMRA by about 3,500.

 

I have been asked to give a presentation of model trains and their continuing interest for all ages to a senior's group.  I expect there will be no active train modelers in the audience.  My presentation will include a fair and balanced view (my opinion, of course) of the current picture and where the hobby is headed.

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

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I notice in your profile you are in Maryland and there is a William Hudson also living in Maryland who is a TCA member.    If this is one and the same person, you can find your answer on the TCA site but you have to do a minimal amount of work.

 

Pull up the pdfs of the member lists, count members per page, and multiply, then add in the number of members on the first and last pages (not full pages of members).

 

--Greg

Yes, I am that William Hudson.  Thanks for the tip.  I'll need to log in to the TCA website, which I have been unable to do since I changed from Verizon to Comcast.  Looks like only alternative is to phone them.  I sent an email explaining the problem, but never received a reply.

I notice in your profile you are in Maryland and there is a William Hudson also living in Maryland who is a TCA member.    If this is one and the same person, you can find your answer on the TCA site but you have to do a minimal amount of work.

 

Pull up the pdfs of the member lists, count members per page, and multiply, then add in the number of members on the first and last pages (not full pages of members).

 

--Greg

 

The membership numbers are contained in the Treasurers report. TCA members can go to the web site and look at the report themselves. The information is for 6/14.

 

This is a far cry from the days when there was a directory printed annually. I think I saved my last one, but I am uncertain. As I recall, it contained a lot of information, including number of members in each state, and a list of the number of members per year. I'll have to go see if I can find my copy.

 

Update: I have a printed copy of the Spring 2008 directory. I think it was the last one printed. I don't see a report showing the number of members in each state (I am positive that at least some older editions did have that). It does have a table listing the total membership and number of people registered for the annual convention by year, for 1955 to 2007.

Last edited by C W Burfle
Originally Posted by C W Burfle:

The membership numbers are contained in the Treasurers report. TCA members can go to the web site and look at the report themselves. The information is for 6/14.

 

This is a far cry from the days when there was a directory printed annually. I think I saved my last one, but I am uncertain. As I recall, it contained a lot of information, including number of members in each state, and a list of the number of members per year. I'll have to go see if I can find my copy.

 

Update: I have a printed copy of the Spring 2008 directory. I think it was the last one printed. I don't see a report showing the number of members in each state (I am positive that at least some older editions did have that). It does have a table listing the total membership and number of people registered for the annual convention by year, for 1955 to 2007.

FYI, I just received the Nov. National Headquarters News and took a look at the list of members who have recently passed away.  Interestingly, those listed were overwhelmingly from Eastern states.  There was one from Co., one from Mi., one from Tn & one from Ky.  The majority were concentrated in Ny, Pa, & Nj.




quote:
Quarterly the subject of declining membership was addressed, but the only numbers provided was that the TCA's membership was larger than that of the NMRA by about 3,500.




 

NMRA site says they have "over 18,000 members", so the TCA must have over 21,500 members.

 





quote:




FYI, I just received the Nov. National Headquarters News and took a look at the list of members who have recently passed away.  Interestingly, those listed were overwhelmingly from Eastern states.  There was one from Co., one from Mi., one from Tn & one from Ky.  The majority were concentrated in Ny, Pa, & Nj.





 

As I recall from the days when such information was included in the directory, Pennsylvania had the most members, with New York and New Jersey in the next two spots.

 

IMHO, neither the NMRA or the TCA membership numbers are particularly meaningful as an indicator of the popularity of model railroading or train collecting.  I am a TCA member, and intend to remain one for the foreseable future. Still, many folks don't see the benefit of belonging to any organization.
There are any number of web sites where people can network and share information. There are also plenty of places to buy, sell and trade.

Originally Posted by C W Burfle:

IMHO, neither the NMRA or the TCA membership numbers are particularly meaningful as an indicator of the popularity of model railroading or train collecting.  

Correct.  All it indicates is the particular organization provides value to the individual.

 

Belonging to the TCA, NMRA or any other organization is not a prerequisite to being a model railroader or train collector.

 

Rusty

Last edited by Rusty Traque

If I'm recalling correctly, the last time the TCA HQ Newsletter carried the membership "thermometer" sometime in the last few years, before TCA ceased showing it, the membership was in the high 20,000s, down about 15% from a peak north of 30,000.  Assuming likely continued loss in membership due to demographics and perhaps the major dues increase, it's probably around the mid to high 20,000s now, which would be significantly greater than the NMRA if the latter is in the high teens of thousands.  I'd guess that the decreasing numbers are why the bimonthly membership numbers were dropped from the HQ News. 

Originally Posted by C W Burfle:
... 

As I recall from the days when such information was included in the directory, Pennsylvania had the most members, with New York and New Jersey in the next two spots.

 

No surprise there.  Most folks, myself included, are TCA members so we can attend the York shows.  So I'd expect there to be a heavily weighted distribution of members in states within convenient driving distance to York, Pa.

 

Nonetheless, the 24,000 or so number would indicate that roughly 50-60% of the membership attends any given York.

 

David

So an estimate is that membership is down about a quarter from its high water mark some years ago.  As said, not all that bad considering the difficulties of demographics, the recent changes in selling and buying on the net, both new and used, and the way the net provides "free" information formerly provided in magazines and newsletters.  No surprise that a dues increase was needed either.

Since the TCA info says it is from the national treasurer, that would mean ALL TCA divisions and not just the Eastern division that puts on the York meet? For some reason I was thinking the TCA had different divisions that were like separate entities and each were joined separately? Guess I need to look at that again.

 

From what little I know about all this I was surprised the TCA has more members than the NMRA? I expected the NMRA to be much larger than the TCA due to the supposedly much larger number of folks in the smaller scales?

 

Originally Posted by C W Burfle:

quote:
Here you go...


 

If the TCA wanted their document released to the general public, I think they would have put it on a public part of their web page.

Maybe I should have just said:

 

According to the June 6, 2015 Treasurers report...

Regular members                22,943

Life                                         250

Honor Roll                               970

Honorary                                    0

-------------------------------------------

Total                                  24,163

 

Which in no way proves its accuracy or validity.

But the other way provides documentation and isn't just someones BS hearsay.

If the TCA has an issue with this, they know how to get in touch with me.

Anything to get your drawers in a knot ...

Someone call Homeland Security.

 

Edward Snowden

 

Last edited by baltimoretrainworks

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