Where to begin...
I'll start with MMR. The purpose of the program as I understand it is to cause you to advance your modeling by learning new skills that you would not otherwise bother to learn. Its a set of goals, achieve a high standard of modeling. I want to learn how to make my models look like the pictures, MMR is one way of getting there. If you feel put off by being judged, well, there is not requirement to participate. And I won't think less of you for not doing so. Most MMRs I have met have been more than happy to share what they learned from their experience earning their MMR, and I have never had one look down their nose at me. In fact, I think its part of the deal when you earn your MMR is that you are supposed to help other modelers get theirs.
Membership numbers and retention.
Having spoken with several people within the NMRA leadership, the issue is not signing up new members, but retaining members at the local level. The conversion rate in some regions from the trial membership to full member is not the best. This is why the focus on retaining members. Some divisions are really good at it. Others are not. This isnt something that is easy to fix from the top down. It something that has to be fixed from the ground up.
National
Someone brought up that he thought his dues were going towards paying for the the leadership to fly overseas. I have two thoughts on this.
1. I will verify if that is something we spend money on...had not really thought much about it.
2. The NMRA, like it or not, is a international organization, it is no longer just about the United States or North America. If the NMRA president was from the UK or Germany, would you feel put off by them never visiting the US?
From my understanding, the National organization has 5 paid members. We no longer own a building. The building was sold to fill in the life time member deficit.
Lifetime members cost the organization money and time. The most recent example is that the was a division in NY state that was looking to change regions from one in Canada to the Northeast Region. The move was spurred on by the increase in hassle to transport things back and forth between Canada for meets, and the overall distance to the Canadian meeting locations. The NY division members spent years tracking down proof that a handful of lifetime members had passed away, so that they could complete their vote to move regions. Those members had passed away in the 1990s, before the internet really took off. They were still getting magazines and other member mailings. Many organizations across the United States do not offer Lifetime memberships any longer.
The magazine
The magazine alone is not worth $75 a year, I can think of few that would be. It is, however worth $28 a year. The February issue was 62 pages. I felt that it contained about the same proportion of advertisements as MR or RMC. The quality of the magazine is on par with both those publications, in my opinion.
Membership cost.
$47 a year. This is on par with many clubs. Do you get your $47 dollars worth? If yes, then renew, if not, don't. This years dues will be paid for by me buying tools from MicroMark (they offer NMRA members a discount). Dues are not likely to go down, just like death and taxes, dues increases are inevitable.
The convention.
Yes it is now members only. Many organizations nationwide have member only events. This is not abnormal.
I have been to three, Cleveland, Portland and Indianapolis. Each had its plus and minuses. I didn't go this year because its against my principles to visit Florida in the hottest month of the year.
If you have not joined the NMRA in the past 2 years, and the convention is going to be in your area, it might be worth the 9 month $19.95 rail pass membership to check out the convention. The national train show is open to the public starting at Noon on Friday.
As stated before the National Headquarters building was sold (several years ago) to plug the deficit from the lifetime member fund.
If you consider that the number of model railroaders is declining (the Wall Street Journal's opinion, not mine), then if the number of NMRA members remains constant, its percentage of "market share" will actually grow! See, aren't statistics fun!
For the numbers of NMRA membership and cost of dues, see
https://www.nmra.org/sites/default/files/nmraorg/web/a_look_back_a_look_ahead.pdf
This document is over 7 years old and therefore does not contain current data.
NMRA videos
The website contains videos from conventions going back several years. I the three years I attended conventions all clinics that were recorded were done so with a digital video camera on a tripod. The videos I have watched from recent conventions were in focus.
In addition to convention clinic videos. Model Railroad Hobbyist and Model Railroader Video Plus have donated videos for members to watch. These can be found here after logging in:
https://www.nmra.org/members/videos
NMRA members as a total percentage of model railroaders.
I had not heard of the NMRA until 2013, when my local model railroad club was making plans to attend the national train show. I was 26 at the time. I joined so that I could attend the convention clinics.
Edit (I forgot to finish my thought): The NMRA is not really focused on 3-rail O model railroaders as there are national organizations devoted specifically to that aspect of the hobby (Train Collectors Association, Lionel Collectors Club of America). They do however, realize that Lionel trains are where a lot of people started (start off) in this hobby, and last year a Lionel Fasttrack layout appeared at the National Train Show. This layout was brought by LCCA members to Florida to promote the hobby.
Mark,
What I think that infers, fairly strongly at that, is the very group that is SUPPOSED to be all about the Model Railroading Hobby and modelrailroad hobbiests is only interested themselves and those who are interested in them.
If they can refuse a non members entry into something, then maybe they should give back all money that non members may have donated over the years! Or perhaps they could sell the fancy HQ building they bought or lease and use THAT money for everyone in the hobby instead of just themselves. Better still, maybe they could cancel all of their over seas trips at the members expense or pay for them out of their own pockets.
The NMRA is little more than a group of self appointed, money grabbing elitists and, obviously, don't give a damn about the hobby or those in it, just those who support them and the aspects of the hobby THEY consider worth the effort.
Here's an idea - perhaps they could spend that money on PROMOTING the HOBBY instead of themselves.
Tony,
The NMRA pays money to rent the convention spaces. They have every right under the laws of this country to make this decision. Allowing non-members to attend the convention has been discussed. I think there is an issue with our insurance policy and non-members receiving member benefits. As it is, the convention breaks even or possibly not even, the NMRA is not making a profit off of its membership. Your assumption of inference is not correct, as stated by Mark.
The leadership of the NMRA are elected by the membership. They are not self-appointed, if they were, they would be in violation of one or more federal regulations involving the 501c.3 status.
As stated before, the H.Q. building is long gone.
I don't know if Charlie Getz is still the President of the NMRA; or, not. However, he had a column in the NMRA Magazine that is really a very good commentary on the hobby. I think he has great interest in the state of the hobby and the wellfare of model railroaders in general. I know of other member leaders that seem genuinely interested in where the hobby is headed. I just don't see the NMRA working for those members in regions and divisions where there isn't much activity!
Charlie Getz's term ends this year I believe. Your assessment here is correct. The local division makes or breaks the organization. Unfortunately, there is little that the national organization can do about local division problems. This change has to come from the local level.
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