Richard, I joined the NMRA 8 years ago because I knew very few model railroaders in my area and hobby shops are an "endangered species" Yes, 99.9% model North American 2 rail DC/DCC in O, HO, HOn3, N and G(large scale). They put up with me and my Marklin addiction. I also love the Milwaukee Road. In my area they have monthly clinics that cover scenery, soldering, decoders, and cad track planning software etc. They also have mini conventions with guest speakers, swap meets and layout tours. For I what I pay in dues, I feel I get back in knowledge and camaraderie... Sometime the members even find me some European stuff. See the Roco car, I got recently...

Steve in order to attend the local (monthly) chapter meetings, one in the Seattle area needs to join the national organization. There are very few model train clubs in my area that are not aligned with the NMRA in some way. Dues are $44.00 US. Cheap.
We have a few ETE members in our area but so far not enough to have any real presence.
When I first started attending I brought my Marklin 3015 crock and there were lots of compliments. The next month one of the members brought his Trix UP Big Boy for show and tell, so I was "in". Not one member has given me any grief if you know what I mean...
Also I have some prototypical "cred" as my relatives have worked for the Union Pacific, Burlington Northern, Northern Pacific and the Railway Express Agency (REA) etc. Also at the clinic that I go to members have gone on rail fan trips to Canada, Cuba, Russia, China and Europe. Two members just got back from Scotland and bought model trains!
The advantages are going to the clinics/seminars that I noted where members who are really good at all things model railroad present. Two months back a member at our clinic installed a decoder in front of the group into a N scale lok and then showed a number of other DCC conversions that he had done. Watching him do it in real time, gave me the confidence to attempt one my self.
We have a mini convention coming in June, which I am hoping to attend if my schedule permits, and I will post photos..

Edited by moderator 09 March 2014 18:38:01(UTC)  | Reason: Fixed quote /Webmaster

My experience with NMRA here in Western Australia isn't crash hot. if you're into 2 rail and British designed locos, rolling stock and scenery and you scratch build everything there is room for you, if you're a 3 rail and a person who buys ready made products off the shelve don't think you get too many compliments.
Having been a member for a very short time we took part in a competition which loco can pull the most weight, most 2 rail locos don't have rubber tyres and we took our locos along and beat them with their pants down., unfortunately they've forgot to write restrictions such as rubber tyres into the competition form.
It wasn't what the organizers hoped for and secondly being beaten by 3 rail loco

different countries most probably offer different choices under the NMRA flag and some organizations may be more interested in your membership dollar to keep the club going.
As I said before I'm not keen on clubs but mainly by the administrations how a club is run and organized.

regards.,

John

Mainly 2-rail DC - yes
DCC decoders & controllers - yes

But those would be the only real differences... Well, really only 2-rail vs 3-rail nowadays since the newer Märklin controllers can do basic DCC too...

The rest of the model railroad hobby is very similar when it comes to the other practical and interesting stuff.
Trains are run the same way, landscapes are built the same way, digital decoders are mounted the same way and so on...
The differences between doing things the Märklin way or NMRA way are just a few bits on the technical side, but the principles are the same.

Would be a great thing to meet fellow "minds" on conventions, get togethers and such.

So if you think the price is worth it - go for it!

Remember - It's model railroading the whole thing is all about, not just "my brand is best" as it sometimes can be manifested in forums and such....

I used to be a member, but in reality there was not much there, there.

Aside from the 3 rail difference, American operating style from a prototype andd layout viewpoint is completely different than European. I'm sure exceptions could be found!

I've found that even DCC is about 10 years behind current Marklin and European standards. There is nothing comparable to the CS2 for Americans for example.

All the measurements standards are different as well. European trains whether DC or AC use differing wheel, flange, weight, and loading gauge standards as well.

Where the NMRA is strong IMHO are weathering, and scenery emphases. The basic ideas are good, but scenery is different than Europe too!

For all the self righteousness of the American set about prototype prototype prototype, they still don't have close coupling for their passenger rolling stock--pretty lame. Mention it when they criticize your ugly couplers.

On the other had ETE has a SIG attached to the NMRA, and if there is a dearth of Euro modellers in your neighborhood, you should be able to development cameraderie. They are pretty good people.

Henrik -- Great comments & I agree entirely. I'll fill out the papers, send them a bit of money, and look for a local club. Since xenophobia always limits personal growth, I'm sure the membership will be a nicely broadening experience.

Regards -- Richard

Just to say without the NMRA, we wouldn't be enjoying our decoders, sound decoders as much if the NMRA didn't call for a unified system and in the early days Lenz decoders introduced open protocols and all loco decoders producers today except Märklin have an open protocol, this alone I would think would be a no no for NMRA, organizers or officials who have helped the decoder industry where it is today.
but joining a group like this is not just about decoders and I think other NMRA clubs or subsidiaries could take notice of it and may change or improve their acceptance either with other groups as Thom has mentioned (ETE).

Realizing the hobby itself is not an expanding but rather a shrinking phenomena and it is the public who still support such organizations and to be quite honest they (the public) don't care if your loco has sound is from ERA 1 or 2, or represents a certain country, so by adjusting their terms and conditions by allowing other interest groups or individuals to be part of a greater organization and therefore the survival of model trains will have a better future and I think a better understanding for young people to take note what is available and which way if any, will they take up the hobby hopefully in future.
I also think forum members who live in America or the United States of America could in due course play an important role a.) by joining groups like this, b.) be active in their presentation, c.) and may play an administrative role to include or adapt a more wider field of ready made model trains such as Märklin's and other brands.

Unless you work harder and get deeper into a survival mode your participation will always be on the fringes of such organizations and maybe form a Märklin sub group like the one in Scotland which Ian is the host.
the disadvantage most likely be the distance from one city or one state to another but everything starts small, it is mainly the dedication and vision, for people like this to succeed.
Me may also have to change our way of expressing ourselves when joining big organizations, such as playing with trains, under NMRA rules it is: operating trains.

Richard, good luck with it all and let us know how you get on.

regards.,

John

Richard, if you get hooked up with some NMRA folks or other Euro-centric train addicts like us, report back to the group.