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National Organization

The NMRA is a non-profit corporation. It has a President and other officers and a Board of Directors. The Headquarters of the NMRA are in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with several paid staff members. Many of the functions of the NMRA are performed by the Departments, which are staffed by volunteers. The NMRA holds a National Convention each year, and regions sponsor conventions in their areas as well.

Source: Tom Draper

NMRA Districts

Org Chart

Headquarters of the NMRA

National Model Railroad Assoc., Inc
4121 Cromwell Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421
Phone: (423) 892-2846
Fax: (423) 899-4869
Email:
A.C. Kalmbach Memorial Library
Brent Lambert, Library Director
4121 Cromwell Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421
O: (423) 894-8144
Fax: (423) 899-4869
Email:

Board of Directors

Bob Ferguson, Regional Advisory Council
530 Fig Tree Lane
Martinex, CA 94553
H: (925) 228-6833
email: racdir@hq.nmra.org
Tony Koester, At Large World Wide Director Director
949 Ridge Rd.
Newton, NJ 07860
H: (973) 579-1938
Fax: (973) 579-7474
email:nkpfan@nac.net
Charlie Getz, HLM - At Large North America Director
47 Madera Ave.
San Carlos, CA 94070
H: (650) 591-8916
email: alnadir@hq.nmra.org
Clark Kooning, MMR - Canada Director
2869 Battleford Road
Unit 3014
Mississauga, Ontairo, Canada L5N 2S6
C: (416) 899-9041
email: candir@hq.nmra.org
Peter Jensen - Pacific Director
Post Office Box 694
Cessnock, NSW 2325 Australia
(61) 2-4990-9855
email: pacdir@hq.nmra.org
Nobby Clarke - Atlantic Director
34 Hopmeadow Court
Northhampton, England, NN3 8QG
+44-1494-782347
email: atldir@hq.nmra.org
Jack Hamilton, MMR - Western Director
10731 Warren Road NW
Silverdale, WA 98383
Phone: (360) 308-9845
email: westdir@hq.nmra.org
Bob Beaty, MMR - Central Director
741 Dividing Ridge Rd
Birmingham, AL 35244-1712
C: (205) 983-2083
email: centdir@hq.nmra.org
John E. Roberts, HLM, MMR - Eastern Director
104 Heritage Pointe
Williamsburg, VA 23188-7894
H: 757-345-3797
O: 757-345-3118
Fax: 757-345-6944
emails: eastdir@hq.nmra.org

Officers of the NMRA

President
Michael C. Brestel
3208 Vittmer Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45238
H: 513-481-0185
Fax: 513-661-2142
Email: pres@hq.nmra.org
Vice President - Admin
Dave Thornton
2027 Jeffrey Dr.
Troy, MI 48085-3816
H: (248) 879-6806
Email: vp@hq.nmra.org
Vice President - Projects
Bill Kaufman
32 Salvador Way
San Rafael, CA 94903
H: (415) 491-0543
Email: vp@hq.nmra.org
Secretary
Robert V. Gangwish
1704 S. Lake Reedy Blvd.
Frostproof, FL 33843-7652
H: 863-635-2003
Email:secy@hq.nmra.org
Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer
Frank Koch
Email: treas@hq.nmra.org

NMRA Departments

Executive Department
Executive Director: Vacant
Administrative Department
Manager: Jenny Hendricks
4121 Cromwell Rd
Chattanooga, TN 37421-2119
O: 423-892-2846
F: 423-899-4869
E-mail:
Education Department
Manager: John M. Lowrance, MMR
8611 Norwich Drive
San Antonio, TX 78217
E-mail: educate@hq.nmra.org
Asst Manager: Fred Bock, MMR
5923 Windhoven Drive
San Antonio, TX 78234
E-mail: educate@hq.nmra.org
Fund Raising Department
Manager: Vacant - Help Wanted
IT Department
Manager: Tim Klevar
13570 Grove Drive, #227
Maple Grove, MN 55311
H: 612-293-8698
O: 763-694-7423
E-mail: itmgr@hq.nmra.org
Howell Day Museum
Manager: John E. Roberts, HLM, MMR
104 Heritage Pointe
Williamsburg, VA 23188-7894
H: 757-345-3797
O: 757-345-3118
Fax: 757-345-6944
E-mail: museum@hq.nmra.org
Kalmbach Memorial Library
Manager: Brent Lambert
4121 Cromwell Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421
O: 423-894-8144
Fax: 423-899-4869
Email:
MAP Department (Marketing, Advertising, Promotion)
Manager: Tom Draper, HLM, DSA
10837 N. 34th Place
Phoenix, AZ 85028-3310
H: (602) 953-1681
Fax: 602-953-0751
Email: map@hq.nmra.org
Meetings and Trade Show Department
Manager: Bob Amsler
Email: conv@hq.nmra.org
Membership Services and Promotion Department
Manager: Howard Goodwin
E-mail:mbrservices@hq.nmra.org
Publications Department
Publisher: Larry DeYoung
54 Waterloo Rd
Devon, Pa. 19333-1458
H: 610-293-9098
Fax 610-293-1715
Email: pubs@hq.nmra.org
Standards and Conformance Department
Manager: Didrik A. Voss, MMR
15226 12th Dr SE
Mill Creek, WA 98012-3082
O: 425-337-5222
F: 425-337-6084
E-mail:tech-chair@hq.nmra.org
National Communications Director
Gerry Leone, MMR
6459 Smithtown Road
Excelsior, MN 55331
H: 952-474-8364
E-mail:commdir@hq.nmra.org

New NMRA Regulations

In the recent national election the membership authorized the replacement of our 1935-era Constitution and By-laws with a new set of governing documents, called the Regulations. These new Regulations were phased in over the following year and fully replaced the old Constitution and By-laws effective September 1, 2005.

The new regulations (January 2008) in PDF form may be found by clicking on Regulations.
The Regulations in HTML format are available again.

Questions concerning the new regulations should be directed to the NMRA officers or any director.

REGULATIONS OF THE NATIONAL MODEL RAILROAD ASSOCIATION
As adopted by membership vote, July, 2004,
as modified and approved by the BOD at their meeting in January, 2008

The following is an extract from the NMRA Regulations.

ARTICLE I - NAME AND PURPOSE

  1. The National Model Railroad Association, Inc. (hereinafter "Association" or NMRA) was organized at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, September 1, 1935, and incorporated as a non-profit organization under the Laws of the State of Ohio, May 17, 1947. The full legal name of the organization is the National Model Railroad Association, Inc., and the shortened version the organization is also known as the NMRA.
  2. The purposes of the National Model Railroad Association are, in part, to promote, stimulate, foster and encourage by all manner and means the art and craft of model railroading, to preserve of the history, science and technology thereof, and to advance the global model railroading community through education, development of standards and recommended practices, advocacy, and social interaction. The corporation is organized for charitable, educational, literary and scientific purposes consistent therewith included for such purposes. These purposes include, but are not limited to:
    1. To assemble, define, set up, investigate, publish and encourage the use of Model Railroad Standards for better interchange and operation of model railroad equipment and to develop the technology of model railroading through scientific processes.
    2. To promote closer understanding and cooperation among model railroad manufacturers, distributors, dealers, publishers, consumers, and the general public
    3. To develop the technical skills of persons engaged in the art and craft of model railroading and promote fellowship among model railroaders.
    4. To educate persons engaged in model railroading methods of building and operating model railroad equipment and prototype practices.
    5. To advance the hobby of model railroading wherever and whenever possible by publications, meetings, communications and all things necessary or incidental to the foregoing purposes.
    6. The principal office shall be in the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, or at such location as directed by the Board. In accordance with Article II herein, the Association shall maintain an agent for purposes of service within the State of Ohio to the extent required by the laws of Ohio. The Corporation may also have offices at such other places as the Board of Directors from time to time selects, or as the business of the Corporation may require.