The
National Model Railroad Association is a non-profit corporation headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The association employs several paid staff members, but many functions of the NMRA are performed by departments which are staffed by volunteers.
Regions
The NMRA has regional chapters throughout the United States, Canada, Great Britian, and Australia. Regional conventions are held, in addition to the annual NMRA National Convention.The NMRA's annual National Convention is considered to be model railroading's single most important event. This convention is attended by hundreds of manufacturers, dealers, and avid model railroaders working in all scales. An NMRA national convention offers close to 100 different clinics and symposiums, and visits to over 30 model railroad layouts during a week long convention.
Industry Standards
American model railroad industry standards for scale, gauge, and power are set by the NMRA. The NMRA DCC Working Group defined the standards for
Digial Command Control. This ensures that locomotives and rolling stock from all manufacturers work on any other manufacturer's track, power supplies, and digital controls. Standards for DCC (Digital Control Command) have been created in cooperation with the
European Union of Model Railroad and Railroad Friends (MOROP), making DCC almost a worldwide standard.
