Category Archives: NMRA Updates

News from Chattanooga NMRA Convention

In today’s current economic climate, few people would expect the price of anything to go down. As of the announcement from NMRA National, the unthinkable has happened. According to Gordy Robinson in the last NMRA e-Bulletin, effective immediately, the cost of an annual NMRA membership has been reduced to $50.00. So whether you live in the confines of the Dakota Southeastern Division, Prairie Lakes, Twin Cites or any other NMRA division, your annual membership has been reduced!

If you’re not already an NMRA member, this applies to new members as well. Please consider joining us!

Details about NMRA and DSED membership can be found here.

Calling Potential TLR Convention 2027 Clinicians…

As many of you know, the NMRA Thousand Lakes Region Convention will be held in Sioux Falls in May of 2027. Richard D, our convention clinics chairperson is working on assembling a list of clinicians and topics that may be presented during the convention.

Most of the clinics will take place on Friday May 21st in the morning and some evening, and will be 45 minutes each. There will, perhaps with some exceptions, be two clinics going on at the same time in different rooms in a very typical hotel conference room type setting. Our location will be at the Ramkota Hotel in Sioux Falls, that some of you may have been to if you attended past Sioux Falls conventions. We still need a broad variety of clinics. 

First and foremost, we hope you will consider attending the TLR convention in Sioux Falls. And if you are planning on it and have some special talent and/or passion that you would like to share in a clinic format where others can learn from your experiences, we’d love to hear about your idea.

Please reach out to us by emailing the division email dakotasoutheastern@gmail.com and please add “Attn: TLR 2027 Clinic Coordinator/ Richard” in the subject line.

With thanks to those that have already have provided great offerings and suggestions, and for any assistance you can provide.

Rich D / eric c

Twin Cities Division: New Crossing Gate Podcast Episode: “The TCD goes to the StL RPM”

Admittedly, I am way behind on my model railroad podcast listening… I’ve added this one to my queue… TCD members Joe Binish and Greg Dahl visit the RPM meet at Saint Loius.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with RPMs, these meets were born of modelers getting together and showing their modeling work, completed or in progress and discussing ways it could be improved. I’m told the experience is very communal, all skill levels are welcome and there’s no competition involved.

This episode TCD Crossing Gate discusses the events and fun at the annual St. Louis RPM. Joe Binish and Greg Dahl attended this event and bring us their experience.

The Twin Cities Division of the NMRA (TCD) is a neighboring division in the Thousand Lakes Region (TLR) to the east of us. Our friends in the TCD are quite an active group and are always entertaining with their operations focused podcast antics!

Introducing the NMRA Interchange

As discussed at our July 2026 division meeting.

CALLING NMRA MEMBERS of DSED & DIVISIONS NATIONWIDE!

The NMRA Interchange is a new place to ask questions, provide answers, post events, share ideas and make friends.

It is implemented as a Discord server and contains categories for welcoming members, a help area, the NMRA worldwide community, the NMRA Board of Directors, each of the Departments, the Achievement Program, Special Interest Groups, the basics (of modeling), the prototype (railroads), general interest groups and then each of the 17 regions. Discord also provides, free of charge, the ability to have online meetings with up to 100 people in a “room”, sharing screens and up to 25 people showing their camera feeds. 

When you join the Interchange Server, the “Automated Bot” will greet you with a message and some instructions on how to get your roles assigned.  Without roles, you will only see #the-lobby, #rules and #how-to-guides.  Please spend some time in the #rules and #how-to-guides during the /onboard process while your are waiting for the email with your personal command and code to paste in.

Familiarize yourself with the process of gaining access to the NMRA Interchange here:

NMRA National Convention 2026 – Chattanooga, TN

2026 Scenic City Express Chattanooga TN – NMRA National Convention and T-Trak World Record Attempt

The NMRA National Convention is coming to Chattanooga, TN, for the first time in 2026! The Southeastern Region is excited to host NMRA members from around the world in the Scenic City. We have a week full of fun activities planned, including:

  • Layout Tours
  • Prototype Tours
  • Steam-Powered Excursions and Dinner Train
  • Non-Rail Tours and other Activities
  • Operating Sessions
  • Special Interest Groups
  • Railroad Historical Societies
  • Modeling with the Masters(r)
  • Celebration of Models
  • Train Show

Click here for more info: https://www.nmra2026.org/

Dates: July 27 to August 2 2026