Membership has its Privileges! This was an advertising slogan famously used by American Express starting in 1987 to highlight the exclusive benefits and rewards of holding their cards. This slogan is so true for the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club too! Become a member - surf our site and join! Drop in at one of our monthly meetings and see us; guests are always welcomed and receive a complimentary issue of the WMRC Newsletter, The Lantern. Complete a membership application in person or go online to join the WMRC.
Membership in the WMRC is two-fold: you become a member of Winnipeg's premiere all-scale model
railroad club, and a member of the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) - read more below.
Normally a $50 fee, the WMRC enrolls you at no charge!
Your WMRC membership immediately puts you in touch with other model railroaders from every imaginable model scale: G, O, HO, N, Z, and T. Some members have layouts, others prefer to model dioramas, while others have a love of railroads and share their enthusiasm with photographs only, and one member has a garden G scale layout! The WMRC has a few former railroad employees of CN, CP, or VIA. Members are from varying backgrounds and professions, but all share one thing: a love of railroads.
Every member receives a free name tag (for those who attend meetings) to be proudly worn at meetings and other
related model railroad events. As a member of the WMRC you are also able to receive a 10% discount on new
rolling stock at Frog & Diamond Hobbies - locomotives, freight, and passenger cars. Follow Frog & Diamond on
Facebook for periodic sales (the 10% discount is not applicable on sale items) and news of workshops and clinics
that are held on several Monday nights throughout the year.
From September through to April meetings are generally held on the second Friday of every month at our location in the Tank Room of the Charleswood Royal Canadian Legion at 6003 Roblin Boulevard in Winnipeg (click here for map), accessed by the west side doors. There is a handicap accessible elevator as well. At each meeting members can bring in a model they are working on or finished and/or a photograph for others to see. These are displays, not competitions, and the winner in each category receives a cash prize!
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and this provides time for members to chat and catch up on personal news, modeling, and photography tips and tricks, and other informational items with each other. There is an area set aside in the meeting room for members to display their models and/or photographs. The business portion of the meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. under the club's Constitution rules, and then there is a brief break allowing everyone to have a coffee or soda and a donut or cookies. This break time is also used for the 50/50 draw which always has much anticipation to find out who the lucky winner will be! After the short break and 50/50 draw, members are then treated to the meeting's Program. This is generally a person from one of the NMRA locations who provides timely tips to installing various components of model railroads, or a photographer outlining how to take incredible railroad photos, to WMRC members citing ways to enhance their layouts or dioramas. If members cannot attend, they are encouraged to attend online with Zoom.
In advance of every meeting, members are sent a copy of the club's newsletter, The Lantern, and an e-mail, both advising of the next meeting date, location, and time (sometimes the meetings are held off-site) along with an overview of the meeting's program. Members can always check for updated meeting date and location updates on the Club's Facebook site and Blog.
May is the Club's Annual Awards Dinner and General Meeting. Always great fun, following a short business meeting to review the past year's activities, a year-end financial review, and the election of Officers, awards are handed out for various categories. Spouses and partners are welcome to join in the fun.
There are no meetings during June, July, and August. These are the months that many WMRC members spend time on vacation and attendance at meetings would be sparse, at best. However, these are also the months when events may be organized where members are invited and encouraged to visit special shows or operating railroads as a group. An e-mail is sent advising of the next outing date, location, and time along with an overview of the agenda. And members can always check for updated meeting date and location updates on the Club's Facebook site and Blog.
Your free membership in the NMRA is an incredible opportunity to become part of a global group of model railroaders! NMRA is organized with Countries, Regions, and Divisions. In Canada, there is the NMRA Canada Region. The WMRC is in the Thousand Lakes Region, and the No. 1 Northern Division.
NMRA publishes a monthly digital newsletter The Turntable (accessible to NMRA members only) as does the Thousand Lakes Region, The Fusee. Both are always chock full of updates to news about model railroads, reviews of new model equipment, how-to articles, and upcoming events.
Other significant benefits of being part of NMRA are:
NMRA eBulletin Beginner's Guide Local Division Events
Regional Conventions National Conventions Online Video Library
NMRA Online Archives NMRA Standards Gauges, Track Templates, and Decals
Members Only Company Store Model Railroad Directory NMRAx – The NMRA's Monthly Virtual Meetup
Now that you've read all about the WMRC (and the no charge NMRA membership) what's holding you back from joining? Come to one of our meetings as a guest and sign up there. Or become a member right now! Complete the online Membership Application Form, review the best means of payment for yourself, and we'll see you at the next meeting as a WMRC Member!
