Some ignorance here...

Being into this hobby for 30 years or or so, I have always been a lone wolf and have never joined a club or operating group and certainly am not a member of the NMRA.  As a result, i am ignorant and have a questions... What is the difference between the National Train SHOW and the CONVENTION? They seem to be advertised as different events. Is the show just the "show" and convention the part that covers layout tours? Do you have to be a member of NMRA to go on the tours? That's what I got from looking at the enrollment form.

Difference between convention & National Train Show

The convention takes place during the week, and consists of clinics put on by experienced modelers covering various aspects of the hobby.  The convention also includes "extra fare" layout tours or guided tours of prototype facilities.

The train show is just that featuring Modular set ups in various scales and vendors booths.  The convention is open to NMRA members only while the train show is open to the general public. 

re: the difference

Russ did a fair job of explaining the difference. A couple of things were left out:

• Registering for the convention includes train show admission.
• Registering for the national train show does NOT include general convention admission.
• Convention goes get into the train show around 9AM on Friday. The general public doesn't get in until noon on Friday.
• If you'd like to attend a national convention and aren't a NMRA member, you can use the Rail Pass membership. This is the NMRA's equivalent of handing out discount drugs at the highschool. For less than $10 you get a 6 month membership including NMRA magazine and all other member rights including the national convention, except you can't vote.

I'm the clinics chair for the 2015 Convention in Portland and can assure you there will be LOTS of top-notch clinics presented from modelers such as Jack Burgess, Lance Mindheim, Geoff Bunza, and your favorite online model train magazine publisher.

Yes, it can get a bit spendy if you stay by yourself in a room at the convention hotel and dine elegantly every night, but there are alternatives that are much more reasonable.

If you've never been to a NMRA national convention you should probably add it to your bucket list (or even to your what'll I do next summer list).

If you're curious I posted the promo video for the convention on the MRH forum (with permission) at:

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Cheers,

Charlie