Membership - YOU are
Invited to Join the NRHS!
We invite
you to join the NRHS or give the gift or NRHS Membership; The
NRHS, an international organization, is the largest rail enthusiast
organization in the United States. Membership
is available regardless of race, religion, gender or national
origin.
Contents
of this Section
General
Membership Information
There are five categories (clases or types) of membership:
- Chapter
Members - Chapter members of the NRHS
belong to the National Society and have a local Chapter membership
(often referred to as your "Home Chapter") for just $36.00
per year (plus Chapter fees). Chapter members pay National
dues and in most cases dues to the local Chapter (local Chapter
dues vary by Chapter). A Chapter membership used to be referred
to as "Regular" membership. Additional members of your family
(individuals living in the same household) may also become
members for just $5.00 per year. This category of membership
has full voting rights in the National society, including
voting rights for each family member. Voting privileges in
your Chapter may vary. Please
look up the Chapter, by
name or location, that you are interested in joining and contact
them directly.
- At-Large
Members - At-Large members belong only to the
National Society for just $37.00 per year and do not have
a local Chapter affiliation. At-Large members pay only National
Society dues. At-Large membership used to be referred to as
Associate Membership. Additional members of your family (individuals
living in the same household) may also become members for
just $5.00 per year. This category of membership has full
voting rights in the National society, including voting rights
for each family member.
- Additional
Chapter Members - - In addition to your
primary Chapter membership, you may become a member in one
or more additional Chapters. Many members of the NRHS are
active in more than one Chapter. After you obtain your Chapter
membership, you may join as an Additional Chapter Member by
applying to a local Chapter and paying local Chapter dues
only. Please
look up the Chapter, by
name or location, that you are interested in joining and contact
them directly.
- Student
Members -
A student membership is a discounted annual
membership offered to individuals who are 13 to 18 years of
age (on January 1). The purpose of the student category is
to introduce the NRHS to the many young people who have an
interest in one or more aspects of railroading. As a student
member, you will receive 4 issues of the NRHS Bulletin, the
Yearbook, the NRHS News, and credit for your membership towards
the Membership Awards program. This membership functions just
like an At-Large membership, unless the individual chooses
to join a local Chapter in which case additional Chapter membership
fees may be applicable (local Chapter dues vary by Chapter).
Additional members of your family (individuals living in the
same household) may also become members for just $5.00 per
year. This category of membership has voting rights in the
National society. A parent or legal guardian's signature is
required for membership in this category.
- Youth Members -· A youth membership is a discounted
annual membership offered to individuals who are 5 to 12 years
of age (on January 1). The purpose of the youth category is
to introduce the NRHS to the many young people who have an
interest in one or more aspects of railroading. As a youth
member, you will receive 4 issues of the NRHS Bulletin, the
Yearbook, the NRHS News, and credit for your membership towards
the Membership Awards program. This membership functions just
like an At-Large membership, unless the individual chooses
to join a local Chapter in which case additional Chapter membership
fees may be applicable (local Chapter dues vary by Chapter).
Additional members of your family (individuals living in the
same household) may also become members for just $5.00 per
year. This category of membership does not have voting rights
in the National society and may be restricted from holding
elected office for legal reasons. A parent or legal guardian's
signature is required for membership in this category.
At-Large memberships
may be converted to Chapter Memberships, and vice-versa.
Benefits
of Membership in the NRHS
Benefits of NRHS
Membership include:
- Subscription to
National Railway Bulletin
(published six times a year)
- NRHS
News (News companion to the National Railway Bulletin)
- Membership Card
- A wide variety
of discounts, including savings at a wide variety of rail
attractions
- The right to attend
the National Convention
- An, organized,
safe, international network of railroading; an excellent opportunity
to meet and socialize with other people who have similar interests
in railroads, rail preservation, photography, writing, operations,
restoration, and/or history.
- Recognition for
continuous membership in our Membership
Awards Program.
- Opportunities
to contribute time and energy to local projects or national
efforts that protect, educate, preserve, and promote the past,
and present, and future of railroading.
Further,
members of local Chapters may participate in local chapter events
and projects; most local Chapters have their own monthly publication
as well.
Membership
Requirements: Membership is easy. All members of the
National Railway Historical Society are required to maintain
their membership in good standing by paying their annual dues
and to abide by the Bylaws of the organization. If you would
like a copy of the Constitution and By- Laws, please contact
the National Office or see our bylaws
page. Local Chapters may have additional individual requirements
for membership.
Annual
Membership Dues/Fees
National Society dues are $37.00 per year for At-Large Membership
($36.00 per year for members who join through, and maintain,
a Chapter Membership). A member of your family may also join
for an additional $5.00 per year. Reduced price Student and
Youth Memberships are also available as noted below. Local chapters
usually also have additional dues sufficient to support their
activities. Memberships run from January 1 - December 31; memberships
not renewed by March 31 of the following year are cancelled.
New members joining after September 1, receive membership for
the remainder of the current year plus all the next following
year for one year's dues. Members who choose to join more than
one Chapter as "Additional Chapter" members, only need to pay
National Society dues once each year, through their Home Chapter.
NOTE: Annual
membership dues are non-refundable.
NOTE: A
family member is defined simply as an individual living in the
same household.
Family
Friendly Membership
Don't go it alone, make NRHS Membership a family affair! For
a nominal additional fee ($5.00 per person), the other members
of your family can become NRHS Members too. Family members receive
full rights and privileges of NRHS Membership participation,
such as discounts, convention participation, a membership card,
membership recognition awards, and the chance to belonging to
and socialize with a really fun group of people. For Chapter
Memberships, your Chapter may also have a separate nominal fee
for "Family" members. A family member is defined simply as an
individual living in the same household.
NOTE: With
Family Memberships, we will only mail one-copy of each issue
of the National Railway Bulletin, the NRHS News Extra,
or other mailings.
Student
Membership
So, you are ages 13 to 18 and want to join the NRHS (or want
to give a membership to someone who is), but no-one else in
the household is interested? Now you can become a Student member
of the NRHS for just $16.00 per year. A student membership is
a discounted annual membership offered to individuals who are
ages 13 to 18 years of age (on January 1). The purpose of the
student category is to introduce the NRHS to the many young
people who have an interest in one or more aspects of railroading.
As a student member, you will receive 4 issues of the NRHS Bulletin,
the Yearbook, the NRHS News, and credit for your membership
towards the Membership Awards program. Best of all, you'll be
plugged into the organized, world of railroading where you can
start building your own network of friends. Your membership
functions just like an At-Large membership, unless you choose
to join a local Chapter.
NOTE: Because
of legal requirements, Student Members may be restricted from
holding elected offices in accordance with applicable by-laws.
Chapter may have specific additional requirements for membership.
Youth
Membership
Persons ages 5 to 12 who want to join the NRHS (or want to
receive a gift membership), but no one else in the household
is interested, can become a Youth member of the NRHS for just
$5.00 per year. A youth membership is a discounted annual membership
offered to individuals who are 5 to 12 years of age (on January
1). The purpose of the youth category is to introduce the NRHS
to the many young people who have an interest in one or more
aspects of railroading. As a youth member, you will receive
4 issues of the NRHS Bulletin, the Yearbook, the NRHS News,
and credit for your membership towards the Membership Awards
program. Best of all, you'll be plugged into the organized,
world of railroading where you can start building your own network
of friends. Your membership functions just like an At-Large
membership, unless you choose to join a local Chapter.
NOTE: Because
of legal requirements, Student Members may be restricted from
holding elected offices in accordance with applicable by-laws.
Chapter may have specific additional requirements for membership.
Request
Additional Membership Information
Use one of the following
methods to get additional information about NRHS Membership.
 |
Print out the membership
information request form and fax or mail it to us. You may
use this form to get information about Chapters in your
area. |
|
send us e-mail. Please
include your name, complete mailing address, and phone number.
You also may use e-mail to get informaton about Chapters
in your area. We'll mail you an application. |
| |
Use our on-line membership
information request form. You may use this form to get information
about Chapters in your area. |
Join
the NRHS
If you don't know
of a local Chapter in your area, join as an At-Large now and
we'll help you find a local Chapter at a later time.
|
Join on-line right now! |
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Join via fax or mail by using the At-Large
membership fax/mail-in form (compact file size) |
|
Open,
then print, complete, and mail the application in the NRHS
Official At-Large Membership Brochure (large file).. |
Give
a Gift Membership
You can the gift
of At-Large NRHS Membership by using one of the two methods
below:
| |
At-Large/Student
NRHS Gift Membership Form (FAX/Mail-in) |
| |
On-line
At-Large NRHS Membership Form (includes gift option) |
We cannot offer gift
Chapter Memberships on this site. If you are interested in giving
a Chapter Membership as a gift, please contact the appropriate
Chapter directly.
Answers
to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About NRHS Membership
Q:
How much does it cost to be a member?
A: See our Dues section.
Q:
What are the membership requirements?
A: See our Membership Requirements section.
Q:
What are the differences between the membership classes?
A: See our Membership Classes section.
Q:
What type of membership should I apply for, At-Large or Regular?
A: The decision is totally up to you and dependent upon your
needs. Regular membership is the cornerstone of the Society.
Belonging to a local Chapter gives you access to a local network
of folks with similar interests and activities in your area.
At-Large Membership is ideal for those who move around frequently.
Q:
Can I just pay "Chapter Only" dues?
A: No. To be a member of the Society, you must be either a Chapter
or an At-Large Member. Chapter Only membership category was
created so that Chapter members could belong to more than one
Chapter without having to pay duplicate National Society dues.
Q:
Can I belong to more than one NRHS Chapter?
A: Yes, if you are a Chapter Member of one Chapter, to join
an additional Chapter you are required only to follow the Chapter's
membership guidelines/requirements and pay local Chapter dues.
Membership
Brochure & Application
Our complete membership
brochure for At-Large Membership is available in PDF format. You
need only to print and send in the second page. Just open, then
print, complete, and mail it to the addrees provided on the form
along with payment.
For information on viewing PDF or pdf
files (files in Acrobat Reader), see our PDF
information page.
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