your portal to more fun in scale model railroading
your portal to more fun in scale model railroading
The NMRA Achievement Program (AP) is a guide to help you on your journey through the world of model railroading. The AP provides incentive to learn and master the many crafts and skills necessary in the hobby of model railroading. With the mastery of each skill, you will be issued a certificate acknowledging your achievement. There are three groups of awards within the AP - the Golden Spike Award, the AP Certificates program, and the Master Model Railroader® Award. All awards earned in the Achievement Program are recognized in the NMRA Magazine.
Getting involved in the AP is incredibly easy - you just decide to do it! If you are not yet involved, to start you off on the right foot we suggest you contact your local division AP manager. Most divisions list that person in their contact list. Alternatively you can visit the AP Staff Roster page to find contact information for your Regional AP Manager or contact the National AP Manager.
The different awards in the program are described below.
The easiest way to get started in the NMRA Achievement Program is with the Golden Spike Award. If you have a home layout, chances are you've already done at least some of the things listed in the Golden Spike requirements list, if not all of them.
The Golden Spike requirements are structured along the same lines as the more in-depth AP certificates. The modeler needs to: lay and ballast track; wire it so it works; build cars and perhaps a locomotive; and build some structures and scenery. Commercial components are fine for the track and wiring, and kits are okay for the cars, locomotives, and structures. Upon completing these requirements and having the work evaluated by two or three fellow NMRA members, the member can apply for the Golden Spike Award.
If you've gotten your Golden Spike Award and are looking to do more, there are eleven AP Certificates that can be earned for demonstrating a superior level of skill in various aspects of our hobby. The program covers not only building various types of models, but also building other things which are important to the hobby, such as scenery, structures, track work, and wiring. It also recognizes service to the hobby and the NMRA which are important as well.
You won't be on your own - NMRA members who have previously earned an AP certificate in an area have also made personal commitment to share their knowledge with members who are also making the AP journey. Use the links on the right to explore the different certificates and requirements.
The AP requirements can also serve as a set of guideposts for those who are new, near-new, and not-so-new to the hobby. Each certificate is a source of ideas for projects that can help us learn to become better modelers. As you progress through each certificate, you will work with expert modelers who will evaluate your work and provide feedback to help you improve your modeling skills.
At the end of the day you'll be amazed at what you'll learn and what you'll be able to accomplish!
Master Model Railroader ®
An NMRA member qualifies as a Master Model Railroader® when he or she has obtained at least seven of the eleven Achievement Certificates provided that he or she has earned at least one Achievement Certificate in each of the four areas of the Regulations. Earning the title of Master Model Railroader® is the ultimate goal for many participants in the Achievement Program. Interested and qualified Master Model Railroaders® (MMR®) are also eligible and encouraged to serve as instructors in the "Modeling With The Masters®" program.
You might be interested to read this interesting history of the Achievment Program. The history was prepared by CJ Riley MMR® #97 - additional material has subsequently been provided by: Willis Ehlert MMR® #59, Rick Shoup MMR® #234, Phil Kohl, Paul Richardson MMR® #345, and Frank Koch, HLM.
A History of the NMRA Achievement Program (1961 - 2024)
You may also like this short article by Gerry Leone, MMR® sharing his experience with the program. This article appeared in a previous issue of Scale Rails (now the NMRA Magazine).
What I learned by becoming an MMR® - By Gerry Leone, MMR®.
Contact the AP Committee General Manager at achiev [at] nmra.org, or your Region or Division Achievement Program Manager for more information.