What is it?

In simple terms, the Achievement Program (AP) is a travel guide, to help you on your journey through the world of model railroading. The AP also provides incentive to learn and master the many crafts and skills necessary in the hobby of model railroading. With the completion of each category, you will be issued a certificate acknowledging your achievement.

The AP requirements are a set of standards, but they can also serve as a set of guideposts for those who are new, near-new, and not-so-new to the hobby. Not because they lead to some sort of official pat-on-the-back, but because they are a source of ideas for projects that can help us learn to become better modelers.

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.

Read more about the NMRA Achievement Program >>

Gerry Leone

The AP is designed to be accessible to all members. Skilled modelers can earn awards for model building, volunteers and “organization leader” types are recognized for their service, authors and photographers can earn a certificate for their published contributions to the betterment of the hobby, and model railroad builders can earn certificates for completion of operating model railroads and/or model railroads finished with scenery. 

NMRA members who don’t feel their efforts warrant AP certificates quite yet can work toward the Golden Spike Award, created to recognize those who have built a model railroad without exhibiting the more advanced techniques or skills required for AP recognition, but who have been willing to try some of the basic modeling techniques, producing well-rounded work that requires more skill than simply opening the boxes.

Read more from Gerry Leone >>

Master
Model Railroaders

Northeastern Region

  • 2 Edward M. Van Leer (D)
  • 5 W. Watson House (D)
  • 9 Ivon S. Preble (D)
  • 10 Dr. Roy F. Dohn (D)
  • 13 Donald S. Robinson (D)
  • 14 Harold Russell
  • 40 Graham K. Harvey (D)
  • 44 George Konrad
  • 45 William G. Lorence
  • 52 Robert A. Van Cleef
  • 53 Ira Rothberg (D)
  • 57 John W. Nelson
  • 63 Norman S. Briskman
  • 75 Blair Foulds (D)
  • 85 Frank W. Murray (D)
  • 86 Jack Alexander (D)
  • 118 Peter Watson
  • 155 Roger G. Ramsdell, Jr. (D)
  • 170 Brian C. Whiton
  • 199 Don Buckley
  • 205 Walter J. Neuman
  • 240 David Gunn
  • 227 Glenn E. Owens, Jr. (D)
  • 284 Larry S. Cannon
  • 299 Herm Botzow
  • 305 Al Sohl
  • 314 David MacPherson
  • 322 Robert L. Hamm
  • 327 Tony Capato (D)
  • 329 Dwight A. Smith
  • 343 Edward Spiller
  • 350 Brian Curry (D)
  • 358 Paul Allard
  • 364 Donald Howd (D)
  • 371 William Brown
  • 382 Norman Frowley
  • 418 Thomas P. Piccirillo
  • 483 Richard Senges
  • 508 Andy Clermont
  • 516 Gerald Abegg (D)
  • 517 John Mac Gown (D)
  • 523 Michael Tylick
  • 525 Jim Gore
  • 527 Bob Robbins
  • 528 Kevin Surman
  • 547 Steve Perry
  • 549 Vincent Gallogly
  • 555 Bruce DeYoung
  • 558 David Metal
  • 565 Thomas Oxnard
  • 597 Justin Maguire, Jr.
  • 638 Russell Norris
  • 642 Mike Evans
  • 643 John Feraca
  • 672 Edward O’Rourke
  • 673 Joseph Kavanagh
  • 678 James DeMarco
  • 682 Chuck Diljak
  • 688 Kenneth Nelson (D)
  • 696 Malcolm H. Houck
  • 714 Thomas Emmett
  • 720 James A. Whatley
  • 727 Jeff Hanke
  • 736 James Fairbanks
  • 737 George Landow

Note: Bold text is used to indicate those Master Model Railroaders® who are deceased.