To apply, visit us at our club location or at one of our road shows with our portable layout and ask for an application. Once you fill out the application, you begin a 6-month probation period. During this time, you should get to know how to run the main layout. At the next business meeting (first Saturday of the month) after your six months are up, we will vote on you. Two "no" votes will reject an application, but this hardly ever happens. We aren't very picky about your modeling skill (or budget), or your dedication to detail. All that really matters is that you are seriously interested in model trains, and that you can operate a train on the main layout without causing accidents or damage to other members' (or the club's) equipment. (We do like to keep to prototypical practices and avoid era clashes within the same train during public shows.)

Junior members must have two active senior members as sponsors before they can be approved. Junior applicants should have at least one sponsor before operating on the layout. (If a junior applicant's parent is a member, no other sponsor is required.) After one year, a junior member may become a senior member even if he/she is not yet 18.

Dues are $5 per month (junior members $2.50). Members delinquent four or more months, including the current month, are automatically suspended until their dues are paid. Members may be terminated for delinquency at eight months.

In addition to club dues, there is a $10 annual fee imposed by the Fox Valley Park District for each member who is not a resident of the Park District.

If, after you have been a member for a while, you move away from the area or are unable to come down regularly, you may request associate membership. Associate members can not vote at business meetings, but can operate on the layouts with the permission of an officer. Associate members do not pay dues, but if they want to receive minutes of the business meetings, they may pay a postage and materials fee of $5 per year.

Visitors may operate on the layouts with the permission of an officer and the assistance of a member. On your third operating visit, you will be asked to fill out a membership application.