Membership Information

CVMCA memberships shall be of at least two (2) types, both of which shall include immediate family members.

OWNER/OPERATOR MEMBER may own and/or operate a motor car on the Durand line with the consent of any Board member and shall pay a yearly membership fee set by the Board.

GANDY DANCER MEMBER may work and ride on the Durand Line under the supervision of a Board member or his designate and shall pay a yearly membership fee set by the Board, initially being $25.00.

All member dues are payable on or before May 1st of each year and apply to the 12-month period thereafter.

New member dues paid after May 1st apply to the 12-month period beginning on May 1st, regardless of the date paid, and are not to be pro-rated.

Yearly dues for operating members of the CVMCA shall be set by the Board of Directors.

All owner/operator members first year dues shall be $150.00.  Thereafter, operator yearly dues shall be $100.00.

Close relatives of members may visit the Chippewa Valley Motor Car Association line track, socialize with members, and ride motor cars as permitted by the motor car owners.  They may not participate in any work unless they are a member of CVMCA in their own right.

The Board shall have the right to immediately dismiss from the CVMCA any member who does not abide by all of the CVMCA rules and regulations.  That member’s dues for that year will be refunded.

The CVMCA, its equipment, property or personnel, shall not be employed for any hunting or trapping activity in any way.  This precludes the use of motor cars or rolling stock for the purpose of transporting hunters, their gear, guns, bows, or game, on CVMCA property.        

Firearms, including compressed air operated guns, and bows & arrows in the possession of CVMCA members are not allowed on CVMCA property at any time.

The Land Use Agreement which the CVMCA has from Milepost 15.65 south to Trevino has been granted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the trackage and Right-Of-Way are maintained solely at their discretion.  The CVMCA can therefore make no guarantees regarding the duration of the agreement, nor can the CVMCA offer refunds in case of cancellation of the Land Use Agreement with the Wisconsin DNR..

All personal equipment and tools brought onto and used on the CVMCA railway are the sole responsibility of the owner.  This includes the maintenance, repair, and disposition of all such items.  The CVMCA assumes no responsibility for these items but does reserve the right to ban from CVMCA RR property any equipment or tool that the Board chooses.

“Occasional Operation” rule:

The following “occasional operation” rule is meant to strike a fair balance between members who have made the investment in becoming Operating members, and those who have become Gandy Dancer members.

An “operating member” is a person who owns and operates his own motor car and has paid the required fee for membership in the CVMCA as an operating member.

A motor car may be owned by one or more individuals, but each individual owner must be an “Operating Member”. 

The owner of a motor car may allow a non-Operating Member of the CVMCA (Gandy Dancer or an Operating Member’s family member) to operate his motor car, but only as part of a work crew/work train, and with the owner of the motor car on board that train.  A “train” consists of a motor car, with or without pulled rolling stock, being operated by an Operating Member.  The owner of a motor car may allow another “Operating Member” of the CVMCA to operate that motor car.

The occasional operation of a motor car by a non-Operating Member (Gandy Dancer or member of the family of the motor car owner) on the CVMCA Railway is allowed, but only under the direct and present supervision of the Operating Member owner of that motor car, and with the motor car owner’s current permission.

If such operation becomes more than occasional, in the eyes of the Board Members, that non-Operating Member must become an Operating member, even though he may not own a motor car.  If this “occasional operation” rule is being abused by a member of the CVMCA, the Board may elect to dismiss from CVMCA one or both of the members who are abusing that rule.

“Occasional”, in the above context, means 10% or less.  Therefore, for example, on a work crew/work train, a Gandy Dancer member would be expected to operate a motor car 10% or less of the time he spent working.

Board Members of the CVMCA.