2005 St. Louis Recap

2005 Annual LCCA Convention – St. Louis, MO

July 25-31, 2005

The 2005 LCCA annual Convention during the week of July 25th to 30th included many train-related attractions in the area – from visiting the real trains on static display at the National Museum of Transportation to an excursion from St. Louis to Springfield, Illinois, aboard a sleek Amtrak train.

The members of the Chicagoland Lionel Railroad Club transported and set up their large modular layout in the host hotel for enjoyment of convention-goers and the public. This layout was comprised of 32 2x4-foot modules which, If installed end-to-end, would extend to128 linear feet.

LCCA members considered themselves ambassadors for the hobby, and they eagerly shared their knowledge about Lionel trains with visitors. Persons brought their pre-1970 Lionel trains to the Convention site for expert free appraisals. The Train Show in the Trading Hall on Saturday was filled with trains and accessories for sale, including hard-to-find items.

Conventioneers purchased the On-site Convention Car – a green Operating Giraffe Car marked for the St. Louis Zoo, which was one of the tours during the Convention. The Convention Banquet Car was a “twin” to this car, but rendered in pink décor. Only one person per table received the pink car – a rare and unique collectible that can not be purchased, only gifted to lucky recipients.

Images from the 2005 LCCA Convention

SLLRC Layout

One of the Convention tour highlights was a visit to the newly opened St. Louis Lionel Railroad Club site with multiple trains running on their large layout.

CLRC Layout

The large modular layout of the Chicagoland Lionel Railroad Club was set up in the host hotel for the enjoyment of conventioneers and the public.

Layout Tour, basement

Several train layout owners in the St. Louis area opened their homes (and garages and basements) to LCCA visitors for tours. This layout owner coached a young visitor how to operate trains equipped with Lionel's TMCC control system.

WF&P Steam loco

This miniature outdoor steam locomotive transported LCCA guests in open gondola cars along a 2.5 mile track through a forest. The ride was a real train excursion, although in a smaller scale than Amtrak.