Go for the Gold—and the Trains
The LCCA 2009 Convention will be held in the Golden State at Sacramento, California, on July 19-25, 2009. The host city is near the region of the 1848 gold strike near Sutter’s Fort, and the location is near several railroad-related sites. Every weekday, we’ll offer a train excursion run: one will be aboard the famed Napa Valley Wine Train, another will be a cable car ride in San Francisco—and there are more! We have reserved the entire Radisson Sacramento Hotel as the host facility for our annual social, family, and train-related get-together. Members should mark their calendars now and plan to attend this best in the west event!
Club Conventions are for MEMBERS ONLY, but hobbyists who decide the join the LCCA now will be eligible to attend this and future events. Click here for information about the Club, including how to join the LCCA. First-time Convention-goers may gather helpful information about this week-long event by clicking on Info for Newbies. Existing members, new members, and first-time attendees will find useful reference information about club Conventions by clicking on FAQs.
Recap reports of recent LCCA Conventions can be viewed by clicking on History & Recaps. The activities, tours, train excursions, Train Show, and Lionel Seminars of recent-past Conventions are summarized there—going back in time five years.
LCCA designs and Lionel LLC produces a limited-edition Convention Car as a memento of this annual event. The 2009 Convention Car will be a mechanical reefer with a never-presented-before décor scheme in metallic white pearl paint with BNSF markings—a frosty show-stopper! This unique car is now available for purchase by MEMBERS ONLY at this website on the LCCA Store page or through mail order purchase via club publications.
Other cars will be produced and offered for separate sale during the event: a Registration Gift Car presented FREE to the first 400 registrants to the Convention, and the On-site Convention Car, which can only be bought on location and in person. Because of rarity and limited distribution, these two niche products will become prized collectibles.
To view the club’s previous Convention Cars, click on Convention Car Archive for pictures and descriptions.
| Our Host – the Radisson Resort Hotel |
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All guest rooms are beautifully appointed to re-create the comforts and amenities of home. Many rooms feature patios or balconies overlooking a private lake and fountain.
The HOTEL RESERVATION FORM for the 2009 Convention is posted at this website as a *.pdf file; click here to download it and mail it directly to the host hotel. FYI, there is no online reservation feature available for this event at this hotel.
The February ’09 issue of The Lion Roars magazine includes the Hotel Reservation Form. The form may be repeated for convenience in the upcoming April and June [2009] issues.
The following text and photos are a Sneak Preview of the annual event that justifies our reputation for presenting the best toy train Convention on the planet!
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| California State Railroad Museum |
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This stellar facility is one of the finest of its kind in the nation, and it will be one of the must-see tour venues. LCCA has reserved an entire evening for our visit to this museum with many permanent and some rotating railroad-related exhibits and galleries.
The famed Southern Pacific Cab Forward steam locomotive is on static display in the main display area, plus other historic trains and rolling stock |
| The Sefton Collection |
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This attraction will delight young and old alike! The collection includes approximately 1,000 vintage toy trains gathered over several decades by Mr. Sefton of San Diego. With 3,300 square feet of exhibits, interactive displays, and a dazzling, operating toy train layout in this gallery, you’ll want to hang out here!
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| A Splash of California – Sun, Wine, and Rails |
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A train excursion aboard the distinctive Napa Valley Wine Train will be a memorable highlight of the Monday tour schedule. With an ALCo diesel on point, we’ll travel along a route to many famous vineyards in America’s wine country and enjoy some wine tastings. Some of our members may own the O-gauge model of this now-famous train.
Other train excursions are scheduled every weekday:
- Tuesday – BART and Historic Streetcars
- Wednesday – Sierra Railroad Luncheon Train
- Thursday – Cable Car in San Francisco
- Friday – Western Railway Museum Trolley Ride OR Folsom via Light Rail.
Social events within the Convention will include:
- Wednesday – First-time Attendees Reception
- Thursday – Get Acquainted Party – always a fun-filled occasion
- Saturday – Reception and Banquet
Informational events will include:
- Wednesday – eTrack and Website Forum
- Friday – LCCA Business Meeting
- Friday – Lionel Seminar, with company execs and a Q&A session
- Friday & Sat – Trading Hall – bring your shopping list!
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