CONVENTION CARS
To commemorate LCCA Annual Conventions, the club designs and Lionel LLC produces for its members a limited-edition car – sometimes two cars as a pair – in celebration of this recurring train hobby and social event. The Convention Car concept was established in 1972 with the release of the #9701 B&O Automobile Car for the Convention held in Kansas City, MO. It's now a rarity.

The practice has continued to the present day, and the general trend has been toward truer-to-scale cars, unique items that assure collectibility, and niche products not available elsewhere. Because of their uniqueness and relatively low production runs, club members purchase these cars as prized possessions in their collections. Some of the cars may occasionally appear for sale in the secondary market, and non-member collectors or hobbyists may seek them out because of road name, the event or location, or special features.

2000, Unit A (for LOTS)	2000, Unit B (for LCCA)	2001	2002, Car #1 of 2
2002, Car #2 of 2	2003	2004, Car #1 of 2	2004, Car #2 of 2
2005	2006	2007	2008
2009

CONVENTION ON-SITE CARS
Beginning in 1998 at the LCCA Annual Convention held in Philadelphia, PA, and continuing annually thereafter, the club has regularly offered a Convention-related, limited-edition Lionel® car only to members who attended these events in person and purchased these cars on site. The cars were often based on railroads in the region of the host city or related to industries in the area. The trend has been toward niche products and has included a few playful items. Because of the relatively low numbers produced, these unique items have become prized collectibles among members

2000 Dearborn, MI	2001 Lexington, KY Car #1 of 2	2001 Lexington, KY Car #2 of 2	2002 Pittsburgh, PA side 1
2002 Pittsburgh, PA side 2	2003 Las Vegas, NV	2004 Milwaukee, WI	2005 St. Louis, MO
2006 Denver, CO Car #1 of 2	2006 Denver, CO Car #2 of 2	2007 Chicago, IL	2008 Buffalo, NY
2009 Sacramento, CA

CONVENTION EARLY REGISTRATION GIFTS
To encourage members to register early for the annual Convention and add value to club membership, LCCA has offered an incentive to “Early Bird” registrants who plan to attend our major hobby and social event. This item is presented only to those who register at the host hotel and pick it up at the site. Members with an interest in niche collectibles who are also Convention-goers look forward to these special products that can’t be bought – only earned according to the rules. This free gift is presented in limited quantities, usually no more than 400.

2000 Convention – Dearborn, MI
	This Convention-themed billboard had a metal (not plastic) frame and included four different panels; one of them presented the then-new slogan adopted by the club: “If you love toy trains, join the club.”
2001 Convention – Lexington, KY
	This black pick-up truck and matching horse trailer was lettered for Gainesway Farms, a renowned horse farm in the Blue Grass State. Although especially appropriate to the locale of this Convention, it was one of the very few club-sponsored products made by a manufacturer other than Lionel. A “companion piece” to it was offered as a special on-site purchase: a yellow pick-up truck and marching horse trailer lettered for Claiborne Farms.
2002 Convention – Pittsburgh, PA
	This blue “Lionel Trains” gondola was overstamped with two graphics: a text box identifier with the Convention info and the Lionel Lion cartoon character (our club mascot).
2003 Convention – Las Vegas, NV
	This GN covered hopper car included overstamped “VIVA LAS VEGAS” graffiti, dice, and a text box with Convention info.
2004 Convention – Milwaukee, WI
	This Lionel Water Tower presented our celebrity, the Lionel Lion cartoon character, on the tank and included a metal plaque with the Convention logo – to be affixed to the lattice work of the tower with tabs.
2005 Convention – St. Louis, MO
	This Disney “Mickey Mouse” flat car and boat by Lionel bears a Convention marking and special text on the hull of the boat: “Mississippi River Patrol”.
2006 Convention – Denver, CO
	This Lionel Street Clock was overstamped with gold lettering as “LCCA”. A real-world clock similar to this was in place in the downtown historic district of the Mile High City – Larimer Square.
2007 Convention – Chicago, IL
	In recognition of the “dark side” of Chicago’s legendary former gangster subculture, this fictitious “La Cosa Nostra Railway” PFE operating ice car reefer includes a portrait of Al Capone, an Italian flag on the doors, and a text panel with Convention info. This car may be a grim reminder that mysterious contents known only to Scarface may be “on ice” inside. A bag of ice cubes was included with the car.
2008 Convention – Buffalo, NY
	This dark gray “mushroom” water tower bears the NYC logo and “Buffalo, NY” identification as an identifier of the railroad that served the host city of the LCCA 2008 Convention. This item included a blinking light on top. It was designed by LCCA, made by Lionel, and presented as a gift to the first 400 registrants at this event.
2009 Convention – Sacramento, CA
	To be Announced

CONVENTION BANQUET CARS
Beginning in 2005, LCCA offered a very limited, special car to lucky members attending the concluding banquet of the Convention. Only one person per table will receive this car, and the fun is in “the chase.”

These cars are often whimsical in décor, and this enhances their uniqueness and collectibility. Because there are usually about 50 tables in the banquet hall, members realize that one car per table will make this item rare indeed. This car cannot be purchased; it must be won in a delightfully unpredictable manner announced at the occasion by the Master of Ceremony. It’s all part of the fun of owning one of these cars!

2005 Convention Banquet Car Operating Giraffe Car

2006 Convention Banquet Car Operating “Chase” Gondola Car

2007 Convention Banquet Car Mrs. O’Leary’s Dairy Farm Stock Car

2008 Convention Banquet Car NYC Gondola Car

CONVENTION SPECIAL PRODUCTS
LCCA has regularly offered carefully selected items to club members for separate sale at many Conventions as commemoratives of these events. Most of these products were related to the locale of the region of the host city. Some – like the 2002 Flat Car with Submarine – incorporated a unique story that further enhanced its status as a very special memento.

2000 – Dearborn, MI	2001 – Lexington, KY	2002 – Pittsburgh, PA
2003 – Las Vegas, NV	2004 – Milwaukee, WI	2006 – Denver, CO