Participation in a LCCA Annual Convention is limited to members only. LCCA invites hobbyists to join the club and be eligible to attend the upcoming and future Conventions; they are widely regarded as the best events of their kind within the toy train community. Click here to apply for LCCA membership; thereafter, explore the upcoming 2009 Convention in Sacramento, CA, in detail as a club member. The popular features of LCCA Conventions are described below.

Convention Tours
Tours are a highlight of LCCA Conventions and are railroad related or based on the history and heritage of the area. Most Conventions include a train excursion trip; for example, the 2006 LCCA Convention in Denver offered FOUR train trips! Motorcoach transportation to/from the host hotel to tour sites is included.

Amtrak provides a discount to members who opt to travel to/from the LCCA Convention aboard its trains, and some railfans make their Convention trip part of a larger adventure by rail.

Convention Social Events
Members enjoy the popular Get Acquainted Party on Thursday evening of Convention week and the festive concluding Banquet on Saturday evening; greeting old friends and meeting new ones. Each Banquet table is piled high with a gift for each person, and one lucky person per table will win a Banquet Car – one of only about 60 made, so it’s an instant rarity. Because this car can not be purchased – only gifted – it’s highly prized as a unique collectible.

The LCCA Store
One designated exhibition room in the host hotel draws a crowd and for good reason; it’s the place for good deals on great LCCA-sponsored products, branded golf shirts, and collectibles.

Train Show in the Trading Hall
On Friday evening and most of Saturday of Convention week, members cruise a large hall with more than 200 tables of trains and train-related merchandise for sale. Many bring a shopping list of items they need with them, realizing that this “train show within a Convention” may likely have things they could not find elsewhere with as good a selection or price.

Lionel Seminar
This presentation by Lionel executives is generally a standing-room-only affair “starring” new Lionel products and featuring demonstrations of new items by the men who design and make them. A lively Q&A session follows, and members know “they’ll hear it here first.”

Train Layouts
An operating train layout at the host hotel site will always be an attention-getter for conventioneers, visitors, and local media. In past Conventions, layouts of the Chicagoland Lionel Railroad Club, the Young Model Railroaders Club of Denver, and the Pittsburgh Independent High-Railers Club were stellar attractions. When feasible, organizational train layouts in the area that can accommodate a large group of LCCA visitors may become tour options – for example, the O-gauge layout of the St. Louis Lionel Railroad Club and the large garden railroad (G-gauge) layout within the Chicago Botanical Gardens.

The People
We believe the most important “fringe benefit” of participating in a LCCA Convention is the camaraderie with other train hobbyists. Many members have maintained long-term friendships with other hobbyists around the country based on a first meeting during a Convention. Our events are family friendly, and youngsters are welcome. Some families plan their summer vacation around the Convention. Attend one LCCA Convention, and you’ll be “hooked;” rather, “trained!”