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History of LCCA Convention Cars

On this page is the history of the first 25 LCCA Convention Cars offered from our first convention in 1971 through our 25th anniversary in 1995 and continuing through 1997. This comprehensive review of these cars first published in The Lion Roars starting June 1989, was written by Bill Button (DM 3835) for our 25th Anniversary Celebration.

The LCCA's earliest convention cars started out as standard SKU cars offered by Lionel.  These cars were purchased, sent to a third party for selective LCCA provided overstamp images, forwarded to a fulfillment house that distributed them to members.  In fact, the two earliest cars were transformed from standard product to a club convention car with a manual stamp on the bottom of the car.  Otherwise they were not distinguished from their source SKU.  A lot has been written in TLR on how to determine the authenticity of these cars and prove their pedigree.  Because of this, these earlier cars did not have their own numbers as more recent cars have assigned to them by Lionel.  As an aside, this process is similar to convention registration gifts, on-site cars and other offerings.  

Another difference between earlier cars and more recent offerings is in the way they were distributed.  For years, the convention car was physically available at the convention and given to members who had purchased them.  Remaining cars were then mailed. This was practical then because of the somewhat lessor lead time to overstamp an existing car than to order and manufacture cars with today's extended timelines and delivery schedules.  All LCCA convention cars have some LCCA cachet, date of convention and year mostly discretly added.  Most cars come in boxes Lionel currently had available.  Later cars came in boxes deco'ed exclusively for the LCCA

Over the years, the LCCA upped their game, got away from modifying existing product and started to define, spec out and build LCCA cars each carrying their own Lionel SKU number.  In fact, some cars like the 1979 Airco box car with internal tank and the 2012 US forces lighted box cars were quite unique.  The LCCA thought in terms of "decade trains' with one engine and one caboose each decade.  As new cars and engines are issued, this theme continues - ie the recent Texas Special offerings and the current UP offerings.

Bill details in his articles so much more on each of the first 25 Convention Cars offered by the LCCA.  Read them, come back for reference and enjoy some of the history of the LCCA.  Click Here To see more LCCA Convention Cars and Special Offerings.

History of LCCA Convention Cars - The First 25 Years

Year	Description	Click Here to Read More
1972	9210 Automobile Car	Part 1 - June 1989 Reprint Here
1973   1974	9727 TAG Box Car -  9110 Corning Hopper	Part 2 - August 1989 Reprint Here
1975   1976	9155 Tank Car - 9212 Flat Car with Vans	Part 3 - October 1989 Reprint Here
1977   1978	9259X Caboose - 9728 UP Stock Car	Part 4 - December  1989 Reprint Here
1979   1980	9733 Airco Box Car - 9358 Sands of Iowa Quad Hopper	Part 5 - February 1990 Reprint Here
1981   1981	8068 - RI GP20 Diesel - 9435 CG Box Car	Part 6 - April 1990 Reprint Here
1982   1983	9460 DTS Box Car - 6112 Commonwealth Quad Hopper	Part 7 - June 1990 Reprint Here
1984   1985	7403 LNAC Box Car - 6567 ICG Crane	Part 8 - August 1990 Reprint Here
1986   1987	6323 Virginia Chemical Tanker - 17870 ECH Boxcar	Part 9 - October 1990 Reprint Here
1988   1989	9155 Tank Car - 9212 Flat Car with Vans	Part 10 - December 1990 Reprint Here
1990   1990	18090 DRG Steam Engine and 17880 DRG Caboose	Part 11 - August 1991 Reprint Here
1991   1991	17887 and 17888 Flat with Trailer	Part 12 - October 1991 Reprint Here
1992	52023 NASA Tank Car	Part 13 - December 1992 Reprint Here
1993	52023 DTS Center Flow 2 Bay Hopper	Part 14 - June 1990 Reprint Here
1994	52038 Southern 3 Bay Hopper	Part 15 - December 1994 Reprint Here
1995	52074 IBP Box Car	Part 16 - October 1995 Reprint Here
1996	52090 PM Double Door Standard O Box Car	Part 17 - October 1996 Reprint Here
1997	52110 CSPM&O Box Car	Part 18 - October 1997 Reprint Here