 Dear Member
Thanksgiving is almost here! Cold everywhere. And heard more SNOW in the forecast. Can 2015 be far way? But let's take advantage of the time we have, enjoy whatever season we are in. Now that the cold is here, we can handle it. Most of us will be with friends and family starting next week and continuing till after the New Year. This is a special time, savor the moments. Enjoy your time together. Set up your trains for the holidays. And have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving.
Topics discussed in this issue:
Special Events As we enter the holiday season and start anew the winter train shows, the LCCA Special Events Program continues to grow and expend. Over the year, thousands of LCCA members come and participate in Special Events. Special Events continues to expand as more members and groups volunteer to support or host an Event. If interested in being part of the Special Event program, contact Al Kolis agkolis@comcast.net. If near any event, be sure to stop by and say Hello. - Nov 22/23, 2014 - Hamburg, NY (Buffalo) - LCCA at WNYRHS Train show - THIS SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO SNOW
- Nov 29/30 - Crown Point, IN (Chicago) - LCCA hosts "Toy Train Club Show - Special Event.
Be sure to stop by and say hello to President DeVito. - Dec 5-31, 2014 - Meet Lionel Licensed Artist Angela Trotta Thomas - Charleston, SC - Special Event
- Dec 6, 2014 - LCCA Invitation To Toy Train Open House Event, Conway, AR - Special Event
- Dec 6, 2014 - LCCA San Francisco - United Airlines Fantasy Flight - Special Event
- Dec 6, 2014 - Home Layout Tour, Houston, TX - Special Event
- Dec 12/13, 2014 - LCCA at NLOE Open House, Long Island, NY - Special Event
- Dec 13, 2014 - 10th Annual Christmas Holiday Train Party & Open House in Lewisville, NC -Special Event
- Dec 13, 2014 - Boston Metro Hi-Railers Model Railroad Club’s Christmas Open House - Special Event
- Dec 13/14, 2014 - LCCA visits Locomotion Days at the Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh, PA - Special Event
- Dec 20, 2014 - LCCA Holiday Special Event in Leland IA - Special Event
- Dec 21, 1014 - LCCA Joins NJ Hi-railers in Paterson, NJ - Special Event
LCCA President DeVito invited Santa to be at the November 29/30th Special Event in Crown Point IN. This Crown Point event is special as it is one of the first Train Shows sponsored and put on by volunteers from Multiple train clubs. With the LCCA as originating club, our sister clubs including the TCA, TTOS and a number of local clubs are coming together the days after Thanksgiving. A number of family friendly special events are planned. Be sure to visit with Santa at noon. If you can make Crown Point, try to attend the first of this annual show. I look forward to meeting with you - be sure to introduce yourself. If you are able to spend some time helping at the LCCA Booth, please contactdennisdevito@comcast.net To all our members, especially our newest members from the LRRC, you are always invited and welcome to attend any and all LCCA special events with your family. All LCCA events are family friendly. Be sure to come down and join in - and remember to ID yourself to the LCCA host! Be sure to check out future LCCA events on our web page, and save the date for upcoming shows later in 2014 and in 2015. See all LCCA events at this link.
Switching Tracks The LCCA is sending special club cars around the country (and even the world!). the LCCA is seeking LCCA volunteers to run our special logo car on our member's layouts. The LCCA will send you a car to run for two weeks and then come and get it and pass it on to another member. Our goal is to have cars operating in all 50 states. The Switching Tracks Project Manager, Tim Fuhrmann will be providing more info in days ahead with more details in the December TLR. If you want to be among the first to 'handle the load' on your layout, be sure to contact Tim (fuhrmanntim@hotmail.com).
Poll Questions A new Train Talk (number 14) has been posted. Our Train Talk Coordinator, Bill Fuller (RM11746) continues to post questions and responses. It is fun and interesting to see what others think of hobby related issues. If you have a question or two you would like answered, ask it and it might be in the next Train Talk. Thanks to all who participate. Click here to take the LCCA Train Talk Poll #14 - How members see and use Accessories.
45th Anniversary Raffles Reminder the LCCA is celebrating its 45th anniversary all this year. We have two important ongoing events - with tickets available at the LCCA Web Site Store. First - an expense paid pass for two at the Boston Convention. This year’s 45th Anniversary Convention starts July 20th and runs thru the 26th at the beautiful Danvers, Massachusetts Double Tree Hotel. This year we’re selling raffle tickets to cover Convention costs! The lucky raffle winner will receive: - Seven nights' accommodations at the Danvers Double Tree Hotel
- One paid convention registration
- Two tickets to the Get Acquainted Party
- Two tickets to the LCCA Annual Banquet
- PLUS your choice of any five LCCA Convention tours for two
Raffle tickets are available for $10.00 per ticket (or three for $25.00) at web store. Raffle will be held through December 31, 2014 with the drawing to be conducted in early January, 2015. The winner will be announced in the subsequent issue of TLR with details. Be sure to enter this contest by year end - The winner will receive a prize estimated at over $2,000.00. This could be YOU! The second raffle offers a chance to win an Angela Trotta Thomas Painting - the LCCA has commissioned Lionel® licensed artist Angela Trotta Thomas to create this original 30” x 20” painting (framed) entitled “LCCA 45 Years of Fun" It will be raffled off during the LCCA 45th Annual Convention banquet in Boston MA area on Saturday evening July 25, 2015. Every LCCA member who purchases a ticket will have an opportunity to win this great prize. You know her work, you always wanted an original - here is your chance 
Tickets are available at the LCCA store at www.lionelcollectors.org, by Fax at 815-223-0791, via e-mail at office@lionelcollectors.org, or by USPS see more at this link
Product Status Be sure to visit the LCCA Store and see all that is available including a number of prior issue LCCA product. Some of these items are available for immediate delivery before Christmas.  LCCA B&M GP7 Diesels ready to order - The LCCA showed full production samples of its newest offering, a GP7 LionChief Plus diesel with matching dummy in the Boston and Maine Minute Man livery at York. A matching caboose will be offered as part of a 3 unit set. A follow-up matching series of cars are planned for early 2014. The LCCA has had a production sample made to reduce the delivery time from Lionel. These units are currently scheduled for delivery before the Boston Convention. See more at LCCA B&M GP7 set detail.
 Christmas Car - 90% sold - The Christmas car is Shipping! Order now or miss out. This car celebrates not only the yearend holidays, but commemorates the LRRC joining with the LCCA! But be advised, ONLY 500 Cars have been ordered (with 90% sold in first 5 weeks). Order forms and more info are available at the web store (web info and store link). These cars are expected to be sold out by the end of November. Do not be surprised if they sell out this weekend! Order now for this car. Be sure to check out our 30 second YouTube video.
 The 45th Anniversary Car (Wabash car carrier with 4 Lionel die cast 1/43 scale Automobiles) are ready to ship NOW and can be ordered for immediate delivery. If you intend to get one, order it today for immediate delivery.
 The Walking Brakeman Car celebrating the new LRRC members joining the LCCA. Watch as our flag carrying brakeman walks across the box car with his dual sided flag, one side for the LRRC and one for the LCCA. A second US flag is also included for special days. Seewww.lionelcollectors.com/store This car will ship in July, 2015
 Junior Membership (JM)
To our new members from the LRRC, if you are under 18, we encourage you to renew your membership as a Junior Member (JM) and receive all the benefits of this member class. To all members, the LCCA will include an issue of 'The Lion Cub' with the December issue of 'The Lion Roars'. Most members have not seen our third publication. Take a look. Link to JM's 'The Lion Cub' archive. Be sure to check out what the LCCA does for JM's Junior Members (JM member code) is a special membership category open to younger members under 18. With a reduced cost of $25 per year, our JM's receive 'The Lion Roars' PLUS 'The Lion Cub' via USPS mail delivered to their home. JM's do not receive mailed copies of the 'Interchange Track' but can see digital copies on line. Because of their age, JM's are not eligible to vote in club elections, nor to purchase items without their parents consent. If you are under 18, take advantage of this special member class. Remember LCCA Junior Memberships make Great Christmas Gifts.
 S-Gauge
I have seen Ed Boyle's first article for 'The Lion Roars' on S-gauge in 'The Lion Roars'. Wow - a three page article on the first Lionel/American Flyer Boston and Maine GEEP! The LCCA has committed publication space to S-Gauge. If you want more S-gauge, be sure to be part of the solution and submit articles, pictures, or better yet, host a Special Event for S-gauge focused members. Contact Al Kolis (agkolis@comcast.net) or directly to office@lionelcollectors.org
Membership Renewals For many of our members, dues renewal date is December 31, 2015. If you have this renewal date, you have or will receive a renewal notice I ask all members to renew as quickly as possible. Doing so will eliminate the need for our business office to make multiple renewal requests. To Our LRRC Sourced Members (IMPORTANT!!!) - By now, you have received copies of our award winning publications "The Lion Roars" and the "Interchange Track". You will be receiving our December issue of "The Lion Roars" in early December. IMPORTANT NOTE - to continue to receive copies of "The Lion Roars" and the "Interchange Track" beyond December, you MUST renew by December 31. Lionel and the LCCA agreed that all new members from the LRRC would receive the 3 issues for October, November, and December as part of the transfer of membership. You have had the opportunity to see what the LCCA is, what it represents, and how it serves its members and the hobby. You know we will continue our close relationship with Lionel. We are pleased you are an LCCA member and would like you to continue to enjoy what the club is, does, and represents. If you were an LRRC member and if your renewal date is later than 1/1/2015, this also applies to you. Individuals in this classification will be notified in a separate post. One of the many benefits of belong to the LCCA is our exclusive video productions we post in the “video gallery” section on our website www.lionelcollectors.org. There are numerous LCCA exclusive video productions posted in this video gallery section for all to enjoy. We recently posted videos pertaining to new Lionel Products, 45th Anniversary Special Event with Dick Kughn, and recaps of tours from our convention held last July in Indianapolis IN. Please visit this page and explore the page after page of LCCA videos. We believe they will be both informative and entertaining. Remember if you have any remaining questions, to look at the FAQ and other data on the LCCA website (www.lionelcollectors.org) and Link to FAQ . Any question can be addressed tooffice@lionelcollectors.org.
2015 Boston Convention Update Boston Bob (formally Indy Bob) has plans for our Boston Convention to raise the bar even further. Jerry Calkins has hinted - Might there be 3 train rides? Might there be a Clambake? Might there be historic tours to historic places? Might there be whale watching? Come on now - its BOSTON! Be sure to save the dates July 19 - July 25, 2015. Convention details will be published in the February TLR. Link to Boston Bob's comments
 Mint Car Design Contest
We have received a number of entries to the Mint Car Design Contest. Remember, when was the last time someone invited you to be part of a design team for a Lionel Car? The entry instructions and rules are available on our website. If you want a clean template for design work, you can download from here. Good Luck. Click here for event rules and a larger template. Enter now and have a chance to have your design made into a Lionel Product. Hurry - Contest deadline for entries is December 31, 2014.
In Closing There is a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday. No matter how you celebrate the holiday, no matter if you watch football, eat some turkey and take a nap, or take advantage of the special sales on Black Friday, remember the true meaning of Thanksgiving. We all should take time with our families. Take advantage of all that is good, play with your trains, hug your family, and help kids enjoy trains this Thanksgiving. I look forward to meeting with many of you in upcoming weeks and months. If you can make the Crown Point show next weekend, be sure to look me up. A Wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday to you and yours from the Board of Directors, the Officers, and the Appointed officials of the LCCA.   | Dennis DeVito - RM 6758
LCCA President and Fellow Member |
|
