Summer is here! The longer daylight and the green grass in the Midwest tells all you need to know that the warm months have returned, and most of us will be spending a lot of time with family and friends. We will change focus and use the summer months to advantage, but this is no reason to stop enjoying our trains, our hobby or our club. The LCCA remains active during all months, this summer is no exception. All club programs continue, highlighted by our annual Convention, this year in Boston. Upcoming LCCA Special Events include a number of new and exciting shows like the two day event in Raleigh and a Special Event in Des Moines with Jim Gates, CM #1. If you attend this event on Saturday, be sure to stop by and meet with LCCA President Devito. Keep looking at upcoming events in our publications or better yet get real time updates on our web site, www.lionelcollectors.org. Al Kolis is continuing to organize Special Events all over the country and seeks your input on locations and venues where we can meet and enjoy our hobby. In this issue: Publications - I take time to highlight the most recent issues of 'The Lion Roars' and the 'Interchange Track'. Both of these issues set new standards for not only our club publications, but also represent the height of excellence for any hobby related magazine. Our editors have done a wonderful job of providing the proper mix of content with eye pleasing formats and graphic layouts. Please consider sending them a note of appreciation for a job WELL DONE! Barrie Braden (bradenb@att.net) - Michelle Snyder (snydercreativem@gmail.com). Remember, articles you read have been provided by a club volunteer. Please consider being part of our publications, contact our editors, write a story, share information, be part of something special. I personally thank our editors, authors, layout and graphics folks for providing such excellent publications issue after issue. Elections - Thanks to our members who cast their votes this year. The LCCA is fortunate to have an exceptionally well qualified slate of candidates for office. Results will be announced as the ballots are tallied. LCCA Product Development - Boston and Maine GP7 - (6-58213/58214). This attractive diesel/non powered unit and caboose combo pack is one of the highest featured unit offered by the LCCA and one of the best deco, it will also be one of the most rare. This beautiful LionChief Plus engine has been sold out. Original shipping date was Q4 of 2015. We now believe these units will ship to members in August as a result of a pre-order done by the LCCA. Keep tuned to the LCCA Website for updated information.
- B&M Caboose - the Boston and Maine O-gauge smoking bay window caboose (6-58217) is still available as a separate sale item in the web store. The road number of this caboose was selected as within the numbering scheme of similar post war bay window caboose styles. This O-gauge bay window caboose was built in the postwar style with the, unusual for this model, smoking chimney. This is only the second such caboose produced based on this style body. Our LCCA caboose B&M has more color and deco than the prototype B&M units, and while not exactly prototypical, the matched set of the diesels and caboose is outstandingly impressive. This caboose remains available in the LCCA Store (link to LCCA Web Store) Like the B&M diesel, the caboose may ship in three months.
- LCCA/LRRC Walking Brakeman Car (6-58224) is an unusual piece, a relatively rare operating car, that will be fun to run on any railroad, especially when kids are around. But more than a boxcar, it is a celebration of the members of the LRRC who joined the LCCA in 2014. Both the LRRC and the LCCA logos are proudly shown on this car, perhaps for the last time. Our LCCA brakeman has a new feature, he carries a flag, not a regular flag, but a two sided flag. As our man walks back and forth along the car, the flag alternates between LCCA and LRRC, symbolic of the two clubs. Of special note, a bonus US flag is included and can be carried by our walking brakeman. If you prefer, you can make your own flag. This car has been sold out is now expected to ship mid August.
- The 2015 LCCA Convention Car (6-58254) is unique in its load and its functionality. A beautiful O-Scale wooden deck Providence and Worcester Railroad flatcar in P&W black carries two newly released Lionel die cast high detail tractors. One tractor is in Lionel Blue, the other in Lionel Orange - and both tractors carry the venerable Lionelville Transit logo. This is the same historic Lionelville logo used many years ago, refreshed on a new product. Both tractors can be removed for use off the flat car. And when you do, you find a bonus - the stanchion to hold trailers is still on the car! This means they can be raised and the same flat car carrying the tractors can be easily transformed to now carry your trailers. Or if you like options, the car is equally at home with one tractor and one trailer. This year's car not only is a great scale piece of rolling stock (min radius 0-36), but also provides a two-tractor load to use off the car on your highways and byways. New, flexible, exciting, colorful, traditional styling with a strong past, this car is a must have. Don't miss out. Order quantities have already been set and after they are gone, there will be no more. Remember the last day to order this car is August 15. This car is expected to ship in Q4 - see ad in April TLR or stop by the web store (LCCA Web Store).
- 2015 On-site Convention Car (6-58251) - The 2015 Boston Convention on-site car will be a matching flat car to the 2015 convention car, another O-scale wood deck flatcar, this time with trailers. One trailer celebrates Lionel's 115th anniversary. The second trailer celebrates the 45th anniversary of the LCCA. The trailers are in complementary reverse colors, road ready and a proud load for the Great American Fallen Flags Maine Central Railroad. Of course the two trailers are totally compatible with the two tractors of the 2015 convention car. Mix and match the tractors and trailers on either car. This car carries the road number 72025, the dates of our convention. Wow, a scale car at home on scale and traditional layouts, the convention and the on-site cars from NE railroads celebrate the LCCA's first convention in the Northeast. As an added twist, when the on-site car is sold at the convention, it will include only the MEC flat car and the LCCA trailer. Why, because the Lionel trailer will be given at no cost to convention attendees who attend the Lionel seminar at the convention. This car will be offered to convention registrants whether they attend the convention or not. Those registrants who are unable to attend the convention will be able to purchase the flat car and both trailers. Based on the limited quantities and unusual distribution, these will most likely quickly sell out the limited convention order quantity. see the upcoming June issue of The Lion Roars for more details.
 
- 2015 LCCA Christmas Car - 2015 Christmas car will again be a US manufactured boxcar. Being US made, it uses a high tech printing process which allows for multiple vivid colors and more elaborate images. The LCCA will have a limited number of cars made and expects to sell all of them well before the end of 2015. The LCCA continues the tradition established by the LRRC and will offer this car for delivery by Christmas. The 2014 car was a huge success. This is an ideal car for those who have a collection of LRRC cars, or for those wishing to add on to the continuing series of LCCA Christmas cars, or just to celebrate 2015. This car will go on sale with the June issue of the TLR and being US made, has a ship schedule of October 1, well in time for the holidays. Last year's car sold out quickly, don't be disappointed.
- Future Offerings - the LCCA is developing new and exciting products for our members. We have committed to having fresh new ideas in our products, making them unusual and different, and most of all fun and with a high degree of collectability. All our product will be full feature and road ready so operators can use them with pride. They are developed to be at home with any member, regardless of his interests.
- Lionelville Series #1 - the LCCA will soon be offering a set of 3 die cast vehicles, all with the Lionelville logo. This is the first of such sets, providing vehicles to our layouts, not just any vehicles, but vehicles from and marked with Lionelville. Be on the lookout for these beautiful models in the June issue of TLR, which fit perfectly into any Layout.
- 10 Car LCCA Great American Fallen Flags Series. The LCCA has announced plans to produce a series of cars from Great American Fallen Flag railroads. These cars will be of varying body style and road names from all parts of the country. In fact, we will be asking member participation to select many of the road names. See our upcoming "Train Talk" sessions. Much more on this coming up.
Convention Update Boston is getting ready for us. And we are getting ready for Boston. For those attending, expect not only many of the same wonderful events and tours, but also as expected, the LCCA has again raised the bar and is offering a number of new activities. We have a no cost special shirt for all attendees, a few special seminars, and a number of other surprises. And don't forget the Special event train ride. We were granted permission to travel through the naval base and hopefully will be able to do so on train day.  
The success of the convention and the number of members attending are higher than when we selected Boston. We may exceed the LCCA room block. Be sure you have your hotel reservations made if you plan on attending. Remember, while the convention train show on Friday is open to registered convention guests, the show on Saturday, July 25th at the Danvers Doubletree Hotel is open to all members, whether they register for the convention or not. Be sure to stop by and invite your friends to the Saturday no-cost train show in Boston. Future Convention Cities With the 2015 Boston convention starting in less than two months and the 2016 Kansas City convention well along in the planning stages, the LCCA has focused on the Northwest. As a result of member feedback, the club will be going to Tacoma, WA in 2017. Early indications are that both KC and Tacoma will both be great convention cities with great conventions. Train Talk and Switching Tracks Be sure to check our Train Talk on the web site ( Link to LCCA Train Talk  and share your thoughts and opinion. And you may want to join in the fun and sign up for a Switching Tracks car. Members in 31 states and 3 countries have already signed up to enjoy sharing the load on their tracks. To be part of the Switching Tracks program, contact Tim Fuhrmann fuhrmanntim@hotmail.com. Special Events The list of Special Events continues to expand, even during the late Spring and Summer months. This week in both DesMoines and Raleigh. Be sure to say hello when you stop by. - May 30-31, 2015 - Des Moines IA - Celebrate the 45th Anniversary Train Show Hosted by CM#1 Jim Gates and the LCCA - Special Event. If you attend this event on Saturday, be sure to stop by and meet with LCCA President Devito.
- May 30-31, 2015 - in Raleigh NC - Toy Train Show Come See the LCCA/Lionel FasTrack Modular Railroad Layout at Train Show in Raleigh NC - Special Event
- June 27-28, 2015 - in Crockett, CA - Railroad Days at Carquinez Train Museum - Special Event
- July 19-25, 2015 - Danvers (Boston) MA - LCCA 45th Annual Convention - Special Event
- August 15-16, 2015 - in Parkersburg, WV - Mid-Ohio Valley Railroad Club - Special Event
- November 28-29, 2015 - Crown Point, IN - LCCA Host Thanksgiving Show
In Closing The grass is green, the sky is clear and while there is still a chill in the air, the sun is out. Summer starts soon, the weather will warm up, and many of us will spend more time outdoors. Remember, the LCCA stays active during the summer, be part of the action. Enjoy the day, your family and your hobby. Hug a kid, pass on your love of trains to others. 
Dennis DeVito
LCCA President |
