Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society Convention

$150!!  What is it with these big buck registration fees?  I first encountered these with the Narrow Guage Convention, and probably will kiss it off this year (partly due to location, but $100+ bite is no incentive).  What is the biggest train show in the

world?  York!  How much to get in?  $20 bucks or less...

I have been to Classic Car shows and antique car shows (Hershey..free if somebody

will drop you off and you don't have to park) where million dollar Duesenbergs and

other, way more $$ than my house, cars are shown, and they ain't asking three figures to get in.

Heck, the DT&I meet this year had been talked up as being free, but discussion is

on to charge to cover the facility, not unreasonable, and that is a road specific meet.

also.  What does the $150 include:  free rides behind steam over the whole system?

(I might spring for that!)

CoHiRailler,

Well, the convention runs from June 19th through June June 24th.  The Convention Center must be rented, catered meals cost, clinic speakers cost and all must be paid for up front.  Check out what all is going on at:

 http://www.atsfrr.net/convention/info-Temple.htm

My personal experience in attending conventions of the ATSF, CB&Q and UP Historical societies is that the money was well spent because I learned a  lot and had a lot of fun.  My wife also enjoyed them.

ChipR

I certainly can agree that these road specific conventions can be highly informative

and interesting.  The two I attended turned up three structures I'd like to model (one

is half done), a narrow gauge subsidiary I'd never heard of, called "the Grasshopper",

due to its luching along bad track, that's one terminus was in a small town that's claim to fame is that it sent off the youngest recruit to the Civil War (he survived the experience), and its trestle in that town still stands up the stream from an interesting mill and dam. The second terminus at the opposite end was a few house crossroads and a grain elevator that today still stands forlornly alone in the middle of a farm field, not near the crossroads, or the road, with no evidence of the railroad that put it where it is. The second covention turned up two Shays displayed within a few miles of each other and a large DT&I Lima-built Berkshire in a city park, to all of which I was oblivious.  They were very inexpensive to attend, the second was held in a city historical society museum, the first in a town hall.

The other, because of distance, I have not made it to, but registration for that is

inexpensive, also, and much of the conventions have involved hiking the abandoned

roadbed, and exploring sites, of, the Colorado Midland.  Luckily the newletter addresses and describes the activities.  Not just distance to, but distance covered,

will entail some expense on those for lodging, meals, and fuel, not to mention shoe

leather.  However, both these roads have small conventions, somewhat informal,

with probably a lot fewer devotees than the ATSF to house and involve.  Now the CB&Q one, with the potential to explore the C&S and FW&D subsidiaries, does sound interesting.

ChipR, I think you hit the nail on the head.  As to my inquiry about other Forumites, well, I think I hear the chirping of crickets barely breaking the silence.  Oh, well, I'm here and my pulse has quickened.  I'm on the home road, in familiar territory, and ready for the train trip in the morning (and some Cooper's Pit BBQ in Llano while the train is turned).

I stopped by Trainworxx on the way down from Amarillo, and they had the new laser burning an ATSF Temple depot that they'll be bringing to their vendor space.  You think their Grand Central Terminal and Chicago Union Station and Penn Station were nice . . . wait until you see this one.  They are going to be the folks to go to when we want custom structures.