Saturday, 31 January 2015
Thursday, 15 January 2015
Visit the 2015 Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show
If you're anywhere close to the Northeast, we have some big news for you. The Amherst Railway Society's Railroad Hobby Show is coming up on the weekend of January 24th, and it's a can't-miss show. You'll even have a friend there, because DASH Seller Trainz will be in attendence!
About the Show
Every year when late January rolls around, you'll find loads of railroaders headed northeast. They're on their way to the Eastern States Exposition Fairgrounds in West Springfield Massachusetts to join 25,000 fellow railroaders and general public for the Amherst Railway Society's Railroad Hobby Show.
It's well worth the trip, as the event includes both real life railroads and lots of scale model railroads, historical societies, travel agencies, art shows, flea market dealers, photographers, and even a few manufacturers. You'll find the perfect craftsmanship of various modelers thanks to layouts in every scale. The Amherst Belt Lines is a regular attendee of particular interest, due to their impressive HO scale model railroad empire. It now features more than 11 scale miles of mainline (650+ feet of mainline track) on 96 modules. And this year's event will showcase another record-breaking train with 250+ cars from The Dry Hill Club!
Numerous commercial vendors and hobbyists will be selling model trains (including our very own DASH seller Trainz), photos, books, and loads of other railroad memorabilia of various sorts. You'll be able to find new and antique railroad items, big-time manufacturers and publishers will be in attendance, and even see a few new product announcements too! This show was rated one of the country's top three shows in a recent Model Railroad Industry Association manufacturer's survey, so you know it'll be a good one.
Trainz at the Show
Visit DASH Seller Trainz at the show to see some of their great products and meet the crew behind one of your favorite sellers. Tell them we sent you, and they might even have a few goodies to give away!
We certainly hope you're able to make it to this fantastic even on January 24 & 25, 2015. I'm certain it'll be the most fun you've had in ages. I know I would be there if I could!
Sunday, 4 January 2015
Saturday, 3 January 2015
Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Lionel and LCCA Roll Out the Red Carpet!
Mark your calendar for March 22-23 and plan to attend this two-day Red Carpet Event that will be a memory-maker! This first-of-its-kind co-sponsored event will be a private showing of the Lionel facility presented to LCCA members. The general public will not be invited.
Participants get the opportunity to visit the NEW Lionel trains and NASCAR Die-cast facility in Concord, NC, for private showings of:
- Facility Tours
- Lionel Operating Layouts
- Informative Professional Seminars on HOBBY ELECTRONICS, REPAIR SERVICE, MODULE MAKING, and SCENERY BUILDING
- LCCA Member-only Pricing on currently inventoried Products
- Take advantage of the wide variety of Lionel Products offered at reduced prices. Limited to inventory on Hand - Sorry no rain checks
- Limited Sneak Peek at 2013 Lionel products
- Rail Excursion Trip
- Spencer Railroad Museum Tour, and more.
Friday -- Arrive a Day Early for a Train Excursion and Museum Visit Visit the Spencer Train Museum in Spencer, NC. Buses will leave the Lionel facility at 9 a.m. sharp on Friday morning for the museum. A ROUND TRIP bus ticket will be $ 25 per person, except for children under two years old, who will ride free. The bus trip is approximately 35 minutes each way. Refer to the Registration Form for the price of museum admission and a train ride. A “Ride with the Engineer” is available when the museum is running the F3 locomotive.
Saturday -- The Red Carpet Event The Red Carpet Event at the Lionel facility will start that morning at 8 o’clock and will continue until 7 that evening. There’ll be lots of time to take in all the activities! Food service will be available at the site for an additional charge. LCCA members, a spouse, their children, or a significant other will be admitted FREE. A guest -- such as a member’s buddy – must pay a $ 35 entry fee to be admitted. Lionel dealers who are members of the LCCA as defined in our Constitution will be admitted FREE.
LCCA members will receive a bag of Lionel-related goodies and will provide a special commemorative to the first 300 participants. The LCCA and Lionel have invited LRRC members and their families. Admittance policy is the same for LCCA and LRRC members. Non-members must pay a $ 35 entry fee at the door, but because of the special pricing on Lionel products they will likely get their $ 35 back in the form of savings. The $ 35 will also provide a one-year membership in the LCCA, which will be accompanied by all club benefits.
LCCA will staff the entry door and handle admissions. Kids will receive a FREE Lionel Engineer Hat at the door. Door prizes will be awarded every hour on the hour. On this day only, members will enjoy guided tours of the Lionel facility; located near the NASCAR Charlotte motor speedway, and the Z-Max Four Lane Dragway.
Informative, interesting seminars will be presented by: Lionel’s Mike Reagan, on parts and service for your Lionel trains
- Roger Farkash of TW Design in Dallas, TX, on scenery tips and effects
- LCCA’s Bill Schmeelk, on the new FasTrackTM modular railroad system
- OGR's Ed Boyle - on S-Gauge Discussion
Important Freebies
Persons who spend $ 500 or more will qualify for FREE ground shipping of purchased items back home in the continental USA by UPS Ground Service. Plan to stay at a nearby partner hotel and use the FREE shuttle service provided by Lionel to/from those hotels and their facility. Saturday shuttle service begins at 7 a.m.
An Option to Shop
The Concord Mills Shopping Mall is about two miles from the Lionel facility. It’s one of the largest outlet malls on the East Coast and is a destination venue. Spouses and SOs could enjoy going to the mall while club members are at the Lionel facility. See Door Busters here - other specials announced at event. Accommodations and Restaurants Modern hotels are located less than a mile from the Lionel facility. A list of nearby hotels is posted at the LCCA website for convenience in making your own reservations. To receive the best rate, make hotel reservations ASAP. Rooms will sell out quickly. Many restaurants are adjacent to the hotels and have reasonable prices.
The Lionel Facility is located at 6301 Performance Drive, Concord, NC 28027. Well worth the drive!
First Look - ESM's X58 Box Car - 2nd Release
The first Eastern Seaboard Models release of its N-scale X58 Box Car model sold out quickly earlier this year. A second release has arrived for this 50-foot Exterior Post Box Car. The prototype dates to the early 1960s and was constructed by Pennsylvania. More than 2,500 examples were built and found service in PRR and its successor roads, including Norfolk Southern. Lehigh Valley also rostered a hundred X58 cars. Eastern Seaboard offers variations to its X58 tooling, based on prototype.
Pennsy examples recently released feature three different prototypes. Pictured is ESM’s Class X58C Pennsylvania #113906 (#222108) version that features ACI plate, SL loaders, and modern body.
Painted Deepwater Green with white lettering, this Penn Central #362303 (#222302) X58 example sports Hydra-Cushion underframe, and transitional body with running boards removed, but retains high ladders and brakes and is based on a prototype serviced in 1974.
Wearing a coat of Tuscan Red with white lettering, Conrail #362303 (#222403) X58A has a Hydra-Cushion underframe, plus transitional body style. The model shows a May, 1985 servicing date.
Eastern Seaboard Models’ fine N-scale X58 Box Car model rides on BLMA Models American Steel Foundries’ 70-ton Ride Control Trucsk with low-profile machine-cut metal wheels and includes Micro-Trains’ #1015 reverse draft angle body-mount short-shank couplers. The models retail for $ 34.95 each and may be found at your favorite hobby dealer or may be purchased direct from Eastern Seaboard Models
Friday, 12 December 2014
Athearn's New Genesis GP50 Available Now!
A new tooling EMD GP50 will join Athearn’s Genesis collection of diesel locomotives this fall. The model will debut with three roadnames: Chicago & North Western, Santa Fe, and Southern Railway. Variations offered to modelers will be many, from road specific detailing to EMD production phases.
Santa Fe GP50 examples will be Phase II models with late anticlimber, straight sill and “laundry chute” slanted blower housing, straight side sill, and hinged and latched battery box doors. Road specific Santa Fe features will include: Leslie S-3 horn on bracket, operating prime stratolite beacon (DCC mode), air conditioner on cab roof, standard sunshades with track, ground plate with Sinclair “ice skate” antenna, and more.
Chicago & North Western dressed GP50s from Athearn Genesis will feature C&NW’s distinctive gong bell in the unit’s nose, Leslie S-3 horn, Sinclair “ice stake” antenna, operating Western-Cullen rotary beacon (DCC mode), winterization hatch over forward radiator fan, and more. C&NW GP50s in the first release will be equipped with Phase I anticlimbers, rounded blower housing, stepped side sill, and bolted battery box with long louvers.
Southern GP50 models will include features found on early phase EMD’s GP50 examples, including rounded blower housing behind the cab on fireman’s side; notched anticlimbers, bolted battery box door with center stiffener, stepped sill, and more. Road specific inclusions for this new Genesis GP50 in Southern paint will include: high short hood, dual Nathan P5 air horns, firecracker antenna for Locotrol, Locotrol conduit line, walkway lights, drop grab iron, long hood mounted bell, and small sunshades. Four numbers will be presented for this Southern Railway GP50 with NS and CNO&STP sublettering, where appropriate and correct black or white background numberboards per prototype.
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