Dear Member Writing this note in mid October, getting ready for spooky day. Having raked leaves this weekend, I wonder where Summer went. I prefer to think of this as the renewal of train season rather than the end of Summer. By now, all our new members from the LRRC have received their new membership cards, member number and password to the membership section of the web site. All members, especially the new members, should log on to the web site and verify their roster data. We have heard from a few of our members that they were sent introductory welcome letters as a result of their LRRC affiliation and have ended up with two LCCA member numbers. If you feel you have received a second membership to the LCCA in error as a result of your LRRC membership, please contact the business office (office@lionelcollectors.org) or Harry Hampson (hgh45@aol.com). Likewise if you receive two copies of this e-blast with two different LCCA member numbers, pls contact us and we will correct our database. Former members of the LCCA who joined us from the LRRC can get their former number back by contacting the business office. Topics discussed in this issue:
To our LRRC sourced members By now, you have received your LCCA membership. Remember if you have any remaining questions, to look at the FAQ and other data on the Website (www.lionelcollectors.org) Link to FAQ . Your copy of the October "The Lion Roars' is on its way to you and the November issue of the "Interchange Track' will be delivered in a few weeks. Remember, any question can be addressed tooffice@lionelcollectors.org
LCCA Discount at lionelstore.com All members now have their LCCA membership card which has your LCCA member number and your password for the members only section of the LCCA web site. I suggest you log on in Members Only section, check your profile and explore the site. Don't miss the news articles, the videos, e-track or other parts of the website. LCCA members have the opportunity to enjoy a number of other club benefits. Be sure to check for all LCCA member benefits at this link.
All LCCA members are eligible for a 10% discount (with certain limitations) at the Lionel webstore atwww.lionelstore.com. This site now recognizes all LCCA members for this discount.
45th Anniversary Celebration Our 45th Anniversary celebration is underway. You have already seen the 45th Anniversary car and the Boston and Maine GP7 set. We are introducing two special raffles with exceptional prizes (see below). We will be announcing new special products. This note details a mint car contest based on our 45th anniversary. We were already planning a 45th anniversary Sapphire Mint car (sapphire celebrates 45 years). There will be a number of special activities in Boston. Participate, if you can, in any of these 45th Anniversary events. Stay tuned as more are announced.
Poll Questions
A new set of Poll questions (number 12) have been posted. We now have a Survey Coordinator who will post questions and responses. Results from these polls have already helped the club make decisions. And of course, 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 survey. Thanks to all who participate.
Our LCCA Train Talk Poll this week requests your opinion on various LCCA membership benefits. Please take your time and answer each question – and come back to see how your opinions match with others. Poll number 12 asks members how they feel about Lionel catalogs and LCCA magazines. This should initiate some lively discussions.
Link to LCCA Train Talk Poll #12
2015 Boston Convention Update After a pre-convention visit, I am sure the LCCA 45th annual convention will exceed even our successful and enjoyable Indy convention. Boston Bob (formally Indy Bob) has planned our traditional convention events and has arranged for a few surprises. A number of train rides headline another week of great tours. Be sure to save the dates July 19 - July 25, 2015. More details will be announced in coming weeks and months. Two special features of our host hotel includes a 65,000 sq ft family water park and a full spa and health club. It is a must see hotel.
2 New Raffles Reminder the LCCA is celebrating its 45th anniversary all this year. We have two important ongoing events: 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 on the LCCA Web Site Store for $10.00 per ticket. 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.
The second raffle offers a chance to win an Angela Trotta Thomas Painting - The Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) is starting a year-long celebration commemorating our 45th Anniversary. As part of this celebration, the LCCA has commissioned Lionel® licensed artist Angela Trotta Thomas to create this original 30” x 20” painting 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.
Tickets are available at the LCCA store at www.lionelcollectors.org/store, by Fax at 815-223-0791, via e-mail at office@lionelcollectors.org, or by USPS see more at this link
LCCA B&M GP7 Diesels at York
The LCCA has full production samples of its newest offering, a GP7 LionChief Plus diesel with dummy in the Boston and Maine Minute Man livery at York. A matching caboose is also offered. A follow-up matching series of cars are planned for early 2015. Be sure to see this limited edition offering at Smokey Bones (see special events below). 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. Click here for more details
Late Breaking News Details for the Boston and Maine GP& LionChief Plus and smoking caboose will be announced at York and be available on the website early next week. These units are built to order, and with a rare matching dummy unit (with lights) and a smoking traditional bay window caboose (only the second ever made by Lionel), all three in B&M Minuteman livery and with a follow up of three matching cars, this will be a highly collectable LCCA set. Once the order period is over and production starts, there will be no more available. Don’t miss out on this set.
LCCA Store The 45th Anniversary car (Wabash car carrier with 4 Lionel cars) are ready to ship NOW and can be ordered for immediate delivery. Supply is absolutely limited and expected to sell out before the yearend holidays. If you intend to get one, order it today and have it by end of the month.
Christmas Car Good news for all members, especially those who traditionally ordered the annual LRRC Christmas Car! This car has been produced and will be offered to ALL LCCA members in the October issue of 'The Lion Roars'. This car celebrates not only the yearend holidays, but commemorates the LRRC joining with the LCCA! Delivery has been committed by Lionel before Christmas. But be advised, ONLY 500 Cars have been ordered and are expected to sell out quickly. Order forms will be included in the October issue and at the web store (Click here for more info) or emailoffice@lionelcollectors.org. See the October issue of TLR for more details.
 Junior Membership (JM)
Our Junior Membership program continues to expand. 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. To our new members from the LRRC, if you are under 18, we encourage you to renew your membership as a Junior Member and receive all the benefits of this member class. To all members, we invite you to look at our third magazine most members never see. All issues of 'The Lion Cub' are available for review in our Link to JM's 'The Lion Cub' archive. Be sure to check out what the LCCA does for JM's Special Events Multiple Special Events over the last few weeks! Well attended at all venues. Great Layout Festival at TW Trainwrox, Wonderful dinner event with Dick Kughn, I had a fabulous time at the Chicagoland mortgage burning. We had successful events in IN and KS. Be on the lookout for the First Freeze train meet and show in Green Bay, WI Event Link. This Special Event and others upcoming include Trainfest November 7-9 and the annual Lionel warehouse sale on the same weekend November 7-9 in NC. Remember, Lionel has invited LCCA members to attend on Friday November 7.Trainfest remains one of the really great train shows in the country and is worth the effort to attend. And if you are anywhere near Concord, NC on the weekend of November 7, the Lionel folks and the LCCA would like you to stop by and say hello. Both events are multiple day activities, huge venues and good times. Event Link. If in Buffalo area, stop by theNovember 22/23 Hamburg show Event Link. There is a major multi-club Special Event the days after Thanksgiving on November 29-30. There will be 2 national clubs and 3 local clubs, including the LCCA at this show. I will be attending and look forward to meeting with all our Midwest members at this Crown Point, IN show. To our new members from the LRRC, you are invited and welcome to attend any and all LCCA special events with your family. 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. Casual Dutch Treat - York PA - October 15th The LCCA will get together again at Smokey Bones in York. We had over 80 members there in our previous meeting - or more than 1% of our total membership at the time. I hope to see well over 100 members there today. Expect to have a few prototypes and other surprises. See more detail at this link.
Modules Our module participation continues to grow. If you are new to the LCCA be sure to get up to speed on the Lionel/LCCA Fastrack Modular Railroad system and what it has to offer. This progressive, eloquent solution to modular railroading is an open system and participation in this program can range from a fully purchased solution to a completely Do It Yourself activity. The Modular system is an ideal way to get others, especially kids, into the hobby. More details, including a How To Video Tutorial and the complete PDF copy of the manual (with full assembly, sourcing, manufacturing details) simplifies a lot of the work to build a module. Link to modular manual and video.
Mint car contest I have heard it said that product design of a new Lionel product really is not that hard. Well let's see. The LCCA will sponsor a Mint Car design contest with the winning design submitted to Lionel to produce an LCCA exclusive product. For those of you who have said for years, "why don't they make the cars I want", here is your chance to "have it your way".
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 rules and the template.
Nominations and Elections Remember nominations start in February. Not too early to start thinking about the elections.
In Closing The club is alive, healthy, vigorous, and moving forward on multiple fronts. I invite our new members who are now part of the LCCA, feel welcome, participate as one team. Our common goals of enjoyment of our trains, generating interest in our hobby, grow in knowledge by sharing with each other, to cherish the friendships we make which go beyond the trains. That is the heart and soul of the LCCA. Be a part of it. Take advantage of all that is good, enjoy your trains, hug your family, celebrate Thanksgiving, and help a kid enjoy trains. I look forward to meeting with many of you in upcoming weeks and months.  | Dennis DeVito - RM 6758
LCCA President and Fellow Member |
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