In the News
LGBMRRC - The Conventions - Part 2
Feb 4, 2004
By David Snow |
Author
Bio
How many of you are members of a local model train club, or any club for that matter? Most, if not all clubs, have regular meeting sessions and/or gatherings at a members home to talk over business or just to socialize and share their interests in that club.
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How many of you are members of a local model train club, or any club for that matter? Most, if not all clubs, have regular meeting sessions and/or gatherings at a members home to talk over business or just to socialize and share their interests in that club. 
Members of the LGB Model Railroad Club are spread out over the country, as well as, out of the country. Alfred Lentz, Founder of the club, felt that it was very important and essential for the well being of the club to have a yearly convention. Here is a complete listing of the LGBMRRC Conventions for the past 25 years. 1979 - Strasburg, PA
1980 - Orlando, FL
1981 - Strasburg, PA
1982 - Mike's Trainland, Suffolk, VA
1983 - Strasburg, PA
1984 - Rockford, IL
1985 - Mike's Trainland, Suffolk, VA
1986 - Santa Rosa, CA
1987 - Helen, GA
1988 - Pittsburgh, PA
1989 - Indianapolis, IN
1990 - Long Beach, CA
1991 - Frankenmuth, MI
1992 - Buffalo, NY
1993 - Lancaster, PA
1994 - Cape Cod, MA
1995 - St. Louis, MO
1996 - San Diego, CA
1997 - Fort Lauderdale, FL
1998 - Columbus, OH
1999 - Durango, CO
2000 - North Conway, NH
2001 - Atlanta, GA
2002 - Orlando, FL
2003 - King of Prussia, PA
In the early years the conventions were very simple. The track would be laid out on the black top or grass and there would be an operating session. Volunteers would sit by the layouts during the night, taking a two hour watch, to make sure that nothing happened to the trains. There was a wine and cheese party for the ladies and, of course, a banquet on the last day of the convention. 
Each convention was unique and always had an interesting story to tell. For instance, at the 3rd convention in Strasburg, PA, there was a local TV station there to do coverage of the convention and wanted to film the trains running. Someone had brought an 'Aster' Shay live steamer so that engine was the one used for the filming. The engine was fired up and sent down the track. Unfortunately, with no speed control, the engine gained speed, jumped the track at the curve directly in front of the cameraman! It was found out several months later that the TV station used that footage to sign off their newscast each night for a month. Talk about publicity for the club! 
The 6th convention, which was held in Rockford, IL, was supposed to be at the Chateau Louise. All preparations were made for the convention and everything seemed to be in order. Just before the time for the convention, the Chateau Louise filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors. Emergency planning went into effect and another site, the Clock Tower Inn, was located and arrangements were made to have the convention there. This convention also marked the first time that several tours were planned for the conventioneers. There was a trip to the Museum of Science and Industry, a live steam railway on a private estate and a trip to the Illinois Railway Museum. 
Along with the annual wine and cheese parties, there were also clinics, a dealer hall and model building contests. Attendance was always good at these conventions, and became a great way for the members to see old friends and make new friends. In addition, our conventions were blessed with the participation of representative's from the LGB factory in Germany, particularly from members of the Richter family themselves.
Wolfgang Richter has attended many of the conventions and still does. I had the honor and thrill of meeting him at our last convention in Pennsylvania. As I had previously mentioned, one of the annual events at the conventions was the model building contest. Awards were handed out for the best models that had been voted on by the members attending the convention. After the death of Alfred Lentz, in 1989, a special award was given, at each convention, for the model that best typified the talents of the model builder. It was called the Alfred E. Lentz Award. There were some very good and unique models that entered the contests. I would like to tell you about one particular model, that most of you who visit LSOL often, will appreciate. 
Our 19th convention was held in Fort Lauderdale, FL. There was a member of the convention committee who had some very nice scratch-built cars that he had on their club layout, and several people had tried to encourage him to enter some of these models in the model building contest. He protested thinking that he wouldn't win, but being under pressure he gave in and entered several models. Lo' and behold, he won the Al Lentz Award for his scratch-built sawmill. 
This person is non-other then our own Bob Gentile!! Many of you have seen his sawmill in photos or you have had the opportunity to actually see this sawmill at the ECLSTS. This model is a work of art and definitely deserved the award. 
The LGBMRRC annual conventions have become a mainstay of the club's yearly activities. Getting together on a regular basis to rekindle old friendships and to create new ones by sharing our interest for LGB is a vital part of what the LGBMRRC stands for. I am fortunate to be on this year's convention committee when the LGBMRRC holds its 26th annual convention at Mystic Seaport, CT. I can guarantee that everyone will have a great time. Top of Page
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