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Model Railroading > NMRA Convention--1947--Oakland, CA.
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Date: 04/21/12 11:49
NMRA Convention--1947--Oakland, CA.
Author: KeyRouteKen
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I was digging thru some of my treasures this morning and ran across an old "Guest Book" that folks might sign when they visited some place special. The beginning page starts with the date 8-15-'47 ...
The occasion was the 1947 NMRA Convention headquartered at the old Hotel Leamington in Oakland, Calif. Like most conventions, "layout tours" were on the agenda as well as other types of tours.
Some of the tours included visitations to the SF Cable Cars and rides on the Key System transbay trains. The old Eastbay Model Engineers Society in Emeryville was the Convention host club. The Convention ran from August 14--17, 1947. [
www.gsmrm.org]
That old Guest Book I found was the one my late grandfather, Vic Shattock, placed near his basement door when the Convention delegates came to his house by chartered bus on that 8-15-'47 date to see "Live Steam" trains operate inside of Vic's house.
There are some 105 signatures on that date, including "Bob Bast" (Big Moe) from the Eastern USA and well-known in early NMRA circles.. John Allen (The Wizard of Monterey). Ken Casford (Boxcar Ken).. and on and on... Whit Towers, Linn Westcott, Al Kalmbach and Bill Walthers (W.K.) have also been in our basement.
While growing up, my grandfather told me that the "neighbors" wondered what the heck was going on. The place got so full they had to stand outside and look in the open windows which also helped to vent the "denatured alcohol fumes" from the locomotives.
You have to remember that thousands of people around the country had "trains" in their house--however, the idea of "STEAM" engines pulling cars around a scenic railroad inside their home was something new indeed-- and the MEDIA wrote it up and got Vic a lot of coverage and further requests for this group or that group to come visit.
To this day, I'm glad I preserved the only motion pictures taken of this railroad in action.
Cheers.
Ken Shattock (KRK)
Also see this NGDF post from Dick Seelye
1947 NMRA convention
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2014 10:58AM by rod.
