Joint Convention with MPHS in 2014

Discussion in 'Conventions and Meets' started by wmrx, Oct 13, 2012.

  1. William Jackson

    William Jackson Bill Jackson

    I am about to give up hope, I had planned to come in June, but my wife had another MS attack and right now I can't leave her alone. 42 years is a long time to put up with a rail worker, who has been transferred nine times Thick and thin is worth everything over the course of life, a commitment 42 yrs and 3 days ago. We will see what October looks like.
     
  2. DanHyde

    DanHyde Member

    I will keep her in my prayers. My niece also has MS, and she still has young kids at home. Not that it matters, this hits where or when you are!
    Dan
     
  3. r c h

    r c h Ft Worth - Tulsa Engineer

    Best wishes to you and your wife, Bill.
     
  4. kenmc

    kenmc KenMc Frisco.org Supporter

    Steve,

    I have developed two presentation clinics of 45 minutes each that I would be willing to present at the Frisco/MP convention in Joplin. I have given them at a
    Division meet of the NMRA here in Iowa and both were enthusiastically received.

    The first one is "Model Railroad Layout Design: Schematics for Prototypical Operation." It is heavily Frisco oriented but the topic is great for all model railroaders.

    The second one is "A Passion for Passenger Trains: Prototypical Model Railroad Operations." It has many elements of interest to both Frisco and MoPac modelers.

    Both have lots of prototype and model photos.

    If you would like, I can send you samples of the power point slides to preview, although I will make some changes for the audience in mind.

    Ken McElreath
     
  5. SteveM

    SteveM Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Ken, a couple of interesting topics. The schedule is about set, but I have contacted Kevin about this. If you wanted to forward anything, use steve503 at cox dot net.

    Right now the plan is to have a bus tour of Joplin area RR sites on Sunday morning. Format hasn't included Sunday clinics in the past, but I guess if there was demand it could be done. We are hoping to get a larger group than either MP or SLSF would bring in alone, so maybe some format change also?
     
  6. SteveM

    SteveM Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Ken, a couple of interesting topics. The schedule is about set, but I have contacted Kevin about this. If you wanted to forward anything, use steve503 at cox dot net.

    Right now the plan is to have a bus tour of Joplin area RR sites on Sunday morning. Format hasn't included Sunday clinics in the past, but I guess if there was demand it could be done. We are hoping to get a larger group than either MP or SLSF would bring in alone, so maybe some format change also?
     
  7. kenmc

    kenmc KenMc Frisco.org Supporter

    Steve,

    Both clinics/presentations are of widespread modeling or prototype interest, including numerous midwest examples for applicability of principles.

    Sunday will not work for us, but Friday evening or anytime Saturday is fine.

    Ken
     
  8. wmrx

    wmrx MP Trainmaster

    I will be posting the initial schedule within the next few days. In addition to the schedule, I will include information on the hotel, reservations, etc. It has been a real challenge to get all the activities scheduled. There will be more than enough content to satisfy both MP and Frisco fans. Stay tuned.

    Kevin Love
     
  9. nkpsteam779

    nkpsteam779 Member

    Kevin,

    Please keep me posted on the schedule. We are ready for our presentation for Frisco 1352.

    Thanks!!

    Steven Harvey
    American Steam Railroad
    Frisco Mike #1352
     
  10. wmrx

    wmrx MP Trainmaster

    The joint meeting with this group, Frisco.org and the Missouri Pacific Historical Society will be held in Joplin, MO, on October 9 - 12. We will have activities from Thursday afternoon through Sunday morning. This will be a unique opportunity for members from the two groups to get together and share time learning more about their favorite railroad(s). Given the close geographical relationship between the two roads, the vast majority of attendees will find all the activities interesting and worthwhile no matter which one is their favorite.

    Frisco and MoPac were both well represented in the Joplin area and the history in this area is rather unique and interesting. The schedule is designed to provide equal representation for both railroads. There are a large number of great activities in the schedule and you should make plans to attend the entire event, if possible.

    Speakers.
    Presentations are always the core of our meetings. This year, we have over 16 hours scheduled for speakers and presentations. They begin on Thursday evening and continue through Saturday night. The schedule is full, but if you have a presentation that you would really, really like to give you, should contact the convention host immediately. At the end of the last presentation on Friday evening, the facilities will be available for attendees to show their own images relating to the Missouri Pacific. We will do the same thing on Saturday for images related to the Frisco.

    Model Display.
    Similar to the well-known Railroad Prototype Modeling events across the country, we will have space for Missouri Pacific and Frisco modelers to set up displays of their favorite projects. This can be completed models, works in progress, your plans for a model, structures, layout items, and tips and techniques you find useful and of interest. We want to be open to just about anything related to Frisco, Missouri Pacific and all subsidiaries that a member wants to show off or talk about. We encourage members who are looking for information for their projects to set up a display of what they are looking for or where their project needs help. That can be a modeling project, but it can also be a place to get help and exchange information on articles for the Eagle, historic preservation, digitizing information, the sky is the limit. If you have a layout, how about showing a video of it? All entries in this event will be entered in a prize drawing. There is no fee to participate.

    Swap Meet.
    This event will be open to members and commercial vendors. Keep in mind that Missouri Pacific, Texas and Pacific, C&EI and SLSF materials will sell the best. We will allow early setup, but the exact schedule is still undetermined. In order to be fair, we ask that no selling go on during setup.
    MPHS and Frisco.org members can reserve one free table with their registration. Additional tables for members from both groups will be $10 each. We have a large room reserved, but space cannot be guaranteed. So, get your reservation in early. Commercial vendors desiring tables should contact the convention host for details.

    Local Area/Layout Tours.
    The Joplin area has a lot of interesting local attractions, including the relocated MP depot which is now a restaurant, Joplin Union Depot which is scheduled for renovation, and the Frisco Building. Blair Line, a manufacturer of model structures, is close by as are several former MP and Frisco facilities that are used by the Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad. Tours of these facilities will be on the agenda. A group tour of the area is planned for Sunday morning, as well. Look for more details in the near future.

    Railfanning in the Joplin Area.
    The Missouri Pacific and Frisco are both long gone from the scene at Joplin, but there is plenty of rail activity on the MNA and KCS.
    The Missouri and Northern Arkansas operates most of the former Frisco and Missouri Pacific trackage in Joplin, Webb City and Carthage. They operate the former Frisco Ruth Yard in Joplin and their headquarters are in nearby Carthage in the former MP depot. Tours of these facilities are in the works. More details will be forthcoming.
    The Kansas City Southern has a busy mainline with numerous coal, manifest and intermodal trains passing through daily. In addition, the dodger from Neosho shows up on a regular basis to handle the local industries.

    Group meals.
    There will be a self-pay, buffet type dinner on Saturday evening. It will be located in the hotel’s atrium. We are also planning to have a group dinner at the restaurant in the old MP depot on Friday evening. Both of these dining experiences are optional, but we do hope you will want to participate. There will be an informal breakfast meeting on Sunday morning.

    Pre and Post Meeting Plans.
    There are several attractions in the area for those that want to extend their trip to the convention. The Arkansas and Missouri Railroad is located about 75 miles south of Joplin. They offer excursions on select days in October. The Heart of the Heartlands railroad museum is located a little over 30 miles away in Carona, KS. There are several non-railroad attractions in the area. One of these is the Precious Moments chapel in Carthage. A list of other attractions will be available in the near future.

    Location.
    The meeting hotel is the Holiday Inn – Joplin. It is located alongside I-44 at Rangeline Rd. exit. The postal address is 3615 S. Rangeline Rd. Joplin, MO 64804. The phone number is (417) 782-1000.
    This is a nice facility and it is the only one in Joplin that is large enough to host our convention. A block of rooms has been reserved for attendees. The hold on this block of rooms will drop on September 25. So make your reservation prior to this date. The contracted room rate is $84.00 per night. This includes a hot breakfast. In order to get the special rate, you must call the number above and mention the Missouri Pacific Historical Society (my apologies to the Frisco group).

    Getting to Joplin.
    If you are driving, Joplin is on I-44 and the junction of I-49 with I-44 is just to the east. Much of the old Missouri Pacific is visible along I-49 between Harrisonville and Carthage.
    The closest viable Amtrak station is Kansas City. It is served by the Southwest Chief and the Missouri River Runner. It is about a three hour drive from KC to Joplin.
    For those that like to fly, the Joplin Regional Airport is served by American Eagle. The largest major airport in the vicinity is Kansas City International with several airline and flight options available. Tulsa, OK, Springfield, MO and Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport also offer numerous commercial flights and are closer to Joplin.

    Registration.
    To attend the entire event, the cost is $40.00. Friday only or Saturday only will be $20.00. The bus tour on Sunday morning will be an extra cost activity. This project is still being finalized. We will provide all the details, as soon as possible. A registration form will be available on the Frisco.org and MPHS (mopac.org) websites, very soon.

    Contact.
    If you have questions, would like to volunteer to help at the convention or if you need more info on the model display or swap meet, please get in touch with me. Let’s make Joplin 2014 the best meeting ever. Thank you.

    Kevin Love
    president@mopac.org
    888 N. Dade 177
    Dadeville, MO 65635-8131
    (816) 591-0147 cell
     
  11. wmrx

    wmrx MP Trainmaster

    I'm still tweaking the schedule. I will try to post within the next 24 hours.
     
  12. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    As far as MP stuff goes, I'm most interested- after the Frisco disappeared into the Green Slime, I shot the heck out of MP in & around Van Buren. Since I'm modeling Paris, I'm trying to include the MP's ex-T&P line thru town. I've also built several MP diesels, among which was an HO scale GP35M (three for the Kiamichi RR, one for MP). This promises to be a great convention full of info about both roads.
     
  13. nvrr49

    nvrr49 Member

    Tulsa International Airport is certainly a major airport, and half as far as KC. It is only 1-1/2 hours from Joplin, made the trip too many times.


    Kent in KC
    nvrr49@yahoo.com
    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
     
  14. KCTRWY

    KCTRWY Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Let me know if you will be flying into Tulsa Airport for the Frisco/MoPac convention and would like to stop in Claremore enroute to Joplin for an operating session on my Kansas City Terminal Rwy. Of all things, I model the Frisco and the MoPac (and the Katy and KCS) as of November, 1980.

    Might be best to do this off list.

    Jim Senese
    Claremore, Okla.
    KCTRwy@Yahoo.com
     
  15. wmrx

    wmrx MP Trainmaster

    Here is the current schedule. It is subject to change, but any changes should be minor. We are firming up some of the final details and will publish these as soon as possible. I encourage everyone to plan on being there from Thursday evening through Sunday morning. You won't want to miss any of the activities.

    Kevin Love
     

    Attached Files:

  16. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    To add to the above list, over in Galena (just over the Kansas line west of Joplin on K-66) the Galena MKT museum is being used as a miner's museum. Outside are parked a centercab Whitcomb switcher, ex-Frisco caboose in BN colors, and a Frisco handcar. Just a couple of blocks away is a former Erie Alco switcher on display.
     
  17. wmrx

    wmrx MP Trainmaster

    Thanks, Bob. If there are any other suggestions from the group, please post them here. We intend to put together a list of all the RR attractions in the area.
     
  18. railroadpete

    railroadpete Member Frisco.org Supporter

    There is a small outdoor mining museum in Rich Hill, Mo near where the old Mopac depot used to be. There is a Mopac bay window caboose and several old pieces of mining equipment there near it. Frisco stopped serving Rich Hill in the 1930's. Rich Hill is located north of Nevada off of HWY 71 between Kansas City and Carthage/Joplin. The MNA mainline there used to have a Missouri Pacific branch that split towards Wichita south of town. This branch even had a passenger train on it up until the mid 1950's.

    -Pete
     
  19. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    There is also a trolley (which, oddly. runs on a gasoline engine) on its own track in Webb City. I don't believe it'll be running that time of year, though.....
     
  20. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    And, of course, down in Neosho, the KCS crosses BNSF's former Frisco Cherokee Subdivision.
     

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