Roger Wasson posted the following on the OGR Forum today. Please read. Hi Everyone, I realize that this is going out to a lot of folks that live more than 200 miles away from Springfield, MO. But, if you do live far away, and know someone that lives close to Springfield, please pass this info onto them. The local HO CLUB, OMRA, is putting on this train meet in a facility that has 33,000 square feet in a single story and also 7 acres of FREE on-site parking. This is a really BIG commitment for them and I hope you all will help us support this meet so that we can start doing this meet every March. And the LCCA has committed to sanction this train meet. Please read the following news release below: The Ozarks Model Railroad Assn. is going all out to reach people of all ages at its 35th Annual Model Train Show and Swap Meet, 9am to 3pm, Saturday, March 16, 2013, Remington’s, 1655 W. Republic Rd, Springfield, MO. The theme is Relive the Memories. Parents and grandparents are invited to bring their children to the show to experience prototype and model railroading. Scheduled activities include the opportunity to buy chances to win a $350 framed, signed and numbered print by Springfield’s nationally known watercolor artist John Fulton. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales as well as chances to win the Fulton print will go to Crosslines food pantry which serves families in crisis in Greene County. Since 1969, Crosslines has provided emergency food, job services, rental/mortgage assistance and special holiday programs. Crosslines is an agency of the Council of Churches of the Ozarks – Uniting Faith. Serving with Compassion. Find out more at CCOzarks.org Admission is $7 for adults. Children under 12 are free with a paying adult. The Lionel Collector’s Club of America has agreed to sanction our show. That organization will be conducting a Lionel Track Laying Contest for three age groups hosted by Mike Mottler, editor “The Lion’s Roar” the organization’s magazine. The contest is for three age groups with prizes awarded to the winners of each category. The LCCA will award a top of the line train set to the Grand Champion as well as distributing door prizes drawn from names of LCCA members. Kids will have the opportunity to take controls of a virtual Frisco train running between Monett, MO and Ft. Smith, AR. Upon completing their time they will acknowledged as a “certified locomotive engineer”. They will also have the opportunity to run a Lionel Train around the track while blowing the whistle and ringing the bell. Each participant will be certified as an “Official Whistle Blower”. Older “kids” including adults will be given the opportunity to participate in a switching challenge hosted by the Train Town club from Kansas City. Participants will receive a certificate of completion. The Kiddie Train will be on hand for a few hours during the show to provide rides around the parking lot for adults as well as children. Brad Slone, Dixon, MO is scheduled to bring his presentation on the "Frisco Railroad’s Fort Leonard Wood Branch". Ron Williams MMR will present “Model Railroading 101”, a clinic for people new to or interested in learning more about the hobby and Jeremy Janzen will demonstrate "How to Weather Freight Cars using PanPastels". Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and visit with manufacturers of model railroad products. Lunde Studios, Eureka Springs, AR will be share what is new and how they go about creating and developing the products. Owners of pre-1970 trains can bring their items to the show and talk to Vernon Hart MMR, Springfield who will tell them what they are worth. If the locomotive isn’t running Harvey Owens, Hollister, MO will be on hand to diagnose the problem and provide an estimate of the cost to get it running again. Over 100 tables will display railroad equipment of all scales as well as memorabilia. The rest of the space will be filled with operating model railroads from Bentonville, AR, Wichita, KS, Kansas City, MO, Omaha, NE, St. Louis, MO as well as Branson and Springfield. Some of the displays have never been seen at our previous shows. Throughout the day prototype train videos or slides will be shown on the huge Remington’s screen. There will be many door prizes with at least five train sets to be given away and some lucky couple will win tickets to ride the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad. The home tours will feature some new railroads that haven’t been seen during any of the previous shows. Names and directions will be released at the show. Remington’s will be offering food consisting of a choice of hamburger or hotdog with chips and beverage for $2.50. And a bottomless cup of coffee will be available all day for $1.00. For swap table information contact David Brashers, 1418 Rosewood, Republic, MO 65738. Call him at 417- 848-1739 or email him at dbrashers69@yahoo.com For other show details contact Ron Williams, 3129 S. Chambery Avenue, Springfield, MO 65804. Phone: 417-883-5350. Email: rwilliams3129@gmail.com. Visit our website at http://omraspringfield.org for more information about the OMRA and the Spring 2013 show. For details and benefits contact Ron Williams 417-883-5350, rwilliams3129@gmail.com. Also visit their website at http://omraspringfield.org for more information about the OMRA
Heck, I think my wife and I will go. We were impressed with the recent WGH show in St. Louis and this one sounds fun as well. The food prices are better. In St Louis we each got a sandwich, chips and a soda for $25! Really? That show was almost too crowded for us too. I haven't been back to Springfield since I was a kid. Thanks for the heads up.
Great train show yesterday. The guy with the train of Lionel giraffe cars had a nice crowd entertained. Met Friscotony (Tony LaLumia). He described the construction of his Free-mo modules. James was there with a large scale Frisco caboose and kept at least two clock-work locomotives running most of the time. Tim and Louis were there demonstrating V-scale trains to little engineers. One layout on the tour was based on Colorado narrow gauge and, surprisingly, was about two block from my house. While not Frisco I bought a USRA rebuild box car from a friend in KC who is downsizing. Joe Pennington also had a table of some really neat books and models for sale. John Sanders Springfield, MO
It was indeed a pleasure to meet John and to see some others I know and have not seen in a while. The modules I brought are fairly new, one started in Jan and the second one was started about 2 weeks ago. They are part of what is called "free-mo" and 4 of us from Wichita met up with 3 friends from the St. Louis area and had a blast running trains for the day. This was a very nice show and facility and I would encourage anyone close enough to attend and enjoy. Tony LaLumia
Believe it or not, Roger Wasson was my Sunday School teacher in Springfield Missouri when my dad was on the Frisco. Glendale Baptist Church just off of Ingram Mill Road and can be seen from 65 Highway. I recently found out that he has ties to the Frisco thru his family and he is very much into Lionel and has a Frisco O Gauge layout in his home... JFM
