$150.00 Before April 1, 2012
$175.00 After April 1, 2012
$189.00 for Non-Members, which includes a 1 year membership in the NYCSHS plsu four issues of the Central Headlight.
>> Download the registration form
LODGING AND HOTEL ROOMS
Our convention hotel will be the Essenhaus Inn & Conference Center in Middlebury, Indiana. Rooms are $105.00+tax and includes buffet breakfast. Reservation deadline is April 1, 2012. After April 1, rooms will be $109.00 regular and $129.00 balcony, based on availability. For reservations call (800) 455-9471 and reference "NYCSHS Meeting" to get the special rate. Hotel reservations are your responsibility.
NYCSHS 2012 Convention Details
Hi folks, its convention planning time, and your buddies Ralph Schiring (rschiring at cox.net) and Pat Livingston (conraildisp at hotmail.com) are here to help. First let’s talk about the convention itself, then we’ll talk about some transportation options.
Convention - General
For the first time in our forty two year existence, the New York Central System Historical Society will have it’s annual meeting and conference in Elkhart/Middlebury, Indiana. The fun begins at 9AM on Friday May 4th and continues through 5 PM on the 6th.
This promises to be a stellar event. Elkhart was an operational hub for our favorite railroad. Traffic from Cleveland, Detroit and central Ohio/Indiana funneled into Elkhart for classification toward Chicago points and interchange to western carriers. Today’s hump operation does much the same for Norfolk Southern except the flow from Cleveland now includes traffic from central Pennsylvania. Hence, while we are having our Saturday festivities at the “National New York Central Museum” NS will be humming at a 100+ train per day pace right next door. You could not ask for a better place to have a railroad meeting!
>> Download the registration form
Convention – Headquarters etc.
The convention is headquartered at the Essenhaus Inn & Convention Center. BRING THE WIFE AND MAYBE THE KIDS. This is a very family oriented facility. The hotel is actually part of a “campus” that includes two Amish style restaurants (one buffet, one sit-down and order off a menu). Warning: the food is really, really really good.
There are also several stores on the campus. You can purchase antiques, Amish quilts, knick-knacks, and clothing while browsing the facility. You can also purchase Amish buggy rides around the campus and neighborhood. The grounds include two bridges (one covered) and a pond with a fountain. You might want to schedule a day in advance or after the convention for family activities. During the convention, you can hand the car keys to your better half. She can visit more antique shops a few miles down US 20 in Shipshewana, an outlet mall in Fremont, Indiana, or a large mall in Mishawaka. South Bend’s Studebaker museum is a three hour plus experience, and the College Football Hall of Fame is also in the area. So, there is plenty to do, and you can make this convention part of a family event.
Convention - Friday
Check out the NYCSHS web site for the latest information on the convention schedule. If you register early on Friday, you’ll have time for self-guided model railroad layout tours. We are lining up a several home and one club tour, so this activity could consume your whole afternoon. The historical presentations will take place in the evening at the hotel. Modelers take note that you can get plenty of good prototype information here. Jim Six might share some of his painting techniques during his diesel presentation. His home layout represents the “Pumpkinvine” which he is also scheduled to discuss.
Convention – Super Saturday
Saturday is a really big day. Busses will take registrants to Elkhart’s National New York Central Museum. There are plenty of exhibits, both indoor and outdoor, that should capture the attention of New York Central fans for several hours. These include Mohawk #3001, several cabooses and quite a few freight and passenger cars. We are planning a “tailgate” luncheon for convention registrants, perhaps in the museum’s observation cars (that car was once part of a restaurant). We’ve also arranged for a hot dog vendor, and a homemade ice cream shop across the tracks will be open. If you go hungry, it’s your fault. Tracks, did I say tracks? Yes, Norfolk Southern will put on quite a show along the north side of the museum. Talk about photo opportunities! You can safely mount a baggage cart to eliminate the museum’s fence from your pictures. NS runs around a hundred trains a day past the museum, and Saturday is traditionally the heaviest trafficked day of the week.
The museum itself was Elkhart’s sizable freight station and offers plenty of very interesting, professionally built indoor exhibits. They were working on a mock-up of the interior of the Cardinal’s train when I was there in October. We (the NYCSHS) will be showing NYC videos all day long. And talk about atmosphere for a train show, picture this -- the NYC oriented swap meet/train show will take place in the former baggage/freight storage area. It is a huge brick room with heavy beams, some former baggage doors to the outside, metal doors on a fire wall, and heavy wood beams. In the center of this area we will have a projector continuously throwing railroad slides onto a screen located on one wall. Until recently, the room was a temporary home for Elkhart’s theater troupe, so we will have some theater seating, and the walls and ceiling are painted black. Hence, the projected slide images should show up pretty good. The vendors will be located around the outside perimeter of this area, with theater spotlights trained on their wares.
We are planning on launching Elkhart yard tours from the museum. The details exact are still being worked out with NS. Here is the plan at this point. We will start in the museum’s lunch room with a half hour presentation and Q&A session on the yard’s history, how it fit into NYC’s network, and what NS is doing there today. Then we’ll split into smaller groups and get back into the busses that brought us over from Middlebury. Each group will get a narrated circular tour around the perimeter of the facility. At some point we will head up to the fourth floor of the crest tower where NS will greet us, answer questions and we can view the actual humping operation. This windowed area used to have car accounting clerks in it, and still has computer equipment in it. NS has built two large locomotive maintenance buildings at Elkhart, but I doubt that we will be allowed to visit them on their peak day (for safety they would have to stop production on their peak day, which they are loath to do for the period of time it would take to get our small groups through).
Saturday evening we will have a diet busting banquet at the Essenhaus. We will have a quick membership meeting and conclude with a presentation by former NYC locomotive engineer Maurice Lewman. Maurice was featured in two recent Headlight articles. He fired on steam and concluded his career on diesels.
Convention – Sunday Tour & Steam Ride
On Sunday I hope we can sleep in, but the timing is still a work in progress. Sometime in the morning we will hop onboard our trusty tour busses and head for Kalamazoo Michigan. Judging from their warm reception when we asked for a tour, the Grand Elk Railroad will be a good host. Just as the name indicates, the Grand Elk is a short line running (north – south) on former NYC trackage between Grand Rapids and Elkhart. In NYC days this was a medium density main line. The Grand Elk is taking very good care of this line. Grand Elk’s main line looks like it’s good for 40+ MPH operation, and they have plenty of well maintained road and switch power. They were rebuilding the Kalamazoo yard during our visit. Prepare to exit the bus at Grand Elk as we expect to take some group pictures in front of one or two of their locomotives.
Next stop will be only a half mile away at "BO" tower, the last manned interlocker in the region. The Society is “pulling strings” in Dearborn for this tour. The tower is rumored to be closed later in 2012.
Finally, we will head over to Coldwater, Michigan and board the Little River Railroad. But, before boarding, take in the two restored Coldwater depots, including the Little River’s headquarters and museum. Little River runs a steam excursion to Hillsdale on a very early piece of the Michigan Central. I do not want to steal the Little River’s thunder so I will not elaborate on the line’s history. Our excursion will last 3.5 hours, and box lunches will be served onboard. Two cars have tables for eating, and there are facilities for answering nature’s call. Many of Little River’s cars are “open air”, so consult the local weather forecast when you decide what to wear over your body armor.
Our exhausted group will return about 5PM, so plan accordingly.
Transportation Options
There are quite a few transportation options available for this convention:
If you take Amtrak and tell us in advance, someone will meet you at the Elkhart station. Be aware that this will be an agreement between friends. In other words, the NYCSHS Board takes no responsibility if there is an accident. However, we consider anyone who registers for this convention to be my friend, and I will personally arrange for your transport to and from Amtrak’s Elkhart Station (EKH). Here are the scheduled times at Elkhart to get you started:
Westbound: Amtrak #29 Capitol Ltd. arrives at 7:29 AM
Westbound: Amtrak #49 Lake Shore Ltd. arrives at 8:25 AM
Eastbound: #30 Capitol Ltd. arrives at 8:53 PM
Eastbound: #48 Lake Shore Ltd. arrives at 12:32 AM
Again, please let us know which train (and date) in advance and we’ll make every effort to be there.
We will also meet you at South Bend’s airport if you give us a date and time in advance. Again, the Board takes no responsibility for this, but, as a favor, we will make arrangements. Allegiant Air, Delta Connection and United Express all serve South Bend from O’Hare, Cleveland, Detroit, Atlanta, Minneapolis and Mesa, AZ. Check out www.flysbn.com/arrivals.php for more information.
For heartier, budget minded folks who can travel light, here is an innovative option. Take Southwest to Chicago’s Midway airport. Follow the signs to a covered overhead walkway to CTA’s Orange Line. Midway is the end of the route, and service is very frequent. Take the Orange Line to WABASH avenue downtown (abt. 30 minutes). Walk EAST one block along Randolph Street to the South Shore/NICTD’s Millennium Station. Your are getting on the country’s last interurban railroad, the South Shore Line! This will be a $7.75 railfan experience, as the South Shore parallels the former NYC main line for part of this wonderful trip. Schedules and information are at: www.nictd.com. Many South Shore trains terminate at Michigan City, so make sure you schedule yourself for a train coming through to South Bend.
Similar arrangements can be made through O’Hare. In this case you need to take a shuttle to CTA’s Blue line. O’Hare is also the end of the line. Service is very frequent. The ride takes 40 minutes and drops you off at WASHINGTON Street. At the top of the subway stairs you will be at the corner of Randolph and Dearborn Streets. Hang a right and walk three blocks along Randolph Street to Millennium Station.
The South Shore’s South Bend station is on the airport’s grounds, so, again, with advance notice, we should be able to pick you up from there. By flying to Chicago you’ll save about $100 in airfare in each direction. By getting picked up at the airport or station, you’ll save on renting a car. Once you make it to the Essenhaus, you essentially will not need a car, except for the layout tours. If you are on good behavior, you might be able to cruise the Essenhaus’ several gathering spots and arrange a layout tour ride through another Society member. Such a deal!
Model Railroad Operation
We have an option for those who would like to operate a NYC (Albany/Rensselaer) oriented model railroad. Alan Bell has invited us to his layout in Fort Wayne! He has an impressive DCC controlled, basement size layout depicting Albany’s union station and the adjoining industry complex, along with Albany Hill and the NYC shops. There are road and local switching opportunities aplenty. The layout is about 60% sceniced, and features interlocking panels distributed throughout his basement.
Given that Alan’s house is located an hour and a half away from our convention, we could not put him on our layout tour. Given that the NYCSHS has never offered such an opportunity before, we are frankly at a loss in predicting demand and timing for this event. Hence, if operating on Alan’s railroad is something you would like to do, please contact me (rschiring@cox.net) after you register. I will work out the details with Alan closer to the time of the convention.
"Tag Along" Rates
In another Group discussion, Brian Wolf brought up the issue of "tag alongs" at our 2012 New York Central System Historical Society convention. That led to some internal discussion, pencil pushing and calculating. Wow, that was hard work for an extended holiday weekend!
These "Tag Along" rates are designed to allow a non-member spouse to accompany their loved one for all or part of the convention:
Entire Convention – may exclude the Elkhart Yard tour; includes all other events: $150
Saturday Only – excludes the Elkhart Yard tour; includes transportation, admission to the NYC museum, our tailgate lunch, and the evening banquet: $75
Sunday Only – includes transportation, a tour of the Grand Elk Ry's Kalamazoo Yard, the steam train ride, and a box lunch (served aboard the train): $75
Saturday Banquet Only: $35
Please go ahead and include the above even though our convention registration forms do not yet have these rate options. Just please label or explain the additional option(s) you want (please print the NAME OF THE "TAG ALONG"), somewhere on the form, and we'll handle it from there.
Concluding Remarks
Plenty of sweat is going into making this convention a memorable experience. The Essenhaus only has 85 rooms. As of late December 25% are already spoken for. The NYCSHS has reserved the whole place. We will cross check convention registrations with the hotel reservations so no rooms are wasted on the “unwashed” public. Please mention the NYCSHS when making your reservations. Our room rates (on our web site) are discounted, and were considerably less than the rates charged to Notre Dame football fans we met on our planning trip. Alternative lodging is not plentiful; hence, I would book early, tell us if you need a pick-up, and be patient with us.
We hope you enjoy the convention!
>> Download the registration form
