Nashville - 52nd Convention July 23-30, 2022
It had been three years since anyone said, “Welcome to the LCCA Annual Convention”. But here we were in 2022, many of us sharing those greetings, reintroducing ourselves after an extended absence, and for the moment forgetting about the news and getting old while we took time out to talk and think trains with so many of our friends.
And to imagine all this in Nashville – the county’s heartland. What a destination and what venues for those of us wanting to get out. Nashville, well known as the “Music City,” has become the center for activities beyond those related to music. This year, 2022, we were to experience the best of both. Music City, Opry Land, Country Music Hall of Fame visits intermixed with the History at Belle Meade and a Civil War battlefield tour (and of course to Chevy land – the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green). Throw in were a few great layout tours. Add to that the excitement with our modular layouts at the hotel with over 80 modules. For kids and grandkids there were several special events. A quality hotel, another super Lionel Seminar, the Get Acquainted Party, and of course the Gala Banquet. And we can't forget the exceptionally long ride on the Tennessee Central Railroad or the evening dinner boat ride on the General Jackson.
It had been a strange three years since our Reno Convention – a lot has happened, yet the LCCA was able to retain its wallet-friendly prices on tours this year.
We had the customary and popular President’s Welcome Reception on Sunday evening, and this year for the first time AFTER the train ride. On Tuesday night the First Timers Reception was for those joining us for their very first convention. The Get Acquainted Party was again our Thursday night dinner and entertainment. This popular event has become a favorite time for friends to get together and have fun. There was food and entertainment, and it’s always a great time. Friday night was the first look-see and buy at the trading hall.
The annual Saturday night convention banquet wrapped up the week. The sit-down and plated meal of beef, chicken or seafood culminated the week’s activities, and each table’s decoration included the ever-popular blue and orange boxes filled with surprises. There was a box for each person at the table, and someone from each table went home with the night’s special banquet gift. The Sheraton was ready and willing to make sure our stay in Nashville was top notch and did whatever it took to ensure we enjoyed ourself.
Nashville is known as “The Music City”, and Saturday night found us going to the world famous “Grand Ole Opry!” The Grand Ole Opry started in the Ryman Auditorium (the Mother Church of Country Music) in 1925 before moving into its new venue on March 16, 1974 where it has continued weekly for the past 47 years. The bus took us for just a short ride to the front of the Opry house to unload and proceed into the most famous Opry House in the world! The Grand Ole Opry has been operating continually for 96 straight years, never missing a Saturday night live show on radio station WSM. This adds up to over 5,000 performances by the time we visited. The LCCA had reserved enough seats for everyone who signed up for this production. We were told this event is on most people’s bucket list, and we all learned why that evening. The seating capacity of the Opry House is 4,372, and there’s not a bad seat in the theater. The show ran exactly 2 hours with live entertainment and several surprise guest stars appearing. After the show, the bus escorted us back to the Hotel to get some rest before the BIG all day train trip starting Sunday morning. What a great way to start our 52nd convention!
We departed the hotel at two different times, 7:30 & 8:30 a.m. The earlier group arrived first and had an hour to visit the TCRR museum and visit the restoration barn where N.C. & S.L. steam engine # 576 was being restored. The second group arrived at the depot just in time for both groups to board the train at the same time. (9 a.m.) When we departed Nashville, each coach had a docent/guide to explain the train as well as the beautiful Tennessee landscape we were traversing. This excursion was around 100 miles long on a train consisting of four motor power engines, a F-unit & two BF-units (or) one E-unit, two B-units & one GP-7; also eight coaches with 436 occupancy including a special dome coach, four dining cars (184 capacity), a souvenir car, and a power generating car.
At Water Town, the midpoint of the trip, we stopped where everyone could depart the train. The train then did its turnaround so we can journey back towards Nashville. While we were off the train, we had live entertainment by a Nashville Railroad band called the “Ridin’ the Rails,” playing nothing but train songs. Also, we prepared to video and photographed our train as it did a run-by for our entertainment and filming. It then backed up so we could re-board. If you hadn't previously eaten, now was the time. Included in our ticket price was a coupon for eating on board the train. You had a choice of a freshly made hamburger or a brat, package of chips, a cookie, and choice of soda or water. Off course more was available to purchase with our own money if you so desired. We were free to eat whenever we choose during our travels. Once we returned to the depot, Group A immediately boarded the buses for our return trip to the hotel. Group B now visited the Museum and Restoration Barn. The buses returned to bring Group B back to the hotel approximately one hour after we stepped off the train.
Notice: At this writing we are still working on special mementos for this trip. The first 250 will get possibly three different gifts commemorating this event. Hopefully we will have enough for everyone, at least one or two gifts if not all three. So, sign up early and guarantee yourself a prize!
On Monday morning we had three very interesting venues to visit - the Union Station, Parthenon and the Tennessee Capital Building. The Union Station was built in 1900 and was an epicenter of American travel. Here we had a self-guided tour of the magnificent building both inside and out. On the interior we saw a 65 feet tall vaulted ceiling, with marble floors, surrounded by 100 year old stained glass windows. The exterior of the building has a 220 feet tall clock tower that has the statue of Mercury, the Roman God of shopkeepers, merchants, travelers, and transporters of goods. The next stop was the Tennessee State Capital Building. This fantastic structure had its cornerstone put in place in 1845. We had a guided tour, taking us throughout the capital to show off its grand marble floors and architecture. Both the Senate and the House chambers, along with the library could be explored. We also didn't miss the ornamented metal circular staircase! The third venue was the Parthenon, constructed for the 1897 Centennial Exposition in Centennial Park. Originally, it was to be temporarily built and then removed after the Centennial ended. It was built of plaster, wood and stone, but in 1920, it had fallen in disrepair. The citizens wanted to keep it, so it was rebuilt to the grand beauty we see today. The lower floor contains the history of the building and this main level has many statues, along with many huge paintings. The centerpiece is the statue of Athena and stands 42 feet tall. The beautiful shiny gilt covering contains more than eight pounds of gold leaf.
Depending on which bus you were on the order of the layouts varied. The Customs House Museum in Clarksville, Tenn., had an O gauge 13 by 36 foot layout. It was up and running when the new addition to the museum opened in November 1996. Since that date, the “Train Crew” has run, maintained and matured the layout over the years. There were five trains running, 15 interactive push buttons, a street with operating cars and lots of scenery and details to enjoy. There was plenty of room for everyone to walk completely around the display. Of course, there are also trains displayed on shelves and in cabinets. The scenery changes seasonally with “The Circus is in Town” in July for our enjoyment. The Train Crew was on hand to operate and answer all our questions. In addition, the museum dedicated its main gallery to the history of railroading in the greater Clarksville area. These two areas were open to all LCCA visitors. Have you heard the song, “Last Train to Clarksville”?
Our second layout in Clarksville was an HO gauge located in the lower level of an office building in this railroading community. It started out 30 years ago as a modular group, and then they started looking for a permanent place to call home. A venue was secured around 2000 and work began. As so often happens, they lost their venue but fortunately were able to find another one, and they began all over again. That was the layout we visited on Monday. They use a Digitrax dcc control system, and JMRI to setup routes on this point-to-point layout. It is roughly based on the L & N railroad going from Nashville to Louisville, KY and then on to Evansville, IN. Real cities are modeled along the line to help the operators know where things are stationed. The club operates every Saturday for two-hour sessions running 10-12 different trains. This is a numerically small group but one who loves and shares its passion with others. They were excited about our visiting as much as we were to see it!
Another of our layouts in Clarksville was at a longtime LCCA member Larry Levin's home. He is not a charter member but has a very low LCCA number, #1460. Larry started with Lionel trains 72 years ago in 1949 and he is still going strong today. He started his latest layout 23 years ago and has it 95+ percent completed. It is 17 by 35 feet with trains running on five different levels. There are two helices, one helix in each mountain to route trains between these five levels. The layout has beautiful scenery with multiple colored rocks adding to the effect. He has incorporated tinplate buildings and Department 56 Snow Villages. Larry runs TMCC/LEGACY® exclusively along with Lionel, MTH, and K-line accessories. He was very excited about having everyone visit this magnificent work of art. Thanks Larry for a wonderful time. The LCCA also captured a video of Larry's layout which is now available here to remind you of our visit.
We finished this fun “training day” with a stop on the south side of Nashville at Dr. Jack Fisher’s estate. This location is where a bloody battle took place during the Civil War. The home sits on the very spot of the battle, which is the highest point in all of Nashville. From here you can look North approximately eight miles to view the gorgeous skyline of Nashville. This O gauge layout is primarily based on the Milwaukee Road railroad in Chicago during the mid to late 1950s. We saw lots of Chesapeake and Ohio, Santa Fe, New York Central, and Union Pacific equipment. The main part of the railroad measures 24 x by a whopping 55 feet long, with an additional extension measuring 14 x 10, making it 69 feet from end to end. This marvel included over 100 engines, both steam and diesel. There were more than 230 passenger cars, and another 280 freight cars. The track is both Gargraves and Ross with 70 Ross switches. The layout includes two turntables and a transfer table. Everyone got a close-up view of the transfer table as it moved some huge consolidated steam engines right under our nose. We were prepared to be amazed but it was so much more! Over 90 automobiles, all with LED lighting, grace the scenery. Couldn’t miss the Chicago subway train that runs beneath the main station. It has taken Dr. Fisher 18 years to build this masterpiece, and he says it is essentially complete. Also outside was an amazing “G” scale garden railroad.
This tour took us East of Nashville to The Hermitage. This is the home of President Andrew Jackson. This magnificent home and more than 20 historic buildings are a must see. We started in the Andrew Jackson Center to get a brief look at the history of the home, grounds and Jackson’s rise to military hero and his time in the presidency. From there we walked up a small slope to the mansion itself where an informative guide was there to brief us and then take us on a guided tour of the mansion. There were two levels which have original furniture from the time President Jackson lived there. The 1,120-acre National Historic Landmark site was owned by Andrew Jackson who was the seventh President of the United States beginning 1804. He died in 1845, and The Hermitage is his final resting place. A self- guided tour outside allowed us visit the different buildings on the site which has an easy walking path to the different spots on the grounds. There was a discounted wine tasting connected to the Museum Store before we departed back to the hotel.
We headed off to travel downtown to visit the “Musicians Hall of Fame.” This venue is one of Nashville’s greatest attractions. Each exhibit tells the story of a musician you may have heard of or maybe was unfamiliar to you. It’s the only museum in the world that honors the talented musicians who actually played on the greatest recordings of all time. We prepared to spend the afternoon looking at all the exhibits in the giant hall and were enthralled with what was there. We saw Glen Campbell’s guitar, Jimi Hendrix’s guitar, and memorabilia from hundreds of other musicians, both past and present.
This museum featured all genres of music from jazz to big band; from country to Bluegrass; gospel to blues; rock and roll to hard rock; heavy metal to pop; folk to hymns; and many others, even including some rap. Something for everyones musical taste.
The Country Music Hall of Fame is the most visited venue of all the museums in Nashville. This three- story, 350,000 sq. ft. building was filled with artifacts from all past and present Country Music stars. Starting on the first floor and working your way up will dazzle you. From the early days of country to today’s stars, there was plenty to view. Cameras were allowed, so everyone took lots of pictures. The tour was split up so one group would be going here and another group would be visiting Studio B (R.C.A.). This studio is the well- preserved recording home of Elvis, Chet Atkins, Eddy Arnold, and the Everly Brothers, among others. The exterior of the building has been renovated to its glory days of the past. Once inside, the walls were adorned with pictures of the past and its halls lined with electronic machines, etc. Once we were in the actual recording studio, the lights went down, and Elvis began to sing for us. I guarantee you, it’s a sound you’d never heard before and one you will never forget. We just closed our eyes and relived the moments of his early years.
This afternoon’s tour took us to the historic Ryman Auditorium (the mother church of country music) and to Marathon Village. We got off in front of the Auditorium for a photo shoot of our choice outside, then proceeded indoors to the original Ryman Auditorium. Here, a tour guide explained the grandeur of this historic Music Hall. To top this off, we had a chance to get on stage and have our picture taken for a souvenir to take home (free) for all to enjoy. Pictures were allowed everywhere. The other stop would be Marathon Village. This is one of two homes of the American Pickers TV show. We were free to roam the large warehouse building and explore all the other shops that are located there. If you were lucky, you might of seen some of the people who star on the show.
Wednesday evening’s dinner cruise was on the General Jackson. This magnificent paddle wheel boat took us up and down the “S” shape route of the Cumberland River. From the top deck, we could see the magnificent lighted skyline of Nashville at night, and as we went down to the next deck, we prepared ourselves for a fun-filled entertainment and a great dinner. One of the largest dinner boats ever built, this vessel was launched on the Ohio River and then made its way to Nashville on April 20, 1985. We experienced not only a great meal & view, but outstanding live entertainment.
The world famous Corvette Museum is the only one of its kind in the universe. Once we visited it, you could see why. There were over 70 Corvettes on display. We didn’t miss these wonderful exhibits: Hot Wheels Race To Win, Corvette Cave-in (cars that survived), Kids Zone, Sky-dome Generations, Nostalgia Area, Corvette Store, Corvette Racing Simulator, the Corvette Nursery, and other sights. Since 1953 the Corvette has been “America’s Sports Car.” The museum opened in 1994 and is a 115,000 square foot facility located on a 55-acre campus. Bowling Green is home to the world’s only General Motors Corvette Assembly Plant.
The RailPark was just a few minutes from the Corvette Museum and is located in the restored 1925 L&N Train Depot. Guides took us through five restored rail cars, including the Locomotive, L&N Presidential Car, Duncan Hines Dining car, a luxury Pullman sleeper, and a 1921 Post Office car. Also on site was a caboose, a Jim Crow segregation car and a World War II hospital car.
The Aviation Heritage Park honors the aviators and their aircraft. We were amazed at the beautifully restored War-birds. Sometimes the actual pilots of these planes were on hand to relive with you their time in these fantastic machines. When they were not available, the docents in charge did an outstanding job explaining all the details.
This museum was in a 132,000 sq. ft. building that served as a bread factory dating back to the 1930s. There were over 650 vehicles of all types located here and most are in operating condition. This is the largest collection of European automobiles in the United States. Standard vehicles and prototypes were also displayed here, along with U. S. Military vehicles and other interesting machines. There were vehicles powered by propeller, fan, steam, electricity, and coal. If you’re a car, motorcycle, or an airplane buff, this museum fits all these categories.
This was a self-guided tour of Honky- Tonk Row. The bus let us off at 1st Street close to the river. From there you could walk up to 5th Street (Ryman Auditorium) and then cross the street and return back down the other side to 1st Street where you we re-boarded the bus. These 5 blocks are loaded with bars, Honky Tonks, gift shops, etc. We visited the GOO GOO Candy Shop, The Ernest Tubb Record Shop, The Johnny Cash Museum, The Patsy Cline Museum, Tootsies Orchid Lounge, and many, many more (some we had to pay for admittance). This is where Willie Nelson, Dierks Bentley, Kris Kristofferson and many more began their careers. There were many hopeful entertainers singing in these honky-tonks attempting to get noticed like the many stars before them. This jam packed two hours went fast, so glad we had on our walking shoes. Couldn’t linger too long at one place – had to time ourself going up and then back so we didn’t miss the bus back to the hotel.
This tour was a big three, the Winery, Distillery, and Brewery tour that would keep our taste buds happy. The Belle Meade Winery was located in historic southwest Nashville. Belle Meade was one of the largest and grandest estates in Nashville. As a previous thoroughbred horse farm, it’s been an epicenter of society and social events since the 1800s. Walking the grounds and taking a tour of this grand old mansion and the horse barns brought us back in time. We had a wine tasting event at Belle Meade. Another stop would be the Pennington Distillery. The guide took us to the back of the building to show us all the steps in manufacturing their great spirits. This small privately-owned distillery blends their unique whiskey, bourbon, or rye from the aged barrels in the rick house. Most were prepared to try a flight of their beverages (included). The other stop of the day will be Fat Bottoms. This fantastic brewery is located just steps away from Pennington’s. Walking in this famous brewery, looking at its grand bar, and trying out a flight of its different tasting beers produced there met our expectations. The tour started with a little history of its great operation, then proceeded to the back where we saw the process of making the finest beer in Nashville. If a small flight of samples wasn’t enough, we could purchase some to take home. In all the venues on this tour, their products could be purchased to be enjoyed later.
We traveled 30 miles south of Nashville to the town of Franklin. Walked the streets of this quaint little town and visited the Town Square, along with the streets filled with shops of all sorts. Just south of downtown is the Carter House. This original home and outbuildings were located on the actual battlefield itself. Here we saw bullet holes left in the walls along the back porch. A cannon ball hole from the Battle of Franklin is still there, covered now with see-through wire so birds won’t enter and build nests. The battle here on Nov. 30, 1864 lasted for five hours and resulted in 9,500 casualties – 2,000 dead, 6,500 wounded, and another 1,000 MIA. Another stop on our Civil War tour was the Carnton Home and Museum. This home was built in 1826 and was used as a field hospital after the battle. It has more than13 rooms, and at the time of the battle, all rooms were filled with wounded soldiers from the South. The grounds around the house were the actual battlefield covered with thousands of wounded and dead. This was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.
This beautiful auditorium is the current home of the Grand Ole Opry. We started our tour outside this magnificent building for a photo shoot. We could also pose in front of the two huge guitars, one on either side of the main entrance. When going inside, our first stop was the custom-built theater as the entire room comes to life with music, 3D film images, and priceless archival films of superstars. Next, we were able to step on stage and onto the famed wooden circle as generations of artists have done before. The wooden circle was brought over from the original Ryman Auditorium. Tours also stoped in Studio A, a large television studio and former home of Hee Haw. We walked the back halls to see some of the Opry’s 18 uniquely themed dressing rooms. Many of these are dedicated to the stars who have used them and many who continue to use them today.
July 23-30, 2022, will be a great memorable time. However, we can look forward now to the model railroad train shows, camaraderie and more at the Concord convention in 2023
These events held in Nashville are just a taste of the type of things in store for you, your family, and friends when you come to an LCCA convention and help us celebrate the annual anniversary of the "Best toy train club on the planet" by making each convention one of the best in Lionel Collectors Club Convention history. Members may register online for the Concord Convention starting in mid-February 2023 or read the details of the events published in The Lion Roars, the club’s model train magazine. Non-members may join the club now and be prepared for a fabulous week of fun, great food, toy train shows and friendship with train operators and collectors who favor the Lionel brand and celebrate the world’s greatest hobby.
