Model Railroading > NMRA Convention Memories--Oakland,CA--1947

NMRAThe 1947 convention was held in Oakland California in mid August, thus breaking away from the traditional Labor Day venue. Some of the Midwest and east coast members traveled to the convention on chartered passenger cars, starting a tradition that lasted for many years. This was the first time the NMRA convention had been held west of the Mississippi River and marked the fact that the NMRA was truly a national organization in more than name only.The Convention was hosted by the Eastbay Model Engineers Society.. Besides regular convention activities at the hotel, there were the famous "layout tours" by chartered bus.. Two or three of these tours brought bus loads of model railroad delegates to the "house" in East Oakland where I grew up as a young boy.
My grandfather, Victor Shattock, held open house for everyone to see the operation of his 2 1/2" gauge live steam railroad empire that he had in his basement..
He maintained a large "Guest Book" for all the delegates and other visitors to sign in on.. I now own that famous book. Several signatures of 'rail notables' are in that book. Bill Walthers, Al Kalmbach, Linn Westcott, Whit Towers, Bob Bast, Jack Collier, Larry Sagle of the B&O RR and so many others that you only "read" about in magazines.
Nestled among the many signatures in that book, in TWO different spots, are the signatures of the "Wizard of Monterey"--- John Allen ...
As you can imagine, I treasure having that book in my library..
By the way, so many people were packed into that basement, that they had to stand outside and look thru the windows, my grandfather later told me.  One old timer who attended that convention wrote to me a few years ago and stated that it was easy for my Grandfather to demonstrate his railroad to the Convention goers .....  Roll up the Windows...  Light off the boilers..... Run Trains !!

The neighbors wondered what all the crowds were about.   (grin)

KRK

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Thanks,  
I am wondering why is their a lack of photos or reports on the Indy convention.. Guess it was a mess?  or nobody went?

Thanks for the wonderful story.