Who: Any person interested in modeling southeastern railroad prototypes
When: 10 AM to 5 PM, Friday September 24 and Saturday September 25, 1999
Where: Fellowship Hall of the Kirk Of Kildaire on Kildaire Farm Road in Cary...minutes from Raleigh, NC
Contact: Craig Zeni
Directions Click Here
On behalf of all southeastern model railroaders, Craig Zeni cordially invites you to the 1999 Southeastern Model Railroaders Fall Convention on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 September 1999 in Cary NC, a suburb of Raleigh. Raleigh is very easy to access via Raleigh Durham Airport (all major airlines), by Amtrak (the Silver Star, the Carolinian and the Piedmont all call at Raleigh; the latter two also stop in Cary), and by highway via Interstate 40, US-1, US-70 and US-64. CSX and NS both serve Raleigh with NS providing most of the railfanning. The Atlantic Coast Line speedway is 40 minutes east at Selma NC; the famous Antique Barn hobby shop is in Wilson NC, about 75 minutes east and also on the ACL. Yes, the Antique Barn is open Sundays.
The meeting will be held in the Fellowship Hall of the Kirk Of Kildaire on Kildaire Farm Road in Cary. This is a tremendous room in a brand new wing of the church, complete with direct outside access for ease of loading/unloading. There will be many many tables to allow participants to show off their models and handiwork. The Kirk is located one mile off of US highways 1/64.
Get to US-1 South/US-64 West by your appropriate route. Proceed to the Cary Pkwy exit. At
the top of the ramp, proceed west (follow small
signs for McDonalds). Proceed to intersection of Cary Pkwy and Kildaire Farm Rd - a Boston
Market is on the right at the intersection. Turn
right. Go to second traffic light, turn left on High Meadow Dr. The church is immediately
on the right. The Fest is in the Fellowship Hall, downstairs around the left side of the
building.
From the church, return to US-1/US-64. Proceed south to the next exit, marked "64
West Pittsboro Asheboro" Go thru light at bottom of ramp,
proceed to next light at Edinburgh Dr. Turn left - hotel is on immediate right. Coming
from the south on US-1, signage also says 64 West.
The League Of Non Aligned Modelers will have its layout up and running, giving all a chance to get a first-hand look at the modules as seen on our webpage.
A North Carolina Barbecue lunch will be catered on site Saturday by Clyde Cooper's of Raleigh. It will include Eastern NC BBQ, Fried Chicken, Brunswick Stew, potatoes, slaw, hush puppies and pork skins. This is included in the $10 registration fees.
Clinics to be offered include: Kitbashing Phosphate Cars by Denis Blake, Kitbashing Woodracks by Larry Denton, DCC by Larry Puckett, Weathering by Jim Six, Lightweight module construction by Joe Balint of the The League Of Non Aligned Modelers and creator of Frog City, Handlaying track by Joe Balint, Prototype slide show by Warren Calloway.
Clinics will run during the day Saturday, concurrent with the display of models.
Other attractions to be offered should enough interest be shown include a trip to the North Carolina Transportation Museum, with its fine collection of southeastern equipment, in Spencer, NC. This would be either by convoy of private cars or by van, with a small additional charge to cover the cost of the van and its fuel. Unfortunately the Museum is not easily reached by train, being a two mile walk from the station at Salisbury NC.
Lodging is to be at the Cary Marriott Courtyard, with room rates of $59/nite plus tax (of course...) for Thursday, Friday and/or Saturday nights. The hotel has a proper restaurant and bar, and is located by a shopping center which has a Chinese buffet, an English pub plus two other fairly high brow restaurants for those who wish to dine elsewhere. There are many other restaurants within a five mile drive. The hotel is three miles from the exhibition space. Krispy Kreme is a mere 20 minute round trip.
Y'all come do Southeastern Model Railroading North Carolina style!
Registration is $10. This gets you in the door and gets you a proper barbecue lunch on
Saturday, catered by Clyde (since 1938) Cooper's of Raleigh. If you don't want to eat,
don't send any money but don't expect to have anything to eat on Saturday...as with any
catered deal I have to commit to a number of heads - I really need a minimum of 30 eaters
to be have it be worthwhile. I do hope that if you plan to come on Saturday that you plan
to eat, too.
I need to have money in hand no later than 5 September. Send it to me at
Craig Zeni
1435 Huntly Ct
Cary, NC 27511
If you're not eating, just send me an email off list telling me that you're coming - I'd
like to have a head count of sorts.
And guys, any money left over after expenses (which will be carefully tabulated to prove
that I didn't take the dough and head off to Two
Flags Over Fayetteville with the wife) will be donated to the Church and perhaps the
Raleigh Rescue Mission.
For additional information, please contact Craig Zeni by email.