Who: Any person interested in modeling southeastern railroad prototypes
When: 10 AM to 5 PM, Friday October 4 and Saturday October 5, 2002
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 4 and Saturday 5 October 2002 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 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. See photos of the past SMRF meet in Cary.
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.
To see what has gone before: See photos of the past SMRF meet in Cary.
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 $15 registration fees ($20 if registering after September 1)..
Clinics to be offered include:
Clinics will run during the day Saturday, concurrent with the display of models.
Another attraction of interest would be a trip to the North Carolina Transportation Museum, with its fine collection of southeastern equipment, in Spencer, NC. This would have to be by private car. Unfortunately the Museum is not easily reached by train, being a two mile walk from the station at Salisbury NC.
Lodging
Due to popular demand (which seems to have something to do with the hotel's proximity to the Fox And Hound Pub), I have arranged hotel rooms in the same establishment as 1999, the Marriot Courtyard in Cary.
Room rates are as follows:
Single room: $57.00/night
Double room: $65.00/night
A handful of rooms are arranged for Thursday 3 October; the bulk of rooms are
for Friday and Saturday night. Make your reservations prior to 18 September
2002. Tax is a total 12.5% extra unless the politicians get creative between now
and then.
Call this number: 919-481-9666 and say you're booking for the SMRFest.
If you don't want to stay at the Courtyard, there is a La Quinta, a Hampton Inn and a Red Roof fairly close by, but be aware we just had a big ol drug bust at the Roof...
The Courtyard has a proper restaurant and bar, and is located by a shopping center which has a Chinese buffet, the aforementioned Fox And Hound 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 $15 prior to September 1 and $20 afterwards. This gets you in the door and gets you a proper
barbecue lunch on Saturday, catered by Clyde (since 1938) Cooper's of
Raleigh. Sorry for the increase over 1999, but the price of 'cue has
jumped pretty heavily. Anybody coming from Europe, Arkansas or any other
foreign country can register by email and pay me when they get here to
avoid currency hassles :) 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.
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.