Gateway 2001 NMRA National
Convention
Policy & General Information
Convention Staff
Convention staff will be wearing red polo shirts with
the convention logo. Volunteers will be wearing stone (i.e.,
tan) T-shirts with the convention logo. If you have a
question, look for a committee member or volunteer and
we will do our best to help you or steer you toward
someone who can answer your question. Please remember
that volunteers may not be familiar with all aspects of
the convention. However, without their efforts, this
convention would not be possible. Give them your thanks
when you have a chance.
Convention Volunteers
Without the support of hundreds of volunteers, a
convention like this would be impossible. Thank you all!
Volunteers are always needed during the convention. If
you would like to volunteer, please check in at the
Information Desk.
Convention Badges and Security
Every convention registrant will receive a badge.
Your badge must be worn to attend any convention
activity including clinics, tours, the contest room,
etc. Lost badges must be replaced by the purchase of a
new one. A special thank you to Digitrax for
providing the badge holders and lanyards.
Convention Hotel
Millennium Hotel St. Louis
200 South 4th Street
St. Louis, Missouri 63102-1896
Phone: 314-241-9500
Fax: 314-241-9977
Facilities
All convention activities except the NMRA Banquet and
the National Train Show® will be held in the Millennium
Hotel (formerly the Regal Riverfront Hotel). The NMRA
Banquet will be held at the Grand Hall of the Hyatt
Hotel in Union Station. The National Train Show® will
be held at the America’s Center in the TWA Dome.
Food service will be located in the Tour Departure
area for your convenience.
A map of the general layout of the hotel convention
floor is included on the last page of your Timetable.
Smoking Policy
Smoking is prohibited in all public areas of the
hotel, all restaurants and bars, taxicabs and buses, and
the Convention Center. If you plan to smoke while
attending the convention, you must go outside,
preferably beyond the front doors of the hotel. Please
refrain from smoking while in private homes during
layout tours and while on tour buses.
Age Limits
Except for the Junior College Program,
children ages 12 and under must be accompanied by a
parent or guardian at all times during all convention
activities. Any child on a tour will be charged full
fare. Teens (ages 13 to 17) can participate in
convention activities without adult supervision provided
they have written parental permission, which should be
submitted when name badges are picked up. Teen badges
will be marked to designate those with permission
letters.
Registration Desk and Information Area
The Registration and Information Desks are located on
the lower level in the central assembly area.
Hours:
- Saturday, July 7 3:00 to 8:00 pm
(Preregistration packets only)
- Sunday, July 8 noon to 9:00 pm
- Monday, July 9 7:00 am to 7:00 pm
- Tuesday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Friday, July 13 8:00 am to 2:00 pm
- Saturday, July 14 8:00 am to noon
One-Day Registrations
One-day registration badges may only be purchased on
the day for which they are valid and not in advance.
One-day badges will be marked with the date they are
valid. No discounts are available for half day or hourly
rates.
Shuttle Service
(Expected shuttle continuous service frequency is
20 minutes or less.)
- Sunday, July 8 noon to 8:00 pm
- Monday through Friday, 6:30 am to 10:30 pm
- Saturday, July 14 6:30 am to 11:30 pm
- Sunday, July 15 none
- Special Hotel to Show Shuttle Friday, July 13
9:15 am to 3:15 pm
Inter-hotel shuttle service will be provided between
the Millennium Hotel (the convention hotel), the Adam’s
Mark, Holiday Inn Select, the Marriott Pavilion,
Raddison Downtown, and the MetroLink stop at 6th
and Washington. The service loop will be expanded to
include the Train Show at the Convention Center on
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Evening tours will drop
off at all convention hotels.
Tour Desk
Ask questions about tours and purchase tickets.
Hours:
- Sunday, noon to 7:00 pm
- Monday through Friday, 6:30 am to 7:00 pm
- Saturday, 7:30 am to 10:00 am
St. Louis Area Weather
Last year the San Jose Convention Committee gave
attendees a summary of their area’s wide-ranging
temperatures and quoted Mark Twain as saying, "The
coldest summer I ever spent was one August in San
Francisco." Well, Twain grew up just north of
St. Louis and spent some time on the Mississippi
before cutting out to California, New York and a lot of
places in between. He would predict that it will be hot
and probably humid. These days we can promise that most
inside activities will be air-conditioned, and indoor
temperatures may vary from temperate to down-right
chilly. For the current
forecast, click here.
Schedule Changes and Daily Updates
Activity cancellations and changes can and will occur
due to circumstances beyond the control of the
Convention Committee. New opportunities may also be
added. Watch for schedule changes, additions, and other
important announcements in the Convention Daily
Updates posted on the Information Kiosk adjacent to
the Registration Desk and in other convenient locations.
Changes in clinic schedules will also be posted directly
adjacent to the clinic rooms.
Message Board
A message board is located near the Registration
Desk. It can be used to request or offer rides for
self-guided layout tours, leave messages for other
registrants, etc. The Convention Committee reserves the
right to limit or remove notices posted on the board. No
commercial postings will be allowed. Please remove your
out-of-date postings. Please do not post messages on the
Information Kiosk.
A table will be provided in the general registration
area for free information on future events, historical
societies, and other items of interest to convention
attendees.
Lost and Found
Please take any lost item you find to the Convention
Office.
General Tour Information
Planning: A basic tenet of tours is Sign Up
Early! Several tours have been sold out, and others
required advance reservations to meet provider
requirements such as meals or train seats. Check at the
Tour Desk for availability. Some seats on full tours may
become available if the original purchaser returns a
ticket. Check the Bulletin Board in the Tour Departure
Area. Please understand it is always possible a tour
could be canceled at any time due to circumstances
beyond the control of the Convention Committee.
Tickets: All participants on tours must have a
valid ticket in possession and must wear a valid
convention registration name badge. The tickets are
coded by day and show the tour number, name, time, and
price. Tickets have been punched at the top and we
suggest you use the Gateway 2001 pin you received in
your registration packet to affix your ticket to the
bottom of your name badge while you are on a tour. Tour
guides and hosts will ask to see your ticket whenever
you are boarding buses or entering sites or locations.
Having it plainly visible will make this much easier on
you and others.
Tour Duration: We have done our very best to
estimate the start and return times for tours. However,
tie-ups on bridges and main arteries are often
unpredictable and may delay our buses. For this reason,
we recommend you allow at least one hour between the
published return from one tour and your departure on the
next.
Access: Many of the tour sites have limited
handicap access. Most home tours are not wheelchair
accessible and the tour buses will not have wheelchair
lifts. However, buses can accommodate folding
wheelchairs if you can climb on and off the bus.
Restrictions: Please check tours you have
selected to be sure they do not contain restrictions you
cannot meet. Also, plan to wear appropriate clothing and
shoes to fit the nature of the tour you are taking. Some
prototype tours will refuse admittance to anyone not
meeting clothing restrictions.
Use of Photo, Video, or Recording Devices: Tour
hosts can limit the use of recording devices at their
discretion. Where we are aware of this limitation, we
have included it in the description.
Tour Refund and Exchange Policy
Tickets for most tours may be exchanged or returned
for cash until departure time. No refunds or exchanges
will be made after June 15, 2001 for tours with meal
orders or guarantees. See tour descriptions for details.
After that time, the Tour Desk will hold tickets on
consignment. If we are unable to sell the ticket, there
will be no refund. Departure times are listed for each
tour, if you miss the tour bus, there are no refunds.
Tour Payments: Payments for tours can be made by
cash, check, travelers check, Convention Voucher or
credit card (MC, VISA, or Amex). Your Convention Badge
with your registration number will be required at the
time of purchase or exchange.
Canceled Tours: If a tour is canceled by the
Convention Committee for any reason, a full cash refund
will be provided free of any service fee.
Company Store
Location: Jefferson B/C (Sunday through Thursday;
Convention Center Friday through Sunday)
Store Hours:
- Sunday, July 8 6:00 – 10:00 pm
- Monday through Wednesday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Thursday 9:00 am to noon
- Thursday afternoon the Store will be moved to
the National Train Show at the TWA Dome—America’s
Center. It will be located in Booth 704-709 and
will be open during show hours.
The Company Store will have a wide variety of
Convention and NMRA merchandise, including convention
cars in five scales, shirts in many styles and sizes,
caps, cups and mugs, pins and patches, plus consignment
items from NMRA Regions and Divisions, historical
societies, and other conventions. Shop early and often!
Convention Cars
Commemorative Convention Cars are transition era
reefers. They may be purchased at the Company Store.
- HO Scale cars manufactured by Accurail, $15
- N Scale car by Intermountain, $16
- S Scale car manufactured by "S" Scale
Helper with decals by Oddball Decals, $46
- O Scale car by Intermountain, $36
- G Scale car by Model Die Casting, $75
The Gateway Division NMRA is also offering a limited
run custom HO Scale car for Gary Hoover’s Missouri,
Kansas & Quincy. This Accurail single plug door
transition-era (1956) 50-foot boxcar is available in two
numbers, MKQ 6348 & MKQ 6355. Santa Fe oxide red
with yellow plug door. While supplies last. You can
order with our online order form.
Convention Tote Bags
A special thank you is extended to KAM Industries
who supplied the canvas tote bags. Data sheets and
CD-ROMs from KAM have been placed in your bag.
Wrap and Ship Services
Mailboxes, Etc. will provide shipping services
from the Millennium Hotel during Company Store hours and
at the National Train Show on Friday. This is a
convenient way to ship your store, auction, and Train
Show purchases home.
Door Prizes
Door Prize winners’ numbers will be posted on the
Information Kiosk throughout the week. Watch for your
registration number and information on how to claim your
prize!
On behalf of the Gateway Division and the National
Model Railroad Association, the Convention Committee
wishes to thank the following for their generous
donations of door prizes.
A.C. Kalmbach Publishing
Abracadata
Accurail
Athearn
Atlas Model Railroad Company
Aztec Manufacturing Company
Bachmann Industries Inc.
Berkshire Junction
Blair Line Signs
Bob’s Model Railroad Supplies
C.L.A.M.S.
Caboose Hobbies
Caboose Industries
Champion Decal Company
Chooch Enterprises
The Coach Yard – Thinfilm
D & D Trains Div. Of Arkins Drug Store
Deluxe Innovations
Design Preservation Models
Digitrax, Inc.
Bobbye Hall Hobbies
Hallmark Models, Inc.
Heartland Hobby
Hobby Station
Intermountain Railway Company
J L Innovative Design Scale Models
KAM Industries
Kato Precision Railroad Models USA, Inc.
Life-Like Products, Inc.
Logic Rail Technologies
Marklin, Inc.
Micro Engineering Company
Model Railroad News
National Association of S Gaugers
Pfingst & Company, Inc.
The Private Car Limited Railroad Memorabilia
S Helper Service
Steward Hobbies, Inc.
Tinker Town
Tony’s Train Exchange
U.S.A. Trains
Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.
Woodland Scenics
Metrolink
St. Louis’ rapid transit MetroLink runs from the
Lambert Airport to downtown St. Louis and across the
Mississippi River over historic Eads Bridge into
Illinois. On May 4, MetroLink opened its extension
further east to Belleville, Illinois. The stop closest
to the Millennium convention hotel is Busch Stadium, a
walk around the stadium and around or through the hotel’s
parking garage. It also stops at Forest Park, Union
Station, Kiel Center, Eighth and Pine, the Convention
Center, and Laclede’s Landing, as well as the casino
and its trailer park on the Illinois side. Fare
purchased at the airport is $3; everywhere else, a
single ticket ride is $1.25. A weekly pass, good from
Monday through Sunday, may be purchased for $13, or a
10-ride ticket for $11. Reduced fares, approximately ˝
the regular cost, are available for children 5-12 and
those over 65, with proper ID. Weekly passes may also be
used on public buses.
Special Interest Groups
(SIGs)
Special Interest Groups (or SIGs) will be set up in
the Meramec Room throughout the week. Check their tables
for information on membership and special activities
planned during the week.
The LD-SIG and OP-SIG offer assistance and informal
discussion groups on a variety of topics related to
layout planning and operations. Check the bulletin board
in the SIG room for any scheduled discussions. In
addition, the SIGs will be conducting the following
special activities for its members.
Sunday: Meet your hosts (6:00 pm). A casual get-
together in the SIG room where layout hosts will be on
hand to answer questions about their layouts.
Monday: The OP-SIG will conduct a business
meeting at 7:00 pm in Atrium C.
Wednesday: LD-SIG Self-Guided Layout Tour and
Picnic (12:30 - 9:30 pm). LD-SIG members will tour a
number of home layouts. Between 4:30 and 6:30 pm there
will be a picnic at the home of Randy Meyer where his
John Armstrong-designed Sn3 Canyon and Rocky Mountain
Railroad will also be available for viewing. Other
Layouts will include those by Brad Joseph, Richard and
Venita Lake, Richard Schumacher, Dave Lotz, John Hardy
and Eric Brooman and Mike Peters.
Thursday: The LD-SIG will conduct a business
meeting at 2:00 pm in Atrium C.
Friday: LD-SIG members will gather for an
informal dinner. See the help desk in the SIG room for
additional information.
The OPSIG has a number of operating sessions planned
for its members during the week. Those who have signed
up for an op session may pick up information and maps at
the help desk.
RPM is a loose-knit group who concentrate on building
scale replicas of 1:1 railroads and rolling stock. All
scales are welcome. The only requirement is that the
model should be based on an actual prototype (not
freelanced). There is no minimum detail standard. RPM
has an informal peer-vote contest for those who wish to
participate, but the majority of models are brought just
for display, and for the modelers themselves to get
together to share their experience and techniques in a
casual, no-pressure atmosphere.
The RPM display will be open on Tuesday from noon to
midnight, Wednesday and Thursday 9:00 am to midnight,
and Friday model pickup 9:00 am to noon. Models may be
entered at any time during open hours. All models must
be picked up by noon on Friday.
NMRA Annual Business Meeting:
Friday, July 13, 1:00 pm, TWA Dome meeting room 143
DCC Working Group Meeting:
Thursday, July 12, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm, Convention
Center
Mid-Continent Region Board Meeting:
Sunday, July 8, 2:00 – 4:00 pm, Atrium C
Canadian NMRA:
Monday, July 9, 8:30 am, Atrium C
Convention Committee Chairs:
Monday, 2:00 – 5:00 pm, Atrium C
Walther’s Special Consumer Survey:
Friday, multiple sessions, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm, Atrium C
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