If you didn't catch any earlier announcements, the Western Pacific Railroad Historical Society will be holding its THIRTEENTH ANNUAL historical and modeling convention in one month in Oroville, California, Friday May 29th and Saturday May 30th 2009. The convention is open to both FRRS members and non-members.

2009 is the centennial year of the completion of "America's last transcontinental railroad". The final spike was driven in 1909 on the Western Pacific main line right on Spanish Creek bridge (commonly referred to now as Keddie wye).

JUST ADDED - TOUR THE FEATHER RIVER CANYON AND WP MUSEUM!
On Sunday, join us for a private motorcoach tour of the famous and scenic Feather River Canyon plus an exclusive guided tour of the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola. While at the museum, tour guests will enjoy an exclusive guided tour of the museum that will include several pieces of equipment not normally open to the public. Then, guests will board Western Pacific dining car number 841, the Silver Plate, for a delicious meal. This tour it is limited to only 45 guests and spaces are going fast so please book now!

All the current information on the convention is at the link below. Our keynote speaker at the Saturday night banquet will be Al Evans, 41-year WP employee (1937-1978). Mr. Evans' work positions included 39 different jobs in six different departments of the Company.

http://www.wprrhs.org/conv_current/index.html

Some of the presentations scheduled for the convention include;

- Western Pacific 2-8-8-2 Locomotives
- Industrial Development in Nevada during WWII and the WP
- Sacramento Northern in Chico
- Feather River Railway
- Oro Dam Constructors Railroad
- WP movies photographed by Virgil Staff

Again, you do NOT need to be a member of the FRRS to attend the convention or the tour. Everyone is welcomed! All profits from the event go directly to the Arthur Walter Keddie Railroad Library at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola. Pre-registration deadline is May 25th, 2009. Day-of walk-ins are welcomed except for the banquet (we need an advance count for the catering for that). Registration on the day of the convention is $40.00.

We have galleries posted on our site from most of the previous year's conventions going back to 1997 if you want to see what it's all about.

http://www.wprrhs.org/conv_reports.html

Please make plans now to join us on this milestone 13th annual convention on May 29th and 30h for a fun filled weekend in WP country!