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Greetings AAPRCO Members!
Grab your sunglasses and sunscreen and join us for APPRCO’s thirty-first annual convention, From the Rails to the Sails, in San Pedro, California, Saturday, September 20 to Wednesday, September 24, 2008. We’ve put together five days packed with education, entertainment and enjoyment.
A Very Special “Special Train” begins in Los Angeles
On Sunday, September 21st, we’ll ride the APPRCO Special, the San Diegan on a one-day excursion traveling from Los Angeles to San Diego. In front, we will have the Los Angeles based Santa Fe Steam Locomotive #3751. On the return trip, we’ll travel to our final destination, San Pedro, via the Alameda Corridor – a 20-mile freight rail “expressway” owned by the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority that connects the national rail system near downtown Los Angeles to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Passenger Policy
Transportation to and from the Special
Due to the length of the AAPRCO Special, the train will depart from the Los Angeles AMTRAK Eighth Street Yard. On the morning of Sunday, September 21st, we’ll be providing transportation from the Crowne Palace Hotel in San Pedro, and also from Los Angeles Union Station, to the Special. Upon arrival in San Pedro, there will be transportation back to Los Angeles Union Station.
Convention Headquarters in San Pedro, California
Thirty-five miles south of Hollywood, 135 miles north of San Diego, 20 miles west of Disneyland, and right on the Pacific Ocean, San Pedro is a fishing and boating community and a major seaport of the area. September can be warm and hot, but breezes from the ocean tend to keep it cool.
Hotel accommodations and meeting rooms are located at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in San Pedro – a very short distance from our tracks.
The railcars will be parked off 6th Street between South Harbor Blvd. and Samson Way in San Pedro, which is one block from the Crowne Plaza Hotel, located at 6th and Palos Verdes Street. For those who have their own vehicles, there is parking adjacent to the PVs. The hotel also has its own parking area for hotel guests.
The historic Red Car, which is now operating Friday through Monday, has a stop at 6th and Water Street Sampson Way. www.railwaypreservation.com/page8.html
In addition to sunshine, San Pedro offers a number of interesting Maritime and World War II landmarks, Ports O’ Call Village, with shops and restaurants, as well as the Alameda Corridor, the Pacific Harbor Line (our hosts), and the San Pedro Waterfront Red Car Line for rail enthusiasts.
Enjoy all the Convention Highlights
* Coming soon: Optional Los Angeles excursions on Saturday.
* Welcome Reception at historic Los Angeles Union Station on Saturday evening.
* Optional excursion to enchanting Catalina Island on board the Catalina Express – a high-speed catamaran – on Tuesday afternoon.
* Two especially themed car parties on Monday and Tuesday evenings. On Monday, we’ll salute old California with Mexican fare and the melodic and likable sounds of the Jalisco Matriarchies. On Tuesday, we’ll share a little southern hospitality with Soul food, Creole, and Cajun cuisine, and we’ll tap our feet to the Dixieland rhythms of the Hyperion Outfall.
* Gala Dinner Dance amid the elegance and style of the Grand Salon on board the ocean liner, the RMS Queen Mary, on Wednesday night.
* Cruise around the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor to and from the Queen Mary.
Meetings and Sessions to Educate and Entertain
We’ve planned the useful and instructional meetings and sessions that are a mainstay of every convention, as well as a couple of extraordinary presentations.
* On Tuesday morning, Bob Chipkevich, Director of the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) Rail, Pipeline and Hazmat (RPH) Office will speak to convention attendees and answer questions.
* Mr.Rich Wessler, BNSF, and Tom Mulligan, Union Pacific,both NRPC officers of their respective railroads, will present a noteworthy session on “Private Car Safety.”
* On Wednesday morning, Michael Campbell, President of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society, an international organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Walt Disney’s railroad legacy will make a multimedia presentation on, Walt Disney: I have always loved trains. Michael will talk about the profound influence railroading had upon Walt and his work. He’ll also talk about the recent restoration of the Disneyland Railroad’s own private varnish: the Lilly Belle Presidential Car. Michael is a former president of a Toastmaster’s chapter, and has talked about Disney and railroads all over the country. He and his wife Debbie are restoring a former Disney park steam engine and coach located on their property in Livermore. Michael promises us a few surprises!
You won’t want to miss a single minute of the 2008 convention, and we hope to see you there!