Page 2 - The Pan-American2017 Mid-Central NMRA Region Convention

Welcome

Welcome to the Mid-Central Region 2017 Pan-
American Convention hosted in the heart of
downtown Louisville, Kentucky by Division
Eight. Our dedicated team of volunteers has
been working to ensure you have a rewarding
and enjoyable experience.

Over the course of the convention you will be
able to sample from a veritable smorgasbord of
model railroading activities you've come to ex-
pect at Mid-Central Region conventions. All
convention activities, other than tours and oper-
ating sessions, are conveniently located on the
third floor in the Rivue Tower of the Galt
House Hotel.

So where did we come up with the idea to call
this convention “The Pan-American?” The Pan-
American was the premier passenger train of the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad. It ran from
Cincinnati Union Station to New Orleans, link-
ing railroads of the Midwest with the Gulf of
Mexico. As an icon of American “standard era”
passenger service, The Pan-American was inaugu-
rated in 1921, running over the hilly main line
from Cincinnati through Louisville and as far
south as Montgomery, Alabama.

Each evening as the steam-powered Pan-
American passed a microphone at Vine Hill inter-
locking just south of Nashville, the powerful
transmitter of WSM radio announced “5:39,
L&N Railroad time!” along with the name of the
engineer on that day’s train. After several up-
grades, repaints, and revisions, the era of The Pan
-American was finally over with Amtrak’s startup
May 1, 1971.

Take a look at the following pages to see what
we have prepared for you at The Pan-American
NMRA Mid-Central Region 2017 Convention.
We are sure you will find it to be a rewarding
trip, filled with educational offerings for every-
one. Take some time to renew old friendships
and make new ones as you have some model
railroading fun and enjoyment.

Bob Frankrone, Eric Waggoner,
and Rick Tipton
Program Chairs and Area Historian