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A note on navigating this site: most pages have a navigation bar like that to the left of this text. Click on the name of the topic in the navigation bar that you want to explore. Some pages that you might need to reference while looking at the page you are on will open in a new window so you can easily refer to one when reading the other.

What is the 2010 O Scale National Convention?

First, the term "O scale" means model trains made to a scale of 1/48 the size of the real thing, and running on 2-rail track.
The Convention is a gathering of individuals, mostly adults, who are interested in O scale because they are building and/or operating O scale models, or they collect O scale models, or they offer products that are relevant to the O scale community. Some people come just because they like O scale and for no other reason.
For the most part, O scalers are friendly, like to talk about their hobby, and very helpful. So if you are interested in O scale and would like to know more, you can learn a lot at the Convention; don't be concerned about being inquisitive.

OK, what does one do at the convention? The best way to learn this is by clicking around on the navigation bar. If you still have questions after doing that, you may wish to contact us with your questions.

The convention has published and mailed a pre-convention newsletter/flier that may also be informative to you. Click here to view the newsletter. You will need the Adobe acrobat .pdf file viewer to view and print the newsletter; click here to download the Acrobat viewer which is free. Note, if you print the newsletter at 65% of its full size, it will fit on an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper; the exact method for doing that varies from computer to computer so we can't provide one technique that will work for all - you will may have to experiment to get it to print properly. If you want a hard copy, send email, call, or write to Contact Us.

What is Special About the 2010 Convention?

• It is the first national O Scale convention to be held in California since 1986.
  
• There are more O scale layouts open for visiting than at any other O scale event in the world!
• The convention will be managed and operated by the O Scale West committee.
  

Let's look at each of the above points:

• The O Scale West meets began in 1991; since then OSW has held 19 consecutive annual meets in the early February time frame. As a result of those 19 consecutive events, the organizing committee has learned what makes an event such as OSW work very well for its attendees. Further, having the event in the same location for several years has enabled the hotel staff to learn the event so that they can do their part to make it work well for the attendees; you will find the staff friendly, understanding of your needs, and very helpful. As a result OSW is respected as a well managed and well organized O Scale meet. The payoff of that for the 2010 convention is that OSW management committee is organizing and will be managing the convention, so you can expect a well-organized smooth running event held in a first class hotel where the staff know and respect the event and you, the attendee.
  

A note for the regular OSW attendee: in the summer the weather is warmer and there will be no rain. More layouts, mostly outdoor, will be open because rain has not softened the ground. Traffic is less congested during the summer, and there won't be any weather-caused traffic disruptions.

More Than A Direct Trip To The Convention

For the attendee who has not been to OSW before and who will be traveling a long distance, perhaps cross-country, you have the opportunity to expand your travel time to take in some of the many family (wife, children, grandchildren) attractions, scenic wonders, national parks and monuments, railroad museums, and operating railroads that exist within a few day's drive from the convention. To assist you in determining whether you want to enjoy those additional attractions, we have identified several approaches for getting to the convention. Please see the Getting Here page .

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