october 18-19, 2024
The 60th Anniversary Convention, celebrating the 1964 merger of the Nickel Plate Road, will be held October 18-19, 2024, in Angola, Indiana. The convention will feature an excursion behind NKP 765 on Friday afternoon, and will include a kick off buffet lunch before the excursion, an evening photo session with 765 and SD-9 358, a full day of clinics and presentations on Saturday and a banquet featuring a presentation on the restoration of 358 by WD Miller from the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society.
The Convention will kick off on October, 18th with a welcome lunch with sandwich buffet and a meet-and-greet, at the easily accessible Stueben County Event Center, from 11 am to 1:30 pm. Vendor tables, model display: and the Company Store will be set up the day prior, and will be open during the luncheon. We'll be accepting items for the Saturday night silent auction beginning on Friday morning.
Our planned excursion, pulled by Nickel Plate Road Berkshire 765 and SD9 358 will follow the luncheon. The train will be leaving from the historic Pleasant Lake Depot, just a 15 minute drive from the event center, with boarding beginning at 2 pm, and we'll return to Pleasant Lake about 5 pm. A list of post-excursion dinner restaurants will be available with the final packet at registration.
A reception will be held that evening at the Event Center from 7-10 pm, with a cash bar open from 7:30-9 pm.
Optionally, there will also be an extra cost night photo session of both the 765 and 358 at Pleasant Lake from 7:30-9:30 pm for those of you who would like to take additional pictures. But go early after dinner and meet us at the Event Center for the evening reception.
Vendor tables, auction viewing, and the Company Store will be open in the evening until 10 pm.
The convention hotel, the Wingate by Wyndam is only 5 minutes from the event center, and a block of rooms has been reserved for the event. Room cost is $144 per night for either a King or Double Queen. which includes all taxes and an included breakfast buffet each morning. Call their main number at 260-739-1752 for reservations, which can be canceled up to 72 hours in advance. When you call, you will need to let whomever answers know that you are part of the NKPHTS Convention, Itinerary #5136B437408862, in order to get the Society rate. Remember, the hotel fills up fast that time of year. Saturday morning begins with the Annual Membership Meeting at the Event Center at 9:30 am, followed by clinics running from 11 am to 4 pm, with lunch on your own. The evening banquet cocktail hour begins at 6 pm with dinner served at 7 pm.