Atlas O Golden Spike Club™ News

 

The Atlas O Golden Spike Club™ continues to expand in membership, new offers and perks. Now in its second year, the club is thriving and member feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

Active club members who visited the Atlas booth at the York, PA Train Collectors Association (TCA) Meet April 17 – 20 were ushered into the “Behind the Booth” Golden Spike Lounge, where they received “Members Only” packets, enjoyed complimentary refreshments and got to relax and chat with fellow members and Atlas staff. York attracts thousands of model railroaders, including many O Scale aficionados. Visitors fill the massive fairgrounds with all types and sizes of recreational vehicles. Many make a vacation of it and bring their families, touring the area known for its Amish Country, antique shops and historic sites.

The grounds outside the exhibit halls are filled with food and merchandise vendors. Smells of baked pretzels, sizzling sausages and fragrant funnel cakes waft over those lounging outside their vehicles in makeshift picnic patios, while throngs of attendees scurry to and fro, enjoying myriad displays, seminars, inside vendors and running layouts. It’s a happening for anyone interested in model trains and anything related to them.

The 2008 membership card depicts this year’s club car – the 50’ PS-1 Plug Door Box car decorated for Napierville Junction, the member’s name and membership I.D. number. The first time members were asked to show their cards was at the York TCA Meet this April.

Atlas maintains its largest booth at York – 20’ x 70’, in the Orange Hall. This meet occupies several large buildings, and occurs every April and October. Atlas usually uses the Behind the Booth area for seminars, but this April, Atlas O, LLC Vice President Jim Weaver was abroad planning future O Scale products. Hence, the large space was transformed into the Golden Spike Lounge as a special surprise for members who attended. There was no advance publicity.

To learn more about the Atlas O Golden Spike Club™, renew your membership, or join, please visit the dedicated portion of our Atlas O, LLC website. There you will find details and a downloadable application. Members receive a new laminated card bearing their name and membership number each year, a specially created, exclusive member freight car decorated in prototypical paint schemes, a club lapel pin, bi-annual newsletter, special purchase offers and more. This year, for the first time, members can buy club shirts in two styles, bearing the club logo embroidered on the front.

[Note to Charter Members: You will receive a new annual club membership card each year. Please retain and show your limited-edition Charter Member card with your annual Membership card to identify you as a Charter Member.]

In 2007, the club’s first year, the members’ Special Purchase was an exclusive ALCo RSD-7/15 Demonstrator locomotive, also known as an “Alligator”, which was extremely well received. The 2008 Special Purchase is an F-3 Phase 1 ABBA EMD Demonstrator, offered at special club prices.

Members must join (and existing members renew) by April 30, 2008 to meet the order deadline for the 2008 Napierville Junction Club PS-1 Box Car, so don’t delay!