"Havin' fun runnin' trains"

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Heading to Tampa for six days of sun and fun! 

BTO Club 34th Anniversary Celebration
Tampa, Florida - May 7-12, 2012

	Special rates at The Embassy Suites Tampa Embassy Suites Hotel Tampa is located next to the University of South Florida, one mile from Busch Gardens Adventure Park, and approximately 17 miles from Tampa International Airport. Hotel amenities include the outdoor swimming pool, fitness equipment, business center, Mangrove’s Grill, Oak Tree Lounge, complimentary evening manager’s reception, and complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast. The hotel also offers concierge assistance, express checkout, free parking, laundry facilities, dry cleaning, free shuttle service to attractions within two miles, and 24-hour front desk service.
	Legoland (Monday) A 150-acre family-fun theme park, LEGOLAND® Florida will be the biggest LEGOLAND Park ever and will offer a unique mix of more than 50 rides, shows and attractions, including spectacular LEGO® models and other inte active elements for the whole family to enjoy together. Included will be a factory tour - a firsthand look at how LEGO bricks are made from factory to finish, plus Miniland USA - the heart of every LEGOLAND Park. Miniland USA will be home to several specially themed areas including Florida, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C. and New York City, all made out of LEGOs.
This backstage tour is very limited, make your reservations early. (Guests must be at least 10 years of age). Magic Kingdom theme park admission is included in the price of the tour, plus bus transportation to and from the park.	Backstage tour of Disney Steam Shop, Magic Kingdom and dinner at the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue (Tuesday) The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains tour grants railroad enthusiasts a once-in-a-lifetime chance to watch as the Magic Kingdom theme park train crew prepares the Walt Disney World Railroad steam trains for their daily operation. The 3-hour tour starts with a unique opportunity to enter Magic Kingdom theme park before it opens to the public. Get the chance to see the backstage roundhouse where the trains are stored and serviced to keep them in impeccable working condition. Ride the rails as your guide shares with you how Walt Disney’s lifetime love of steam trains led to his decision to give them a starring role circling Magic Kingdom theme park. Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is an old-fashioned dinner show that includes foot-stompin’ music, nostalgic comedy and an all-you-care-to-eat dinner This family favorite is hosted in a rustic dance hall, with rousing Wild West dancing, singing, and zany vaudeville comedy. Get ready for good ol’ country fun!
BTOC Special: Your ticket to Busch Gardens will be honored all week. Visit as much as you want at no additional charge!	A Day at Busch Gardens (Wed.) Experience up-close encounters with amazing animals, take an unforgettable safari across the Serengeti Plains, test your courage on pulse-pounding roller coasters, take in a stage show, and enjoy colorful live entertainment. Share adventures you’ll never forget — like a jeep ride through the wilds of Africa — or get lost in the rhythms of Africa with our brass band or at our Broadway-style shows. You’ll also find plenty of exotic shopping and delicious dining to enjoy. The Serengeti Express Railway takes guests on a perimeter ride around the 335-acre park with stops at the Congo, Stanleyville, and Nairobi areas. Along the way, see hundreds of African animals on the Serengeti Plain, as well as several attractions at the park. The four locomotives are fueled by clean-burning propane gas. Two are replicas of ones used in Africa in the early 1900s and two are similar to those used in the American Old West.
	Layout Tours (Thursday) Visit some of the country’s finest G-gauge layouts anywhere. These layouts are located on the west coast and in central Florida. This is a unite experience to visit with the people who have constructed and maintained these model railroads. There is a small charge to ride on the bus or you can visit them for free if you drive yourself. Directions, as well as a list of those layouts which are handicap accessible, will be available in the goody bag.
LUNCH INCLUDED!	Florida Railroad Museum and train ride (Friday) The Florida Railroad Museum, Inc. was founded as The Florida Gulf Coast Railroad Museum with the stated goal of preserving Florida’s railroad history. Over the years, the Museum has acquired and restored rolling stock and equipment as it existed in the 1940s and 1950s to operate for the public’s enjoyment. The Museum offers one of the most unique museum experiences in the world. Here you “Ride the Exhibits!” The Museum operates a six-mile line between Parrish and Willow, Florida. One lucky quest will get to drive the train, it could be you!
PLUS... • Raffles and door prizes • Dealer hall • Ice cream social • FREE goody bag car • Train races • Special convention car Please plan to attend, and have a wonderful visit to the Tampa Bay area!	Layout tours, free time and Banquet (Saturday) Take this time to visit more of the finest layouts you can see anywhere. Or enjoy a beautiful drive in Central Florida and see a lot of historic landmarks. Dealer Hall open to public: 9:00am – 3:00pm. The Banquet will add the finishing touches to the week’s events with great food, door prizes and lots of entertainment.

Schedule subject to change. 
(This listing has been updated since the Winter BTO went to press,
 and is the most current as of Dec 9.)

Register ! - click here to download the registration form

The host hotel is the Embassy on the University of South Florida Campus. 3705 Spectrum Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612 Phone # 813-977-7066, Fax 813-977-7933. BTOC Special rates are $119.00 per night. One to four persons per room, with a cook to order breakfast and a reception every night. 

These rates expire two months before the convention starts make your reservations early!

Order your convention car - click here to download the form

What can be more palpably absurd than the prospect held out of locomotives travelling twice as fast as stagecoaches? - The Quarterly Review (England)