Summer 2023 TCA e*Train

e*Train Issue: Jun 2023 | Posted in:

It’s hard to believe that we are almost into summer. Officially the start date for summer is the Summer Solstice, June 21st. But looking wround right now kids are out, or getting out of school, pools are open, and the beaches are calling. What are you going to do with your trains and your layouts this summer? We have some exciting news for you!

In Eyes Open Bill Fuller finds and uses common household items to enhance a layout.

Honoring The Honorary describes an interesting history of TCA membership.

There are updates from Bob Mintz who shares information about 6464 Doors, Trollies Good Golly!, Answer the 6464 Question Question, Maintenance of Way cars, Handcars, and Window Display Cars.

Bob has also written a new article of Lionel Repurposing: Diners.

Gerry Lipkin was able to bring together Old Meets New and describes his European and 1 gauge train layout.

Past President, Stu Rankin, shares one of the joys of being President in President’s Award 2022.

Mike Spanier is a unique collector who tells us, among other things, Super O is Super!

John Halajko presents an interesting twist on a traveling layout in Part 1 of his new series: Super Portable Train Gardens.

And rounding out the new articles, Bob Gray talks about the latest event combining a local trolley museum, a local train chapter, and kids in The WB&A Kids Show.

e*Train Articles:

6464 SERIES DOOR TYPES (updated Summer 2023) June 2023

“Eyes Open!” – Finding Scenery Materials Everywhere June 2023

Good Golly Missed Trolley! (updated Summer, 2023) June 2023

Honoring the Honorary! June 2023

In Answer To The “6464 Thousand Thousand Dollar Dollar Question Question” (updated Summer, 2023) June 2023

Lionel Repurposing: ♫”Bring in the Clones”♫- Why do diners look like old-fashioned train cars? June 2023

Maintenance of Way in the 21st Century–Ballast Tampers and Beyond (updated Summer 2023) June 2023

OLD MEETS NEW June 2023

President’s Award 2022 June 2023

Super O is Super! June 2023

Super Portable Train Gardens, Part 1: A Large Tabletop Train Garden June 2023

The Handcarchief {Handcars} (updated Summer 2023) June 2023

THE WB&A KIDS’ TRAIN SHOW: Planting The Seeds for A New Generation of Model Railroaders June 2023

Window Display and Animated Window Display Cars June 2023

Shop Amazon and Help TCA

TCA members who shop at Amazon.com can have each of their normal purchases generate a modest payment to TCA! And it won’t cost you anything!

The Train Collectors Association is now a participant with AmazonSmile, which is a special website operated by Amazon that lets customers enjoy the same wide selection of products, low prices and convenient shopping features as on Amazon.com.

The difference is that when customers shop at AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), the AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charitable organizations selected by customers.

The process is simple. Just search for and select Train Collectors Association when you sign up and shop at smile.amazon.com.

You use your regular Amazon.com username and password, but when you log in to smile.amazon.com, you’ll see that you are supporting TCA with your purchases:

Note that if you just log in to the regular amazon.com, this benefit does not operate.

There are no costs to either you or TCA, but TCA benefits!

This is a great way for TCA to earn extra cash to offset costs, so sign up today to help support TCA.

* Note: TCA is not a party to any of your Amazon transactions, and does not endorse any products or vendors.

Helping TCA with your ebay purchases when you use PayPal

If you’re an ebay user and have a PayPal account you use to make payments, you can designate a donation for TCA when you’re checking out — any amount, small or large.
If you’re a regular seller on ebay, you can pre-designate a percentage of your sales to be donated automatically in your name to TCA as long as the purchaser pays with their PayPal account.

In both cases, you will receive a donation receipt from the PayPal Giving Fund, and enjoy applicable tax advantages.

How to do it:

Click on the image above, or use this link. This will take you to ebay, where you will see the following page (log in to ebay if you are not already):

This offers TCA as an option. Click on the “Add to My Charities” button where indicated with the red arrow. Thereafter, when you make a purchase, at checkout you will be offered the option to make a donation to TCA in any amount of your choosing. Small amounts add up, larger ones are great! It’s always up to you!

The option will appear at the lower part of your checkout page, something like this:

If you’re a regular seller on ebay, you can allocate a portion of your sales proceeds to be donated to TCA. Look at the green arrow marked “Optional” above to see how to do it. Details on how ebay calculates the donation may be read here. This is a wonderful way to share the financial benefits of your hobby with the organization that promotes it!

An added benefit to TCA is that these donations are not subject to normal processing fees, so that makes your donation work harder!

* Note. TCA is not a party to any of your eBay transactions, and does not endorse any products or vendors. PayPal issues the receipts to you for your donation, not TCA.

Summer 2023 TCA e*Train

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