Conventions & Mini-Meets

2025 annual convention – The CHICAGO LIMITED

June 10 – 15, 2025 (Extra Fares June 10, 11 & 12; Convention proper June 13, 14, & 15)

Registration for the SFRH&MS 2025 Chicago Convention is now CLOSED.

  • For hotel information, scroll down  on this page.

One-Day Registrations – Single day registrations will be available for Friday June 13 & Saturday June 14.  Registration fee is $40 per day and is “walk-up” only (no online registration).  This registration includes clinics, vendor room, contest room and displays.  It does not include the Awards Banquet.

Additional details on Convention Activities can be found on the following links:

  • Click here for a schedule of convention activities and additional details on Extra-Fare Trips – Schedule
  • Click here for a list of clinics – Clinics
  • New 12-Mar Operating Sessions –We are planning operating sessions on local layouts as part of the SFRH&MS 2025 Chicago Convention. Click here for more information.  Sign-up date extended to May 5.  There will also be some layout open houses to visit on Sunday afternoon.
  • New 27-Mar  Railfanning in ChicagoChicago is still the railroad capital of the world.  Below are a few suggestions for self-guided tours before, during and after the convention.  For additional information do an internet search using “railfanning Chicago” and similar terms.
    • Santa Fe Heritage – Click here and here for suggestions on railfanning the former Santa Fe line from Willow Springs to Streator. Both documents were written several years ago, so there may be some discrepancies.  Don’t forget Jim Brown’s Illinois Division book as a reference.
    • Railfanning Close to the Convention Hotel – Click here for some suggestions near the convention hotel.  Also included are maps of freight train density, Metra commuter service and Amtrak  service for the Chicago area.

SFRH&MS 2025 Convention Merchandise

Shirts, hats, mugs and other SFRH&MS 2025 Chicago Convention items are available.  You can place your order when registering for the convention.

If you have already registered and want to add items, select the “Full Registration” option from the Company Store and select items from this form.  Put a note in the comments box at the bottom indicating that you have already registered.

Merchandise will be available for pickup at the convention.

Please note that merchandise orders must be received by April 25, 2025, to accommodate lead time from suppliers.

Hotel Information and Reservations

Sheraton Lisle Naperville Hotel, 3000 Warrenville Road, Lisle, IL 60532

Link for hotel information – Hotel Website (note – use the link at the bottom of this section for making reservations)

Convention Rate – 129.00 USD (plus tax) per night

  • Start Date for Group Rate: Monday, June 09, 2025
  • End Date for Group Rate: Tuesday, June 17, 2025
  • Last Day to Book : Tuesday, May 28, 2025

Use this link below in red text to make hotel reservations:

Book your group rate for Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society 2025 Convention

Convention model and photo contests

Model Contest

The model contest is divided into two groups: a popular vote contest and a technical contest. In the popular vote contest, all models participate and compete for first, second and third place ribbons and “Best of Show” based on the number of votes that they receive from attendees. Popular vote categories include steam locomotive; diesel locomotive; multiple unit diesel locomotive; freight car; passenger car; intermodal equipment (cars and support equipment); caboose/way car; maintenance of way; and structure/diorama.  In the technical contest, models are judged by interested members based on prototype fidelity (10 points), modeling effort and proficiency (10 points) and finish and weathering (5 points), with 22 points required for a Certificate of Technical Excellence, 18 points for a Certificate of Technical Merit, and the best overall model scoring 22 points or more receiving the President’s Award for Technical Excellence.  Technical contest categories include: motive power; rolling stock; and structures.

If you would like to learn more about the Model Contest, click on the following links:

Model Photo Contest

The Society also sponsors a “model photo” contest where participants recreate the Santa Fe in model form and then photograph it. You can see the ATSF entry form here and BNSF entry form here.

Upcoming conventions

The Society is planning Annual Conventions at the following locations:

  • 2026: Phoenix, AZ (tentative scheduled June 3-7, 2026)
  • 2027: Oklahoma City, OK

Society Mini-Meets

Our Mini-Meets are regional based gatherings generally one half to one day long on a Saturday. Interested members have organized these meets in areas not regularly visited by our conventions allowing us to reach the East Coast and the Pacific Northwest.  A mini meet may include;

  • Clinics by experts on various aspects of Santa Fe history and modeling.  Some of these clinics are “warm ups'” for a presenter who will be at a future Annual Convention.
  • Models on display for close up viewing and discussions with the builder.
  • Networking with fellow Society members who live close by and a good way to attract new members.

Upcoming Mini-Meets

The Society is pleased to announce that MINI-MEETS are restarting!  Here are the planned mini-meets so far:

  • May 17, 2025, Pacific Northwest Minimeet. Pacific Northewest Railroad Archive (PNRA) facility in Burien, WA. Tentatively scheduled 9:30 am to 4:00 pm with no host break for lunch.
    • We have four presentations lined up for this year, thanks to the following volunteers:
      • Colin Kikawa – Kitbashing at Shadow-Lined RPO
      • Bob Stafford – BNSF / BN / Santa Fe Yard Operations at La Junta & Pueblo
      • Scott Wiesemann – Santa Fe / BNSF Career Highlights
      • John Thompson – Santa Fe Glory Days Slide Show
    • We will also have tables available for those interested in selling/buying Santa Fe related items.
    • Contact Bill James wijames3_at_cs.com or Colin Kikawa ckikawa_at_gmail.com if interested.
  • May 17, 2025, Georgia Minimeet.  At the restored Alma Branch (Jared Harper’s lawyout), 420 Woodward Way, Athens, GA 30606.  Lunch served, near finished Alma Branch layout open, slide show and door prizes.  RSVP Jared at Harperandbrown_at_gmail.com
  • May 17, 2025, Winslow Minimeet.  La Posada Hotel & Gardens, Winslow, AZ.  More details will be forthcoming.

Please send us your planned mini-meets so other Santa Fe fans can attend!  Bob Chaparro, Southern California Mini-Meet coordinator, is looking for possible venues.  If interested, contact mailto:Pres@atsfrr.net.

Past Convention and mini-meet Reports

Read about other prior Annual Conventions and see what members did, learned, and showed!

Reports on other past conventions and Mini-Meets
List of all International conventions

SFRH&MS Mini-meet Reports

other meets