Members of this chapter ride the rails of the western United States.
By Peggy Jordan, Associate Editor
July 2017
In the Golden Spike chapter, the president is also called the conductor; the vice president is the engineer; and the national director is the agent/telegrapher. It’s all in keeping with a group that puts the love of railroads at the center of each rally.
FMCA’s Golden Spike Chapter
The first golden spike was the ceremonial final railroad spike that signified the United States was connected by rail from coast to coast in 1869. More than a century later, in 1998, FMCA’s Golden Spike chapter was founded in California. Ever since, its members have been “going around and riding trains,” as conductor/chapter president Dan St. John said.
Members don’t have to live in the Western Area to join, but the majority are from California; others hail from Arizona, Nevada, and Montana. A few members are former employees of railroad companies, and others are model train hobbyists. A love for railroads is the “tie” that binds everyone.
Adventures And More
Three to four times each year, the chapter meets Thursday through Sunday to enjoy train-related adventures and more. “A Harvest Haunted Hayride in Heritage Valley” is the theme for the next rally that has room for interested newcomers. It will be in Fillmore, California, October 19-22. Take a Halloween-themed ride on the Fillmore & Western Railway; partake in some Halloween-related chapter activities; and tour the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and the Nethercutt Museum and Collection. Contact Dan if you’re interested in coming to the rally.
Members have meals together at restaurants and, at the campground, partake of “heavy” appetizers during happy hour. Potlucks sometimes center around the chapter’s grilled specialties: pork loin and salmon, with attendees bringing the side dishes.
Golden Spike members represent their group at the Western Area Rally each winter in Indio, California. A large contingent of member families distribute treats during the ice cream socials, and also help to clean the grounds after the event.
The chapter gives financially, too, as it traditionally makes a donation to a worthy nonprofit somewhere near each rally’s location.
The rallies are not always in California. Railroads in the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon, and Nevada have taken center stage at past events, too. Wherever members go, they see a lot of the area, and not just by rail. You can count on plenty to do and learn if you join.
Further Info
For more information, take a tour of the chapter’s website, www.fmcagoldenspike.com.It contains the latest newsletters, photos, rally news, and chapter contact info. Or, contact Dan St. John, (530) 820-1100, email bdstjohn66@gmail.com.
For general information about FMCA chapters, contact the Chapter Services Department at (513) 474-3622 or (800) 543-3622; chapters@fmca.com.
If you would like your chapter to be featured in Chapter Spotlight, contact FMC associate editor Peggy Jordan, (800) 543-3622, ext. 212; pjordan@fmca.com.