TCA Western Division
celebrated it's "55th Anniversary" in 2009. The Train Collectors Association was founded in
Yardley, Pennsylvania in July of 1954. The first meeting was held in the barn of noted
rail historian Ed Alexander. In the same year, collectors on the west coast
met and organized the first division of TCA - the Western Division. The organizing meeting was
held Tuesday, Sept. 14, 1954 at the home of Dick Wheeler, 801 Oakdale Road, in Monrovia, California.
The result of these two meetings was the formation of
the Train Collectors Association (TCA) with Burton Logan being the first
president of National, and Evan Middleton serving as President of Western
Division. Western Division was the
first TCA division formed.
TCA Western Division Founders in 1954:
(from left) George Smith CM59, Dick Thompson CM63,
Edwin Demack CM 15, Ralph Pauly CM 45, Frank Cox CM 13,
Evan Middleton CM 2. Photo taken by Herb Morley CM 43.
The following were present at the meeting in Monrovia that formed
Western Division:
| Frank W. Cox |
William R. Jeffery |
Herbert G. Morley |
| G. Edwin Demack |
Evan M. Middleton |
George L. Smith |
| Wesley F. Frye |
Richard 0. Wheeler |
Robert E. Stern |
These people, along with:
| Richard W. Thompson - L.A., CA |
Ralph Pauly - L.A., CA |
| Russ Hafdahl - Seattle, WA |
George Hopkins - Eugene, OR |
| Stanley O'Brien - Seattle, WA |
Wilton Hill - San Francisco, CA |
| Stephen Stanley - Spokane, WA |
Joseph Kiester - San Diego, CA |
| A. E. Seatwell - Portland, OR |
became the Charter Members.
And thus Western Division was born. Meetings were held in
member's homes from the time of formation in 1954 until 1965, when the
division grew too large for regular home meetings. TCA was incorporated in
1957. The TCA Western Division encompasses all of California south of the San
Luis Obispo-Visalia line (not including those towns) and the southern half of
Nevada, including the counties of Mineral, Ezmeralda, Nye, White Pine, Lincoln
and Clark. In 2008, Western Division boundaries were expanded to include the entire state of Hawaii as well.
Herb Morley, CM 43, in 1955 riding the last of
the #5 carline in southwest LA. Herb served as President of TCA National
1961-1962 and as President of Western Division in 1965.
Frank W. Cox (seated on left holding tender) - TCA Founding Charter Member
#13, 3rd TCA National President and 1956 Western Division President attends
the first ever TCA National Board of Director's meeting circa 1955 at the
famous barn of Ed Alexander.
1955 TCA National Convention Attendees - Western Division CM #2 Evan Middleton
is pictured kneeling in the first row on the left. Evan served as the first
President of Western Division and at the same time served as the first
Vice-President of TCA National. Western Division CM #13 Frank Cox is pictured
6th from left kneeling.
The first ever train auction held at a National Convention, June 1955, with
Western Division's Frank Cox CM #13 (holding up tinplate passenger cars)
serving as auctioneer.
Western Division
Members who have served as President of the TCA National Board of Directors:
| Frank Cox 1957-1958 |
Herb Morley 1961-1962 |
| Ward Kimball 1974-1975 |
John G. Parker 1989 |
| Robert M. Caplan 1994-1995 |
Burt Logan, 1st TCA President, and Frank Cox, 3rd TCA President, viewing part
of the train display at the 1955 National Convention.
1962 National Convention attendees - 1962 Western Division President
and Founding Charter Member Russ Hafdahl (back row
center), Western Division Founding Charter Member George Hopkins
(front row far left) and 1965 Western Division President and Founding Charter
Member Herb Morley (front row second from right).
Western Division has served as the host division for several TCA National
Conventions. First in 1959 at the Knott's Berry Farm in
Buena Park, CA, again in 1966 at the Hotel Miramar
in Santa Monica, CA, again in 1971 at the Disneyland
Hotel in Anaheim, CA, again in 1979 at the
Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, CA, and again in 2003
at the Ontario Convention Center and Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, CA.
Marty Folb - 1966 TCA 12th National
Convention Chairman
Marty Folb & John G. Parker -
1971 TCA 17th National Convention Chairman
John G. Parker - 1979 TCA 25th National Convention Chairman
John G. Parker & Wayne Sheriff -
2003 TCA 49th National Convention Chairman
The celebration begins at the 12th TCA National Convention hosted by Western
Division in Santa Monica, CA in 1966. Left to right: Western Division's Herb
Morley and Frank Cox (first and second from left), TCA National President Jim Storer, Western
Division's John Parker, 'Mr. TCA' Lou Redmond (far right).
1966 National Convention attendees were treated to a visit of the famous Ward
Kimball Grizzly Flats backyard railroad. That's Ward standing on the pilot of
the Chloe.
Succession of Western Division Officers
1954:
Evan Middleton - President
George L. Smith - Vice-President
G. E. Demack - Secretary/Treasurer
1955:
Same as above, as there was no mention of any
election in the Minutes.
1956:
Frank Cox - President
Ralph Pauly - Vice-President
Ed Demack - Secretary/Treasurer
1957:
William R. Jeffery - President
Dave Houlihan - Vice-President
(Robert Bulkley elected 2/4/57 to fill vacancy of V-P)
Ed Demack - Secretary/Treasurer
(Herb Morley elected 6/17/57 to fill vacancy of Secy.-Treas.)
1958:
Mel Roberts - President
George Smith - Vice-President
Herb Morley - Secretary/Treasurer
Wes Frye - Public Relations (Publicity)
1959:
Ralph Pauly - President
Ed Miller - Vice-President
Herb Morley - Secretary/Treasurer
1960:
George Smith - President
Harrison Bemis - Vice-President
Herb Morley - Secretary/Treasurer
Wesley Frye - Public Relations
1961:
Harrison Bemis - President
James Kurten - Vice-President
Dick Wheeler - Secretary/Treasurer
Wes Frye - Editor
1962:
Russ Hafdahl - President
Gordon Nesbitt - Vice-President
Dick Wheeler - Secretary/Treasurer
Wes Frye & Harrison Bemis - Editors
Ed Miller, Wes Frye, George Sirus, Mel Roberts, and Bill Harris attend a Western Division Train Meet in February 1962 at Dick Thompson’s house in Long Beach, California.
1963:
Wesley Frye - President
Al Shadler - Vice-President
Dick Wheeler - Secretary/Treasurer
Harrison Bemis & Gordon Nesbitt - Editors
1964:
Paul Applegate - President
Jerry Brown - Vice-President
Harrison Bemis - Secretary/Treasurer
George Sirus - Director
Hoi Roberts - Director
Gus Paterson - Director
Gordon Nesbitt - Editor
1965:
Herb Morley - President
Gene Noller - Vice-President
Harrison Bemis - Secretary
Ralph Pauly - Treasurer
Howard Davis - Director
George Sirus - Director
Gus Paterson - Director
1966:
John Parker - President
John Herman - Vice-President
Jerry Rokos - Secretary
Ralph Pauly - Treasurer
Hilton White - Director
Mark Dees - Director
Howard Davis - Director
1967:
Dick Wheeler - President
Chet Willets - Vice-President
Jerry Rokos - Secretary
Stan Anderson - Treasurer
Milton White - Director
Edwin Warner - Director
John Parker - Director
1968:
Chet Willets - President
Bob Villars - Vice-President
William Groves - Secretary
Stan Anderson - Treasurer
Ray Nelson - Director
Edwin Warner - Director
Jerry Rokos - Director
Fred Claassen - Editor
1969:
Bob Villars - President
1970:
Ward Kimball - President
1971:
Nick Grippe - President
Dr. Joe DiMassa - Vice-President
Clyde Easterly - Secretary
Lee Harris - Treasurer
Dirk Brown - Sergeant-at-Arms
Charles Brasher - Director
Jerry Brown - Director
Ralph Pauly - Director
George Smith - Director
Wesley Frye - Editor
Circa 1971 - a "trunk deal" taking place at the 17th
National Convention in Disneyland. Western Division Members: (from the left)
John Parker, unknown, Alan Drucker, Don Ladenberger, Jerry Rokos and George
Sirus.
June 1971 - once again the TCA convention goers get a rare opportunity to
spend time at Ward Kimball's backyard railroad - the Grizzly Flats.
'Mr. TCA' Lou Redmond (left) looks on as Ward Kimball (2nd from right) shows
off some of his early cast iron trains to some interested parties, including
Western Division's Don Ladenberger, at the 1971 TCA National Convention tour
stop to the Grizzly Flats.
1972:
Dr. Joe DiMassa - President
John Bentley - Vice-President
Don Ladenberger - Secretary
Lee Harris - Treasurer
Dirk Brown - Sergeant-at-Arms
Myron Erickson - Director
Jerry Rokos - Director
Charles Brasher - Director
Nick Grippe - Director
Wesley Frye - Editor
1973:
Ron Smith - President
1974:
Nathan Forman - President
1975:
Don Ladenberger - President
1976:
Bob Topley - President
1977:
John King - President
1978:
Doug Lepley - President
1979:
Allen Drucker - President
Chuck Stone - Vice President
Donald J. Ladenberger - Treasurer
Bob Spellmire - Membership Secretary
Kay Spellmire - Recording Secretary
1980:
Chuck Stone
- President
1981-83:
Bob Spellmire - President
TCA Western Division members in 1983 at Ward Kimball's
house: (back row from left) Bill Jeffrey, Jim Kurten, Gordon Nesbitt, Wes
Frye, Chris Kelly, Bob Spellmire, Dick Wheeler, (front row from left) Lyle
Cain, Ward Kimball, George Sirus, Ralph Pauly and Leon Harris.
1984-85:
John Thousand - President
1986-90:
Bob Caplan - President
1991-93:
Bob Spellmire - President
1994-96:
Tom Watson - President
1997:
John Parker - President
Harold Shapiro - Vice-President
Russell S. Lange - Membership Secretary/Treasurer
Cheryl Shapiro - Recording Secretary
Roy Bell - Director
Ken Carter - Director
Artie Lazarides - Director
Mike Loewke - Director
Emmert Stouffer - Director
Bob Spellmire - Director
1998:
John Parker - President
Harold Shapiro - Vice-President
Russell S. Lange - Membership Secretary/Treasurer
Cheryl Shapiro - Recording Secretary
Roy Bell - Director
Terry Fortuna - Director
Artie Lazarides - Director
Mike Loewke - Director
Emmert Stouffer - Director
Bob Spellmire - Director
1999:
Harold Shapiro - President
Roy Bell - Vice-President
Russell S. Lange - Membership Secretary/Treasurer
Peter Searls - Recording Secretary
Kurt Bondi - Director
Robert Caplan - Director
Les Cochran - Director
Vince Gargulio - Director
Jerry Blaine - Director
Gary Keck - Director
2000:
Harold Shapiro - President
Russell S. Lange - Vice-President
R. Dale Lange - Membership Secretary/Treasurer
Peter Searls - Recording Secretary
Kurt Bondi - Director
Robert Caplan - Director
Les Cochran - Director
John Parker - Director
Jerry Blaine - Director
Roy Bell - Director
Dennis Taube - Director
2001:
Russell S. Lange - President
Kurt Bondi - Vice-President
R. Dale Lange - Membership Secretary/Treasurer
Peter Searls - Recording Secretary
Les Cochran - Director
Don Gatz - Director
Don McCutcheon - Director
John Parker - Director
Bill Shepard - Director
Dennis Taube - Director
2002:
Russell S. Lange - President
Wayne Sheriff - Vice-President
R. Dale Lange - Membership Secretary/Treasurer
Steve Waller - Recording Secretary
2003:
Russell S. Lange - President
Wayne Sheriff - Vice-President
R. Dale Lange - Membership Secretary/Treasurer
Steve Waller - Recording Secretary
Don McCutcheon - Director
Dennis Taube - Director
Ray Sugg - Director
Les Cochran - Director
Peter Searls - Director
Kurt Bondi - Director
2004:
Robert Caplan- President
Wayne Sheriff - Vice-President
R. Dale Lange - Membership Secretary/Treasurer
Steve Waller - Recording Secretary
Harold Shapiro - Director
Dennis Taube - Director
Ray Sugg - Director
Les Cochran - Director
Robert Lemberger - Director
John Abbe> - Director
John G. Parker - Director
2005:
Wayne Sheriff - President
John Lang - Vice-President
Harold Shapiro - Membership Secretary/Treasurer
Robert Lemberger - Recording Secretary
Bill Clausen - Director
Mike Donovan - Director
Ray Sugg - Director
Jerry Johnson - Director
Jim Kenney - Director
Steve Waller - Director
John G. Parker - Director
Robert Caplan - Director
2006:
Wayne Sheriff - President
John Lang - Vice-President
Jim Kenney - Membership Secretary/Treasurer
Robert Lemberger - Recording Secretary
Bill Clausen - Director
Mike Donovan - Director
Ray Sugg - Director
Howard Bishop - Director
David Otth - Director
Harold Shapiro - Director
John G. Parker - Director
Robert Caplan - Director
2007:
Wayne Sheriff - President
John Lang - Vice-President
Jim Kenney - Membership Secretary/Treasurer
Robert Lemberger - Recording Secretary
Bill Clausen - Director
Mike Donovan - Director
Ray Sugg - Director
Howard Bishop - Director
David Otth - Director
Harold Shapiro - Director
John G. Parker - Director
Robert Caplan - Director
2008:
Wayne Sheriff - President
Manny Gonzalez - Vice-President
Jim Kenney - Membership Secretary/Treasurer
Steve Eastman - Recording Secretary
Mike Donovan - Director
Jon Lang - Director
Robert Lemberger - Director
Herbert A. Mayer - Director
John G. Parker - Director
Harold Shapiro - Director
Stephen J. Waller - Director
Robert Caplan - Director
Click here to visit the TCA
Western Division's 50th Anniversary Photo archive.
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