Many model railroad groups, or clubs, schedule a Model Railroad Train Show (Jamboree, Mini-Convention, Train Fest, or event with a comparable title), which is usually an excellent source of publicity and income for the sponsoring organization. The model railroading fraternity, as a whole, benefits from the favorable publicity that results from such shows. However, there is a down side to presenting such a show in the same year that a Lone Star Region Convention is to be held in the same general area.

The objective of a Train Show, aside from garnering a monetary profit, is to provide exposure of the model railroading hobby to the public, which is an admirable aim. In addition, there is a great penchant for model railroaders from other areas of the Region to attend the Train Shows, partly to support the local group, but also to take advantage of the model railroading activities, including the visits to view local model railroad layouts. Again, this is evidence of the brotherhood that exists among the model railroaders.

Unfortunately, the feeling of brotherhood does not always extend to returning to the same area several months later to attend a Lone Star Region Convention, partly because of the travel involved, but also because of reluctance to spend the usually much higher sum for Convention registration than had been spent for essentially the same show just a few months previously. The resultant shortfall in attendance at the LSR Convention has the primary impact of reducing the income projected for the Convention, with the possibility of incurring an actual loss.

It is therefore strongly recommended that any group planning to host a Lone Star Region Convention give serious thought to the effect of having a Train Show presented in the same year as, and especially within a few months of, a Lone Star Region Convention. It is the recommendation of the Lone Star Region Convention Chair that the LSR Convention take precedence over such a Train Show in the year of the Convention.