48th Annual HOBO Breakfast
A “HOBO” is defined as an NMRA member who has attended an NMRA National Convention outside their home region. If you meet this qualification, you are invited to attend the 48th Annual HOBO Breakfast. HOBOs can bring guests.
The 48th Annual Hobo Breakfast is Saturday morning at the HomeTown Buffet, 5478 Newpark Plz (at Cedar Blvd), just south of the Newpark Mall in nearby Newark. Coffee and setup are at 7:00 am, then breakfast will be served starting at 7:30 am.
As usual, each HOBO will pay for their own breakfast and their guests. You can purchase a breakfast ticket for $11.00 in advance on your registration form or online at the Company Store page, or they can be purchased from the Registration Desk at the convention.
The only funds that the HOBOS have are begged for by the "Official Beggar". The Official Beggar will be looking for as much loose change (paper money in this era!) as he/she can get, so beware. You have been warned!
A sign-up sheet for the breakfast will be in the Registration Desk area. Please sign up as soon as possible after you arrive. We have to tell the restaurant how many will be attending the breakfast by Thursday evening.
If you don’t know a HOBO that will bring you as a guest, let me know and I will bring you as my guest.
Dwayne Coate
Hobo-in-Charge
PCR HOBO History
THE PCR HOBOS FOUNDED 1961
At the 1961 Pacific Coast Region (PCR) Convention held in Sacramento, California, the HOBO group was formed at a reunion breakfast held by those members who attended the 1960 NMRA SILVER ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION in Chicago, Illinois. Karl Busch, having organized the breakfast, was designated the “Biggest Bum”, and adopted the name “T. Russ Rod”.
The purpose of the HOBOS is to encourage and recognize attendance at model railroad conventions, particularly National Conventions. A HOBO goes to conventions for the fun of it, no matter what the program may be. The HOBO group neither supports nor opposes causes or positions. The “group attention” is focused on convention participation and fun.
HOBO membership results to the Region Member attending an out of the region National Convention.
The Hobos are a REGIONAL activity and the “Official Event” is the HOBO BREAKFAST at the Annual Regional Convention.
Through the NMRA there are model railroaders who are members of our Region, in addition to their home Region. These individuals are eligible for HOBO membership when attending a National Convention held outside their home Region. There are many such HOBOS. As a result, it is not unusual to have a breakfast at a National Convention. All arrangements for such a breakfast are up to the people in attendance.
At the HOBO group Breakfast of 1964, Paul Shimada assumed the title of “Official Beggar” and collected the HOBO’s pennies, stating, “For the postage, decals, ribbons and pins. All of which have been supplied at no cost to HOBOS”. ‘T. Russ Rod’ accepted the pennies, provided he did “not have to limit supplies to the amount received, or count it, or account for it”. This collection has become ‘traditional’ and is the only source of revenue to cover the costs of planning and preparing for the HOBO Breakfast, or other HOBO items and events.
In 1992, the boundaries of the Pacific Coast Region were changed to include only the five northern divisions, Coast, Daylight, Redwood Empire, Sierra, and Hawaiian, of California and Hawaii. The Cajon, Los Angles, San Diego and Arizona Divisions became the new Pacific Southwest Region.
In conformance with the basic principles stated above, “The HOBO group neither supports nor opposes causes or positions”; the HOBOS are a group affected by the change, not a participant in making the change.
Since the HOBO membership has been Region-wide, there was no fair way to allot the organization to one of these Regions, and create a new organization in the other Region. Nor, should one Region have sole claim to the HOBO name.
The HOBO idea originated with T. Russ Rod, in San Diego, in the Southern part of the PCR The founding Breakfast was held in Sacramento, in the Northern part of the PCR, as an accident of convention scheduling, pre-dating the event,
Whatever precedent these elements may be thought to have, regarding a claim on the organization, or the HOBO name, they are not to be considered. The name “HOBO” stays with the members in both Regions. The “herald” remains the same color for both Regions. The Region designation is the only difference in the two heralds.
The “HOBO History” and “HOBO Breakfast Guide” are on file with the Region Secretaries and the Division Superintendents.
The PCR Head HOBO is Dwayne Coates
The PSR Head HOBO is Bill Mergard
Pacific Coast Region Members Attending the
NMRA Silver Anniversary Convention -- 1960 Chicago
HOBO CHARTER MEMBERS
| ALLEN, John | JOENSTON, Wm. C. | |
| BENTLY, Edwin W. | KEELING, Leighton | |
| BENTLY, Ida | KEELING, Sue | |
| BISHOP, W. D. | McGREW, Finley | |
| BISHOP, Hanna | McGREW, Sarah | |
| BUSCH, Karl P. | NOBLE, Frank | |
| COLUSON, J. F. | NOBLE, Audrey | |
| CRAFORD, W. B. | OLESON, Harold | |
| CRAFORD, Clarice | OVERLIN, George | |
| DAWSON, Herbert W. | OVERLIN, Zulu | |
| DAWSON, Mrs. H. W. | RIDER, George | |
| FISCHER, Eds. E. | RIDER, Faith | |
| FISCHER, Virginia | SAPIENZA, Anthony | |
| FISCHER, Richard | SAPIENZA, Mrs. A. | |
| GRAY, Max | SHIMADA, Paul | |
| HOFMANN, Jack A. | SHIMADA, Amy | |
| JEFFERYS, Robr. A. | STEARNS, David | |
| JUDSON, Robt. E. | TOWERS, Whitney | |
| JUDSON, Mrs. R. E. | VANDER VEEN, Harvey | |
| JOHNS, Dwight | VANDER VEEN, Muriel |
Respectfully submitted,
Dwayne Coate, PCR Hobo-In-Charge
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