Welcome to Visalia. Located on California State Route 99, the city is easily accessible from central, northern and southern California.
Dates:
October 7-10, 2026
Location:
Wyndham Visalia
9000 W Airport Dr
Visalia, CA 93277
Registration:
Members will receive their forms in July.
Non-members, please check the website after July 15.
Hotel Rooms:
A block of hotel rooms has been reserved for Tuesday October 6 through Saturday October 10.
The room rate is $129 per night before fees and taxes. You may reserve one king bed or two queen beds. To book your hotel room, click on the link:
Reservations must be made prior to September 6, 2026, to receive the discounted rate.
Extra Fare:
On Wednesday October 7, we will have two events.
- Tour of the Hillcrest & Watoke Railroad
This 15-inch gauge railroad is on a tree farm near Reedley, CA. We will visit the railroad for a few hours in the morning. Motor coach transportation will be provided. - Tour of the O-scale layout near the Fresno Yosemite International Airport
Privately owned and operated layout. Steam and diesel locomotives from Santa Fe, Southern Pacific and Union Pacific provide the motive power. Some of the locomotives are custom built such as a SP Krauss-Maffi. This is a self-driving tour. Groups of 5-10 people will be authorized to have a 30-minute time block starting at 2 pm with the last tour ending at 5 pm.
Additional information will be available in the registration packet in July
Presentations:
- Thursday, October 8th
9:00am, 10:30 am, 1:00 pm, and 2:30 pm - Friday, October 9th
9:00am, 10:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:30 pm, and 3:30 pm - Saturday, October 10th
9:00am, 10:30 am, 1:00 pm, and 2:30 pm
All presentations will only be given once. Check your registration timetable for speakers, subjects, and times.
Other Tours and Model Layouts:
- We are arranging for a tour of the Visalia Depot (formerly The Depot Restaurant)
- We are gathering Information about layouts for a self-guided tour
- Information will be available in your registration packet in October
Room Sponsors:
Please contact the Society if you are interested in sponsoring the vendor room, the presentation room, or the banquet.
Railroad Prototype Meet:
For the fourth year, SPH&TS is proud to host a Railroad Prototype Meet (RPM) as part of our annual meeting. The RPM offers modelers of all scales and all prototypes, not just Southern Pacific, an opportunity to display their works. Items may be finished or in progress. You do not need to be a member of the Society to attend. The event will be held in the Vendor Room on Saturday October 10 from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm.
Vendors:
Vendor registration will be available in July.
Vendor Setup Hours:
- Wednesday October 7, from 4 pm to 7 pm
- Thursday October, 8 from 8 am to 8:30 am
Vendor Sales Hours:
- Thursday October 8
8:30am to 12:00 pm, and 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm - Friday October 9
8:30am to 12:00 pm, and 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm - Saturday October 10
8:30am to 1:30pm
At 1:30 pm on Saturday, vendors must begin removing their items; the room must be cleared by 3:00 pm.
Models, Dioramas & Photograph Contest:
- All scale models of equipment operated by Southern Pacific and its subsidiaries may be registered on Friday October 18 from 9 am to 5 pm at the model contest area in the vendor room.
- Contest models may be entered if you did the modeling.
- Display models may be entered if you did not do the modeling.
- Photographs must be a minimum of 8 inches x 10 inches.
- Contest photographs may be entered if the you were the photographer.
- Display photographs may be displayed if you were not the photographer.
- Voting will be on Saturday, October 18, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Please see the ballot in your registration packet.
- All items must be retrieved Saturday, October 18, between 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm.
Convention Schedule:
Information should be be available September 15, 2026. Please check the website at that time.