- September 1990,
four National Capital Division T.T.O.S. members Joe Pennell, Pat Pennell, Tom Davis,
and Pete Vollmer were setting up modules with end u-turns at local
T.T.O.S. meets in Annapolis Maryland. They attracted the attention of
Bill Buschmeier who promised to construct four corners and join them at the
December 1990 T.T.O.S. show.
- December 1990,
the above five members show up and construct their first two line
rectangular layout for public view.
- Spring 1991,
Jim Jamison starts a weekly train club in the Manassas, Virginia
area. The club includes the T.T.O.S. members who exhibited in December, 1990.
The club agrees to construct portable modules based on the Tinplate Tracker standards
and call themselves the National Capital Tinplate Trackers.
- December 1991,
the club makes its first public appearance outside of T.T.O.S. train
shows at the annual Fairfax Station Railroad Museum train show.
- June 1992,
the club publishes the first edition of its newsletter, the forerunner
of the current Beltline.
- November 1992,
the club's public appearances continue to expand with their first
appearance at the Rockville Lions Club annual train show.
- March 1993,
the club makes a major advance in its public exhibits by purchasing skirts
for their modules. The club enters into a sponsorship agreement with the local
Lionel distributor (Downtown Lock) and their local retail stores, the Train Depot.
- April 1993,
the club makes its first appearance at a Greenberg Train Show.
- November 1993,
the club makes its first appearance at a local mall
(Landmark Mall).
- June 1993,
the club makes an appearance at the Manassas Car Show and creates such
an impression that the city starts a railroad festival the following year.
- October 1993,
the Trackers make their first appearance at the Brunswick Maryland
Railroad Days festival.
- December 1993,
the club modifies its modules to accomodate a three week appearance
at the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of American History.
- June 1994,
the club makes its first appearance at the Fairfax County Fair which draws
over 100,000 visitors in three days.
- June 1994,
O Gauge Railroading magazine.
features an article about the National Capital Tinplate Trackers and their Smithsonian exhibit in their June 1994 issue (Run 135). See page 38.
- December 1994,
the club participates in the first Large Scale exhibit around the National
Christmas Tree in cooperation with Aristo-Craft Trains and the Pageant of Peace. Over 500,000 visitors attend
the exhibit over a three week period. The National Christmas Tree and the trains
are started by the President of the United States in a ceremony televised
nationwide.
- December 1994,
the National Christmas Tree Railroad appears with Willard Scott on
the Today show the morning following the tree lighting ceremony.
- January 1995,
the club drops the designation "Tinplate" from its name and now is
officially known as the National Capital Trackers.
- October 1996,
a Tracker club member, Frank Hale, debuts his "live fish" car
which is an immediate crowd pleaser. He also exhibited his live critter car
containing crickets.
- October 1997,
the Trackers appear at the first Great American Train Show (GATS) show held in the Washington
D.C. area
- January 1999,
the Trackers forgo their sponsorship arrangement and go independent.
- April 1999,
the Trackers exhibit for the first time at the B&O Railroad Museum in
Baltimore and immediately create a sensation.
- November 1999,
the Trackers launch their website.
- December 2000,
the Trackers celebrate their tenth anniversary.
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