I will be there Saturday. I may be carrying / using my 'White' cane, have a 'Vikings' baseball hat on and a 'pony tail'. I'll be with 'The Minister of Land Management and CEO' aka my wife and my grandson. My main agenda is the n scale modules based layouts and 'good deals'. Message me if you want my phone number. Edit: http://www.railroadhobbyshow.com/index.php
Unfortunately this would a 2500+ mile (one way) drive for me. So I just hope for photos- NTrak, T-Trak, N scale layouts. Someone please take a camera or pull out your phone! PS- If anyone sees some HOn30, (NOT HOn3), would love to see pix of that, too!!!!!!!!
My brother and I visited about 15 years ago. It's a great show. I bought a bunch of B&M stuff which was rare outside of New England. My brother has since passed away, so I'd have no place to stay or a driver experienced with snow.
I made it as far as Oklahoma City yesterday but my excursion ends here. The OK City Train Show is Saturday and Sunday but we set up the NTRAK layout tomorrow. https://www.oklahomarailwaymuseum.org/events/okc-train-show/ Scroll down on the link and see they even used a photo of my modules to advertise the show Today a bunch of us are heading out to Clinton, Oklahoma to tour the Farmrail shops.
What about Amtrak? Empire Builder to Chicago, then Lake Shore Limited to Springfield. Or, a flight from an airport in your area to BDL/Springfield, likely via Chicago, Denver or Minneapolis. The show would be worth the trip - especially if you've never been to it.[/QUOTE]
It's a fabulous show, but $1K out-of-pocket would buy a lot of model trains, food, etc. Looks like airfare could be as low as about $300. An economical way to pay for the trip would be to have either an Amtrak rewards credit card or an airline travel rewards card, charge anything and everything you can on it (and pay off the balance each month) and then accumulate sufficient points to cover the travel portion of the trip. Then, you'd be left with the cost of accommodations for Fri-Sun nights. For that, there are hotel rewards cards, too.
Russell, can you expand a little on the trackage rights PLZ. On your map they show extending to Quanah. Who has the trackage rights, Snyder-Atlus-Quanah?
Thanks Russell, I knew it was former SLSF, but did not know there were trackage rights into Quanah. I never seen anything but Frisco, BN, or BNSF there, I am curious.
Amherst, OKC, and Trainfest are all on my bucket list. It would be a flying trip from California with hotel and car rental for any of these but when this pandemic stuff is over I may do it while I'm still young enough.
I'm planning to attend on Saturday. I'll drive out Friday night and stay near downtown. Our retirement home near Hilton Head is under construction at last, so this is very likely our last winter up north and it could be the last chance to attend. Hopefully nothing derails my plans.
The wife and I went to Trainfest in 2019. Having been to all sorts of shows all over, that was a mind blowing time. Just wow. Amherst and OKC will happen in the next couple of years.
I was incorrect. I asked someone about it today and it turns out that BNSF still owns it and Stillwater Central only has track rights on it from Snyder to Altus.
If you haven't seen it already, there's info on various local hotels/motels on this page: http://www.railroadhobbyshow.com/attendingtheshow.php Also, the sub menu on this page has links to a list of exhibitors and their locations, and maps of the four buildings. http://www.railroadhobbyshow.com/whoswho.php With four separate buildings, it's worthwhile to review the list and maps ahead of time to make sure that you don't miss something you might especially want to see.
Thanks for the tips. I've been to the show before. I reserved a hotel near the National Basketball Hall of Fame for Friday night. I already purchased my ticket on line. Depending on the weather, I'll probably get there early and get a place in line. The only thing yet to decide is which building to go to first.
Always wanted to go the Amherst Show. Want to fly up from NC, buy a bunch of stuff, rent a car and drive home. This coming January I am "semi" retiring so maybe next winter the Mrs and I just may do this. I always missed the Great Scale show in Baltimore. Used to go there every year when we lived in the DC area. But always wanted to hit the Amherst show. It is definitely on the bucket list.
I just cancelled my hotel reservation. Forecast is for 12 to 18 inches of snow Friday night into Saturday in Central Mass. I've driven the Berkshires in a snowstorm before, and I don't really care to repeat the experience. With Covid numbers still high I was already on the fence about going. With two negative factors I can't see any good reason to still go. I wish them success, and safe travels to those that still plan to attend.