I clicked the link and holy smokes -- 25,000 attendees! It must be magnificent. I used to attend the Atlanta show every year until hotel prices tripled. It was big, but nowhere near Amherst size. I'll add this to my bucket list.
Besides the vast number of attendees, if you look through the list of exhibitors and the floor plan map for the four buildings, you'll get a better sense of the size and scope of this show: http://www.railroadhobbyshow.com/files/files/exhibitors.12.29.2017.alpha.pdf http://www.railroadhobbyshow.com/files/files/ARS 2018 Floor Plan.v4.0.pdf
The most recent show here had good attendance, especially considering the really lousy weather, smaller venue and lack of adequate parking. It was obvious that there were a lot of first time attendees judging by the questions we were asked. How all this translates into future model railroaders remains to be seen.
Luckily for me, kids are grown up and moved out, we live in a townhouse so zero yard work on Sundays, my wife understands me being a 53 year old child who still plays with trains, and usually all the local shows and swap meets are really close to antique malls too, so she drops me off for a few ours so I can be a kid again!!
Hey, I'm an 82 year old kid, and my girlfriend, also 82, and I are going to a train show in Mobile, AL Saturday. We share each other's love for anything, regardless.
the train shows and swap meets of today are not like the shows of years ago when you go and find a good bargain , now very thing is list price or above hobby shop prices . parking in a dirt lot for $8 and $10 to look at a pile of junk that some ones think is vintage and that most people toss in the garbage to me is a joke . LOL
I attended a show this weekend and enjoyed it, but must agree. I found three sellers of N Scale Kato Unitrack and all were selling at MSRP. Even scrap pieces of used track put in plastic bags were priced at MSRP. I suppose I could have entered into a negotiation, but why bother? Perhaps some Sellers attend just to pass the time. One potential Buyer politely asked a Seller if he would refund the purchase price of a locomotive if it didn't run well. The Seller responded that "everything he sold was new" and left it at that. The potential Buyer said thanks and left empty handed.
I agree that a lot of these "commercial run" shows aren't really worth the price of admission. The WGH Show is a small step above, mainly because there are some Manufacturers Representatives there. But most of these big traveling shows are for the guy who only thinks about Model Trains TWICE A Year. One time on Christmas and one time on Junior's birthday. If you want the DEALS and GOOD PRICES: Look for your LOCAL TRAIN SHOW and/or SWAP MEET. Usually put on by a LOCAL OUTFIT. The NMRA, Region and then a LOCAL Division will lots of time be the sponsor. There are some top-line meets up in Ohio and various other places. NOW for a SHAMELESS PLUG: March 24th Louisville KY NMRA, Mid-Central Region, Div 8 TRAIN SHOW & SALE Go to: http://div8-mcr-nmra.org/site/html/trainshow.html A good sale, Vendors & Modelers selling NEW & USED items. Trains & Model Railroad items ONLY! NO toys, NASCAR Collectables, Doll or Crafts etc etc. Come to the Show ready to haggle and pick up a bargain.
If you've gone to the effort of making the trip to a show and paid admission, it seems as though it wouldn't hurt to try negotiating the asking prices of any items that might catch your eye. I always gently inquire if a dealer's prices are flexible. Some sellers are willing to offer discounts while others seem perfectly content to hold the line and end up lugging their wares back home. Sometimes you can wangle a bargain during the closing minutes of a show as the dealers are preparing to pack up.
I get a mix. The big show in the fall is at Wisconsin State Fair Grounds, West Allis (Milwaukee) and is mostly manufacturers. I haven't been there since moving to the north woods in 2005. Then the next smaller show is in Ashwaubenon (Green Bay). It's a mix of manufacturers, local shops, local clubs and individuals. So a mix of items and prices. It's a very nice little show in the end of April. At this time there should be a local show in Appleton at the Army Reserve Center put on by the local club. The bad part is that two years ago the club dropped it's website. To get any information from them you have to go to a "social site". No more advertising. In the past it was all the local clubs and individuals but still a bit pricey. Oh well!!
Hey, I knew this thread looked Familar. So WGH hasn't been back in NorCal since I did this thread, but I've had some not horrible luck with the local GTE shows. Sometimes it's about location. I hate shows at CalExpo, but despite the 100ish mile drive I love the same show down at the Tank Plant in Richmond. Right on the water, sailboats going by, beautiful space. And you know, I still can find deals. It's all about what you're looking for. Plus, it's an opportunity to see people and Layouts I can't always see (Baz Boys, Silicon Valley Freemon) Also, I don't bring the wife. Way too much car and indoor time. Thankfully, the boys are now old enough that they are tolerable at shows.
I was recently at a Trainshow & Swap looking up old friends, and hopefully a good deal on Z-scale Items if any. Two dealers there, full on MSRP on all, mostly stuff I had anway, and stuff that I could live without, but this old O-scale Atlas custom painted GN F7 kept calling to me! and at $40, what the heck! Chillin' next to one of my Z-scale Milw F7's, it's a monster!! Not sure if it runs, but has some nice details done to it. I even have some more detail parts on the way for it.
Too big for my real estate, gotta' stick with the small stuff! I love looking at it every morning though.....
