It looks like it's going to be "Heat or Hobby" in the Northeast this year... I hope for a comeback but I don't see one coming.
I live for folks asking questions. I feel I have done something wrong when they don't. Long ago we moved our throttles to the outside of the NTRAK layout where we can opperate and talk freely with the crowd. I still see plenty of layouts where they all hide inside behind the backboards and peek out only when they suspect a problem with a train. They may as well set up in a warehouse by themselves somewhere.
QUOTE]I live for folks asking questions. I feel I have done something wrong when they don't. Long ago we moved our throttles to the outside of the NTRAK layout where we can opperate and talk freely with the crowd. I still see plenty of layouts where they all hide inside behind the backboards and peek out only when they suspect a problem with a train. They may as well set up in a warehouse by themselves somewhere. [/QB][/QUOTE] Same with our club. The interaction with the public was the primary reason we did not go DCC. One train per track else problems can and will occur.
To DiezMon, I am sorry you had a bad time at the train show. Unfortunately, almost anywhere you go, and whatever you're doing, you will find rube and obnoxious people. As a displayer of a small layout, and there is only my wife and me, we have had our share of less than nice people. One guy threatened to rip my wifes arm off because she told his out of control daughter not to pick things off of our layout. But for every rude and obnoxious person we have encounter, we have met many, many more very nice and polite people. All in all, our experiences have been very positive; we just accept that they're going to be some of the others. Like r_i_straw, we enjoy talking to people and sharing information and techniques, and most of the displayers I know do also. My I suggest you attend the World's Greatest Hobby on Tour Show in Minneapolis-St. Paul on 25 and 26 February 2006 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre. I'd like to hear your impression of the show. It should be a high caliber show.
Actually, we didn't have a bad time.. I was just pointing out some of the goofy things that happened to make it not-so-great. Yours was one of the reasons we enjoyed it. We both really enjoyed your display. Amy took lots of pics of Piute Flats Those experiences won't stop me from going to more shows. I just may not be with the wife Tim [ November 08, 2005, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: DiezMon ]
Train shows in the UK will not make a come-back - because they never went away And I just renewed my senior rail card so I can get to shows 30% cheaper
Both GTE & Greenberg are owned by the same person. The Gats shows were re-named and are still operated by the Goheagen(spelling?) family.
So, rude people are everywhere Well, we have a lot of strange people to, and of course, the journalists always find them for an interview.... The quality of the layouts? Well, a lot of large layouts with the same Kibri and Pola kits, trains racing at 200 km/h (and then there is a red sign, so the train stops suddenly...), bright and shiny trains (why wheatering your rolling stock???). But during the past ten years, the Dutch modellers have learned a lot from their British collegues, who have a very good reputation in Europe. The quality is getting better and better!
November-December should be an increase in train shows? My club has one January 28 and 29 in San Antonio, so maybe more shows after Christmas, too.
GATS just had their show here in Pasadena (Houston). Everyone I talked to that went, about 7-8 different people, said that it was a waste of time and money. Not a single good comment in the lot...
That's too bad. I was glad when they moved it out of the Astroarena and to the Pasadena Convention Center. Free parking and a much warmer, friendly atmosphere. It's just nice when I get to look at some trains anymore. I don't have time or money for a hobby anymore, I'm rehabbing my first owned home here in Florida.
Changed the name, same old show. They now called it Great Western & Atlantic Train Show but not much else has changed I guess. For a long time everyone thought this Pasadena date was canceled but all of a sudden they were back on. Some venders and clubs I know had to scramble to make an appearance while others just blew it off. Many of the folks I know stopped going when they moved from the Astro Arena to Pasadena because it was farther away and the layouts were in another building 1/4 mile away from the vendors. At least it wasn't out doors like at the Humble Civic Center Rodeo arena where the blowing dust got into everything. That was a disaster.
The Spalding train show I visited on Sunday had 1,500 visitors last year on the saturday, this year 1,800+. Don't know the sunday figures yet, but shows continued and increasing interest each year.
Alan, I went on the Saturday to Spalding and thoroughly enjoyed the show. It seems to get better every year with quality layouts and trade and something for everyone. I get the impression that the organisers do listen to any criticism as well as praise and act accordingly. I think its popularity is well deserved. Regards, Dave
One thing I really miss are Mall shows. They were very common in the '80s in Northeast Ohio where I lived then-during the winter and spring there was one practically every other week somewhere in the area. In 1990 I left the area for a dozen years, and when I returned, they had entirely disapeared.
The Fort Worth NTC show we just returned from was another excellent show put on by a group that works hard to keep the public happy. Four or was it five N-layouts. The Temple Texas Show in September is another one that is well laid out and hostd by another group that works very hard. The Denver show last week was well attended (helps when the Broncos are on a bye week) and had lots of great layouts. Hopefully the Del Mar show (in two weeks) will be good also.
The Trainfest show last weekend in Milwaukee was great . There were great layouts, dealers and companies. The crowd was great too.
The club I was in used to do lots of mall and town shows. But the group aged and got spoiled with a semi permanent location. It got harder and harder to motivate people to tear down and set up a modular layout. To make a long story short, things eventually unravelled to the point of the club going dormant.
