Late to say much, but I went on Sunday. Lousy year for the junk bins, hardly a good deal to be found! For junk, too! I was quite disappointed on that. Luckily, I still had fun, and ended up snagging a set of Lionel O27 passenger cars (2434 Newark, 2435 Elizabeth, 2436 Moosheart) in parts/repair condition, and a 646 Hudson inastonishingly beautiful cosmetic condition, although still, I don’t quite think it was fully worthy of the $150 I shelled out for it. It hadnt been serviced recently, and I had to go through the entire engine. Not something I mind doing, but for that price, it should have already had this work done, in my opinion. The passenger cars were interesting cases- whoever previously owned them, had seen it fit, to remove the lighting brackets from their stanchions, by bending the metal until it broke. Untidy, and I can’t figure out how that could have been useful for them, as the cars are certainly not past a point where they are worth bringing back to life. Only the 2434 seems to have escaped this harsh treatment. All three cars arent looking too good, one has thorroughly ruined paint, the other two had a red stripe semi-sloppily added to their sides. Since the cars are lucky enough to have found a buyer, and had a number done on them, I think it’s okay to have a little “fun” with them. So, I’m going to custom paint. The cars are going to be decked out to resemble a series of stainless steel passenger cars employed by the New Haven railroad (one of my favorite lines). It should be fairly easy to do, and if I can get it right, the results should be both very good looking, and suitable to grace the bodies of a set of postwar cars. I paid $25 for the set of passenger cars, by the way.
"Unless bought from a known and trusted dealer who can vouch otherwise, assume every train for sale requires servicing before use"
Got there right at the open. And stayed until close. Saw all the buildings and selectively looked at items that interested us. No time to do every square inch of it by any means. Need a few days to do that. Lots of s gauge. Lots to see and look at. Had a great time. Huge crowds around 10am on. Great running layouts but not many O. We go every year and this was the biggest yet in our opinion. Dwarfs York, but its is geared majority HO.
Well just got home from the Amherst train show. Wow has it grown, and it was a beautiful day for the show. I traveled over there with my nephew, it was his first time there, and I told him I don't think there is any train show larger on the east coast except York. He said to me at the end of the day he enjoyed the show, I know I did.
I first attended this show back in the late 90s when I lived in northern VT. Didn't see any of my friends from there today, but by noontime it as getting crowded and I said to my nephew lets go to the back buildings. It got better building after building, and I was really impressed with the displays. The Mallary building is an addition since the last time I was there, and I couldn't believe how it just kept on going with display after display and the number of participating tourist railroads, vendors and railroad art, railroad photos, books. You had out front a 2' gauge Edaville steamer, there were live steamer/diesel display for running outdoor trains, the Mt Washington's first steam locomotive and many tourist and meusum displays. Charlie Ro was there, also met Mr. Grzyborski and his daughter at their booth. MTH, Lionel, Williams by Bachmann, Athearn and countless others were there. I told my nephew this hobby is anything you want to make of it. This years show was their 50th, 1968 to 2018 for the Amhearst Railway Society. When I think back to 1968, I was going off to college, my dad asked me what I wanted to do with the trains I had then, the Lionel Corp. was going away, I got busy in life and didn't come back to trains till my children were born. I dabbled in it a little, but largely was a sideline participant. I look at it now and say Wow. Even the Lego train layout there was great.
So anyone on the fence for tomorrow, I say go. I had a great time. I now have some information for some tourist railroads I want to visit this summer. Got a treat on the way home as we paced a CSX frieght as it came across the Hudson River as we drove west coming home on Interstate 90.
Well again to the Amhearst Train Show, A Great Day.
A little bonus information.
http://www.masslive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2018/01/10_things_to_look_for_amherst.html#incart_river_home
The crowd is usually smaller on Sunday, especially before noontime. The vendor list is posted on the show's website so you can look for dealers and companies you know.
I might go one year, but if it's as you say and mostly HO I'd have to think about it.
I went to a show yesterday and was amazed at the American Flyer and other S gauge merchandise on display, more than O gauge but not quite as much as the HO. S gauge having a major resurgence? Interesting to say the least.
I go every year. On the fence this year. Gotten way too crowded and mostly HO stuff. I'll probably go though...
It's next weekend, January 27 & 28. Who plans to be there? www.railroadhobbyshow.com
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