Anyone going to the Springfield show this weekend?

[Michael6268]

Just wondering if anybody's going to be Amherst Railway big train show in West Springfield Mass this weekend.

It's their huge show Saturday and Sunday. My wife and I are going Saturday. Been going for as long as I can remember. It's a good time with a lot of  layouts to look at too.  It's predominantly HO and N scale. But they have all gauges.  

[Leverettrailfan]

bit late  but I went, go there every year!!! Got some fun tinplate projects this year, for some very good deals.

[Michael6268]

We go every year.  Had a great time.  Got a lot of good deals on some postwar stuff,  a new set and rolling stock.  Next year going both days.  Day 1 to shop.  Day 2 to browse and look at the layouts more closely etc.  

[Leverettrailfan]

Michael6268

Day 1 to shop.  Day 2 to browse and look at the layouts more closely etc.  

 

a strategy I use is to make note of things on day one, that you don't need to buy on sight, but which you would be interested in for the right price, and to swing by those places late on day two and see if aything you wanted is still there. Most folks employ the "more stuff sold = less stuff to pack up" mindset, and will cut you better deals the closer it gets to the end of the show. That's more or less how I've managed to get some of my better deals. Something they'll do no less than $65 on one day, you might be able to get for $45 near the end of the show. It helps if the item is more of a 'tough sell', like a 'for parts/restore' loco, so even if the tag said $50 they might let it go for $25 if nobody's been showing interest all weekend. They could either lug it around to a few more shows with no buyers, or they could make a sale now while someone's interested. Some folks are pretty stubborn with their prices, so it's not universal.