Train show question..........

[drums1427]

Hey all. This weekend in Northern VA is The World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour train show. I've never been to one of these & I'm wondering what I would find there. Is this a place to find good deals (track, engines, cars, ect...)? Are these worth taking the time to go to or is it better to find good deals online?

Lee

[jimhaleyscomet]

Train shows can have excellent prices but they vary all over the place. Therefore I put together a list from CTT magazine of current street prices before I go. Then I know if I am getting a good deal or not. Below is the list I put together before the show in Houston recently.

Jim H

I spent a while perusing adds. I thought you all might like to know what I found for typical street prices. I have also included a reference to where I found that price (CTT add or web). I like to take this list to train show so I know if a price on new equipment is low or not.

Jim H

Item Description Price Location Other Vendor
K1118 K-line Chesepek and Ohio 5 unit set add $30 shipping $100 TandKhobby.com
x Industrial Rail 027 $12 TandKhobby.com
x K-line Porter Steam Engine or Plymouth Switcher $75 JusTrains Dec CTT
x K-line Set Trackside Construction $189 Dec CTT
MDK0763 K-line Snaptrack Remote Switch LH $32.00 Wholesaletrains.com
x K-line SuperStreat Oval with Car $44 JusTrains Dec CTT
x K-line SuperStreat Oval with Van Set $75 JusTrains Dec CTT
x K-line SuperStreat Vehicl;e $20 JusTrains Dec CTT
x K-line train 19 cars $15 Yorktrains.com
32996 Lionel Barrel Loader $125 TrainWorld.com Dec CTT
26818 Lionel Christmas Music Car $45 Grzyboski's Dec CTT Charles Ro
15551 Lionel Circus Clown Car Lionel $30 Trainworld.com Dec CTT
14004 Lionel Coal Loader $139 TrainWorld.com Dec CTT
x Lionel Expansion Packs $73 Grzyboski's Dec CTT
x Lionel Fastrack 036 remote switch $46.00 Wholesaletrains.com
x Lionel Fastrack 036manual switch $22.00 Wholesaletrains.com Charles Ro
x Lionel Fastrak 10" straight $2.50 Wholesaletrains.com
12019 Lionel Fastrak 90deg crossover $12.29 JusTrains
x Lionel Fastrak Expansion Set $74.00 JusTrains several
12030 Lionel Fastrak Figure 8 $32.95 Charles Ro Dec CTT
12028 Lionel Fastrak Inner Loop Passing $49.00 Charles Ro Dec CTT
12040 Lionel Fastrak O transition $5.00 Charles Ro Dec CTT
12031 Lionel Fastrak Outer loop passing $59.95 Charles Ro Dec CTT
26039 Lionel Flat Car w/2 Zambonies $25 TrainWorld.com Dec CTT grandcentralltd.com
31914 Lionel NYC Freight w/Rail Sound $150 Grzyboski's Dec CTT
18733 Lionel Percy Steam Engine $88 TrainWorld.com Dec CTT
x Lionel Polar Express $205 Dec CTT
1403 Lionel Redwood Valley General $150 Grzyboski's Dec CTT
x Lionel RS-3 Diesel dual motor $72 Dec CTT
31966 Lionel Set Holiday $150 Grzyboski's Dec CTT
26817 MTH Alaska box diesel sound car $76 TrainWorld.com Dec CTT Charles Ro
309119 MTH Log loader $180 Charles Ro Dec CTT
30-4077-1 MTH SF SD90MAC FRT PS2 Set $255 Dec CTT
x Railking Rugged Rails UP others $15 TandKhobby.com
x Railking Scale Diesel Horn and bell $189 JusTrains Dec CTT
x Railking Scale Diesel PS2 $265 JusTrains Dec CTT
x Railking Scale Dummy $115 or $89 JusTrains Dec CTT
30-4042-1 Railking Set McDonalds F40PH PS2? $199 Dec CTT
30-4052-1 Railking Set McDonalds Genesis PS2 $275 Dec CTT
30-4114-1 Railking Set Texas Sp Passenger PS2 $259 Grzyboski's Dec CTT TandKhobby.com
30-4114-1 Railking Set TX SP Frt Set $235 Grzyboski's Dec CTT
30-4099-1 Railking SF Passenger PS2 $269 Dec CTT
30-41421 Railking SF Passenger PS2 $257 Trainexpress.com glenstrainshop.com
x Railking SF Passenger PS2 No box dummy too $200 TandKhobby.com
2012-3 Railking Texas Sp A dummy $67 Grzyboski's Dec CTT
2012-4 Railking Texas Sp B $59 Grzyboski's Dec CTT
30-2376 Railking UP Aerotrain 260 glenstrainshop.com
x Railking UP Aerotrain PS2 325 glenstrainshop.com
30-2381-1 Railking UP GP-9 w/PS2.0 $265 grandcentralltd.com Nassauhobby.com
24751 Railking UP SD90MAC PS2.0 $400 Eastside Trains Dec CTT
Ready Made toys beep $55 TandKhobby.com
K1114 Santa's Workshop Train add $30 shipping $100 TandKhobby.com
2490-0721 UP GP7 $35 Grzyboski's Dec CTT
L28864 UP RS-3 Diesel $72 Charles Ro Dec CTT
x Williams GP9 or GP38 $142 Yorktrains.com
x Williams GP9 or GP38 $124 Yorktrains.com
x Williams GP9 or GP38 set $165 Ma&Pa Junction Dec CTT

[otftch]

If you don't mind repairing things a little ,train shows are an excellent way to purchase items.Trains minus trucks,dirty,not run in years,broken parts etc.When you pick up one that can't be repaired the parts go to stock for the next one.I've picked up older mpc or williams diesels for a song and bring most of them back to life.I purchased four Lionel U-25C's a couple of years ago for $100.00.Within two hours of getting home they all ran.You can also meet some great people there and get to see things in the hobby you normally might not.
Ed

[Anonymous]

Never been to a WGH show, but go to many others each year. Certain items will be very low in price, like new Lionel buildings and some annimated accessories. Some new trains that are "Show Specials" have good prices. While postwar is close to "book" price, at least you can look at it up-close, and then run it on a test track. The last few shows have had tons of AF "S" postwar for sale. Most shows have operating layouts from local clubs. I love "just looking", and I've traveled almost 2 hours to attend a show. If you find something you love, a "good" show turns into a "great" one. Joe

[dwiemer]

As Jim mentions, know your prices when going in. I have not been to one of the larger shows, but a thread here back in November, mentioned that they had all list prices and lots of non train items. I would go and see what it is about. You can get a feel for how the show is at your location. Then, you can decide if you would go in the future to that particular show. If nothing else, you can see what is out there. bring your check book or lots of cash as you never seem to have enough for what you find. Good Luck
Dennis

[Anonymous]

I've never been to a train show before....will have to check out going to one sometime soon. I have no doubt that there are alot of good stuff that goes on there.

Chris

[laz 57]

I like going to the train shows around Pa.
You get to see all sorts of newer and older train sets, engines, rolling stock etc.
You can spend lots of time checking out things and you can haggle prices with the dealers.
I go to the semi annual YORK meet and love it there is soooo much to see. If you have never been there you need to join TCA and get there. Great time, good people lots o trains.
Just my opinion.
laz57

[csxt30]

Oh, and like I tell my friends that go for the first time, be sure & look under all the dealers tables, right down on the floor ! Sometimes their's boxes with what looks like junk ! Which sometimes is, but sometimes there is some good scratchbuilding parts or parts for kitbashing, you never know. Sort of like predumpsterdiving ! [:D][:D] So, if you see someone crawling around at a train show........, no, think of me !! [:D][:D]
Thanks, John

[Anonymous]

I did go to the Chantilly World's greatest hobby show on Saturday, snow and all.

I was actually disapointed, but it's my own fault. I had been to a Greenberg show before and it was mostly O gauge and mostly dealers.

The WGHTS was more geared towards children and had all scales. There were two buildings, one with displays and one with booths. O gauge was badly under-represented in both (in my opinion)

They had Thomas trains, HO, 2 S gauge, even a LEGO gauge railroad that was huge. But the National Capital O gaugers made a weak showing.

As far as booths went there were the typical local retailers, and a lot of thomas, HO, and N stuff. There were some national displays, most noticably MTH, Woodland Scenics, and Ross Custom Switches. But the prices were pretty much regular retail. There were a lot of tool suppliers selling Chinese vices, wire cutters ,and the like. A couple people selling the latest super glues, and some nice models. But I couldn't find 1 person their selling parts for O gauge locomotives. At the greenberg show I went to last year at the same convention center, there were a half dozen or more booths with transformer parts, engine parts, and assorted used goodies.

So my 2 year old had a blast, and that made me happy, but I didn't get anything on my shopping list, and didn't feel compelled to make any impulse buys.

I do think it's good PR as the place was packed with kids and lots of starter sets were seen being loaded in the minivans.

TPL