Having attended some Greenburg shows, I find the 2nd day better for the reasons mentioned above. I think that show is far less popular than it was years ago. Regardless of where you attend, knowing the market value of items helps. Many at the shows are looking to fill their customer's "gotta-have" itch.
PRR8259They would never hold back inventory for the second day; especially at the Timonium Show, they know that the vast majority of selling takes place during the first couple hours. Why would you hold back any inventory for the second day, when most sales are on the first day?
John,Maybe not at the Timonium Show I've seen it done at 2 day shows here in Ohio not so long ago.. Maybe those modelers that couldn't attend Saturday could attend Sunday or perhaps the guys like me that return to take a closer look at some models or decided to buy that certain car or engine after all sees the new stock and buys more then he intended.
Actually I return to buy a Walther powered American Crane lettered CR that was on "closeout" sale and I notice some of the dealers had new stock on display.. I bought the Crane ,a Atlas CR GP7, a Walthers CR (exNYC bay window) caboose and both numbers of Athearn RTR PamAm 50' boxcar. I spent less (IIRC $20.00) Saturday not including the admittance price..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
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Larry--
Keep in mind that before the doors open, the dealers typically trade with each other. So it is very possible that what appears "new" on one dealer's table actually may have come from another. I've seen that plenty of times.
Since my friends were big into buying brass, my job (years ago now) was to find out what dealer had what items at what price. The first thing I did was to circulate through the Timonium Show as fast as I could. I knew what everybody was looking for (because we had stopped for breakfast) and it was my job to find who had it. I sometimes have a photographic memory, at least for brass, lol.
Also, working as extra eyes for security reasons on behalf of certain dealers (now deceased - Mountaineer Brass) would get me in the show early before the doors opened, so that I knew who had what.
With the higher ticket items, they do move from dealer to dealer before the doors open, and maybe even on the second day.
John
PRR8259Keep in mind that before the doors open, the dealers typically trade with each other. So it is very possible that what appears "new" on one dealer's table actually may have come from another. I've seen that plenty of times.
I have worked the Bucyrus show and seen the dealer swamping items or buying items from each other.
I know for a fact the items other then the crane was not on display Saturday. I never rush through a show..In fact I make three trips looking things over and after my normal coffee and apple pie break I start my purchasing round. Probably around 4 hours total.
The only reason I went back Sunday was to get that crane.. I spent the night with my younger sister and brother-in-law and decided to go back ad get it.. Had I drove the 85 miles home I would have not made a special trip for the crane....
A couple times I've gone to a show, shopped, and then come back after a meal for the end. That has resulted in a few deals, but generally I opt to just get there as early as possible. The deals I come for are generally snapped up early.
If I were looking for something mid-priced, but slightly more common, I'd probably consider coming back at the end of the show to see if there are any I can dicker and deal for, but otherwise my strategy is in early (pre-admission is worth it for GMT) snap up the deals and out before the place fills up.
Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad for Chicago Trainspotting and Budget Model Railroading.
Well, Larry, I hope you really enjoy that crane! There are areas I just don't even look at for budgetary reasons, lol.
To All--
Another reason to go back the second day: if you are seriously trying to sell at the white elephant table, the second day is double the exposure.
I often go to Timonium on the second day because my friend is (still--infernal bankers) in the process of taking over a train store. Since he always works the store on Saturday, we go to Timonium on Sunday, because it's the only time we can go. Then we go get steak for lunch on the way home...now my 13 year old son is going with us, too.
Is the show what it once was? No. But it's still worth going. We go and are able to find all kinds of items that may be already gone from the Ebay dealers, items that could be a couple years old now, and at pretty good prices. Then there are the occasional finds in brass, etc. My issue is not finding stuff I want, but affording the stuff I find, lol.
I actively search every day online for certain things that I want, to not find them. However, I have a long history of finding things at Timonium. There's perhaps a few, just a handful, I wish I'd kept instead of later trading away...
I'm still looking for a well-painted Westside SP 4-10-2 that runs well...
I also enjoy running into the people I've known for many years and catching up, and I always think of the ones I used to carpool to Timonium with, as well.
P.S. Looking for items: my current holy grail is Overland Models item numbers 5288 through 5291, CN and CP M-636's, some of which can also wear some hot Mexican paint jobs like FCP.