2007 National Train Show

[ericboone]

I went on Saturday and this was my first National show. I enjoyed the layouts quite a bit. I saw my first Z scale layout and it was impressive. Some real nice HO layouts as well. My wife liked the Lego stuff. The manufacturer displays were all right but the swap meet was disappointing. I only had a 30-minute drive so to me it was worth attending. I would never travel any distance to attend one however.

Jim

My first was Madison.  I drove 7 hours from Ann Arbor to Madison, attended the show, and drove 5.5 hours back in the same day.  (Traffic through Chicago was much easier on the way back, thus the 1.5 hour difference.)  My then fiancee was with me and loved it too.

I was there on Friday in Detroit.  It was my second National Train Show.  However, this time I was a convention attendee.

I really enjoy the National Train Show because of the manufacturers and the generally higher quality of layouts on display.  However, if your simply there for a swap meet, then yes, you're better off visiting the local shows.   

In regards to the convention itself, I did enjoy the layout tours and the one clinic I attended as well.  The only draw backs to the convention was the price of the convention hotel and the distance to all the layouts.  I think the closest was 45 minutes away.

I don't think I'll be able to go to Anaheim or Hartford because of the distance to drive.  I'll definitely go to Milwaukee in 2010 and Grand Rapids in 2012.  Both should have a much more affordable hotels and layouts that are much closer to the convention hotel.

[jxtrrx]

What email newsletter?

[csmincemoyer]

What shirt? 

The shirt was advertised in the Trains.com email newsletter.

[Soo Line fan]

I went on Saturday and this was my first National show. I enjoyed the layouts quite a bit. I saw my first Z scale layout and it was impressive. Some real nice HO layouts as well. My wife liked the Lego stuff. The manufacturer displays were all right but the swap meet was disappointing. I only had a 30-minute drive so to me it was worth attending. I would never travel any distance to attend one however.

Jim

[DougF]

I spent Thursday setting up our modular layout at the show.

 Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the layout.

 I hope those that attended enjoyed the show and our layout (Rails on Wheels).

I got some time to look around and came back with 6 resin car kits and a new locomotive.

Even more important is the people I met and the ideas that were generated or techniques learned.

 

Doug

[csmincemoyer]

I was there on Saturday also.  Spent about 5 hours enjoyed it all.  Was a little disappointed that there weren't more manufactures represented.  Also disappointed that I saw no one else wearing the trains.com forum member t-shirt.  Was I the only one to buy one?

[tstage]

Steve,

Mark (msklar) did.  Here's the link to the thread he posted with a link to pictures from the show:

http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/1187664/ShowPost.aspx

Tom

[ABaileyIAm]

     I spent Saturday afternoon in Detroit at the NTS and am already excited about next year's show. I was there for six hours and wish that I could have spent at least another six. It was a large swap meet, manufacturer showcase, model display, and social gathering all in one. I could have spent many more hours just looking at the layouts. The layouts exemplified the entire range of model railroading; from the silly to the serious and from the flamboyent to the precise. Did anyone else attend any of the show? What did you like or not like?