Ya know the derned camera was in my pocket but I was so engrossed in talking to the guys and watching the 100 car coal train and the 39 car circus train that I never got any pics. Was kicking myself when I got home.
alco's forever!!!!! Majoring in HO scale Minorig in O scale:)
After hearing people mention this HO layout in a couple of threads, anyone have any pictures to post?
For me it was not really worth the drive. I see the n scale modular at every medina show. The ho guys were awesome. Learned how to make a drop bridge so no duckunders will be on my future layout. They were all very friendly and I think I talked to each one of them for some time. They even had the industrial rail doing switching manuevers and had a double headed steam passanger train running. Very impressive layout. Think I might have see jktrains(jerry) but he was out the door before I caught up to him.
I made it to the Akron show today Sunday. It was a bit dissapointing but I scored on 3 W&LE gondolas I had been hunting. It was the buy one get one at 1/2 price booth. I would like to applaud "The Miami Valley" modular guys for a nicely done modular layout. BTW they ran the coal drag, it had 96 units counting the 4 locos and caboose. Every hopper had a differant number and had a coal load. I saw 4 laps without a mishap.The modular layout was one of the best I have seen including the Norwalk guys at Berea.
Thanks
Wayne
I made it to the show today. It was small but the attendance was reasonable. It takes up one room at the convention center, which is about the size of one of the larger buildings at the Berea show. There were not a lot of vendors but I was able to find a number of rare items. One vendor has quite a supply of Hubert's rolling stock. A guy in front of me picked up 30-40 pieces of N scale rolling stock. Also a couple of the vendors had pretty good sales like 50% off everything on a table, buy one item get 50% off of any additional similar items. The HO modular was impressive in that they were running coal drags of close to 100 cars. Overall I think the $7 fee was a bit steep, given the relatively small event but some of the sale prices helped cover the cost. Parking was free. I parked in the convention center garage and came across the walkway. I won't say this one is a must see event but if you have some spare time and are near the Akron area, you may find a few items and support the industry..
Engineer Jeff NS Nut Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/
I will be going sunday IF..work does not call to do a trip. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I do not get called cause this will be my first time for akron.
mike
Jeff,
I won't be going to the Akron train show. However, if you do go (or anyone one else), let us know how it was.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I am going to Akron on Sunday. maybe find something that will catch my eye.
I am planning to be there today when they open. Hope to see a big turnout.
I'm thinking of going.... But it will have to be Sunday.
Any idea on how many layouts they'll have? From the website, they only listed 3: an O-scale Penny layout, Miami Valley HO and the Burning River N-scale. Not sure if it's worth going just for that
Bump
There is another train show this weekend in Northeastern Ohio in Akron.
http://www.trains.com/trc/community/events/event-info.asp?eventid=13793
Is anyone planning to go ?
Hey Dean,
Sorry I didn't get a chance to bump into you and your son at the show. Accurail did a terrific job on those 41' gondolas! I bought the set of three NYC gondolas a couple of months ago and have been very happy with them. I thought it was particularly clever how they hid the weights. It won't take you long to put them together.
Tom,
I agree about the 4x8 layouts! I mentioned to my son that they must be modeling the Cuyahoga as the water was black...
It was pretty obvious that the number of vendors was down. I felt that the crowd was ok, but with fewer vendors, there was a lot more space. Even so, I found some Accurail gons that fit the bill!
Now to find time to work on things...Dean
Three of us arrived from Michigan about 11:10 Saturday morning and for the first time I can remember in many years were able to buy our wristbands and walk right in without any wait in line.
This year, the Tichy booth got most of my money, as I've been picking up speed on scratchbuilding structures. Tichy's new industrial water tower kit was a "must-get" (I like its fine detail better than the comparable Walthers model's).
I saw a lot of good deals on HO stuff, but much of it was out of my era or modeling focus. Dave's Books usually gets me for a few things, but none of the titles I want are out yet.
Ultimately, I left with a big bagful of door and window castings, a 6-pack of Tichy boxcar kits, and a t- shirt. It was probably the least I've spent at this show in ten years, but I wasn't really looking for much this year.
It seemed a lot less crowded this year, which is probably a big part of how we got in and out in about 2.5 hours.
-Fritz Milhaupt, Publications Editor, Pere Marquette Historical Society, Inc.http://www.pmhistsoc.org
Well,I must agree the rudeness of some was uncalled for.I accidentally step in the path of a guy in a wheel chair(I didn't see him when I turned from a table because he was on my "blind"side) and immediately apologize...I felt like a complete idiot.
I was bumped into several times without a apology.
Sadly I didn't see the CR painted truck.
I may have seen you and your lil' guy at the N Scale layout.There was a tall fella holding a wide eyed young lad.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Brakie I couldnt agree with you more on your comment. I was there at 10 when it opened. Kudos to the man with the conrail painted ford ranger. Decaled and all. he was from pa but id have loved to shake his hand for the fantastic paint job. I had to take a pic of it! I was not happy at the slim pickings of N scale. I was pleased with the NMRA Div 5 crew. They let my two year old control the horn to a passing train as it went by. He loved it! thanks very much to them! Was not happy either with the rudeness of the attendees. They bumped and pushed and even once knocked over my two year old stepson who was watching a train. Didnt even apologize. Tho, the poor fellow from NMRA Div 5 that got knocked into him and bumped him down did apologize and was really sincere. Hell I am a big man and these guys were knocking me around at times. I used my professionalism to keep my cool and not tell them off. I had to pick up and hold him almost the entire time so he wouldnt get hurt. Yes it was busy, but its common sense to look or even use politeness. Overall I found some good deals and the vendors were pleasant! I got a 15 dollar older bachmann spec. Dash 8-40C in conrail that I needed for parts. I will use the shell and frame for a static display on my layout, probably in the engine shops..Then I found a Huberts Conrail Coalporter for 12. and a ADM Corn Syrup 50' modern tankcar by Roundhouse for 8. I saw a lot that i wanted, especially in building one with the man selling all the Kato supplies and then in building 2 a man was selling a walthers western coal flood loader for 27. I should have bought it. I wish I had bought more, but it was too crowded for my lil guy and I didnt want to see him get hurt so I left. I do wish on attending the one on the 15th in akron and the John S. Knight Center. Then back to my old stomping grounds at Medina Co Fairgrounds (I worked for the MCSO til I was laid off in march). Though I have to admit all the O scale i saw made me get my lionel out early and make sure shes in running condition for the Holiday Season!! Oh well, until next time! Hopefully i find out more about the train shows in our area. I caught these three by chance!
Well,IMHO that was one weird show and that made my 7th time attending that show.
While its true there was a lot of large scale stuff there was a abundance of HO and less then normal offerings in N Scale..
Deals..There was deals to be found if you are price savvy.I seen some Atlas/Rocco locomotives for $30.00,seen several brass diesels for less then $75.00-in fact if I was still strong in HO a Alco Models SW1 would have followed me home-$60.00.I saw a United Santa Fe 1950 Class 2-8-0 for $125.00.That to would have followed me home as well..I seen Athearn locomotives from $39.95-79.95 I seen some Atlas and Kato starting at $65.00.
While the N Scale pickings was slim the locomotive prices was competitive with the Internet prices.Cars range from $3.50-24.99.
Layouts..Well,I found most was lacking..Of course I enjoyed the S Scale layout and to be honest I was disappointed with the N Scale layout due to the lack of train traffic.It was a nice large DCC(?) layout though.Only one HO layout really impress me due to the details and a rather nice steel mill area.
Food:The coffee was fresh and the cheeseburger I had was delicious and wasn't greasy and the donut still fresh.
My purchases.I bought 2 N Scale cars($6.50 ea) and 1 N Scale Atlas/Kato RS1 that "needs work" for $10.00.I tore the engine apart this morning and its filthy.I have the gears,pickup tabs and wheels soaking in alcohol as we speak.
The only regret is I didn't get to meet any of you guys during the 3 hours I was there.
I didn't make it to the Berea show today till ~1:00 PM and stayed till almost closing. Although the usual vendors were there this year, the show didn't seem as crowded as in years past. (However, I was informed by one of the vendors that things were a lot busier in the AM than they were in the afternoon.) I would agree with Jeff and Frank that there was more large scale offerings this time around.
The only items that I picked up at the show was a NYC S-1 t-shirt and the "New York Central's Early Power - Volume II 1831-1916 (Stauffer). I was hoping to run across some brass offerings (in particular, a NYC caboose) but I didn't see a whole of brass this year either.
I must say that the one thing that I really enjoyed this year at the Berea show were the two 4 x 8 layouts in Building 1 - just down and across from the Funaro & Camerlengo booth. One was based on an Iain Rice layout design. I particularly enjoy the sweeping lines of Iain's designs. So, it was a real joy to see both of these fine layouts.
And it appeared to garner a number of inquiries by those who attended the show. I think this was primarily due to the fact that it showed folks that you didn't have to build a "great empire" in order to enjoy MRRing. There was plenty of visual and operational interest in either layout - without it seeming like there were too many things competing for space or your attention. They were very nicely done.
Yea, I was sorry I didn't get to see any of you at the show. I will say that it wasn't for lack of interest or trying on my part.
Hello I did not get to see any one today but I did find some good stuff got a Buckmaster truck&radiator repair by Evergeen hill designs. It looks like a nice kit. I found a trackside shed from Builders In Scale. And found a N.Y.C s-1 made by Kaw valley scale models. I also thought there was more lager scale there then last year. Have a nice day Frank
I made the drive today and got there around 12:30. The show spans 4 buildings. There was more large scale stuff than I would have expected. I did pick up another set of Walthers Gold RD4s, to complete my inventory. The crowd was good but I think the cooler temperatures might have kept a few folks away. I didn't run into Tom. Sorry, Tom. I'll catch you at the next show in Northeast Ohio. There were a number of working layouts in all scales, including G.
tstage Larry, I probably won't get there till ~12:30 PM. If you see a tall, ugly dude wearing a red fleece jacket and a black NYC cap, please do say hi. Looks like the rains will hold off till around 3 PM. Tom
Larry,
I probably won't get there till ~12:30 PM. If you see a tall, ugly dude wearing a red fleece jacket and a black NYC cap, please do say hi. Looks like the rains will hold off till around 3 PM.
Well,If you see a short guy with a blue hoodie,a CSX cap and wearing glasses and looking like kid in a candy shop that will be me.
Tom,I'll be there Saturday...I am riding with 2 friends so,it may be around 11:00AM when we get there.
One more day...and back on pg. 1...
Which day will you be coming up for the show?
I will be going after all.
Hello Hey Tom no need to be pushy. We can share. You can have the loco from March to August and I'll will have it from September to April. After all I did see it first.O and the picture in the post office is an old one they really should up date them more often. I have way more gray hair now . Have a nice day Frank
2 more days!......Wanted to get this back up on pg. 1 - just in case others were interested in coming and weren't aware of it yet.