Annoying Train Show Patrons

[eeyore9900]

To quote Mr. Zane, "I think I'll jump in on this one", having dealt with quite a bit in various shows, both train & non-train related.

 Car shows, record shows, & train shows, it seems like they breed the worst in some people, both patrons/customers & dealers/vendors.

I used to take my '70 Dodge Coronet to the weekly car show we have here in town. One evening, I noticed 2 gentlemen bending down, looking over the bodyline, looking with an evil eye for noticeable bodywork. If the car was for sale, it would be one thing. But it wasn't at the time, & yes there was bodywork-the car was -not- Barrett-Jackson quality. I really wanted to say something, but refrained. (the car -did- get sold last May to a fellow in Kentucky to a price I was asking, & the buyer was quite happy with it!)

There used to be a record show at the autoworkers' hall on Chevrolet Blvd. by the Chevy plant in the Parma/Cleveland area that I hit 2x a year. One vendor that was there for the first few years I went, had all his records in wooden cases facing him, & when anyone would start to browse, he came running over. "What are you looking for?" he'd demand. "Well, I'm just browsing." the answer usually was. "No." he'd answer. "What are you -looking- for?" that usually drove them off, & once as I was nearby, he proceeded to shuffle through his collection, muttering out loud about "people getting things all out of order." I then bought a few "cheapos" he had in a bin on the floor, & told him that "Maybe if he wanted someone to buy something off of his precious collection, maybe he should let people see what he had." & walked off. I never saw him at shows after that-he never really got business with his territorial attitude.

At train shows-I got loudly ripped once in the mid 80's by a vendor for mentioning that I tried to make a hi-nose GP40 out of a Atlas WM GP40 when I was a teen (& failed miserably) because they were COLLECTORS ITEMS!!!! He was not happy-well, they weren't when I did it, & they still aren't!

At a "mall train show", I got heavily chastised by a vendor for picking up a book to show a friend of mine something he'd been asking about in regards to something Lionel that I did know about. I bit my tongue, but my bud ripped them up & down, telling them that if they didn't want anyone to "touch their stuff", then they shouldn't have it out, & furthermore, he (pointing to me) probably knew more about trains then they ever did.

& at a train show only a few years ago, I got publicly called out by a Lionel vendor as I was passing by his table. I wasn't looking at anything he had, as I don't really have an interest in Lionel. (but I know I few things about what is valuable, hence the other above encounter) But he proceeded to lecture me loudly about being a smoker, seeing the pack of cigarettes sticking out of my pocket. I pleasantly answered that yes, I should quit smoking & moved on. OK fine, I am a smoker,  -BUT!- I wasn't smoking because it's against the law in Ohio to smoke in any building other than private residences, & even if it wasn't, I wouldn't out of respect for others (which I adhere to greatly, since I know I great # of non-smokers, & go out of my way as to not bother them.) Yes I know I should quit, but I didn't need to be called out on it publicly & loudly like he did. Even if he had something for sale that I was interested in, he wouldn't have made a sale from me, for I really don't think that pointing out a potential customer's personal shortfalls is a key to getting business.

The long & the short of it, is that I do my best to be friendly & pleasant to anyone that shares my interests. (& anyone that knows me, trains or otherwise, can firmly attest to the fact) It just seems that though the worst seem to "seek me out" sometimes. Just my $1.25.

[Darth Santa Fe]

maxman

So highly unlikely that the young gentleman would remember the Addams family on his own.

Younger people may think of the Addams Family cartoon. I think it started sometime in the 80s, and it was still shown as a Saturday morning cartoon through the 90s.

I fortunately haven't run into anyone too annoying at train shows. Once in a while, there's a dealer who starts talking non-stop and won't let you go, but that's about as bad as it's ever gotten for me.

[maxman]

Redore

The father and son that bring up the question of a train wreck.  If I hear "Addams Family" one more time at a show, I think I'll scream.

I think you have to blame the father for this.  My wife showed me some statistic today that kids entering college this fall were born in 1991 and didn't remember the phrase "where's the beef" and didn't know Mork or where he came from.  So highly unlikely that the young gentleman would remember the Addams family on his own.

At our last club open house I was speaking with one of the guests when I looked over his shoulder and saw a young man reach into the narrow gage town, pick up one of the people, and place it right on the tracks.  Must have been a short person because it fit almost perfectly with its ankles on one rail and its neck on the other.  I told him that I thought that actually wasn't a very good idea. 

[peterjenkinson1956]

i find women annoying...  no  not sexist...  they can be so annoying

i was once at a train show   standing infront of a huge model railroad   i asked the persons running trains a question...  no answer   so i waited and asked again   i was ignored then told they were too busy to talk...  ok  no big problem

i young boy was watching the trains....  he placed a can of coke on the track   of course the trains stopped...  dcc does not like coke cans...  the persons running the trains then went into panic mode and started to pull the dcc apart...  the young boy lifted the can...  trains ran   then he put the can back on the track...  you can guess it...  they stopped again

so i started to speak to the train people and to tell them about the can of coke....  guess what   again i was told that they were too busy to talk...  so i guess people who take " toy trains " too serious are the ones who annoy me

another story...  my local club was displaying a very nice   detailed model of a country station...  of course it attracted the rivet counters...  when they made comments i would put a small racing car on the track and run it thru the station very fast   we would then all make a brooom brooom noise    for some reason the rivet counters then would move along

 

ps  only joking about the women...  

[Trynn_Allen2]

markpierce

Trynn_Allen2

  Still missing the Prieser HO scale elephants for my wife.  Still haven't lived down getting her the N scale ones last year.  Is there such a thing as "pygmy elephants?"

YES!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy_elephant

 

 

That's awesome...Now to figure out how 4 of them ended up in a circus in Wisconsin in 1935.  Can just see that one now...Setting Singapore:  Procurer: Yes, we need 4 Elephants for a circus in the Midwest of the US.  Shifty salesperson: Well I got these 4.  Procurer: I donna know thier kinda scrawny looking...

[markpierce]

Trynn_Allen2

  Still missing the Prieser HO scale elephants for my wife.  Still haven't lived down getting her the N scale ones last year.  Is there such a thing as "pygmy elephants?"

YES!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy_elephant

 

[Trynn_Allen2]

Last weekend was the Mad City Show up in Madison WI.  So the had the usual questions from the usual characters.  Had a fair number of people upside down looking up the skirts of the layout to see how it was all put together, and of course the usual people telling my wife that girls don't run trains.  What I didn't expect was a person getting thier nose out of joint because my wife set up the tigers for the circus to be running around loose, and being a general mence to the rest of the circus.

I had one person tell me in no uncertain terms that just by having the circus there we were justifying the cruelty inflicted on the animals of real circus's.  I asked if they were for real, they replied yes.  I then suggested that they would not like the results of the protesters on the layout, as I had the National Guard showing up as soon as I could find another deuce and a half.

The other was a person that offered to purchase a loco I have been building (off and on) since 2004.  I had finally got it working (and it hadn't fallen down the stairs recently).  When he asked how much I wanted for it, I said that it wasn't for sale.  He was offended by it and said that nonsense this was train show, everything was for sale.  I replied tell that to the people that have the amazing collection of railroad related items in cases downstairs as you walk in.  By his reaction I think he had tried that same line on them.

All in all though it was a good show.  Still missing the Prieser HO scale elephants for my wife.  Still haven't lived down getting her the N scale ones last year.  Is there such a thing as "pygmy elephants?"

[jwhitten]

Redore

The father and son that bring up the question of a train wreck.  If I hear "Addams Family" one more time at a show, I think I'll scream.

 

 

People love to see things go "boom" and blow up... you know, something that captures their complete attention like a "slow-motion train wreck".

There's actually plenty of prototype precedent as well. In times past railroads and promoters have actually staged train wrecks for the public-- ostensibly to "educate the public about the dangers of train wrecks" or "scientific research" (wink, wink, nod, nod). But occasionally they 'fessed up about just doing it for the spectacle. And they used to generate quite a crowd of onlookers.

"On the day of the event, lots of tents had been erected at the site, including some Ringling Brothers circus tents. ... Two hundred constables and/or sheriff's deputies were employed to manage the crowds. Those who witnessed the event estimate that that between 40-50,000 attended the free event."

"The two locomotives, spewing thick blake smoke, raced towards each other with the crowds watching in anticipation. With the throttles tied open as rehearsed, both engineers and firemen jumped to safety and bowed to the crowd. Explosives were placed along the track to liven up the event."

 

The rest of the story can be read here:

The Crash at Crush -- The Staged Train Wreck of 1896

[Redore]

The club I belong to does a lot of mall shows.  Generally they are always a lot of fun.  The best are:

Kids (and adults) who keep following a train around the layout and others who just sit on a bench that the mall provides and watch the trains for an hour or so.

Current and, especially, retired rails with their stories to tell.  I haven't met a grumpy one yet.

The worst are:

Teenage girls that insist on touching the trains. 

The father and son that bring up the question of a train wreck.  If I hear "Addams Family" one more time at a show, I think I'll scream.

For those who ask how much it costs, my stock answer is "less than a fishing boat or a couple good deer rifles."

[jwhitten]

dknelson

I have to assume there are guys who mark the date of major train shows on their calendar, then back up a few days and write in "stop bathing today."

 

 

Sure, they use their savings in water consumption to offset the cost of admission to the show... 

 

John

[Milepost 266.2]

 Computer shows seem to have gone the way of the floppy disc, but the people there beat the worst train show attendees hands down.

[dknelson]

I have to assume there are guys who mark the date of major train shows on their calendar, then back up a few days and write in "stop bathing today."

By the way, we've all been talking model train shows but perhaps some of you also go to railroadiana shows.  Oh my ....

Dave Nelson

[Motley]

Interesting thread...

I went just went to the Denver WGH show this past weekend, and well it started off kinda rough.

I was waiting to enter after buying my ticket, it was pretty packed, and this weirdo smelly dude rushes right in front of me, passing through everybody, like he had to take an emergency *** or something! I yelled at him said "excuse me, where you going, what the hell, we are all waiting in line like adults" he looked at me, and just kept going, shoving into more people as he hastily entered the show floor.

Then, later I was at the Athearn booth, and a couple of the reps were making small talk, and I said "excuse me, do you have the new SD70ACe's on display?" He acted like I interrupted his important conversation and yelled "THERE OVER :THERE, THEY ARE NOT EVEN FOR SALE YET!!" I'm like *** dude, good way to impress potential customers for your product.

In any case, other than that, I had a really great time, I had a couple of great conversations with the local club layout members, I asked alot of questions, and they were very friendly and gave me some great advice on my new layout.

[blownout cylinder]

GTX765

I saw a dealer get tears in his eyes because of the ripe odors from the customer in front of him.

 

Yep. Seen a few in front of a dealer---same thing

[GTX765]

 At the train shows in Omaha and the surrounding areas its usually about $5 to get in and it covers both days of the show. Have not seen a show for less than that unless it was a 15 table train show at a church.

Though really what i don't like is the el stinko! People who do not bathe and smell horrible. I mean your stuck in a crowd of people shopping at various tables and you cant escape! I almost stole an elderly man's oxygen tank so i didn't pass out.  I was thinking of selling some type of railroad deodorant or maybe a spray at a table. I know some people have it tougher than most but if you can afford to attend the train show you can afford to bathe and not stink. I saw a dealer get tears in his eyes because of the ripe odors from the customer in front of him.

 

[Howard Zane]

Oh what the heck, maybe I'll jump into this one. After 28 year of being the co-sponsor of the Timonium, MD show, I feel I could write a book on some of the folks I have met. Basically if the good Lord made it, at least two of every species have come through our doors....and that is not a bad thing. 99.9% of both attendees and vendors are quite wonderful. Other than loving every aspect of model railroading, it could be our shows that have cemented my interests and major likes in this hobby.

We do have an occasional butthead though, but that is rare indeed. I'll share one incredible experience.

 About 15 years back when our admission was $5, a rather portly fellow pulls up directly in front of our entrance, leaves his car running with a lady (wife?) and several kids inside. He stands next to the entrance line and inquires about the cost for admission in a very loud voice.

"$5, sir," said our ticket gal.

"$5? Are you @#*^** -- kidding! Train shows are only $2!" I'm not gonna pay a cent more!"

By this time I was summoned to the front to help out. The commotion had stalled the long entrance line, and our hero was becoming more vocal. I asked him to please step aside so others could enter.

"Look sir, inside are over 800 tables, 16 operating layouts, all day train movies and some clinics which are free. Don't you feel that is worth $5? Besides there is no charge for the kiddies and you may all return free on Sunday"

"You must be Zane! I heard that you were a crook. Now I'm sure of it!" $5!!!!!!! No way am I gonna pay that.

In life there comes a time when conversation just don't work.....finally I just invited him to leave and that is just what he did....hopped in his car and drove off...family and all. I did notice way out of state plates which meant he must have spent a least a tank of gas, numerous tolls, and at lest 6 hours of driving time. But he won his point!! He did not pay the $5 admission fee.

The other annoying patrons I've met would not even require all of the fingers on my right hand for a count....a pretty good record for 28 years! I' m proud to be in this hobby.

HZ

 

 

[Anonymous]

 Train shows attract people from all walks of life, but sometimes I have the feeling, that the share of oddball characters is higher at train shows than at any other event. The most annoying kind for me are those "experts" of self acclaim, analyzing the layouts on display and commenting on them, not knowing how the builder of it made it or what he/she intended to achieve. If they had sailed with Columbus, they would have told him "Hey, your are heading the wrong way"

Takes me some energy to stay calm...

[barrok]

 Hey don't forget the annoying vendors/dealers!  You know the ones who act like they are doing you a huge favor by being there at the show, and by golly you should be grateful he/she is there!  We should kowtow and show proper gratefulness and buy from him even though he is asking MSRP or hobby center prices for his goods and treats people like they were trying to steal from him when they browse through his trains.  While not very common, I do run into one of these idiots at least once a year.  It is amazing they don't become extinct, but I guess they must be breeding somewhere out there to replace the one's that drop out of the train show scene.   

 

[Anonymous]

ccaranna

Allegheny2-6-6-6

 My wife just reminded me of her only visit to the Timonium train show with me in Maryland. It wasn't really an obnoxious patron but more of a comical one.

Off to the side in one of the building where they display the live steam loco's, and the some of the larger club layouts up front where all the live steam stuff was displayed they had a manikin dressed as a conductor, a skinny old caricature with more wrinkles then carter has pills and who was supposed to be as old as time it self. Well this frail old gentlemen who had to be in his late 80's or even 90's dressed in his own train show garb, asked the dummy what time it was as it was holding a pocket watch in it's one hand. Of course there was no answer so he asks again!,  no people are watching this spectacle and still nothing comes out of the dummy's mouth so he asked one more time raising his voice, what the Blank! dammed time is it you blank! when he did not get his answer a slew of curse words came out of his mouth that would have made a Teamster blush and he just moseyed on his way. Myself and a couple of guys next to me were crying we were laughing so hard.

Hilarious. Sounds like the show was worth the trip.

I think I saw that mannequin for sale in a recent Historic Rail catalog. I would have considered getting it for a Halloween decoration if it wasn't 600 bucks. 

[CP5415]

Dave,

 Belleville this weekend, which day are you going to be there?

Liam is eager to gain the throttle again, go figure!

Hope the passengers don't have motion sickness

Gordon

[ccaranna]

Allegheny2-6-6-6

 My wife just reminded me of her only visit to the Timonium train show with me in Maryland. It wasn't really an obnoxious patron but more of a comical one.

Off to the side in one of the building where they display the live steam loco's, and the some of the larger club layouts up front where all the live steam stuff was displayed they had a manikin dressed as a conductor, a skinny old caricature with more wrinkles then carter has pills and who was supposed to be as old as time it self. Well this frail old gentlemen who had to be in his late 80's or even 90's dressed in his own train show garb, asked the dummy what time it was as it was holding a pocket watch in it's one hand. Of course there was no answer so he asks again!,  no people are watching this spectacle and still nothing comes out of the dummy's mouth so he asked one more time raising his voice, what the Blank! dammed time is it you blank! when he did not get his answer a slew of curse words came out of his mouth that would have made a Teamster blush and he just moseyed on his way. Myself and a couple of guys next to me were crying we were laughing so hard.

Hilarious. Sounds like the show was worth the trip.

[blownout cylinder]

7j43k

Oh darn.

 

I thought this was going to be a "how to" discussion.

 

Well, never mind.

 

Ed

WWWEEEELLLLL----you could kinda glean some information from the thread----

[7j43k]

Oh darn.

I thought this was going to be a "how to" discussion.

Well, never mind.

Ed

[Captain Harley]

I have many hobbies besides Model Railroading.  One of them is building and riding custom Harleys.  Of all the different "swap meets" I go to.  The people at the model train ones are the most rude and the people at the bike ones are the most pleasant.  You would think it would be the other way around.....LOL.  One of my main complaints at model train shows are the growing number of people (old f**ts) who ride around on electric carts/chairs, which take up a lot of space.  I'm even starting to see traffic jams of them now at shows.    I guess I shouldn't complain because I'm pushing the big 60 and I might be one of them in the not so distant future.

Capt.Harley

Seaboard Air Line Ry- - - - - - "Through the Heart of the South"..... and Mine Too!

[IVRW]

It is sad that some people are so rude.

[twhite]

Generally, the only train show I go to is the local one here at nearby Roseville in November, which takes up most of the Placer County exhibit halls.  TONS of people, TONS of exhibits, and if you hit it on the first day (which I generally do), it can be a real circus. 

But for the most part, I have a good time. 

Worst example:  About three years ago I found myself at a certain large booth advertising scenery and weathering material that I use quite a bit--I will not name the Mfgr, but they're well known and well thought of in the hobby.  A very nice woman that I'd met several times before, behind the counter was holding forth in a conversation with several very interested modelers, and I was perusing their new rock-castings and weathering powder.  Next to me a fellow even older than I am (I didn't think it possible) was grousing to a friend of his about what a mere 'woman' could possibly know about the hobby. 

"She must have been hired just for the show," he muttered. 

I smiled at him.  "She co-owns the company.  What she doesn't know hasn't been invented." 

He just blinked at me.  I picked up the rock-castings I needed and stood in line for my purchase.  He kept muttering.  I actually wanted to DECK the Old Fart.

Funniest one: 

This year, I got stuck (thankfully) at a very crowded booth where a woman was selling off her late husband's custom-painted, beautifully running brass steam locomotive collection at VERY bargain prices.  As I lifted a Westside box out of the bin to look at the locomotive inside, I heard from the other end of the table, "Hey, I was looking at that, leave it alone!"  I turned to see who the Crashing Boor was, recognized a buddy of mine.  Big grin on his face.  "It has the wrong tender," he laughed. 

I opened the box, looked in.  An absolutely gorgeous custom-painted locomotive.  Just what I needed.  Hey, I MEAN it!  I laughed back.  "It's Southern Pacific.  They ALWAYS have the wrong tender!"  (for you non SP steam fans, Southern Pacific was notorious for switching tenders on their steamers almost every time they went in for shopping). 

As I paid the woman for my SP F-5 2-10-2 with the strange tender and my buddy paid her for his SP Ex-B&M Berkshire--with the even STRANGER tender-- he grinned at me.  "What are we going to do with these?"

"Run 'em,"  I shrugged. 

The woman just smiled.  Frankly, I hope she sold them all. 

I like train shows.  But I'll agree, sometimes you can run into some REAL characters!  Both idiot and buddy.

Tom

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CP5415]

CTValleyRR

JimValle

I've been going to big regional train shows for a lot of years now.  I notice that Saturdays can get very crowded and it takes real concentration, discipline and determination to accomplish any business in the face of all that population pressure.  I don't see much rudeness, just different folks trying to cope with a solid wall of humanity.  On Sundays the shows are much quieter and you can stroll around and take your time.  That's when I get most of my purchases done and folks are more affable.  My one real peeve is people who bring small children and infants to a really crowded show.  The noise level is high, the place usually smells bad, it's hot and sweaty and after a while the little ones just loose it and start crying and screaming uncontrollably.  I don't blame them.  It's nasty and scary and they want out of there.  The thing is they should never have been there in the first place, especially riding in a bulky and awkward stroller.  Parents need to use more common sense about what age groups can and cannot benefit from a show that features mostly scale trains and equipment.  

I don't know about infants, but I've been taking my boys to train shows since the youngest was 3 years old.  Yes, parents can be inconsiderate, but if the child wants to go and actually enjoys it, you should take him.

The trick is to understand that the child doesn't have your endurance for bargain hunting or special item hunting among booth after booth.  When I take the kids, I'm ready to leave the show as soon as the kids lose it.  And that's the way you have to do kids and train shows.  I usually take the kids on Saturday and take a quick look around.  If it looks like there's a lot of stuff I might want to inspect more closely, I go back on Sunday without the kids.

There have been train shows -- especially ones with extensive Lego layouts, where I'VE been ready to leave and can't tear the kids away.

 

 Liam  didn't care about the stuff for sale, all he wanted to do is check out ALL the layouts.

Set the 2 step ladder up, up to the top rung & he was good to go, even better if he saw steam.

Like I said in an earlier post, as soon as Dave offered to let Liam run his GO Train, he stood still for a very long time (for Liam) very carefully holding onto the remote playing with the throttle. I kinda felt sorry for the passengers on board.

I may regret wanting to take him to Steam Town in a year or two. I'll never be able to come back to Canada at that point.

Took him to a show a few years ago, man he wailed as I carried him out before he wanted to go!

 Gordon

[CTValleyRR]

JimValle

I've been going to big regional train shows for a lot of years now.  I notice that Saturdays can get very crowded and it takes real concentration, discipline and determination to accomplish any business in the face of all that population pressure.  I don't see much rudeness, just different folks trying to cope with a solid wall of humanity.  On Sundays the shows are much quieter and you can stroll around and take your time.  That's when I get most of my purchases done and folks are more affable.  My one real peeve is people who bring small children and infants to a really crowded show.  The noise level is high, the place usually smells bad, it's hot and sweaty and after a while the little ones just loose it and start crying and screaming uncontrollably.  I don't blame them.  It's nasty and scary and they want out of there.  The thing is they should never have been there in the first place, especially riding in a bulky and awkward stroller.  Parents need to use more common sense about what age groups can and cannot benefit from a show that features mostly scale trains and equipment.  

I don't know about infants, but I've been taking my boys to train shows since the youngest was 3 years old.  Yes, parents can be inconsiderate, but if the child wants to go and actually enjoys it, you should take him.

The trick is to understand that the child doesn't have your endurance for bargain hunting or special item hunting among booth after booth.  When I take the kids, I'm ready to leave the show as soon as the kids lose it.  And that's the way you have to do kids and train shows.  I usually take the kids on Saturday and take a quick look around.  If it looks like there's a lot of stuff I might want to inspect more closely, I go back on Sunday without the kids.

There have been train shows -- especially ones with extensive Lego layouts, where I'VE been ready to leave and can't tear the kids away.

 

[BRAKIE]

chatanuga

When I was in a model railroad club back in high school/early college, there were two types of people who would come through during our open house that always drove me crazy with keeping an eye on them.  The first was the people who weren't content to just look at the layout.  They had to keep reaching over and putting their fingers on the track or scenery, sometimes even the trains themselves.  The other people I saw that would drive me nuts are the ones who would come in with food and sit their food, usually drinks on the layout so that they could eat and watch the trains.

Kevin

Kevin,They still have the touchy feelies-usually adults or smaller kids counting cars..Haven't seen the food thing..

Thankfully we have a old dining table we use for repairs and and eating lunch during public shows.