Trainfest 2018

[dknelson]

One new manufacturer at Trainfest (at least, new to me) was Arrowhead -- a small line of high quality freight cars at present but they looked great and I hope to see them back.  There are in the James Wright video mentioned earlier and I would think MR itself will have a video about new products at Trainfest.

Had chances to chat with the folks from Tangent, ExactRail and Rapido although Jason Shron from Rapido tends to get surrounded by ... well maybe calling them "groupies" is too strange a term, but it is sort of like that.  He is the celebrity among manufacturers.

At Trainfest last year for the first time, and I hope they too return (so I can create an informed shopping list rather than trying to improvise on the spot and remember what I needed), was Tichy.  To see the entire Tichy line of detail parts, decals, and kits in one place, nicely displayed and well lit, is astounding and almost disorienting.  In terms of visual impact Tichy's tradeshow display really stands out.

I already mentioned that Accurail was mobbed early on for Milwaukee Road rib side boxcars.

The railroad being honored this year with a special display was the Great Northern.  A very impressive and highly professional historical display of information and images.  The Great Northern Historical Society was there and could have made a killing by selling stuff but they prefer to sell only to members.  Next year the honored railroad will be the CB&Q and that should be great (and their historical society is happy to sell to anybody).

Dave Nelson

[riogrande5761]

Here:

http://atlasrescueforum.proboards.com/thread/7115/2018-trainfest-announcements-layouts-milwaukee

 

[mbinsewi]

jrbernier

Made it through the blowing snow on I-90/94 this afternoon

I know what you went through Jim, I was southbound coming from Minoqua, WI. (well, actually 20 miles west of Minoqua on Hwy 70.)

Wife and I did our yearly walk-through.  Wanting to buy one of Scale Trains locos, but I had to go through the web site for the actual purchase.

We did the 8:00 am thing, and some of the vendors were not around, like they didn't know about the early ticket thing.

It's all good, some previous vendors not there, some new ones were.  We didn't stick around for the Trains photo thing.

I would like to see some consignment tables, and "swap meet" kind of stuff, but that ain't gonna happen.

Mike.

[dknelson]

jrbernier

  Made it through the blowing snow on I-90/94 this afternoon and am in the Super 8 in Waukesha.  I should be in line for the 9 AM opening on Saturday.  I thought about the early bird ticket, for just an hour earlier. I felt it did not have much value over the veterans discount.

  Is the 11 AM photo shoot still on?

 

 

Sorry the traditional photo shoot of Forum members and participants died last year at "lucky 13" as fewer and fewer of those at the shoot were actually active forum participants and those of us who put it together had other duties

 

Jim I hope you got there in time for the Accurail Milwaukee Road rib sided boxcar specials.  I got mine at the opening bell at 8 am and I am told they were all gone by noon Saturday.  

 

Dave Nelson

[CGW121]

I was there along with 6 other guys from our club. Learned a few things and saw products I wanted to get as well as others I will avoid like an exwife. I will probably go next year as well. Highlight of the day for me was talking with Kent and Eric from Model Railroader. Also good talk with InterMountain and Digitrax. Low opinions were formed about MTH as well as the restrooms. 

[BigDaddy]

James Wright has a Youtube review of it. 

I am unclear whether a link would be considered promoting it by the Management, but he calls himself jlwii2000 on youtube.

[fmilhaupt]

I thought the 8am early-bird was worth it, for two reasons:

1) It provided a full hour of the show without parents leading aisle-wide phalanxes of young children slowly and erratically through the venue.

2) It allowed me to wrap up my business earlier, and so get an earlier start to my five-hour drive home.

Unfortunately, a few of the vendors/exhibitors either missed or hadn't gotten the message that there would be attendees coming by starting at 8:00, and were taken by surprise.

I had a really good day there, yesterday. My friends and I make a two-day trip of it, and had a great time in Chicago and Milwaukee.

[SeeYou190]

Someday I am going to need to make it to Trainfest.

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Maybe in 2020.

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Have Fun!

.

-Kevin

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[jrbernier]

  Made it through the blowing snow on I-90/94 this afternoon and am in the Super 8 in Waukesha.  I should be in line for the 9 AM opening on Saturday.  I thought about the early bird ticket, for just an hour earlier. I felt it did not have much value over the veterans discount.

  Is the 11 AM photo shoot still on?