ModelRailroader.com Reader Poll -November 26, 2003

[Bergie]

How many model train shows do you think you’ll attend this year? Please vote then share your comments below.

Polls on Trains.com are not scientific and reflect only the opinions of the users who have chosen to participate. The results cannot be assumed to represent the opinions of Internet users in general, the readers of our magazines, nor the public as a whole. Bottom line, our polls are meant for fun and to stimulate conversation amongst our forum users.

[Anonymous]

There are an awful lot more model railway/railroad shows in the UK, with 2 or more almost every weekend of the year.

I usually get to about 1 or 2 per month, but I don't go to as many as I would like - the missus, you know.

Jon

[eastcoast]

In regards to these train shows, sometimes when I do go,
the vendors are really friendly and all but do not like to bargain
too much anymore. The vendors are usually from a retail shop
and normally charge full prices. I did however find a few individuals
who wanted to bargain for equipment, but I am VERY picky with what
I do buy anyway. I will not get a locomotive unless it has a box for
transport. The boxcars and rolling stock have to be in good condition,
and the accesories I do purchase are exclusive to the region I model.
I once did get a good deal on police cars from Florida and got 5 for the
price of 1 that time ( private seller ) and a really cool train shirt.
Just want to add that any sale area is BUYER BEWARE and to take
precaution and use good judgement when making a purchase. And if
the sale don't feel right, walk away and get the item elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

I generally try to participate in 3 or 4 shows a year around WInnipeg. My club normally participates in the 6 or so shows in the southern part of the province, so I'm not doing too bad.

[Anonymous]

Living in a rural area, I have to travel 40 to 60 miles for a show,

[AggroJones]

Model train and Railroadiana shows occur regularly here in Sacramento. I attend mabey 3 shows so far this year.

[BRAKIE]

I usually attend 5-6 shows a year.

[IRONROOSTER]

I usually go to the 2 Greenberg shows close to home (within 5 miles) and 3 of the 4 Great Scale Model Train Shows in Timonium MD (not always the same three). The GSMTS are about a 75 minute drive, but their size makes it worthwhile.
Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

I try to get to any show or swap meet that happens to be close or within reason
as i live in flagstaff az don t get the chance to go to too many unless its in Phx Maybe Tucson if its a big show but thats as far as i will go. I wanted to go to the GATS SHOW this yearin PHX got down there only to find out that it had been cancelled talk about bein Ticked!! i sure was!! drove all that way for nothing!!

Regards
Larry

[Anonymous]

I live in a sparcly populated reagon. At most I will be able to go to to. Unfortunatly, they might be ones I organsize and host my self.

James.

[Anonymous]

Due to a service related injury I have to be transported in a wheelchair. I finally was able to attend the puyallop Wa. train fair for the first time. Hopefully my driver had a good enough time to take me to more.

Larry

[Anonymous]

I have two shows which are a "must", but both are more than 3-hours drive. I also try to catch one or two more which are closer by. Still, the nearest is an hour-and-a-half drive. I've noticed that shows are getting smaller with fewer layouts and vendors. I have been to two shows this Fall and have yet to buy anything. Maybe the absent vendors have been reading my mail.

[Anonymous]

I would attend more shows, but for the last several years, the shows around the Dallas area have been short on vendors or displays. The vendors that are there have relatively small inventories to those I became used to seeing in years past.

[Anonymous]

Well being in SW OK, there are no shows around here close by, the closest shows are in OKC (2-2.5 hrs away) and next weekend is rather one of the best shows in the Big Show listing, the OKC Train Show sponcered by local clubs and orgs at the State Fair Grounds. They do have two smaller shows at Rose State College (Mar/Sep) which are rather nice for the small show. There are a few in the DFW area (3.0-4.0 hrs away) worth going to, Jan is the Plano TX show and home/club layout open house tours, same happens in Nov in FTW show, that is all sponcered by local clubs and other individuals. Remember most shows have a test track, it is there for a reason, if someone won't let you test what they are selling, well onward you go in your search. I know folks who do the "Shop and Go" and never really take in any other things that are offered by the shows, yes I agree that the days of the shows are to the point, give a good deal at the show or if not it becomes the Touch and Feel game, and get back home and buy it on the net... business is business as wheelin and dealin is just that. Most of all carry a good carrying sack with you, sometimes it comes home full, sometimes it comes home rather thinned out. The Differance between a good show and a bad show is... did you get what you want at what you wanted to pay, that has played out to if the show survives or not for next year. Did you meet folks that you know from another club, or email lists you are on to do a eye to eye chat, and or set up a lunchoen at a local resturant to have time of chatting, maybe even a slide/video show afterwards at a local RR museum.

[JoeUmp]

I usually make the two GATS shows in Indy. I also like to attend some of the smaller shows in the area. Unfortunately the smaller shows don't seem to have what I'm looking for at the time. That doesn't mean I always come home empty handed.

Shows are also more fun if you have a travelling companion who's interested in trains as well.

[Anonymous]

Whoops, hit Submit Reply instead of preview...

Some of the best shows I been to is where we had email list members set up a place to eat, view slides/videos at the shows at a local RR musuem, and even set up a area at the show to sit down and talk about stuff that we normally don't have time to type out. We have fun, and lots of it. A train show is what you or a group makes of it, I know how hard it is from the Org side of it, and it takes other folks to make it all happen and come together... It is your show whether you think about or not, if it is near you (and that depend on the term - near) make the effort to be there for support or have an input into it some how, there are contact names for these shows, and if you have an idea let them know, hey, you may have the ball for that play of the game... been there, done that. One day you may want something to do and it may have been that weekend for that train show that use to be there... it is up to all of us, what show is a good show, a good show is the support of the local folks that support one another to make it that way, and I know not all the shows are that way, but most do give a lot of time to make it become the best show they had yet.

Take care,
Ron

[proberts]

we hit one or two locally but are already making plans for denver in august (garden railway convention)

[Z For Me]

Living in such a small town limits my attendance to any shows.
We do have two fully operational steam trains in our old mining town that run the route to and from the old copper/gold mines which is worth the drive to our town of Ely, NV during the summer months. The old station is fully rebuilt and if anyone finds themself traveling through NV on highway 93 north, you will pass through Ely, NV and do make it a point to stop at both the Ely museum and the see the old steamers at the train depot. You will enjoy it very much. During the summer months I follow the trains while they are running the loop, which by the way is a two hour ride and if you can afford it you can rent the loco and be trained on how to operate it and then take the route with the throttle in hand! I think the fee for this starts at around $500.00 and up. A little less for the diesel.
Once a year our town has what is called "Trains, Planes and Autos". A show that mainly focuses on our two steamers and the one older diesel that also runs. It is quite a good time and some folks even take the time to bring their layouts from as far away as Saly Lake City, UT for everyone to enjoy. While not a large show it is a lot of fun to watch some running layouts.
Take care, Mark in Ely, NV

[Z For Me]

Elswanko, just so you know, I too must live with a disability and use a chair most of my days.
While not service related (thanks for your comitment!) I was injured five years ago while on the job. I never thought that at now 43 that I would be in such a state but I get through my days with faith and friends.
Take care my friend, Mark, former Coast Guard!

[Anonymous]

Being stationed at RAF Lakenheath, UK, all the train shows are a drive away from here. But I plan on going to a show this weekend, Nov 29. I can't wait to get back staeside and visit some of the old show that I used to go to.

[Anonymous]

I try to attend at least one a year there is one coming up in my area around 2wks. from now will try to attend it just to check out some items and see if i can find a bargain.Last time I attened came across some bargains.

[Anonymous]

I'll be at all 4 of the GSMTS shows in Timonium. I either go as an exhibitor with the club layout, or if the club skips a show, I go as a spectator. But either way, I'm there. I wont go o the Greenberg shows anymore. I got tired having to look through all the dolls, Tin toys, painted wall switchplates, and other stuff to find the trains.

[Anonymous]

Usually I don't attend any shows as they are usually to far away. 200 plus miles. I live in a remote area and the closest train is approximately 140 miles away. There is limited interest in my area towards trains. These shows that I mention are local as there is not enough interest or population for the big guys.

[aussiesteve]

I'll get to as many as I can, but being a shift worker with a somewhat unusual shift arrangement, I don't always have weekends free.

[Anonymous]

Here in calgary we only have two show a year so thats all that I can attend do to the work enviroment, and my family comitments though my girls are into the trains just as much as I am.

[duker1]

I live in West Central LA and there is nothing out here. Nearest train hobby shop is about 60 miles away. Next closest is in Shreveport which is a tad over 100 miles away. Needless to say, the only closest city for a train show would be probably Houston, TX. Unless one comes closer to me such as Lake Charles, Shreveport or Alexandria, LA.

Duke...

at least I am only two blocks from KCS N/S tracks from Shreveport to Beaumont.
[:(]

[Anonymous]

I try to attebd at least two shows a year inb the Detroit area. I to am partly disabled with an artifical leg. Although I can walk, it is never for long distances. I find most shows do not provide anywhere for some one to sit down for a five minute rest. As a result, I have had to curtail going to the large shows which are in exabition halls with no seating>

[Anonymous]

Since there are only a couple of model train stores here in the Virginia suburbs of D.C., my daughter and I (Rebecca is nine and models in 0 and I've been in N since my days with Lone Star 000 scale) usually go to four shows per year. Of the shops here, none really cater to either scale with either decent selection or prices. Unfortunately, eBay has cut down on the selection in the flea markets. But, I've bought items on eBay from folks on the Best Coast that I wouldn't have seen otherwise. And, of the shows, even the best isn't what it used to be, namely the Greenberg show in Philly -now transplanted to Fort Washington. It's only a shell of its former self. The "Great Scale Model Train Show" in Timonium comes close. But, not quite. The show that really needs help is the Greenberg one at Dulles. The buyers grossly outnumber the sellers at this one! I don't know why vendors shun this one in favor of the ones in Maryland. Is it Virginia's sales tax laws? It certainly can't be a lack of buyers. The crowds inside and out are testimony to that! The only reason we go is because it's only a 20 minute drive from our house.

[Billba]

The most recent show that I went to was not a "flea market / swap meet". It was a Model Railroad Workshop, with a series of clinics, videos, demonstrations, and layouts that were very informative. This was the 24th annual show hosted by NMRA North Central Region, Division 6.
I visit three to six swap meets a year, and agree with others comments about retail dealers not wanting to negotiate prices. However, I do not begrudge them a profit, I just enjoy talking to the individual and club dealers and rummaging through their "junk boxes".
I am blessed with a wife that participates in this hobby, and goes to the shows with me. It can be a bit embarassing when she wins in the raffles!! Her participation adds a new dimension to the hobby. All of our buildings will have curtains!!
Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving one and all!!

[Anonymous]

I plan on going to 1 or maybe 2 shows this coming year. My biggest deterent is the distance to the shows - here in the southwest, the distances are over a hundred miles for any large city, where most of the big shows are produced. We're in Carlsbad, NM and the closest city is El Paso, TX. With the gas prices so high and with being retired and on social security, the price can get pretty steep, especially eating out for at least two people! Also, we can't afford to stay overnight, so, after walking around a show, we still have to drive 100 - 150 miles back home in one day! I'm sure that many folks have these same problems!