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I'm just home from the San Diego, California version of the Great American Train Show, or as it says in the blurb "The GATS". To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Never mind that admission and parking came to $14 or that the affair had a impoverished look and feel about it. What really irked me was the lack of anything interesting to see or spend money on. As is my practice I made a list of items I was interested in buying: A large variety of 'craftsman kits' and such common items as drill bits and digital calipers as well as one or two reference books. A cross-section really. As is also my practice I included retail price and what I could buy it for on the internet. Thus armed, I walked into the GATS. Let me say this is the first such affair I've attended in about 20 years, and what a change in two decades. The 50 or so exhibitors had a great assemblage of low-end RTR, 'blue box' offerings and piles of 'loss leader' 2fers. Junk in my estimation, or at least usless to me. Of those few items which were of interest to me all were at retail or over retail. The same can be said of the tool offerings, either import junk from such places as Pakistan or over retail US made. Two specific examples: First, LaBelle trussrod combines and day coaches at retail, there is little call for these kits, they are both pricey and all wood in an era of plastic but I wanted them and looked them over. Call me cheap but I'm unwilling to pay current $30 retail for a kit so elderly its marked $5.95 on the boxend. Second example: I want a 1900s era 2-6-0. Another dealer had an old Roundhouse kit with an open frame motor priced at what I think was an astronomical $70. Need I say I passed on it without comment. Those two items were the only two on my list of over 20 items which I found on offer So much for my shopping. The local model railroading clubs had various gauge layouts set up. As i made the rounds I made a point of making a complementary comment to one of the operators at each pike. What did I get in return? Either a noncommittal grunt or a 'yah'. In a period when the hobby is starved for new entrants I would expect more of a PR effort from those already in it. I did have one interesting short conversation with a teen who was thrilled to be allowed to help with the 'adults' layout operations. One impressive exceptional example I should mention was the booth and display put on by Bragdon Enterprises. For those who don't know, Bragdon makes scenery molds and weathering products. Their representative was all arms and legs and enthusiasm and really knew his product line. His efforts were rewarded with the sales his efforts deserved. So much for my experience. Here is the question: Was my experience typical of the current state of the art in train shows? Or are my expectations simply unrealistic in todays hobby scene? Should I simply shut up and order off the net and from the LHS and forget about the "not so Great American Train Show"? Randy
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