I've never been to this one, I usually just go in October, thinking January would not be a great time, but I've been informed this is a mistaken impression and this show is supposedly the biggest of the ones they do. So, I'm going to head down and check it out, also convinced my boys to go along even though they aren't that into trains. If anyone's interested in putting soem faces to names, we can arrange a MR Forum meeting place.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I'll wear a small badge with my screen name and avatar photo on it!
-Ken in Maryland (B&O modeler, former CSX modeler)
Probably Saturday. I'll be sporting a BNSF coat and a WV cap.
Alas I do not have any railroad attire (maybe I should at least buy a Reading hat), but I'm hard to miss, 6' tall fat guy with two teenage boys and my GF in toe. LOL.
rinker - there will be several dealers there to fulfill your fashion needs...
I'll be there Randy. :-D
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Thinking about packing up the family and heading down there this weekend....
Dave Loman
My site: The Rusty Spike
"It's a penny for your thoughts, but you have to put your 2 cents in.... hey, someone's making a penny!"
I'll be there, for a bit, Saturday morning.
UP jacket.
I have never been to the Jan show, either, but I have been to the April show. It's pretty good size, you guys could wander around for a long time and not bump into each other. Perhaps you should pick a time and place, like just inside the front door at 10 AM or something like that.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
I see admission is now $9...
Family is $18 though, and kids under 15 FREE.
Yeah, it was that when I was down in October. Good thing they raised the free kid age to 15 - my younger one is 13.
When I met up with SpaceMouse a couple years ago we had cell numbers. I tend to hang out with dealers I know, like Skeet's Trains, or this apst show, my old club was there so I spent a lot of time talking to them - the president is the guy who does all the weathered cars for Bowser.
I haven't checked the web site, is the FCSME modualr layout going to be there again? That would be a good meeting palce since at least one person here is a member of that group and would be there anyway.
I'll be wearing my beat up B&O "Royal Blue" hat that I picked up from the B&O museum.
I'll be with a really tall guy who I'm helping get into the hobby.
rrinker... I haven't checked the web site, is the FCSME modualr layout going to be there again? That would be a good meeting palce since at least one person here is a member of that group and would be there anyway. ...
Yeah, they'll definitely be there!
FCMSE will be there as will I just about all weekend. A few of our members won't have their modules there so it won't be our largest setup. I think its about 40' X 75'.
OK, how about anyone who wants to meet up hang near the FCSME layout around noon? Or propose a better time if that won't work out. I for one will probably be avoiding the food line this time, since we are planning to go out after the show and I usually stop in York on the way down at the diner for breakfast.
Howqrd's site details he has almost 800 tables sold. I think with the lower gas prices and it being Superbowl weekend, the joint will be packed, esp on Saturday.
Eat before you enter. Prices inside are like those at a big league ball game. I can't believe how folks are lined up at the food stand. You'd think they just invented the stuff.
I was really hoping the Nn3 layout would be there, but it's not on the roster.
rrinkerYork on the way down at the diner for breakfast.
There's the Lyndon/Nautilus/Starlight down 30, and the "Round the Clock" also on 30.
I look forward to meeting some of you. Ken I'll finally get to thank you for your help designing that steel mill.
I stop at the Round the Clock since it's right on the way. Actually, I used to stop at Bob Evans, imagine my surprise in October when I went down and foudn that it was closed down.
The food inside isn't THAT bad, I've seen far higher prices for stuff - particualtlr at the games of the local ECHL hockey team - yeah, minor league hockey charging thos ekind of prices. And it's pretty darn good stuff they have in there - although October was the first time I actually got anything more than a drink.
$8.75 for a beer at the Hershey Bears game. Blah!
I might run down sunday...the superbowl isn't until 6:28 PM!
rrinkerOK, how about anyone who wants to meet up hang near the FCSME layout around noon?
I circled the FCSME layout between 11:45 and 12:30, with my "badge" prominently displayed. Nobody showed any sign of recognition. I guess you must have decided to meet somewhere else? Too bad, I was hoping to meet some of you...
I was there about the same time, circled a few times until my kid got bored LOL.
I ended up being with just one, GF was sick and didn't come along, and when we got there #2 son wasn't feeling to well. He was supposed to be watching the movie so I was only circling with #1 son, not the entourage I said I would be with.
Point: next time we'll be better organized so this works
When I planned to meet up with a few forum friends at a Zane show in 2005, I made up a large banner that looked like a target signal, that had "trains.com" printed on it. This helped everybody find the rendezvous point, worked like a charm! Of course that banner is long gone by now...
Sorry guys.
I just missed the time slot. I didn't arrive till 12:45 at the NTrack layout.
Did anybody see the ROCO DCC controlled crane car? That thing was neat.
-D
I've seen those before - very neat. For a Digitrax user, if the third party that made them is still selling them, there is an adapter for the ancient Challenger throttle to use it specifically for controlling that crane - the Challenger throttle has 4 knobs to control 4 trains - witht he adapter it oeprates the various functions of the crane with no changing to different functions. Ordinarily you select one function and your throttle rotates the cab, another function and it raises and lowers the boom, etc.
I also saw over on the far side someoen selling the Roco gantry crane complete with the joystick they sold to control it.
The one that really impressed me was the live steamers - or rather those in-progress 6 axle SD's. I've been to the local club and ridden behind live steam and a switcher liek the small one they had there, but I've NEVER seen a big 6 axle unit - let alone TWO. I got to talking to the owner and only the front unit has a gas engine, but there are hydraulic motors in the trailer with hydraulic MU hoses - sort of like a road slug. And he said at home he's workign on a pair of SD80MACs! 2 feet longer than those SD's. I'm not a huge fan of modern diesels but *** those were nice.
Did get to use the coupons to purchase the latest Alan Keller DVD. With the discount being offered and $3 off for the coupons, didn't hurt too much.