Was my first chance to go. A complete and total waste of time and money. Seemed like half the space was given to lional,another quarter to ''kid stuff''. What little model items there were lokked like the same table over and over. I feel most were over priced. I saw many items that I could get from Walters cheaper and not leave the house.
I realize that the MR community has taken on the chore of babysitting.But shouldn't the kid stuff be kept to one section, away from venders? I feel as I should not have to deal with illmaner, misbehaveing spoiled brats,and thire parents, while trying to look at a $600 engine.
There were some show layouts I have not seen , and still haven't. Grew tired of being run into by strollers.
needed to vent, feel better now
Oddly enough 99% of the shows I attend I find at least one or two items. You see I never use a show as a LHS but, as a treasure hunt and indeed some has yield real treasures that I been seeking for quite some time.
Even that 1% I don't find anything I still enjoy the time spent at a show-anything beats sitting at home twiddling my thumbs or worst watching the idiot tube.
Results of eight year treasure hunt I found at a so/so train show. The only item I bought that day other then my mandatory cup of coffee and slice of apple pie..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
This is, and has long been, a show that really seems to appeal to parents with kids. Ever since they put the entire show in one large hall however some vendors that I looked forward to dealing with have ceased to come. Obviously this has had little effect on attendance. I was disappointed but not to the extent of the OP.
I could have spent way more than I did; I passed up some decent deals of Railway Prototype Cyclopedias. Best find of the day was a $1 "grab bag" box labled "brass car ends, trucks, junk." A very old soft cover book of freight and passenger car plans from Model Craftsman (presumably what is now RMC) for $1 was interesting because most of the plans are in OO scale!
Next "big" train show for me is Green Bay's Titletown Train Show, unless I go to the High Wheeler in Palatine.
Dave Nelson
UNCLEBUTCHGrew tired of being run into by strollers.
You won't like Disneyland then. I've never been hit by a stroller except there, where I have been hit in the ankles several times.
As far as shows, kids are the biggest crowd at the shows so get used to it. It's a show not a store. Go to your hobby shop to buy expensive locomotives if you want to buy them in peace. Don't buy overpriced items, make offers and make a deal. If you want a bargain sometimes you have to bargain.
Like someone said it is better than watching mindless TV, and you might find that missing item from your wish list.
I like train shows because it is something to do. You can see other people's models. You might find some stuff to buy that you can't find in stores. You might meet some new people.
j.........
Lone Wolf and Santa Fe UNCLEBUTCH Grew tired of being run into by strollers. You won't like Disneyland then. I've never been hit by a stroller except there, where I have been hit in the ankles several times. As far as shows, kids are the biggest crowd at the shows so get used to it. It's a show not a store. Go to your hobby shop to buy expensive locomotives if you want to buy them in peace. Don't buy overpriced items, make offers and make a deal. If you want a bargain sometimes you have to bargain. Like someone said it is better than watching mindless TV, and you might find that missing item from your wish list. I like train shows because it is something to do. You can see other people's models. You might find some stuff to buy that you can't find in stores. You might meet some new people. j.........
UNCLEBUTCH Grew tired of being run into by strollers.
1st; it's not disneyland, its a show/sale intended for hobbiests.
my LHS is 60plus mi.away. I attend shows to dig thru the junk boxes looking for baggies of odds&ends for scrachuilding, and building kits for kitbash fodder.
This show had none.
Was told that a vender spot at Mad city went for $85. How much of that did he get back from the kiddies? If I can't get to a table, he won't get any from me either.Could be the reason shows are getting smaller?
I believe I'll set in front of my turned off TV befor I attemt another Disneyland/train show
UNCLEBUTCH1st; it's not disneyland, its a show/sale intended for hobbiests
Most shows are actually intended to promote the hobby for all ages. Model train shows are the face of the hobby. If it were not for train shows promoting our hobby, it is my belief that your $600 engine that you were trying to look at would cost $1800 or not exist at all.
There are shows that are intended for the hobbyist. Railroad Prototype Modelers meets, Narrow guage conventions and the like are places were you will find fewer strollers running your feet over.
UNCLEBUTCHWas told that a vender spot at Mad city went for $85. How much of that did he get back from the kiddies?
Depends, all you need is one parent or grandparent that buys whatever the kid wants and you get it all back in one sale.
UNCLEBUTCHCould be the reason shows are getting smaller?
Nope, Increased cost of doing business and/or bad show management/publicity/attendance. A newer local show that my club attends has been struggling due to the time of year it is scheduled (early November), inadequate advertising of the show, and lack of vendors the first year causing a lack of crowd the second year, when there were dozens of vendors. This I predict will cause a lack of vendors the following year.
I was at the Mad show today and also was disappointed. But not because of the crowds or the kids. It was the vendors and the prices. Very little selection UNLESS you were looking for locomotives and rolling stock. Lots of good deals there. Lionel while not for me was most likely the best selection. Last year I purchased a few structures and tools, NO tool man this year and the scenery selection was less than my LHS.
Left the show and got some items at the LHS. He was very busy and happy.
Tom
UNCLEBUTCHWas my first chance to go. A complete and total waste of time and money
Thats pretty much how I felt the last few shows I attended. Now I stay home and feel better .
Jim
I love going to shows. I go to all the ones I can get to and back in a day - large or small. Usually I find something, but sometimes I don't. But that's okay. I like going and looking as well as finding stuff. And you never know what out of production goodie you might just find at a good price.
As for kids. I'm fine with that. In fact if the show is not too long a drive, I take my 4 yr old grandson. He just loves trains.
Enjoy
Paul
I went to the Barrie-Alandale train show today and experienced everything that UNCLEBUTCH did but it didn't bother me. I was a little disappointed with the number of vendors vs the show 3 or 4 years ago, but I guess that is a common theme.
I do not mind the kids in strollers and the bigger ones. It is fun to see them all wide eyed. Hearing the negotiations over and over i.e. "do you want this one or this one..."is cute. I don't recall seeing a single child who was out of control. I'm not sure how much the typical family spends, but the gate revenue is good for the sponsoring club.
I scored four nice pieces of rolling stock, some tools and supplies, and some stirrup steps. I was sorely tempted to buy a couple more Canadian Pacific switchers but I managed to exercise some self control. I have enough of them already.
In the end, the show was exactly the right size for me. By the time I had seen it all my back was toast so I would have headed home at the same time regardless of the size of the show.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Sorry about your experience. As a young parent with young kids, keeping them engaged and aware about not touching stuff is a challenge. 90% of the people I meet at train shows are very kind and empathetic to taking three kids around. WIth the twins no longer in a stroller, I have a challenge keeping them happy while dad looks at choo-choos.
Going there as a treasure hunt is a great attidude. I measure success by how much fun my kids have. Train shows are great to get kids engaged in the hobby. They are they prime reason to enjoying this hobby. To anyone unsure whether their layout is decent: invite a parent and child over to see the response.
I think of train shows as entertainment. Admission is about the same price as a ticket to a movie, but I generally enjoy it more. We have Greenberg shows twice a year, which are a mix of all gauges, with a lot of O and S, plus some Thomas, Power Rangers and doll houses. It's a bustling crowd, but everyone is courteous and well-behaved. I go to the shows with a small wish-list, and generally spend about $20-30 on small items, mostly "surprises" that I didn't know I wanted.
I will always remember the happiest person I ever saw at a "train" show. It was a little girl whose parents had found her a Barbie Doll princess set at one of the non-train dealers. The box looked to be 20 years old. The smile on her face was worth the price of admission.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I'm with Mr.B on this one.
It is a poor time at a Christmas time show that don't have two 6 year olds ask if I'm Santa. I always say no, that he's my uncle, and much nicer than me.
at shows you win some and you loose some. Last Timonium show I walked out with nothing but that's not the norm. Old saying: You pays your money and takes your chances.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
So, the gist of this thread is, if I can summarize it, shows are too crowded with kids, and trainset stuff for them....
And yet other threads complain the hobby is dying because there aren't enough kids attending shows, nor enough entry level equipment for the few that do....
Yep, just another day on the forums...
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
I went to the Mad City show yesterday (Sunday). The kids and strollers didn't bother me at all. Thinking about it, I was probably hindered more by adults without children stopping in the middle of the aisles to talk or whatever.
I was disappointed, though, by how much the show has shrunk and by the much smaller number of dealers selling new merchandise. I come armed with a very specific "want list"of new merchandise, and in the past have usually found at least something on the list. But not this time.
But it wasn't a complete bust. I also browse through the "junk boxes" and found some useful stuff.
Dave Nelson: How does the Titletown show compare to the Mad City show, or to Trainfest?
Titletown and Madison both have more of the swap meet dealer than does Trainfest, which for years prominently advertised "NOT A SWAP MEET."
Some of the same dealers and layouts are at Titletown and Madison, but enough are different to (in my opinion) make going to both worthwhile. If you go to Titletown try to make plans to also visit Enginehouse Services, which is an excellent hobby shop. And also think about dinner at Titletown Brewing which is in the old C&NW passenger depot and has tons of train stuff on the walls. There is also some railfanning to be done in the area.