It's a long drive from Milwaukee to Davenport (fortunately there are ample rest stops along the way, an important consideration when a coffee-drinking guy my age hits the road) as well as some railfan opportunities en route and at the Quad Cities themselves. The show is at the Mississippi Valley Fair Grounds and costs $5 which is reasonable for a show of this size (30,000 sq. ft., billed as 300+ tables).
So why do I go so far for a train show? Because the more local shows that I go to regularly (Milwaukee's Trainfest of course, Madison WI's "MadCity," and Green Bay's Titletown, which is coming up at the end of April) have come to all seem like the same folks selling the same stuff that I saw last year. Getting that far away opens up possibilities -- the roadnames I seek might not be snapped up quite so quickly for example. Besides, Trainfest prides itself on NOT being a swap meet, and I like swap meets.
Maybe we'll see some of you there.
Dave Nelson
I know what you mean.
.
The same sellers with the same used junk at show after show in Florida. It can become painful.
Going to the shows in Atlanta sure helps a lot. There is one in August, and I cannot wait.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Dave, hopefully you'll find some different vendors, with a different selection. I would think the "big" vendors all have the same stuff, from show to show.
I often wished that TrainFest had a swap area, but I suppose they have an agreement with the usually stores and vendors that set up there, that they want people buying their stuff, and not off of Bill's table, or Ed's table, although there are some of those sellers at TF, usually along a wall somewhere, but there is nothing swap about it.
It's usually long out of stock items, at a premium price.
Good luck Dave,
Mike.
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