Hello all, if you're interested in the 2022 edition of the West Springfield show, please find my part 1 (Saturday) video below.
https://youtu.be/c_LX5Qg9y8w
I apologize for any shakiness, I didn't feel like lugging a tripod around all day. Enjoy...
Harrison
Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.
Modeling the D&H in 1978.
Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"
My YouTube
Really nice.
I remember some of those modules from a dozen years ago. Didn't look too busy.
Pete.
As a vendor I got there just a little after 7 am and it wasn't that bad. Glad I was inside.
maxman As a vendor I got there just a little after 7 am and it wasn't that bad. Glad I was inside.
We hit the road from my grandparents in the Hudson Valley around 0600. Roads were pretty bad, but doing 35-40 on average we made it to Westfield around 0920, an extra 40 minutes than usual. Caught 2 CSX trains there and then headed to the show.
I was disappointed in the show. Several vendors that I expected to see there and buy stuff from (Tangent, F&C) were no-shows, at least on Sunday when I was there. I would guess 25% of the vendor tables were empty (no shows) and attendance was -40% vs. a typical year (I have never parked so close before). On the positive side it was not very crowded and it was easy to get around and see everything in a couple hours.
PennsyLou I was disappointed in the show. Several vendors that I expected to see there and buy stuff from (Tangent, F&C) were no-shows, at least on Sunday when I was there. I would guess 25% of the vendor tables were empty (no shows) and attendance was -40% vs. a typical year (I have never parked so close before). On the positive side it was not very crowded and it was easy to get around and see everything in a couple hours.
I was disappointed that the hot-wire foam cutter people were a no-show. I agree, Saturday was basically completely dead, and I had no trouble seeing nearly everything on Saturday. We parked close both days, arriving right at opening time. I saw that total attendance was around 6,000.
On the other hand many of the vendors did very well. Seems that those visitors who braved the weather and the germs were ready to open their wallets.
I went to the Timonium show in Maryland and saw Spring Creek, all the way from Nebraska. They were, by far, the best vendor there. The had been to Springfield the previous week and said it was a good show for them, despite the lower attentance. The Timonium show seemed to be very well attended on Saturday. I was looking for a couple of items including the nigh impossible to find plated phase II Walthers Superliners and an N scale KATO California Zephyr set. No superliners but a vendor had the CZ set for a decent price so it went home with me. Ebay prices have been stupid high so I did get this set less than the lowest I've seen on the bay, by a little.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Harrison I was disappointed that the hot-wire foam cutter people were a no-show. I agree, Saturday was basically completely dead, and I had no trouble seeing nearly everything on Saturday. We parked close both days, arriving right at opening time. I saw that total attendance was around 6,000.
Harrison,
I have the tables next to them. The woman was afraid to go out, not her husband. We told them if we knew how to contact them, we would have picked them up and brought them to the show. They were there on Sunday. She has some difficulty walking and we thought something happened to her! We now have her contact information..
Neal
Just a reminder that the east coast had a historic amount of snow fall on our heads that Saturday. It was literally the most amount of snow that's ever fallen on Boston in one day since records began. It took me three hours just to clean up the mess on Sunday. And this storm didn't just hit Massachusetts; it also dumped on Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. Just ridiculous amounts of snow...
Paul3 Just a reminder that the east coast had a historic amount of snow fall on our heads that Saturday. It was literally the most amount of snow that's ever fallen on Boston in one day since records began. It took me three hours just to clean up the mess on Sunday. And this storm didn't just hit Massachusetts; it also dumped on Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. Just ridiculous amounts of snow...
I had someone comment (presumably from western NY) saying something along the lines of me calling the snowstorm a "blizzard" (which it truly was while I was driving there on unplowed highways) was "WIMPY", and that "Cuba could take this country in one day".
Now all of my followers and friends are having fun with that...
Thanks for taking the wonderful video. This is a speical year and I really apprecaite everyone who shows (nor does not) up. Your video is wonderful! I really enjoying watching it. I look forward to seeing other parts!
Jerry
I did make it out to the show on Sunday. I was coming from eastern MA and the snow storm on Saturday was quite bad. The ride out to the show on Sunday was brutal due to the amount of salt on the road. I ran out of windshield washer fluid at one point and could barely see out the windshield within a minute.
The show wasn't very crowded, but it was real nice just to be out at an event again. I'd estimate that about half the people were wearing masks. There were a lot of no show vendors,which was disappointing. I am glad that I went.
Modeling the B&M Railroad during the transition era in Lowell, MA
Thanks for the comments, everyone. I was wearing a mask except for the "vlog" filming on my face.
Part 2 video is out now!
https://youtu.be/tYitNTYRFGs
Don't forget to check out the chapters on the description to see the order of the video.
Just saw the first part, all I can say is well done. I like how you show but don't comment much on things you are not overly impressed with, some people are just WOW on everything. Your style of speaking is clear and the video is pretty steady. Overall it gave a good feeling of being there and living on the west coast a vist to this show is just not going to happen, especially in winter.
I just saw the second part of the video. I liked the fact that you included the dinosaur that was walking around in the Mallery building, but was a little disappointed that you didn't include Maggie the Clown or "Glue Girl" from Deluxe Materials.
buoyboy but was a little disappointed that you didn't include Maggie the Clown or "Glue Girl" from Deluxe Materials.
Especially the glue girl!
buoyboy I just saw the second part of the video. I liked the fact that you included the dinosaur that was walking around in the Mallery building, but was a little disappointed that you didn't include Maggie the Clown or "Glue Girl" from Deluxe Materials.
I wanted to stage an interaction with Maggie when she was on stilts, because I'm 6 foot 1" and I thought it would be humorous. Unfortunately I never got the opportunity.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Thank you so much! The part 2 is also great!! I wish I could go and see in person....