I was at a local train show in NJ last weekend and I overheard that Tranfest is not happening in 2023 and will return in 2024?
Can anyone in the know confirm that?
Thanks!
Neal
Good evening
Huh, haven't heard anything like that, so wouldn't have the foggiest notion about that one Neal. But would think our kind friend Steve-O would know if that's true or not, more than anyone would.
Been wanting to go to Trainfest one of these years for years, and leaning towards this year, so hopefully they dont skip it. I'd think after covid cancellations, they'd want to keep things rolling now.
TF
Looks like next one will be 2024:
https://www.train-fest.com/
I thought I had posted this news on one or another of the existing Trainfest threads but evidently it did not "take." Yes it is official that there is no Trainfest scheduled for 2023.
This is what I have heard: the guy who ran the show last year (which was well done I thought) has some other issues coming up this year that need to be dealt with, and Trainfest is a huge drain on time particularly if you don't have a big staff. I also heard that he'd like to find a different venue as he had some difficulties dealing with Wisconsin's State Fair Park something I sure understand because that was a challenge for our NMRA Division when we ran Trainfest. For example the parking situation this last show in 2022 was absurd with cars backed up for blocks because the State Fair Park had abruptly decided not to accept cash, only credit cards for parking (which is very expensive), and the kids running the parking lot didn't seem to know how to work their machines. Ditto for the food concessions, which are not only expensive but awful.
We too were always looking for other venues but there was always a serious problem with inadequate space, or no good ways to stage the set up, and reluctantly we always felt we had no real choice, particularly when we saw in 2010 what happened to the NMRA and its national train show at that year's national convention in Milwaukee with their choice of venue. It was a disaster in terms of attendance. Well we tried to warn the NMRA but they were not good listeners ...
Dave Nelson
Thanks Dave.
Mike.
My You Tube
Well this is certainly disappointing to hear. Last November was my first time going and so maybe I just didn't know any better, but the concession food was more or less what I expected it to be: passable (in more ways than one) and somewhat overpriced. But I didn't care. The lines inside the venue to get into the hall were long at opening time but moved pretty quick. There was a short wait in the car to get into parking but I didn't experience anything I thought was terribly inconvenient.
The TF site says attendance was over 20,000....? (It also says it was a "huge success...")
I'm sure the devil is in the details, but I have a hard time seeing how an event with that many attendees would be dropped. (Could they possibly have lost $ with that kind of attendance..?..) I'm sure its a gargantuan effort to put it on, and not cheap or easy to deal with the State Fair people. So maybe there was some behind the scenes grumbling from exhibitors? I don't know.
Not sure what other venues would be a possibility for the show either. Off the top of my head I can think of the old MECCA/Convention Center downtown (parking nightmare!), and the Waukesha Expo Center. I bet if you wrote down the pros and cons of all of these places State Fair Park still comes out on top or maybe just below the Expo Center. Parking downtown would be an absolute disaster.
Edit: I made a slight revision after realizing I mis-read Dave's earlier post.
Andy
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Milwaukee native modeling the Milwaukee Road in 1950's Milwaukee.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/196857529@N03/
Maybe it was simply that the people at Kalmbach who put the time and effort into it said afterwards, "I don't want to do that again."
I don't think Kalmbach is the reason. The actual running of the show was not something they were doing, although I am sure their excellent contacts within the manufacturing part if the business helped a lot, and they have always had an important presence at Trainfest and been a huge friend to Trainfest.
Is it possible to have 20,000 in attendance and still lose money or just barely break even? Darn right it is. In fact it happened. The hall is hugely expensive -- I remember at set up every light that was turned on was an extra charge, every restroom door that was open was an extra charge, every electric outlet that is used is an extra charge. That is why set up was so darn dark and so few restrooms were available! But advertising is a huge aspect too. You do not get 20,000 people at a train show by advertising in Model Railroader and other magazines and leaving flyers at hobby shops. That might get you 1000 or 2000 people. The rest are TV ads radio ads and billboards. Huge expense -- well into six figures -- AND you sign your contracts in early summer. That is partly why there was no Trainfest in 2021.
The other thing is, when our NMRA Division ran Trainfest we had hundreds of volunteers including a solid core of perhaps two dozen who really ran the show. The 2022 Trainfest was more bare bones on staffing but what they did have, were people who were presumably being paid. So I suspect the head guy did a tremendous amount of work himself and while he is experienced at putting on large train shows, perhaps many aspects of putting on this particular train show in its venue and with its features was rather new. Again I want to emphasize that a great job was done but it is not hard to imagine personal and business issues quite apart from financial issues that explain this year off.
maxman Looks like next one will be 2024: https://www.train-fest.com/
It's understandable that finding a suitable venue that can accommodate the needs of a large event like Trainfest can be a difficult task. Hopefully, the organizers will be able to address these issues and come back with a successful event in 2024.
There's been a couple of times that there has been a train show at the Renaissance Hotel in Schaumburg, IL., which was attended by Kalmbach and other mfrs. The hotel has the space and access to host Train Fest. I really don't know what the expenses at that venue would be, but I think it would be worth looking into.
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
This was a great reminder to check when the Greenburg train show is happening. Glad I didn't miss it. The next one is this weekend.
It seemed to make more sense to add this to an existing thread than to create a new one
The Facebook posting was recently updated by the new operators of Trainfest
Train-fest 2024
November 23-24, 2024
UPDATED 12/15/2023
Trainfest 2022 was a huge success! Our attendance for the show was 20,557. Thank you to everyone who exhibited, attended, participated and supported Trainfest 2022, we could not have done it without you. We sincerely appreciate all the positive feedback and suggestions we have received about the show.
The next Trainfest is planned for November 23-24, 2024. Between now and then we will be using all the feedback and suggestions we received to build the best Trainfest possible. Our goal is for Trainfest 2024 to amaze and delight everyone from the most sophisticated hobbyist to families and kids of all ages.
Exhibitor sign up for the 2024 show will be available on this website soon and tickets will go on sale in the Summer of 2024. The next update to this page is planned for January 1 2024.
Once again thank you for your support.
We have been attending TrainFest for decades. Unfortunately, the last show in 2022 was a 'skeleton' from the previous shows over the decades. The entire floor was not utilitized as was done so in the past, no train rides, not as many manufactures, etc. However, new in 2022 at TrainFest, they had roofing vendors, window vendors, siding vendors, etc. were at the show and were not present in the past. Now for 2024, TrainFest will NOT be at the Wisconsin State Fair Park as in all the previous decades. TrainFest will now be located at the Baird Center in downtown Milwaukee. Parking will be a nightmare, expensive, and the parking construction adjacent the Baird Center is still not completed. We have recently talked to mutilpe train vendors, and they will not be attending TrainFest 2024 as they have done so in the past. Vendors will have to walk, travel, and haul everything within a minimum of one city block's distance to setup. Good luck!
ElginjolieteasternWe have recently talked to mutilpe train vendors, and they will not be attending TrainFest 2024 as they have done so in the past. Vendors will have to walk, travel, and haul everything within a minimum of one city block's distance to setup. Good luck!
This is from the Baird Center's exhibitor resources page:
Loading dock: The Baird Center loading dock entrance is located at 850 N. Sixth St. The dock can only be entered from the North Helix and must always be exited via the South Helix. There are sixteen (16) loading docks and three (3) drive-up ramps. If show permits POV dock load in/load out – fifteen (15) minutes will be allowed for exhibitor vehicles to unload/load per vehicle.