Last Thursday we finished pricing and packing the sale items at Boothbay RR Village. All that is left is to pack up the vehicles next Thursday and hit the road to W Springfield on Friday (hope for good driving weather all weekend). About 6 hours drive, 3 or 4 hours to set up, a good nights sleep and get ready for the crowds on Saturday morning. Come and see us at BLC section 15!
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Set up starts tomorrow, Jan. 23. Layouts start getting assembled and tables get put out for the exhibitors. Many dealers arrive on Friday and get everything set up to be ready for Saturday morning. Opening time is 9:00AM as announced by the blast of an air horn. Tickets are on sale at 8:00AM. Weather looks promising if a little chilly.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
CTValleyRR is there anything that can be done about the massive traffic jam on Memorial Ave trying to get in? That's always the worst part of the trip!
That's easy, sneak in the back way. Rt. 57 W to 159 N (Main St.) to 147 (Memorial Ave.). Take the first entrance you see. No lines, and if you're early enough, you might find a parking space near the building . Short line for wristbands, too.
You can thank me on Monday.
...And don't tell anybody. Let this be our little secret.
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
Getting the suitcase packed this morning for tomorrow's journey from western N.Y. For me, anyway, it takes two days to see and enjoy it all.
One thing that I've noticed from attending this show in past years is the difference in the crowd between the two days. On Saturday, especially in the morning the crowd seems to be made up of serious modellers who are there to purchase specific items. On Sunday, starting mid-morning, you get the baby strollers and the folks who want to "take little Johnny out to see the trains". Consequently, it's much easier to navigate the various buildings on Saturday.
I also look forward to the demonstrations put on by some of the vendors, such as Bar Mills and Scenic Express. It's much easier to learn a technique by seeing it actually in use than by reading an article, and the chairs at the Bar mills booth are a good place to rest your weary bones after 3 or 4 hours of cruising around the various displays.
In Boothbay, we finished sorting, pricing and packing a late donation around noon (EST), and packing the vehicles about 2 hours ago. The gang will be on the road west tomorrow AM. Have a good show everyone, wish I could make it. As the Scott said, best laid plans of mice and men, etc. etc.
Attendance for Saturday was 12,348. Show reopens at 10:00 on Sunday.
I'm late, the show is basically over, but FOR NEXT YEAR: Can anybody tell me, do they have Handicapped parking? There would be two of us handicapped going next year.
We went several years ago {I think only 3 buildings then?}, I could walk better then, but still a strain on my back, And we thoroughly ENJOYED It!
Well worth the efforts!
Wanted to go htis year, but it snuck up on us.
SO: DO they have handicapped parking???
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Yes they do I went with a friend yesterday who had a handicap placard . I noticed a lot of handicap marked vehicles so you may not get next door. When we got there yesterday they had filled up inside the fenced area and were parking handicap outside but near the fence which is still closer than regular parking.
Ron High
Attendance on Sunday was 8,691. Total ticketed attendance for the two days was 21,039. BTW on Sundays the bus parking area next to the Better Living Center serves as an overflow handicapped parking area provided no buses are scheduled (and the buses generally come on Saturday.)
My first time attending, what a great show! I spent most of my time in the Make-and-Take clinic area in the Mallory building, but ran the see people in the BLC every chance I got. Getting through the Young building on Saturday was a chore...aisles clogged with people.
Kent in KC
nvrr49.blogspot.com
Kent in KC'nvrr49.blogspot.com
CTValleyRR,Brian and Jill Bollinger of B.E.S.T. are friends of mine and are great people. http://besttrains.com
They told me they had a great show, and did far more in castings than they had expected. Brian figured it was their new display booth with the rug and archways that drew people to look and buy.
Paul A. Cutler III
CTValleyRRDmoore-- I assume your attendance figures are the ticket sales and do not include the vendors. It seemed more crowded this year, but IIRC, attendance last year was more like 24k. My vote for vendor of the show: BEST Trains! Very friendly, helped me unload a wad of cash that was burning a hole in my pocket, and gave my son a free model kit, to boot!
The battendance is for all ticketed people which includes the 15 and under crowd which is not charged as well as Amherst Railway Society members who receive a one-day pass to the show. Vendors are not included in the count. 2013 attendance was 20,157 while 2012 attendance was 22,232.