PRR8259 Well, my friend, my son, and I were at Timonium today. There were lots of deals to be had. I found a nearly unobtanium BLMA ATSF BX-166 boxcar for $25 and couldn't pass that up. There were plenty of other deals...I'm just saving my money toward a big ticket purchase...
Well, my friend, my son, and I were at Timonium today. There were lots of deals to be had. I found a nearly unobtanium BLMA ATSF BX-166 boxcar for $25 and couldn't pass that up. There were plenty of other deals...I'm just saving my money toward a big ticket purchase...
The summer T show is one I sometimes go and sometimes miss, being that it is a smaller show and a 90 minute drive. My wife's brother and two older kids are visiting from England so that is totally taking up our time. I did find out that another of her relatives, her aunt's husband (an England ex pat) who lived in Salt Lake City was an avid model train nut - he passed away last year but his widow said he build a layout in the basement of everyhouse the lived. I sure wish I could have met him while he was alive! But I digress.
Are the BLMA ATSF BX-166 box cars that rare now. MBK had them actually for a long time, including both red versions. It may be because many were expecting them to be a brighter shade of red, and they turned out to be much darker, that sales were slow. Of course eventually all the red 1970's and 1980's versions did finally sell out but they had them IIRC for several months if not longer - which is a l-o-n-g time if an item is supposed to be popular or in-demand. I only bought one of the 1970's version during the first week they were in stock but as I said, they seemed to linger for a number of weeks after. I think they still have some HO brown versions that were a later paint scheme.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Howard Zane It is possible that I may hold a record in visiting hobby shops. During the 70's I drove corporate airplanes for a living. I worked for a company that had business in many states, so on my layovers I'd always visit the local LHS and there were many then. It could have been well over 100 shops or even considerably more, but I was rarely impressed....sometimes rather bewildered at the lack of decent service. At times I'd be the only visitor in the shop. The guy behind the counter had absolutely no interest in me and the prevailing attitute was....."what the hell is he doing here?" Then there were the good train stores and that was my driving force to open my own shop during the period, and of course the train show. Also there were the hundreds of mental notes on what not to do. At a good train show, one does not deal with just the above idiot as mentioned, but sometimes over a hundred dealers and individuals with all kinds of products and people skills. Had I been a possible newbie wandering into a poorly run store, there would be a good chance that I'd never enter the hobby. To date I have not yet heard of a model railroad prospect being turned off from a DECENT train show. Saying for the day..........."You do not stop playing with your trains because you grow old......You grow old because you stop playing with your trains!" HZ
It is possible that I may hold a record in visiting hobby shops. During the 70's I drove corporate airplanes for a living. I worked for a company that had business in many states, so on my layovers I'd always visit the local LHS and there were many then. It could have been well over 100 shops or even considerably more, but I was rarely impressed....sometimes rather bewildered at the lack of decent service. At times I'd be the only visitor in the shop. The guy behind the counter had absolutely no interest in me and the prevailing attitute was....."what the hell is he doing here?"
Then there were the good train stores and that was my driving force to open my own shop during the period, and of course the train show. Also there were the hundreds of mental notes on what not to do.
At a good train show, one does not deal with just the above idiot as mentioned, but sometimes over a hundred dealers and individuals with all kinds of products and people skills. Had I been a possible newbie wandering into a poorly run store, there would be a good chance that I'd never enter the hobby. To date I have not yet heard of a model railroad prospect being turned off from a DECENT train show.
Saying for the day..........."You do not stop playing with your trains because you grow old......You grow old because you stop playing with your trains!"
HZ
You might be surprised how many people have done the same thing as you, and there could easily be someone who has you beat in terms of train shops visited. While I was not nearly as well paid, or had as impressive (to some) as job, I did travel a good deal by car and plane to many other states and cities and also made it point to visit a least 2 or 3 shops at each destination. I expect there have been quite a few train fans who did the same thing!
Predictably, I saw mostly the same things; a lot of so so shops, some with proprietors who appeared to hate their lives and made you want to leave as soon as you were done scanning the shelves, and a small percentage which were impressive for one reason or anothers, such as size or much better than average selection. One thing that was pretty consistant was the most prices were near MSRP and I didn't have a pilot's salary so only bought occasionally.
Because I was a bit more of an "average" sch muck, and had to live with in my modest means, I tended to look for discount prices to help me afford my toys, so I was never a shop owners best friend, so train shows and mail order have been a very good thing to help me enjoy the hobby better. We've discussed train shows quite a bit here and it does seem we are going over the same ol ground each time, but perhaps there are a few newer folks who find the discussion of more interest.
Since my late twenties I've made it a point to attend usually one or more big train shows a year and mostly have found them to be a positive, enjoyable and beneficial experience. There have been a few here and there which are for me, "duds" but I take that as a given it will happen.
Sorry, don't know name of dealer. It was the last one he had. My buddy picked up a few at the spring Timonium show, too.
John
P.S. there are some on Evilbay now!
PRR8259 I found a nearly unobtanium BLMA ATSF BX-166 boxcar for $25 and couldn't pass that up.
Drat! I was there also looking for one of them and didn't see it. Where did you find it?
Steve
This year I have done the following shows:
1. Great Train Show Costa Mesa (Jan 30-31)
2. Great Train Show Del Mar, CA (Feb 13-14)
3. Fullerton Railroad Days (May 30-1)
4. Great Train Show Pomona (July 30-31)
Last year our club set up a massive 40X60 layout at the Anaheim Convention Center before we got moved to Costa Mesa Fairgrounds because the Anaheim Center was being remodeled.
The big layouts so far have been 30X54, 36X40, and 38X42.
I am still hoping next January the layout size will be 40X60.
Mr. Zane you are entirely correct. Those of us who are new to the hobby need the opportunity to see what is out there for us to use. I started a layout 3 years ago without knowing anyone in the hobby. I have met several valuable resource people over the last 3 years and gone to Timonium twice and would love to start at the beginning with everything I have learned in that time.
Hi Howard--
I was only responding to that one comment about brass dealers not coming to shows anymore.
At one time or another I personally bought brass from as many as 50 different dealers, some good, and a few rather disreputable souls whose names I won't mention on here. They may even be deceased.
Most of those 50 or so have passed on or otherwise left active dealing; one or two of the large online brass shops are not as customer service oriented as perhaps they once were; day-to-day floor personnel have changed, and I'm not the only one who would say that.
Yes, Howard, of course you are one of my "4 or so" that I feel I can trust to provide a good value and an honest transaction. The others are John Gurdak (Uncle Dave's Brass), and Dan Glasure (www.brasstrains.com). However, I have not ever completed a brass purchase from Dan yet (OMI caboose was cancelled on their end) and although I had wonderful experiences in the past with The Caboose, in Wolcott, CT, I have not bought anything from those folks lately...
There may be other great dealers out there that I have not had the privilege of interacting with anytime lately, but I just don't know who they are.
I go to shows hoping to find those few particular items I can't get at my local train store, that may also be gone from the internet, and perhaps once in awhile a bargain on a brass model (should've kept the $600 N&W Z1a...).
John,
Only 4 reputable dealers? I hope I'm on your list. In the brass field as in several others, an excellent reputation based on honesty, service, knowledge, and ethics is a must. Without this or a negative word about a dealer or individual could ruin him or her overnight in the age of cyber space.
Brass is still heavily traded, just not in train stores or at shows as in days of yore. During the heyday of brass which I have traced to March of 1997, on line auctions were in its infancy. These new venues have drastically changed not only the brass hobby, but just look around. Still the big show in Timonium has several legitimate brass vendors and individuals selling off excess (my personal favorite). FYI during the heyday, Timonium had between 30 and 35 brass folks always with tables. Winston (Balls of Brass) by far was the leader as rarely did he sell under $40,000 per show. Remember the huge pile of empty boxes he's always leave at show's end. Some referred to him as the south end of a north bound horse, but he had the fore mentioned qualities which guaranteed his tremendous success. Dan Glasure of Brasstrains.com is such a person, but without the [attitude].
More rambling.......
[Edited by admin. Please keep your language kid-friendly, folks.]
I might be right up there with you as to hobby shops visited. I traveled extensively in the 80s and 90s doing tech service at customers all over the US. Most of the trips involved overnight stays. After visiting the customer, rather than just hanging around the hotel room, I would get out the Yellow Pages (remember them) and find the local hobby shops. Most of the people behind the counter were very nice, but growing discouraged. As one guy told me, "You know how to make a small fortune with a hobby store? Start with a large fortune."
ChoopsSad that the brass sellers do not show up anymore. Steve
Many of the brass dealers reached a certain age and retired or passed away...some like Mountaineer Brass (Thomas Cornwall), both husband and wife passed away due to cancer. Also Balls of Brass (Jon Winston) passed away due to cancer. Peach Creek Hobbies (John Glaab) simply retired. Then the internet made it somewhat easier for some brass owners to cut out the dealer and sell directly to other prospective buyers via Ebay...the long and the short of it is there are just less brass dealers of all persuasions, basement or otherwise, around today.
I can name maybe 4 brass dealers whom I would trust to do business with that are still around, and even they are capable of making an honest mistake and possibly representing something as being more "mint" than it actually is. Some things are difficult to see.
The hobby itself is its own worst enemy. There are millions of items available and most in the hobby are looking for one specific engine with a particular road number without an antennae. When this is the case the hobby shop would have to order it anyway, you can look thru 50 tables with boxes stacked to the cieling at a show to find one, or just google it and get the best price.
I do like to go to the shows here and look around for deals on buildings or random freight cars. Sad that the brass sellers do not show up anymore.
Howard ZaneAt a good train show, one does not deal with just the above idiot as mentioned, but sometimes over a hundred dealers and individuals with all kinds of products and people skills.
As you know its usually the same dealers at each show and even if there are 150 or more most train show attendees have their favorite dealers due to many things a good prices,willing to work with their customers and he always has fresh stock unlike some that lugs the same goodies in worn boxes to every show.
I usually look up my two favorite dealers first before looking over the other dealers tables simply because they are solid dealers with quality used cars and locomotives as well as newer fresh stock with attractive prices.
There was one dealer I always went to his tables first because he always had quality custom painted Athearn and Atlas cars and locomotives as well as custom made freight car loads at reasonable prices. He retired and closed his business. IMHO that was a great lost.
I walk by the junk dealers(you know the type) without a glance and breeze by the higher price dealers like they're not even there. I do look for clubs and modelers selling their excess models.
BTW.Some of the best deals is found under the front of the dealer's tables.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I shoped that shop back in the early 80's and that got me back into the hobby, still buy from them on occasion at their new location via online. Still the best place to buy from Intermountain that I have found, almost like buying direct only at discount but you have to be fast as they sell out quick.
emdmike I am skiping the national train show, its $14 to get in, plus high doller paid parking in downtown Indy. Instead, my wife and I are invited to a gauge 1/G scale steam up at a local gentlemans house with dinner served on Friday/Saturday evening, we are going on Friday weather permiting. Will be at a music concert Saturday night. I saw all the big mfg's at the GTE show this past winter at the fairgrounds. Not much new coming in G scale that is affordable or floats my boat. Still was fun though. Mike
I am skiping the national train show, its $14 to get in, plus high doller paid parking in downtown Indy. Instead, my wife and I are invited to a gauge 1/G scale steam up at a local gentlemans house with dinner served on Friday/Saturday evening, we are going on Friday weather permiting. Will be at a music concert Saturday night. I saw all the big mfg's at the GTE show this past winter at the fairgrounds. Not much new coming in G scale that is affordable or floats my boat. Still was fun though. Mike
Mike
Your point about admission fees and parking is valid. I consider those expenses the cost of entertainment, just like you'd pay if you saw a "show" of any kind, not just a train show. I would describe GTE, WGH, and probably the National Train Show as more of a show, whereas some of the smaller more local events would be considered swap-meets. There is a difference to me and it goes into whether I'm looking at fees as being part of the entertainment or as it being a cost effective way to buy products. The internet is hard to beat for the latter, but the local meets in the Indy area are pretty competitive.
- Douglas
"back in the early 2000s "
Now that is a phrase I never dreamed I would hear.
But then, I remember when I thought 40 was old. Now I have a daughter older than that and a grand daughter who has graduated from high school.
Where did the time go?
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
I got my start by going to train shows back in the early 2000s when I was in high school. As a high school student, the job working at Dairy Queen and the local pizza place did not allow for high end purchases. Train shows were the perfect place for me to get started. For $50 at my first train show, I purchased a box of over 200 pieces of track, a Athearn blue box locomotive, and a few pieces of rolling stock. A LHS typically will not offer that opportunity.
In the next few years after starting, I found a LHS that was about one hour away. When I would get there, I would spend quite a bit on a few of the nicer pieces InterMountain or Atlast cars that I couldn't get at a train show. I would pick up packs of couplers and a few other supplies that had deals on them.
Now, I am slowly getting back into the hobby (with a lot of persuading of my fiancee to let me). Train shows seem to have gone down in this area. I attended one in the spring that 15 years ago was booming. It was not just one small entry way. I was able to find a few deals and even see a few vendors that I remembered as a high school kid. Attending the show brought back a lot of memories, it allowed me to see current trends in the hobby, and it helped me get a better understanding of how great the hobby is.
I have a few shows in my calendar for the fall that I'd like to attend. I've also been looking on a few sites for items that I'd like to purchase. However, money is tight with the wedding coming up and just buying a house. I hope the train shows will not completely die out. They are a great place for the younger generation to get there start, for us middle aged guys to find a few deals if they're in a situation like mine, and for the older generation to interact with hobbyists and share their knowledge and skills.
ATLANTIC CENTRALHow do new people learn about the hobby and its products today? Well that is a good question. And there is some evidence on this forum that they simply don't learn as well or as much - even with a local shop - as noted by the threads posted by some new people having problems with trying to get some trains up and running - despite a great effort of a number of experienced modelers on here - nothing beats first hand converation and hands on learning.
True,but,again if the shop owner and his employee is knowledgeable in the field of model railroading.A train show dealer could be clueless while others are a wealth of information about their products.
Go to Hobbyland and 90% of the time you get a blank stare or some malarkey to get you to spend more money on things you don't need. Some mom and pop hobby shops wasn't that much better. I've seen a lot of misguidance on various forums over the years I been on forums. The crap got so heavy on one forum I ended up linking to this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNyuMsWSLGc
Some times the newb gets into more trouble by asking a simple question on a forum. I recollect a person asked about a good power pack and immediately he was bombarded by go DCC replies even though he plainly stated he had a limited budget..
Even back in the day finding a good hobby shop was like finding a rare jewel. When found it was cherished and the owner became a friend and thus it is with certain train show dealers..I may not know their names nor do they know mine but,I head directly to their table because they have good quality use stuff at reasonable prices..
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
JEREMY CENTANNIAs long as the local shops offer competitive pricing I buy things there. Sometimes I buy them online new and used depending on deals and sales I know they cannot match. It happens, its called life. I want him to stay around. Where do I go when I need kadee couplers quick? Who has someone in person that can give you actual advice? Who else will call someone or the company directly while you stand there to get you an answer? Where else can you put a face to a name and do business? Where did I order my scaletrains Big Blow from?
All of that is assuming there is a excellent shop that keeps fresh stock,is knowledgeable and not a shop with 40 year old BB kits still sitting on the shelf.
As I mention several times before if I had a good shop that offered a token discount he would get 90% of my business but,nearest shop is a 52 mile round trip at full MSRP..
Now there is a art to shopping on line and when I see my KDs are getting low I add a bulk pack to my monthly order from one of my three on line shops.BTW.I never get confused on whom I ordered from and I can call any manufacturer-a fun experience since you can talk directly to the horses mouth so to speak..The way I see I pay for long distances in my phone package-you no extra charge for long distance? I can call and talk to the on line shop just as easily.
This months order included five bottles of paint,5 packs of IM wheelsets,3 packs of Tomar Hayes wheel stops,Walthers Goo and 2 packs of Evergreen H columns.
DoughlessI like train shows. I like looking at all kinds of model trains, different products, different layouts...just spending a few hours looking at all of the models is worth the price of admission, IMO. As far as bargains. Its pretty tough to beat the internet as far as new stock pricing, but there are usually several tables of vendors, local modelers mainly, who sell surplus collection items, estates, etc. Many are junk, many have not been taken care of, but there is usually a fair mount of stuff that's in good shape. Not to mention finding items that are hard to find once in a while.
I thought I was off this weekend, but alas I am not. Was going to go with my buddy and my boy since I'm only 2 hours away. Looked like a lot of stuff to see.
If I am alive, I will attend the last one, for the pure, irreplaceable pleasure of serendipity: I love the bargains, I enjoy the layouts, but nothing else gives you the same pure, unassailable delight as discovering something you never thought you'd find, or something you never even knew existed. Only train shows offer it in pure form, and do so on a room-filing scale.
http://mprailway.blogspot.com
"The first transition era - wood to steel!"
I like train shows. I like looking at all kinds of model trains, different products, different layouts...just spending a few hours looking at all of the models is worth the price of admission, IMO.
As far as bargains. Its pretty tough to beat the internet as far as new stock pricing, but there are usually several tables of vendors, local modelers mainly, who sell surplus collection items, estates, etc. Many are junk, many have not been taken care of, but there is usually a fair mount of stuff that's in good shape. Not to mention finding items that are hard to find once in a while.
The National Train Show is this weekend in Indy. I'll head over there and see what's new. I don't expect it to be much of a swap-meet, but new item vendors and manufacturers will be putting on a "show", so I'll check it out.
I'm 39, so I didn't grow up with the internet, but used it long before most other folks in the same vein.
As long as the local shops offer competitive pricing I buy things there. Sometimes I buy them online new and used depending on deals and sales I know they cannot match. It happens, its called life. I want him to stay around.
Where do I go when I need kadee couplers quick?
Who has someone in person that can give you actual advice? Who else will call someone or the company directly while you stand there to get you an answer?
Where else can you put a face to a name and do business?
Where did I order my scaletrains Big Blow from?
Answer to all the above is my local hobby shop. Sometimes I spend a few bucks more, sometimes I spend less. I'm not stupid with my money, but I do try and measure where and how it was spent. I don't get everything there and there are some things he flat out cannot compete on, he knows it and I know it and that's okay for both of us.
Only local show of any merit that I've known in Chicago area is the Great Midwest train show. Figure it takes me 1 hour without traffic and 1.5 or 2 with traffic to get there. I take my older boy when I go and usually meet a friend of mine who lives near there.
11 months of the year it has a pretty large following and its definitely pretty full when you get there both parking lot wise and people in the aisles. I don't thing the deals are there to be had like they were 10-20 years ago sadly. Lot of shops that used to attend are gone or do not attend now. You have the obligatory overpriced junk that the same people bring month after month, which you will have in any hobby with shows/get togethers/conventions.
If you get there at a decent time and know what you are looking for, you can still get some nice deals, it just takes a little snooping and a good eye to spot the jewels from the junk. A lot of extra work if you have a 6 year old in tow The kid likes his trains and I get to play too.
Also always remember one thing that no one seems to ever mention. If there are 100 people in your train club, I'm willing to bet there are 300 more who are clueless of its existence in the same area. The same goes for internet forums. Lots of people don't talk to each other or get involved in groups/gatherings of things they enjoy. I've run across this more time than I can count on a forum I moderate for thirdgen(82-92) Camaro and Firebirds as well as on one of the largest Transformers sites in existence. I met people all the time and got the "Wow! I didn't even know that existed"
ATLANTIC CENTRAL How do new people learn about the hobby and its products today? Well that is a good question. and there is some evidence on this forum that they simply don't learn as well or as much - even if with a local shop - as noted by the threads posted by some new people having problems with trying to get some trains up and running - despite a great effort of a number of experienced modelers on here - nothing beats first hand conversation and hands on learning.
How do new people learn about the hobby and its products today? Well that is a good question. and there is some evidence on this forum that they simply don't learn as well or as much - even if with a local shop - as noted by the threads posted by some new people having problems with trying to get some trains up and running - despite a great effort of a number of experienced modelers on here - nothing beats first hand conversation and hands on learning.
Rich
Alton Junction
Like Howard, having been involved in this business, and being the OP of that "other" thread, I will offer a few thoughts:
When I managed a train department in a full line hobby shop, in the late 70's and early 80's, we worked hard to provide that old fashioned hands on service, especially for those just learning about the hobby.
But the discounting was already hurting our ability to provide good service - LONG before the internet, and when discount mail order was sometimes of questionable integrity, some shops, especially one here in the Baltimore market, were already offering pretty deep across the board discounts............
The internet simply sealed the deal.......
That shop, and others like them around the country had simply grown to a volume that allowed them to buy most products directly from the manufacturers, a savings they happily passed on to the customers.
The internet simply makes that business model easier and more viable - today that same shop is one of the leading internet sellers......
The train shows offer buyers a chance to connect with lots of used and "New Old Stock" held by sellers who don't necessary need to "make a living", and that is fine.
But I can understand the reluctance of brick and mortar retailers back in the day to pack up a third of their shop and haul it to a show to then compete with basement dealers who's train "business" is really just part of their hobby.
The developement of the bigger shows did create "real" businesses geared to that marketing model, but the train show remains a venue open to all sorts of sellers. And it does seem that some sellers have tired of the work/return on investment ratio, OR, the further expansion of online marketing has hurt them just like it hurt the small local shops - hence my original thread a few months back.......
Personally, in the days when the shows were really booming, I seldom went. I don't like crowds, or fighting crowds to look at products I want to buy.
I do/did go occasionally to search for specific items, mainly NOS stuff. I was seldom impressed with the pricing of new/current items and seldom bought new current items at the train shows.
The central Maryland region still has several brick and mortar stores with exceptional prices. One is also a big internet player - the other a big train show player - why wait for the show? I can drive to their shops.......
How do new people learn about the hobby and its products today? Well that is a good question. And there is some evidence on this forum that they simply don't learn as well or as much - even with a local shop - as noted by the threads posted by some new people having problems with trying to get some trains up and running - despite a great effort of a number of experianced modelers on here - nothing beats first hand converation and hands on learning.
But I can't solve that problem, or the problem of "getting young people in the hobby". And to be honest, I don't really have any energy left for the "social" side of the hobby.
So for a 59 year old lone wolf who has been at this since age 10, and has most of the model trains I ever wanted, "www.sendittomenow.com" is just fine, or a trip to the remaining nearby shops, or a Sunday at a "dead" train show where I can actually look at what is for sale without fighting a crowd, supplies all the extra bits I need or want for my modeling.....
But don't blame the internet for the deep discounting that has killed local shops and weakened the shows - it started WAY before the internet......in a little shop in downtown Baltimore.
Sheldon
PS - maybe I need to ad a disclaimer about my buying habits - I'm not a "collector", and I'm not an "impulse buyer". My modeling goals are carefully defined and buying trains for me is like buying the parts to restore a car - I only buy what "fits".
I have never made it to the large east or west coast shows, but I try to attend most of the local shows, even if I dont have more than $20 to spend. I enjoy meeting friends I usualy do not see but at the shows and its a change to get myself out the house. Most LHS do not carry what I am looking for, which is G scale and mostly older LGB product. We are blessed to have one that does, along with another shop in the Indianapolis area that deal heavily in estates and its mostly all the good stuff. Both turn away most of the junk nobody would want. Both shops are quite busy, espicaly on weekends of shows and from Oct thru the end of winter. Some of the largest retailers(both brick & morter/online) that delt with large scale have gone defunct. We lost Ridge Road Station, St Aubin's(which had 2 locations) and Watts Train shop(although reborn in smaller form as Zionsville Train Depot). Our family also does the majority of our shopping online, its cheaper, less wear and tear on the vehicles and more importantly is that I dont have to deal with being in a loud/crowded store. Online shopping is wonderfull for someone on the autism spectrum. I cope with the crowd and noise at train shows, but I will be a hermit once I get home as I will need extended alone/down time to recover. Times are changing and only the strong will survive. I always wanted to make Mr Zane's show back in the day. I was heavily into brass HO years ago. Mike
Most train shows today evolved from the swap meets of yesterday. What turned a small firehouse or Moose Lodge show into a mega show was the location and guts of promoters to spend big advertising bucks. Of course a large and clean venue was a must coupled with ample and free parking. During the late 70's and early 80's and later on, there was literally a show one could attend each weekend here in the mid-Atlantic area. Most shows were 85% tin-plate which evolved into hi-rail....but still good bargains and rare items could be found among the fewer individuals selling scale.
What was interesting, were the so few hobby shops who set up at these shows. In our formative years in our show during the early 80's, we would canvass the then many train stores in the area, and get tossed out of most of them accompanied by curse words I did not know even existed. Our selling point was that more possible buyers would pass by your tables in the first two hours than you would have in a whole year in your store. This was not a "Trumpism" as I did know many stores who would be lucky to have 7 visitors a day if that. Times 356 would equal less than 2500 per year. At the Timonium winter show, easily more than 2500 attendees would have passed by these tables by 11 AM. Even if a store did not want to sell or dump slow items, just the advertising value would have been one hell of a bargain for the low table price. Could this attitiute also be a reason why so many train stores have shut down?
Point of above?................good question, just talking about train shows!