I was considering going. There seems to be a lot to do and a large number of layouts to visit. Anyone going? Would it be better to go to a local convention first to see if it is my cup of tea?
Take care,
I was thinking about going too. Is this a free event? I think if I go, I’ll be taking the Septa train right to the place.
Supposedly it is supposed to be pretty big, with a lot of layouts, demos, clicnics and such. Does anyone know if these are just walk up clinics or do we have to pay/register to go to them.
Anyone with more information on this? I tried going to their website, but it’s a little confusing.
Kevin
nope wish i could though
I will be attending. I mailed in my registration form this past Monday (1/9/06). I’m hoping to see Tony Koester’s layout and some of the Amtrak facilities. It’s not too often that the Convention comes to the New York area, although I understand that it will be held in the Hartford CT in either 2008 or 2009.
Nothing at the convention is free. The only portion of the show that is open to the public is the National Train Show. To attend any of the tours, clinics and other events, you have to register with the convention organizers. Only NMRA members can register, but if you are not a member, you have the ability to join the NMRA when you turn in your convention registration forms.
I went to the last NMRA convention the last time it was held this area (Valley Forge 1993) and I had a great time. It’s definately something you should try to attend, even for a day or two.
Registration for the whole week long convention is around $125.00 per person. Registration gets you in the door, to clinics and that’s about it. Layout tours by bus cost extra, $25-40 or so per half day for 3-5 layouts. The public train show on the weekend will probably be around $10.00 if you do not register; it usually has multiple layouts, dealer sales tables and manufacturer’s displays. Just guessing, as these were the approximate costs for the 2004 convention in Seattle I attended. They are far from being free!
Bob Boudreau
http://www.nationaltrainshow.org/
its open to the public cost is 10.00 adult one day pass 2 day pass adult is 18.00.
no
I’m afraid not, even though I am in driving distance (3 hours).
If someone was to register, stay in the convention hotel, park at the hotel, attend several layout and prototype tours and eat a couple of restaurant meals a day over the length of the convention, you are talking close to or over $2000. I can do at lot of work on my layout for $2000.
The convention Hotel is $124. per DAY with hotel parking at $32. per DAY. The NMRA registration is $150. The banquet is $65. The cheapest home layout tour is $40. That’s to see 3 or 4 home layouts. Some of the highest prototype tours are $95. to $115. per person. The modeling with the masters clinics are $48. EACH for HO and N scale and $53. for S and O.
You can save, of course, by staying in an outlying motel, saving on parking, only going on one layout tour or so, eating fast food and attending only a day or two instead of the full week. You can get partial registrations, but they are $50. for one day and $100 for two, even higher if they include the weekend train show.
That said, I have attended a large number of regional conventions. Most regionals are held in smaller cities and towns where the prices are much lower than in the downtown area of a major city.
A good regional convention can offer you almost as much, for a lot less. It’s usually only 3-4 days. The layout tours are usually free, you just need to provide the transportation. The registration, hotel fees, banquet costs are a lot less. The clinics can be just as good as the National, only fewer in number. There is usually not a train show running in conjunction with the convention. I can go to regional conventions for the next 8 years for what one national convention would cost me.
Still, alot of people attend. They make it their annual vacation. I just cannot justify paying that much money for what I will get out of the experience.
The convention is expensive but i’ve managed to plan what i want to see for about $600. I’m actually only staying in the hotel for 2 nights (weds and thurs) and i’m rooming with my father so that’ll cut the hotel costs in half. I’m doing a tour on monday but since i have other plans on tuesday july 4th, i don’t need to be at the hotel on monday and tuesday nights, i’ll just commute there for my monday event.
I dunno who decided to have the convention during July 4th, at least to me it would be a time when people would be less likely to travel any where.
Yes, this will be my first National convention and I all ready have my holidays booked for it. I want to go to Steam Town while I’m there also.
Hi Dave
I see you’re going to make the drive up to SteamTown. If you have some more time on your hands, Strasburg Railroad, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, etc is due west from Philly. Alot of nice stuff there, too. Its in Amish country…kinda nice.
http://www.strasburgrailroad.com/
Greg
Cool, thanks for the links. I have the first 2 weeks of July off so I have lots of time. They will both be on my list of places to visit.
Too far for me. I’m waiting for the regional show in Memphis this summer.
Eat a cheese steak for me.[;)]
Hope to.