Just want know what you guys do when take your lay out to shows. Train or fair show. Or. Some place to win who has best train lay out or most votes for? I plan build my lay out so I can move it and or add on more lay out later on like using. 2x6 and 4x4 at ends. Yeah may have to move too so don’t want make big lay out but keep small and easy. My train is HO.
We’ve only had one show pay us, it was just for bringing a layout to the show, not for best in show or votes.
I can only speak for the shows I’ve been to, other than that one, none pay for layouts or reward with cash for best in show, etc. Usually just a ribbon and nothing more.
Ricky
Steve this was a fairly common practice years ago, either taking the form of actual “prizes” for layouts judged best in show by the public, or simply a modest stipend provided by the show’s sponsors to every layout exhibitor. However, I haven’t seen much of this in recent years, except maybe at a few of the very largest shows. Train show attendance is down and show costs are way up, so this isn’t surprising.
CNJ831
The only show I’ve ever attended that had voting for the layouts where there were cash prizes was the Great American Train Show. They went out of business about 5 years ago. Even then the prize wasn’t all that much.
The Great Train Expo show that seems to have adopted the GATS schedule pays certain amounts depending on the size of the layout. But once again it isn’t hardly enough to pay for gas to get to the show and pay parking for all three days (Friday set up, Sat & Sun).
I suppose if the show was regular (every 6 months), local (no driving hours or days), the layout was large enough, and one didn’t spend a lot of money on food / drink, and if one would have paid to attend the show anyway - then eventually one could make money at a show. Example - I have a 2x4 module that cost $200 to build. I have 12 such modules to get into the $150 payout range. I don’t spend $7 to attend the show. I live 10 miles away so (60 miles for the total show 15 mpg) it costs $10 to commute and $10 for weekend parking, and I bring a sack lunch of food dollar equivalent of I would have eaten regardless. $150 + $7 - $10 - $10 = $137. $2400 in modules (ignoring loco/train, power supply costs) it would take 2400/137 = 17.5 so after 18 shows one would make $68. After the nineteenth show one would “make” money. These are ideal numbers and life is never ideal so I am assuming that one would never “make” any real money.
Even further when one considers all the time (both at the show and preparation) the $ per hour would be pennies. Even more considering what my office charges per hour for my time. I would be thousands (maybe tens of thousands) of percentages better off working the weekend than displaying at a train show. Even someone working minimum wage would be way better off.
One of our larger local shows (Provincial) gives us Gas money based on how far we have come. it’s nice to get but we do not expect all shows to do this when we show our module.
All prizes and Votes are trophys and plaques, no Money
Mike
Yes, we do! (but not for us)
My gang and I have a charity drive once a year, when we put up our modular layout for operation in a school for two days. We charge a moderate entrance fee, which goes, together with the proceeds from selling cakes, beverages, hot dogs, to charity. We usually attract around 5,000 visitors each year, enabling us to donate up to $ 20,000.
This year´s proceeds will go to the people of Haiti.
You better have 6 men and a boy to move it with that kind of heavy construction!! 3/4" cabinet grade plywood ripped into 3" strips will give a very sturdy layout at a fraction of the weight of 2x6 & 4x4’s!! just my [2c]
We set up our modules for first night in Chatham and usually get some money for that. Then our show in April we make money on table sales and admisions. Other than that no money from any shows. Some used to give us lunch but that is gone now. Sometimes your lucky if they have coffee and dognuts while setting up.
Pete
I displayed a N Scale 36"x80" hollow core door layout back in the '80s I won 3 trophies other then those 3 trophies I never recieved anything more then a free cup of coffee and a glazed donut
Zepher (sic) - In the case of GATS, I was interested - perhaps even a bit surprised - to hear that in your area they were not very liberal with their “prizes”. About ten years ago, when the modular club I belonged to was doing the show circuit, GATS was providing a small percentage of the gate receipts as their prizes. Several times my club garnered 1st place in the public voting, with cash awards of $200-$300. Attendance at many of the GATS shows was good at the time, but here in the northeast it declined dramatically after 2000 and, as you indicate, GATS went defunct.
Today most local shows in my area still offer a small stipend, I believe around $50. That’s not much more than gas money nowadays, but given the reduced attendance and increased show costs, it’s the best they can do.
Has anyone here done WGH? I’ve wondered what their policy is, given their high attendance figures. Obviously, they should be able to afford something more substantial for layout exhibitors.
CNJ831
My club goes to several shows each year with a 20’ X 20’ HO modular layout. an 8’X8’ O, a 4’X 8’ G Thomas layout and a beautiful small N layout. Some of the promoters of these shows give us an honorarium for attending. There are expenses that we incur for attending. We have to have liability insurance and the trailer that houses the modular layout needs registration and inspection fees. Most of the shows are within 30 miles of our home base. We also do a charity show once a year, Lately some of our members are beginning to balk at going to a show when the promoter doesn;t offer anything even though they are making quite a bit of money off the table sales and the gate. There are no contests for model quality at these shows. I would go to a show with the layouts just to promote the hobby and I enjoy running my equipment. We get lots of positive comments from viwers and also have gotten several new members at these shows…
Last year I participated in an exhibition. (retirement is good for this). I’ve got the hotel and some money for gas. Also at the convention in Rodgau we’ve got hotel, some money for gas.
Without this I would not be able to go. (about 4 or more hours to drive and half a week or longer)
Wolfgang
Yes, I believe we got 2nd place and $150. When one considers the layout was about 60 modules and we had tens of people working the show, to the original posters point - that isn’t even close to “making money”.
I forgot about WGH. Attended the Clevelnad show last year as part of a multi-state multi-group Free-Mo setup. We did receive some cash for the show, we in turn donated it to the national Free-Mo organization to keep the website funded. I can’t remember the exact amount but 100 seems to linger in my brain.
Ricky
Its not about the money its the friends.
$40 in gas for a one day show in the snow and cold. Dragging modules a half mile in the rain. Putting up with little kids tearing up your scenery while the parents watch. Other club members not watching their trains and rear ending your caboose. Heated debates with patrons that have had a little too much to drink about what your module is made of. Getting charged $4 for a hot dog. Club members kids running the Acella at the speed of light past your 0-6-0 switching the industries and just getting off the main by a heartbeat. Working late on Friday and loading the truck Friday night then waking at 0 dark thirty and driving 60 miles in the snow. Getting home Sunday night and unload the truck, put your modules away,shower, eat, say hi to the wife and climb into bed at 11:30 so I can be at work at 5.
No amount of money can pay for that fun!!!
Pete
I don’t think he was referring to dimentional lumber…but meaming a 2x6 or 4x4 foot module at each end
I can’t speak for every show, but I know my club in the past 30+ years has never paid a layout to show up at our two annual shows, at least not knowingly.
When we moved in 1998, we didn’t have an operating layout for a couple years but we still had an Open House and Train Show. To make up for that, in our future layout space, we had a G-gauge modular group come in and set up their layout. For several years, they came to our shows and we put up with their loud, stinky, smoking, multi-scale choo-choos “for the children” while we got around to making our HO layout. After a while, we had both our layout and theirs running during our shows.
Then came the deal breaker. Our show chairman one year told us during a club Business Meeting that this modular group demanded some cash for them to come and display at our show or they wouldn’t come, so what did we want to pay them? We said, “What? Why would they demand money now?” That’s when the show chairman let it slip that he had given them a cash donation out of his show budget to their club at the last show, and now this modular group wanted more. The collective membership just about hit the ceiling.
The feeling was that we allow the layout to come in free of charge. They can bring an unlimited number of people free of charge to our show to staff their layout. We allow them to put out donation jugs so that they can collect cash from apprecitive visitors. We will even go out and get their lunch for them from a local pizza & sandwich shop (they have to pay for the food, but we order and get it for them). We open our club doors to them a day early to set up, and we allow them to come and clean up the day after the show if they want to. We bend over backwards to help this group out, and now they want us to pay them, too? “Heck, no!” was the club
Our club in Delaware has been in the “business” of setting up our modular display at train shows and civic functions since about 1987. We usually get a nominal stipend of $200.00 or so which doesn’t begin to cover costs, Our members just absorb their outlays for gas, food and lodging and let the stipend revert to the club treasury. What we enjoy is the cameraderie, interreacting with the public and shopping for stuff at the shows. With more and more modular groups springing up competition for berths at shows is becoming stiffer so we are doing fewer gigs than we used to. Over the years we’ve learned that setting up for civic events that draw a general crowd rather than a train oriented audience is just not worth the hassle. General audiences simply don’t control their kids and that frustrates the members. I did once hear about a modular club in Columbus Ohio that set up every Christmas in a local shopping mall. They got paid $16,000 bucks which covered rental on their permanent clubhouse and other expenses for the whole year. Now THAT was a cushy deal!
Hey Paul
How bout springing for lunch once in a while? Now your show is 2 days it is going to cost me a lot more now to drag my modules there. Coffee and donuts in the morning is what we do at our show. One day shows are ok but 2 day shows doubles my costs. You must understand that. Admission to your open house for module members that display is hardly equivalent to the travel and set up. Demanding money is one thing our club will never do but if you guys offer breakfast or lunch that will go a long way toward economic relations. We are not selling anything and not asking to be payed but putting out the tip jar has not been very good. People pay at the door why should they toss a couple bucks in a jar also. Some show sponsors will not allow a tip jar or donations. The town of Marshfield library would put on a big spread for us. That was great. We did not ask them to do it but they offered and did and we are pleased to go any time they like. Brockton sprung for sandwiches this past show and it was very welcome. We still had to buy drinks but it did hit the spot on a long day. If you still have the dont like it dont come attitude then that is fine also. We do it to benefit your club and have some fun and camaraderie with fellow modelers.
Pete
Pete
Last weekend the guys were nice enough to not make me help do the Sunday night thing. Instead I got to drive 4 1/2 hours from Wichita (trains how site) to Omaha! The rest of your story is close enough to ours to be a very good representation.
Ricky