I am thinking of attempting to get a small train organized in the town I live.
How do I get started… I do have a place in mind…
any tips?
Mike
Well…You’ll definitely want to guarantee the usage of the space before anything else. Make sure that it will be there to use if you can generate enough interest in a train show around your area.
Post up ads, trying to generate interest. If there are any hobby shops in your area, definitely check in with them, see if they would support it by wanting to rent a table. Have some form of recording, so that you can keep track of interested venders and vistors.
Generally, the table sign ups go out months before the show; so that people can get ready.
Good luck!
There are several kinds of train shows. I presume this is just for people to show off trains and hence promote the hobby.
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Invite display layouts (usually train shows pay the layouts some stipind to show up because that is what draws the crowd and it costs to transport the layout to the display location).
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Have a swap meet where people can bring trains to trade and sell (tables at the swap meet are usually charged for in order to pay for the layout above). Try to at least get the local hobby stores to set up a booth. If you are really motivated invite vendors - vendors will pay for space but only if a certain volume of people per hour is guaranteed.
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Have some sort of contest for the best diorama, cabooses whatever, or even more active contests like pulling, grade climbing, tightest curve, etc. (I’ve always wanted to see, or participate in a junk yard wars type contest, but have never seen one successfully pulled off). The prizes for the contests can be paid with entry fees or subsidies from #2 and #4.
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Line up a bunch of local hobbiests, hobby stores, and vendors to give how-to sessions, demos, and lectures.
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Get some vendors for food/drink, funnel cakes whatever. Rather than professional vendors, a barbque and bake sale might work as well. Train shaped cookies and cakes.
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Door prizes and or raffles (be careful of gambling laws) are always fun.
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Have some computers with the Train simulators set up. Have a railroad game tournament both computer and table oriented.
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Invite the railroads and government rail safety displays to come and set up. The local police or fire departments might even arrange these if asked.
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Get permission to show some of the railroad videos at a “Theater”. Or find local
Don’t forget to check on insurance (injury, theft, damage, etc), public liability, local laws (signage, zoning, fire regulations, etc) and other ‘fine print’ items which could bring a lot of grief if something happens and people look towards the organiser. You may need to charge an entry fee to cover these costs unless you get sponsership from the trade or hobby shop displays.
Some of the other things to think about are -
Electrical testing and tagging of all leads, powerpacks, TV’s etc
Material Safety Data Sheets (gives emergency information in case of inhalation, splash in eye, etc.) for chemicals that are to be used in displays eg. a modeller assembling a kit using glue or epoxy
Emergency Evacuation Plan that stand-holders are made familiar with.
Hope this has been helpful.
Good Luck
Oh yeah, to keep exhibitors from bailing early, don’t pay them until the end of the day. And for paying vendors, charge double and refund half at the end of the day.
[#ditto] What all these folks have said. ALL this stuff needs to be considered.
My NMRA division has a show every March in a (large) school gym. Planning for next year’s show begins as soon as this year’s is over, and really gets serious by about October. It takes a LOT of man-hours and volunteers to pull this off.
One thing I think nobody has mentioned is aisle sizes. Expect the fire marshall to show up and check them, among many other things. (Our F.M. has a legal size double-sided checklist sheet.) This is so critical that we have a person who’s job consists entirely of floor planning in advance, and marking off the floor right before setup time.
Insurance is another big deal. Most places won’t rent to you unless you have LOTS of insurance. We get a $1 million policy through the NMRA, and so far it’s kept the school happy.
Then there’s table and chair rental and all the other incidentals. For example, the F.M. told us we had to buy cord covers for any place a cord crossed an aisle. Emptied out three Menard’s of all their stock of them, if I recall.
All these expenses add up. Our “profit”, which funds the division the remainder of the year, is probably only 20-25% of everything we take in.
But the show is successful every year, so it can be done. Good luck!
Steve
The easier way to simuate the result is to take all the cash you can find, pile it up in the driveway, and light it on fire.[:O]
The end result will be the same fair warning I know from experience you will loose your money.
Rather harsh statement. From this one could conclude that all model railroad shows are money losers. If so, why are they still going on? Our club has been operating a train show every year for 22 years now, we’ve never lost any money on any of them. We usually clear $1500.00 or more, although we don’t run the show to make money. We’ve given much of our annual profits to local charities over the years, just keep enough to finance following shows.
My club has been putting on a show every year for over 12 years and we don’t lose money. What we make goes back into the club. We charge vendors for a table but we DO NOT pay other clubs to set up displays at our show. We support their shows so in return they support us. Having designated people to do certain tasks is a good idea. You never said if it was you on your own that want to attempt this or a club, which is it? Your going to have to put on a lunch for the vendors and other clubs displaying their layouts, don’t charge for the meal. Your going to have to have people to either get lunch for the vendors or relieve them from their tables for 10 minutes or so so they can get lunch. Don’t forget bathroom breaks as well, vendors need relief for that as well, the clubs can look after themselves. Our show isn’t big but it still takes around ten people to make it run smoothly.
Not harsh at all
22 years you have a following, try starting one NOW[8]
Shows are closing and ending all over the place because they are losing money. That is a fact not harsh