I went Sunday afternoon and the parking lot was still almost full. So lots of people, a number of modular layouts and a train that small children could ride on. The number of vendors was down slightly from a few years ago but still a good selection. Some of the vendors seemed to have raised their prices so they could claim a huge sale/discount but there were also the solid ones like Coryville Station, who had a large quaility selection at resonable prices. This was one of the few shows I ended up not buying anything. Not because of the selection but more because I have bought so much recently from the LHS (and I have 10 locomotives on pre-order) and the manufacturer new releases are down in quantity right now.
I missed the announcement on this one but there will always be another one. I go to these shows for two reasons. One is to see the layouts but the main reason is there is a good chance I might find some item that I want that had been discontinued by the manufacturer. Most of what is being sold can be found at my LHS and usually at a lower price but you never know when you’ll find a hidden gem. As for the layouts, a lot the modules have been around for years but it is interesting to see the changes that are made to them over time and the new modules that get added.
I went on Saturday morning (about 10:30) when I usually go. The parking lot was full and I felt it was much more crowded than last year. I got my usual good tips from examining the excellent layouts, and bought a few small tools. I think there were a few less vendors, but I thought the quality and variety of what they had was better. I saw a lot I wish I could have bought! The food place was so crowded the four hours I was there, I never did eat, not wanting to stand in a long line. Usually that isn’t a problem, another indication attendance was up.
Hal