Saw some really nice things there. The layouts that were up and running were really cool to watch (as always). Only one of them was actually using DCC, the rest were all DC with wireless setups and block cab control (now, I’m only referring to the large HO and N scale layouts that were there).
I only ended up buying three things while I was there:
The Walthers Modern Roundhouse – lucky me the guy looking through the stacks of boxes in front of me was a more modern modeller and picked up the diesel shop that was on top of the RH box, would have probably missed it otherwise, thinking that it was just a second diesel shop.
A 5pc set of pliers and cutters that should help when I’m doing wiring on my module or working on the club layout
A Funaro & Camerlengo resin kit of a Rebuilt USRA 40’ steel gondola. Not fully thinking things through at the show has left me short a packet of 2-56 screws for the trucks and the couplers, but there’s a small psuedo-mom & pop hardware store that carries them.
I’m really looking forward to building the RH and the F&C kit, though I might be in slightly over my head for the F&C kit. My tabletop empire is coming along nicely… (in a Mr. Burns voice) excellent. Only things missing (kit-wise) are the TT and the coaling tower (though my paper stand-in for the latter serves the purpose for now)
I was there as well. After tearing my calf muscle on Wednesday I was not sure about going. My 2.5 year old boy had a great time. I spent most (all) of my time trying to keep up with him…it went something like this…
WOW! look at those trains, slow down, no running, don’t touch, don’t touch, don’t touch, stop, WOW! look at those trains.
Repeat extensively.
As always the show was filled with tables and people. I spent about $20 on my boy, nothing for me…no time to look. I think I probably saved about $80
Did the security people check you at the door to insure that you were not leaving with money left in your wallet and credit cards that were not maxxed out?
Honestly, I was a little disappointed in the show. I had some things I was looking for a couldn;t find at all. In particular, some Athearn RTR 2970 covered hoppers. I couldn’t find one anywhere regardless of roadname.
The modular layouts where OK. The only one using DCC was the Div 4 layout. I spent some time talking to them and they were switching between various mfg systems. They weren’t really showcasing what DCC could do. Sure they were runnning two trains simultaneously, but there was no switching being done. They should spend some time educating the attendees about DCC and what it can do. The two Norwalk groups had nice layouts, but end up running around in circles all day. I guess I’d sum it up as nothing out of the ordinary.
There seemed be slightly fewer vendors and the ones there are for the most part the usual ones with are the same stuff they’ve been hauling to shows for years.
I got some nice stuff, good deals, not great though.
Is that really their job? I’m not sure if the public cares enough to be educated on that. The shows around here (D/FW), they all just run trains 'round and 'round. I thought all module clubs did just that!
IMO, YES! The poeple who attend these shows go not only to buy things, they go to see the layouts, get ideas and see what’s new. The clubs that set-up should be interacting with the crowd, explaining what they do and how things work. That’s how you get new people into the hobby. It’s what the group I was in did when we set-up at shows. People have questions, sometimes they don’t want to ask a vendor because they think that they just want to sell them something. Clubs are these shows serve that purpose.
I already replied over at the original announcement thread but I’ll mention it here again anyhow.
First off, I spent a whopping 5 hours at the show today! [:O] I enjoyed the Berea train show more this year than I have the previous two years - primarily because I’m becoming more educated about RRing and know a little more about what I’m looking for. Even so, I still have a LOT to learn.
Like Dan, I stopped by the Funaro & Camerlengo table and picked up a “tufer” kit - i.e. two for the price of one. I ended up buying the NYC 40’ Steel Rebuilt USRA gondola and the NYC 36’ DS Steel Underframe boxcar. Although I’ve put together resin kits before (Sylvan), this will be a first time assembling an F&C kit. I also bought the Mercury Adhesive M5T extra-thin CA that they suggested and had for sale.
Dan, feel free to borrow the M5T adhesive, if you’d like. Since it’s watery, it “wicks” into the joint - unlike the thicker CA. I was told by the folks at F&C that if you get CA on the resin shell, paint won’t stick to it. That’s why they recommend the M5T or extra-thin CA.
Since I’ve been needing some more delivery trucks for my freight depots, I picked up a couple of resin auto kits:
Sylvan '37 2-ton truck
Sylvan '37 Maple Leaf 2-ton flatbed truck
I really like the Sylvan kits for the detailing. And they are producing more and more of them in the era that I need - i.e. late 30’s. The ‘37 2-ton truck is the one that is supposed to go with the 1925 36’ trailer kit that I just assembled and painted a couple of weeks ago.
I poked around one the DVD tables and bought a couple of DVDs:
New York Central Odyssey Vol. 1 (Green Frog Productions) - A 2-disc set and
I forgot the mention that I also found a very suitable candidate for my diner: A Con-Cor Old time (OT) NYC baggage car. Unfortunately, the one I wanted was in a set of four [xx(] and they were asking too much money. I would still need to scratch-build a kitchen/storage room for it.