Don, Eddie,
I know you don't want to see me but Steph does. Please stop by the Mainne booth and say hi to her. Perhaps I will give you a wave
I will be there as it’s in my backyard. Heading there shortly. Hopefully B&F is there. It’s been a while since I’ve gone to Rhode Island to buy from Frank.
@superwarp1 Little Georges is a great place for breakfast. It’s right on the WestSide/Westfield line on Route 20. Known for fresh baked and hand carved ham. And if your lucky a train will shake your coffee cup as the tracks are right behind the diner.
I've been to the Amherst show to the past, so I'm familiar with it, but if I go this year it would only be for Sunday afternoon. Do vendors/exhibitors leave early? I don't mind making the 2-hour drive, each way, but is it worth it for last hours of the show?
@bluelinec4 posted:I survived the whole pandemic walking by the dregs of the world on the subways and not contracting anything We have a train show with normal people and I am testing positive for Covid this week Going to miss the Big E
Sorry, Ben…….I feel your pain……after being knee-deep in Covid secretions the last 10 months of my career working in the ICU, I came down with it Jan1, hanging with normal people. Hope it passes swiftly.
Peter
Show is packed. Not taking photos this time. Lots of module layouts.
Andy Edleman is running the Atlas booth and Rich Foster the MTH booth.
@Lee C. posted:@superwarp1 Little Georges is a great place for breakfast. It’s right on the WestSide/Westfield line on Route 20. Known for fresh baked and hand carved ham. And if your lucky a train will shake your coffee cup as the tracks are right behind the diner.
Eaten there many a time . But it way out of my way to get to the show.
@Putnam Division posted:Sorry, Ben…….I feel your pain……after being knee-deep in Covid secretions the last 10 months of my career working in the ICU, I came down with it Jan1, hanging with normal people. Hope it passes swiftly.
Peter
Had covid back at thanksgiving. For the most part it was just a bad cold. Only on day with a fever.
As for the show it’s packed.
It's packed!
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Show was jammed packed today. We were there for 5 hours and it was slow moving. Hopefully tomorrow will easier to navigate. Wasn't able to take photos today. Will try tomorrow.
Only a few pics today, my knee is killing me.
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Great photo shoot at Ross. Thanks Paul Licata.
Got to see Al, Don, Vinny, Chris, Nate and many others.
Had dinner at Red Rose with Eddiem, Gary, Avery and Stu.
Went to the meet and photo shoot at the Ross booth. Had a great time. Wish we could have found a spot to sit for a while, but the place was packed! Hope to meet more of you soon!
Any news from the Atlas booth on in coming models ?
Gentlemen,
Thanks for the pictures and updates. I'm so sorry I have to miss it.
MELGAR
Great meeting and talking with everyone today. As others have stated the place was PACKED.
Awesome time today, first time for me but won’t be my last !!! I grabbed one of those new girder bridges from Ross, some scenery from scenic express, rolling stock from Trainz, odds and ends from others.
If you’re thinking about going Sunday… do it, Go !!! There’s plenty to see!!!
Does anyone have a copy of the group picture taken at Ross today?
@Railrunnin, has the photo on his phone.
There was talk of another train show at the Big E at the end of April going around the show today. It would be a large scale only show. Talk was O gauge and up or O to G. No HO, no N, no Z. When I get further information I’ll post it here.
They need to remember York show is also in April (3rd week)
First time for me, the show was fantastic! Made it to Ross at 1PM, great to meet other forum members. Talked to the "boys from Jersey". No NOT the "Four Seasons". The NJ Hi-Railer Guys.
I was VERY curious how big the show was going to be, advertised as the largest in the US. Formerly living in Wisconsin had gone to Trainfest in Milwaukee, many times. I thought they too claimed to be the biggest in the US. Anyhow, this was larger than any Trainfest I ever attended.
Any comments on having a 110 decibel steam whistle 15 ft. from a very busy pedestrian walkway? I’ll go first.
Reasonable to have a real steamer with whistle at a big train show? Sure.
Was it a poor implementation of that idea? Absolutely!
Mark,
Nice whistle... as long as you weren't talking to someone as you walked by! Maybe if they extended the timing between toots a bit...
(I didn't know you were going to the Big E... missed you again! We were there Saturday.)
@Mark V. Spadaro posted:Any comments on having a 110 decibel steam whistle 15 ft. from a very busy pedestrian walkway? I’ll go first.
Reasonable to have a real steamer with whistle at a big train show? Sure.
Was it a poor implementation of that idea? Absolutely!
Mark I TOTALLY Agree with you. Neat to see "but"....
Didn't have a db meter with me, Think it may have been more than 110 decibels. Hope parents did NOT stand there with small children for very long! I didn't walk directly by it, stayed away the best I could. Anyone know if they had warning signs posted about the noise? I (like I'm sure some of you may) suffer from hearing damage, caused by noise exposure in an industrial environment. When I was younger, I didn't take it seriously enough. You live and you learn. Started wearing ear plugs when I mow the lawn, or use my chainsaw.
@Mark V. Spadaro posted:Any comments on having a 110 decibel steam whistle 15 ft. from a very busy pedestrian walkway? I’ll go first.
Reasonable to have a real steamer with whistle at a big train show? Sure.
Was it a poor implementation of that idea? Absolutely!
Mark, I'm glad I was not the only one. After a while I went oh man, they are going to go all day with this thing. After 4 hours it was a bit much. However, I can't imagine what the people waiting to get into the BLC building thought. Thanks for the laugh 
Eddie - somewhere in this thread, I asked for a ride/rider, or a passenger/co-driver from NYC area. I was not going alone. Railride stepped up, and we went together.
@Mark V. Spadaro posted:Any comments on having a 110 decibel steam whistle 15 ft. from a very busy pedestrian walkway? I’ll go first.
Reasonable to have a real steamer with whistle at a big train show? Sure.
Was it a poor implementation of that idea? Absolutely!
I share your "irascible curmudgeon" worldview. That whistle was profoundly annoying. I felt very sorry for the poor ladies working in the booths immediately next to the loco.
In addition to the the placement of the steam engine and the sheer decibel volume of the whistle, it was the fact that some immature idiot was sitting in the cab setting it off every 10 seconds. There was a fantastic jackknife bridge in one of the halls and I really wanted to see it work but it had a sign that said "Bridge is opened every half hour, 00:00, 00:30, etc." The exact same discipline and consideration should have been exercised by Mr. Look-At-Me! the engineer.
Grrrr.
Steven J. Serenska
@Mark V. Spadaro posted:Any comments on having a 110 decibel steam whistle 15 ft. from a very busy pedestrian walkway? I’ll go first.
Reasonable to have a real steamer with whistle at a big train show? Sure.
Was it a poor implementation of that idea? Absolutely!
That’s where they have placed it since it started coming to the show. Every time I walked by and seeing all the little kids that started screaming every time it blew. I could hear it all the way in Springfield, at Red Rose.
@MainLine Steam posted:Mark I TOTALLY Agree with you. Neat to see "but"....
Didn't have a db meter with me, Think it may have been more than 110 decibels. Hope parents did NOT stand there with small children for very long! I didn't walk directly by it, stayed away the best I could. Anyone know if they had warning signs posted about the noise? I (like I'm sure some of you may) suffer from hearing damage, caused by noise exposure in an industrial environment. When I was younger, I didn't take it seriously enough. You live and you learn. Started wearing ear plugs when I mow the lawn, or use my chainsaw.
I have this app on my phone, and while I didn’t think to take a screen shot, it showed 110 about 50’ away!
Serenska writes:
”I share your "irascible curmudgeon" worldview.” Guess I didn’t hit delete fast enough🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️. My language was too pejorative and I replaced it with milder phraseology.
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@Serenska posted:I share your "irascible curmudgeon" worldview. That whistle was profoundly annoying. I felt very sorry for the poor ladies working in the booths immediately next to the loco.
In addition to the the placement of the steam engine and the sheer decibel volume of the whistle, it was the fact that some immature idiot was sitting in the cab setting it off every 10 seconds. There was a fantastic jackknife bridge in one of the halls and I really wanted to see it work but it had a sign that said "Bridge is opened every half hour, 00:00, 00:30, etc." The exact same discipline and consideration should have been exercised by Mr. Look-At-Me! the engineer.
Grrrr.
Steven J. Serenska
The Bridge (in the better living center #28) is a O scale rendition of the New Haven Rolling Bascule over the Housatonic River. Model was built in the 1930's. It still works, just like the Prototype built in 1906 (they don't build them like they use to).
@Mark V. Spadaro posted:I have this app on my phone, and while I didn’t think to take a screen shot, it showed 110 about 50’ away!
110 at 50 feet, thanks for the clarification. I know there are formulas for calculating at other distances. But any way it is just too Darn Loud to be safe for small children 15 feet away. They do warn parents about taking small children to firework displays without ear protection.
@MainLine Steam posted:The Bridge (in the better living center #28) is a O scale rendition of the New Haven Rolling Bascule over the Housatonic River. Model was built in the 1930's. It still works, just like the Prototype built in 1906 (they don't build them like they use to).
Is the same fellow still demonstrating the bridge every half hour? As I recall, he had been a field service rep for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft engines and was one of the most senior members of the New Haven modeling society.
MELGAR
@MELGAR posted:Is the same fellow still demonstrating the bridge every half hour? As I recall, he had been a field service rep for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft engines and was one of the most senior members of the New Haven modeling society.
MELGAR
My guess is Yes.
When I saw it yesterday at 4:30 and started asking questions the comment was there is a guy that is the "expert" on this. They said if I came back tomorrow, earlier in the day, he would be demonstrating it. The comment was he can go on and on about it for 20 minutes.
@Mark V. Spadaro posted:I have this app on my phone, and while I didn’t think to take a screen shot, it showed 110 about 50’ away!
Serenska writes:
”I share your "irascible curmudgeon" worldview.” Guess I didn’t hit delete fast enough🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️. My language was too pejorative and I replaced it with milder phraseology.
@Mark V. Spadaro Funny, we're more similar than you might think. I was also regretting the pejorative nature of my last post and, while cooking breakfast for everyone, I tried to think of a way to turn it into something positive .
Here's what I think they steam people should do:
- Have a drawing every half-hour where the only qualification for signing up is that you have to be less than 18 years old.
- The winner of the drawing gets to yank the cord that blows the whistle.
This would simultaneously 1) space out the loud blasts, 2) give some child a thrill, and 3) give all the rest of us the joy of watching a child tooting the whistle...while covering our ears with our hands.
Steven J. Serenska
How about installing a whistle for the show that isn't as loud? I saw a Stanley Steamer at a car show that had a locomotive whistle installed. It was loud, but not as loud as the one on the engine in Springfield.
BTW, the owner of the Stanley was totally annoyed when I asked him if it was a locomotive whistle. He wouldn't answer my question, but his daughter did!
John
@MELGAR posted:Is the same fellow still demonstrating the bridge every half hour? As I recall, he had been a field service rep for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft engines and was one of the most senior members of the New Haven modeling society.
MELGAR
I didn’t see him when I walked by Saturday, didn’t ask if he was at the show or not.
as for complaining about the whistle, really? You guys are supposed to be train fans. Cover your ears next time and be thankful Edeville trucked it out here for people’s enjoyment.
There are decibels and there are decibels. I was in line right next to the locomotive for the Saturday opening. The steam whistle was a joy to hear. The "official" opening horn was loud but not annoying (other than that it wasn't a steam whistle). The compound horn mounted on the NH truck was annoying per se--just as intended and as designed. My solution was to walk inside the BLC. Later, between buildings, I had a conversation with one of the Edaville volunteers. Our talk was interrupted several times by the whistle. Our solution: we shut up; smiled, and waiting for the next silence (only about five seconds later).
I believe the last time I heard a steam whistle was on the Cog. I was very happy the Edaville people came with their locomotive and I look forward to visiting them this summer. I suppose those who limit their model railroading to digital control and microchips probably would be annoyed by the smell of coal smoke, lubricating oil, and ties oozing creosote on a hot day. And I know several children who love toy trains but are overwhelmed by their real-life counterparts.
As far as I could tell, each building has multiple doors, and the noise was easily avoidable--unless you instisted on standing there with your cellphone app trying to measure the damage you were doing to your own hearing by standing there.
@Mark V. Spadaro posted:Any comments on having a 110 decibel steam whistle 15 ft. from a very busy pedestrian walkway? I’ll go first.
Reasonable to have a real steamer with whistle at a big train show? Sure.
Was it a poor implementation of that idea? Absolutely!
I don't know if I agree with you or not . It was a real locomotive at a train show which was pretty cool. If I was going to complain about anything it would be the small amount of seating (us old and handicapped need to rest a lot) and the long lines at the food service stands.
Just got home after spending the day with my step-dad at the show. As always, the best $20 spent on the hobby all year. I’m truly impressed and appreciative of the many clubs that set up layouts. I enjoy every one of them, from N scale to Lego.
Not too crowded today. Busy, but we had no problems seeing things, shopping, eating, or sitting. One vendor in the BLC complained to us that he was a little annoyed that he only took cash and all the ATMs were out of cash. I did not independently verify that statement.
I thought the steam engine whistle was too loud as well, but accepted it as “ hey, it’s a steam engine (one I’ve ridden behind) at a train show” and just avoided it. That said, I arrived at 10:30 this morning and was sorry to see a family leaving….the 5 or 6 year old was terrified by the steam whistle and they never made it past the engine. I felt bad for them. He STILL had his hands over his ears out in the parking lot.
