Anybody Attend Train show in Philly

Very small and if your in to modern trains it is not worthwhile to go. Even if your In to Pw it's hardly worth it. 

It's a 20 min show, your in and out in 20 minutes.

Hi Joe

very low attendance. Worse than the January show.

have been selling here for years other dealers not happy also.

One did the Millerville show yesterday said it was worse than today

This economy sucks.

GG1GUYY

David & GGG1GUYY,

Thank you both for your responses.

Joe B.

you've got to think, is it the economy or the product/prices of the itesm for sale?  I have been to a number of the smaller shows.  It's the same stuff week after week at top dollar prices.  No wonder nothing moves . . .

What these shows are really all about is fun, comradeship and promoting the hobby; and not about buying something for next to nothing.

Don't they still have the layouts running and engine races for the children.

Lot's of hard work goes on to organize and set up these shows so try to enjoy them for what they are.

I don't have a problem driving any distance to attend a train show.  I can't make this one because it's over a 2:00.  Maybe if they extend the hours a little I would drive the hour and a half to get to Philadelphia.

There is one guy at that show that has been trying to sell the same PW cars since the 90 s. He says they are rare, apparently nobody thinks so. Plus it's the same old dealers selling the same old junk. 

Not ot worth my time to go. 

They do have the traveling layout set up in the lobby area.  Most kids seem to enjoy it.  No train races that I am aware of for this meet though.

The meet has changed over the years with the different locations, but the hobby has also changed along those years.

When I first moved to the area in the late 90's, the meet was better for new product, but there was also a heck of a lot less new product cataloged each year, so it was easier for dealers to stock a good variety of it.  This was back when the meet was regularly at the Westover Country Club in Norristown.

Problem is, the WCC was apparently very expensive to hold a meet.  I'm never held any position in the organization, but I believe someone once told me it cost the Atlantic Division something like $3000 to rent the hall for the 3 or 4 hours of the meet. 

After Westover, I think there were a few meets at the Norristown Armory, then one or 2 at St Josephs High School on Rte 130 in NJ, then the Painter's Hall and finally Plumber's Hall (both on the same road, probably 2 blocks apart).

I believe with the migration to the East, it became not worth the trip for some of the "semi-local" new product dealers who used to attend the meets at the Norristown location.  At least that's what observable participation leads me to believe.  At least one of those dealers is still active at other meets such as Allentown, and another has shifted the focus of what is brought to meets for sale (which seems to correlate with the change in the hobby in terms of massive quantities of product offered).

There are a few sellers selling modern (but not latest and greatest) items.  It's not a huge amount, but there was some representation of MPC,LTI and probably early LLC rolling stock at least on a few tables.

I can't comment on the pricing the postwar sellers may have, as I don't follow it well enough to know if they are as out of line as suggested above or not.

-Dave

I think a lot of what is happening besides the economy is the location. This show used to be in Norristown and it was always a good show there. Then they lost the venue or changed it due to cost, and the new location doesn't cut it. It was the same with our local Wilmngton, DE show, good location, easy to get to, plenty of parking the works. Then they had a problem with scheduling and moved it to Essington. The Essington location is, frankly, horrible. Now that show will die unless a new sponsor shows up before the end of the year.

Sellers are sellers, there are the hard nose ones who keep trying to sell their over priced junk, and ones that are willing to move. I go to sell trains. I wheel and deal at every one and come home with hundreds in my pockets and empty tubs, where the hard nosed sellers pack up and go home empty handed. Its all in the attitude.

Gandy

I've gone to approx. 8 of the Plummers Hall shows. I've gotten some good deals on Lionel postwar catalogs, but the same stuff for sale at most tables just isn't worth the 45 minute drive any more.

I couldn't agree more, both the Plumbers Hall and the Essington Hotel locations are terrible - you get what you pay for.  The Gilbertsville show is still living on, albeit it too is going through some downsizing. 

I wonder if one of the problems is actually with the Atlantic Division TCA (who runs the Plumbers Hall show).  There doesn't seem to be much of a reason to get active in the club.  Too many other things to do, with little benefit.  My opinion.

Many factors have influenced the falling attendance at the smaller local train shows. Times are changing. Back in the 70's the only place to find train shows were in the newspapers and magazines. There was mail order but no online buying.  In the late 80's the internet came along and changed the equation. Now you could locate whatever train show that you wanted. Later on came online train stores and eBay. Now you didn't have to travel to a train show to find numerous trains at the price that you wished to pay. The demographic of those that buy the trains is also changing. All these factors have influenced the downward attendance of the small train shows.

The big train shows like Greenberg's, and the York event are still thriving simply because they have more to offer dealers and the train collector. They are two day shows so the dealers do better. Rare items sometimes show up, the selection of trains is vast, you can buy parts galore, meet the manufacturers, publishers and accessory companies first hand and find out about new items. There is more for the consumer as well.

Not universally true for all locations.

When I started in the late 90's there were 2 different locations on Long Island that had Greenberg shows, Hofstra University and Stony Brook University.

Fast forward to today, and there are NO Greenberg shown on Long Island.  You have to cross over to Jersey for the Edison show I think as the closest replacement.

-Dave