Beef with train shows

What, no crop dusters? LOL! Seriously Paul, that WAS a great price on that 736! I have seen some really great deals on postwar engines around here but ran out of cash.
Rob

Come to the Rocky Mountain Toy Train Show in Denver March 3 and 4.
25 layouts more than half toy train. More than 2 1/2 acres of trains. Over 500 tables more than half toy trains.
Last Novembers show had over 8300 public attendees and the March show should be similar.
For sellers tables start at $20/table with free power drop at every table.
Www.RMTTS.com
$8 for adults children under 12 free good for both days.
TCA hours each day. TCA preregister Online. TCA family members free with TCA member.

quote:

My biggest issue with train shows is that it should be a requirement to have and USE deodorant!! The show this past weekend had way too many guys there that needed to use a little soap and deodorant!!!

I thought that that was the requirement to attend the York show.

Train shows are definitely a mixed bag. Some vendors ask outrageous prices for mundane items, others have reasonable prices, sometimes you find real bargains (especially on Sunday afternoon). Prices are generally neotiable, but sometimes it's best to just walk away. But always be polite!

It's the Greenberg's price guide syndrome. Seller has a caboose, GPG says $100 LN and 70 excellent. Caboose is ...used... old dusty rusty, but the book says $100.

Don't buy from anyone with the book in their pocket.

Train shows are not unlike other items found in flea markets and other shows. Once a "price book" is published on ANYTHING...LOOK OUT! Even though the books say the prices are for "mint", they become the norm...even for junk. Price books are good for 2 things...to give you some idea of how common a item might be...and to make you "feel good" about what you already own.
Which gets to another point: Many dealers like to display their "feel good" stuff. If someone is dumb enough to pay the inflated price, fine. Other dealers are there to actually sell stuff. At the many flea markets I go to (non-train), I can tell what kind of dealer they are just by looking at 2 or 3 items. And if items do not carry price tags, I keep on walking.

Quoting myself from the "LCCA Interchange Track" thread:

quote:

Last I heard, nobody was ever forced to buy a toy train. If the price is too high for your wallet, simply pass it by. I also don't recall any price ceiling being imposed on what a seller can ask for an item. There's plenty of stuff out there, so just shop around. Part of the fun is in the search.

I think I'll save that quote and re-post it every time I see one of these threads complaining about prices.

quote:

Originally posted by lionelbob:
It's the Greeberg's price guide syndrome. Seller has a caboose, GPG says $100 LN and 70 excellent. Caboose is ...used... old dusty rusty, but the book says $100.

Don't buy from anyone with the book in their pocket.

I totally agree, as soon as I see the book come out, I first cringe, than run.

quote:

The biggest beef I have is the guys that pack up early around 1 pm or 2.
It really is a bummer if paid full price for admission and some of the vendors are gone. Sometimes there are two meets in one day, and if I try to get to both, some of the vendors are already packed up to go home!

Ain't that the truth!!!

C

I went to the Plano last week and I saw it as most others did, not much in O scale 3-rail to buy. When I asked at the 3-rail club layout at the show, they said, MAIL ORDER and E-Bay, then I remembered, oh that's where I get mine from. I guess we have no one to blame, but ourselves for the decline of products for sale at the shows. But the day was not lossed, I have been out of railroading for the last 5-6 years and I did have a wonderful time seeing old railroading friends and talking with them. I spent $8.00 to get in and $10.00 for lunch, priceless.

John

Going to a train show is fun on so many levels:

1. Like playing the LOTTERY, you always have at least a chance of finding a something that you can't live without.

2. Admission prices are usually low.

3. You mix with other people who also like trains. You can make friends, new connections, or just converse.

4. Even if you don't buy anything it is a good way to spend a couple of hours.

5. And, it is a great way to drink coffee.

I had good luck at the last Plano show. I ended up with 5 pieces of American Flyer rolling stock. I usually go with the intent of maybe buying something. If I need something specific, I hunt for it online.

...please keep your pepperoni to your self sir....this is a family site!

How about Maitland FL? How far away is that from Orlando or West Plam Beach FL?

 

The TCA Southern division has several train shows near or in Maitland FL.

They quit the West Palm Beach FL location and now I quit going to TCA meets.

I think a new TCA show location is near Miami's Metro Zoo in Dade county.

 

I go to the train show twice a year in Deerfield Beach(above Pompano in Broward county) FL, it is by a model train club in south Florida.

 

Lee Fritz

 

If you live close enough, Hamburg PA has a very decent train show. At least the last time I was there it beet the other train shows that I have been to.

Think the show was called The Spring Dutch train show, and was at the Hamburg fieldhouse or auditorium.

 

Lee Fritz

By the way what is SLC?

 

Randall

Salt Lake City

OOPS! Did not think of that one, sorry.

Randall

Mr. Black,

 

I have been traveling to train shows since 2005 and the quality of some (in particular the Greenberg train show in Edison, NJ) has been found wanting. However, shows such as Allentown, PA and York PA (which I have only heard about) are the shows to go to.

 

I have learned in my short time that Greenberg is mostly a toy show now and NOT worth the time and gas mileage to go. So I simply don't anymore.....the variety in choice of different gauges remains at the larger shows plus many are sponsored by train clubs in the local area. I do not know where you are from but I have been told that the York train shows are the best.

 

There is one every year in the fall and one in the Spring....unfortunately, it is a goal of mine to one day attend they have many workshops and even a how to build a layout for the first time attendee. IT IS AWESOME and goes on for two NYC blocks.

 

Mike Maurice

 

TCA11-66628

Usually I go to the Greenbergs etc. with nothing specific in mind.  I usually

find something there, at least a book.  Sometimes I leave with nothing, but

glad I came nevertheless.  I hit paydirt the last one I attended, though.  A

6464-type boxcar in the brown Santa Fe El Capitan paint scheme.  Though it

wasn't an early '60s original, it matched the look I wanted and remembered

from my childhood.  And I could have easily walked past it.  Out of the corner

of my eye, literally.  I was happy that day.  Yes, I like the shows (not the

B.O., though, that's a turnoff).

 

     Hoppy

Based on my recent luck with ordering locos online only to have issues out of the box, I almost prefer to buy at a Train show, especially if they have a test track.  Recently went to a show in Timonium, MD and it didn't have lot of O scale items.  HO...you are set, but O...not so much.

Greenberg shows have left the Florida area!!

And from what people are saying on here I won't be missing them.

 

I prefer to go to train shows and sometimes just look around. I have found some nice bargains at train shows. One was a set of three 21 inch Atlas Amtrak cars for $75.00, they were lighted and had a switch for end of train on each car.

 

Not had any bad experiences with online ordering except to find the item I want. Sometimes I have to go to three or four websites before I find who has what I want to buy.

 

Lee Fritz

You should pay a visit to the Oklahoma City Train Show put on by the Oklahoma Railway Museum.  It is held the first weekend in December each year at the OKC Fairgrounds.  First class show.  There are layouts of all gauges and a lot of good vendors.  I like to look at all the layouts because I always learn something regardless of the gauge.  Of course you have all types of people, just like at any show, but the museum really does a good job.  I attend every year and prices are all over the board, but I always buy something.  It seems to grow larger every year.  Come see us.

Rodney

I attend the Deland, FL show that a couple of folks have mentioned--have been to it several times, most recently this past Saturday. It's a nice big room with a lot going on.  I find there are three types of sellers:

1. Business vendors - it's their livelihood, they've got relatively new products, most are priced close to retail without much room to move. Helpful and informative.

2. Good old boys - not much product, usually dusty loose postwar and MPC, but occasionally a gem to be found. Great for a chat and tons of knowledge they're willing to share if you'll take the time to listen.

3. Show and tell - they've got the widest variety of product, most of it absurdly priced, and you'll be talked down to when you ask questions. Everything is "SUPER RARE!!" (even when it's not) and they have exactly the same stock they had at the last show.

I spend most of my money with type 2 and some with type 1, but I stop by type 3 for a laugh.

The trainshow I went to.I didn,t see to many over the top prices.There were boxcars between 10 dollars to 35 dollars.The venders seem to have prices with in reason.I picked up a sweet wabash gon.It didn,t have a price on it.So I asked the guy."Would you take ten dollars for this?"He sure.He must have seen my heart jump for joy.We had a nice little talk for a few minutes.As I left the show on the way home.I really hope venders like these guys have good time and make some nice money.They were some very nice people.BTW Idid see a few rusted out standard gauge but not much.For those who like american flyer trains.There was a huge set up.The vender had a large selection of steam.There was a good size american flyer train layout.

I usually enjoy the local train shows in Raleigh. Plenty of HO and N but also quite a bit of O and even S. And for me, a fairly good representation of Marx O-gauge stuff. I seldom go home empty handed.

Don't see much O "scale", but lots of three rail. Usually some small O gauge layouts for the kids to run and there's usually a large modular S gauge layout too.

Exactly what I do. Offer what I'm willing to pay. If the seller isn't interested, I just smile, politely thank him for his time, and move on to the next table. FWIW, at York there are some items that I am beginning to recognize with the same vendor year after year. Kinda sad in a way.

 

There are some vendors that price straight out of the Greenberg Train Pricing Guide. No discussion no negotiation. Saw a nice Lionel 6-18010 PRR Scale Turbine at York last year for $1250 (straight out of the book).

 

Gilly

If you are a collector, go to York.  But if you want to attend a family-friendly train show that has it all (manufacturers, dealers, historical groups, individual sellers, club layouts, etc.), I strongly recommend you attend the annual Trainfest show in Milwaukee!  It advertises itself as "America's Largest Operating Model Railroad Show" and with 70+ operating club layouts in every gauge from Z to Standard, I have little doubt it is the largest.  Add to that a great venue (Wisconsin Exposition Center), some 60+ toy train industry manufacturers, 35+ hobby dealers, over a dozen historical groups, numerous individual seller booths, etc. at the 2012 show, one would be hard pressed to find a better or bigger annually scheduled toy train show operating out of the same venue each year as evident in its record setting 2012 attendance of 25,569.  Check it out.  http://www.trainfest.com/

 

Bob

If you look back at the original post it was in 2012, I believe he is talking about  WGH show and it was pretty poor. Even though it is a national show, most of the vendors who show on the list of vendors for the show skip Utah. I even believe  OGR was scheduled to be at and was a No-Show

Skipping Utah is odd because:

1) Utah has a much higher average number of kids per family than the rest of the US
2) Still has a lot of Railroad history and current railroad presence

Even as crappy of a show as it was, it was still very well attended, but many people were disappointed by how little was there. Literally half the available space in the hall was occupied. And much of that was club layouts.

If they come back I guess I will attended, but only to "Support the Scene" and hoping it will be better, but I don't hold my breath

 

The one OK show in Utah is the Ogden Union Station each March, they fill the station with Layouts and Vendors and get about 5000 per show.

I attended a train show in Kansas City recently. Most of the dealers had N and HO for sale. I did not expect to find much O scale. I did see two dealers with O scale (some old some new).  I can understand that O scale dealers cannot haul much of their inventory to a show because of the limited space in a van or trailer. Plus they have limited table space available to them for display.

 

I enjoyed the displays and layouts at the show.

 

However I buy my O scale equipment either on Ebay or at one of the two local KC Train shops that have a large selection of O scale. Both of these shops are worth a visit if you are in the Kansas City, Kansas area. Both are in the Overland Park area (south west of KC).

 

 

 

If dealers are skipping this show in utah, then there can only be two reasons:

Either the dealers don't feel they can make enough money there, or Utah sales tax regulations are cumbersome.

One of the national show promotors has made several attempts to establish a show in my area. It's my impression that the show has not met expectations. I doubt they will be back.

But there are several local shows, and a few more if one is willing to drive about 90 minutes (one way).

Norton:  Everbody wants "first grabs".  Some shows take your money early and will let

you in (my far and away preferred shows) , some have an early admission, added cost, fee, some have no admission until the opening time (and the dealers have had time to cover the hall, scarf up all the bargains, and throw them on their table with the price doubled).  You can defeat that by becoming a dealer, but...you have to blow your day sitting there when maybe, or, in my case, usually, you have nothing exciting to

sell, and one loop of the hall may have indicated many (or all) others had the same problem. There was one show that I would get to very early and get on the grounds before they staffed the gates.  I wasn't there to beat them out of $10 (blew a lot more on gas to get there), but to get "first grabs".  Never tried to beat a motel out of

breakfast, though, motels I used there did not serve it, and most are "Continental" and with little variety anyway.  There are fewer shows in this area....TCA shows have joined the dinosaurs (one winter TTOS show survives) , but we do get shows of the first and third kind described above.  Once a large city in this state had three shows going on one weekend and I raced from show to show.   Them days is gone.   I think a show that had the second policy described above in another long drive city is defunct. 

The TTOS Cal Stewart is our big O gauge show in southern Calif. They moved it way out in the sticks, a long way from the greater Los Angeles area. That and the high entry fee plus parking cost it just isn't worth it. Bring Cal Stewart back to Pasadena or in the LA. area.

Back in the good old days, when air fare (and a lot else) was cheaper and less of a hassle, I made two trips to "Cal-Stewart" at Santa Clara outside San Francisco.  Hog heaven, with both tinplate and O scale shows simultaneous in the same nice facility,

and then a chance to drive off and explore Yosemite and the rest of California.  But

having two shows together must have overwhelmed them with attendance, for that

ceased.

I'm too selfish.  Bring Cal Stewart down here to San Diego; hold it at our totally awesome Convention Center (where incidentally ComiCon is starting this coming Thursday).

 

Wow, it's surprising how an old post will show up.  I haven't been to this forum for a bit and I check in because I've got the hankering for trains - and there's my face and an old post on the first page.  Nice.  

We are finally going to get a ComiCon in SLC and I will be in Portland that weekend

I went to a Greenberg show in Wilmington, Mass at the Shriners Auditorium about a year ago. It was well attended and they had some nice layouts. The kids loved the Legos, the popcorn and also the train ride. For them it was like going to the circus. Of course the best deals got snapped up quickly by people who knew what they wanted and knew the value of what they're getting. I picked up a lot of common replacement parts from the guys that have those booths. I made a mental list of the things that I was interested in, took the kids home and went and got some cash and came back later in the day. Them I really didn't know much about trains but I do enjoy negotiating. I did not even know a Greenberg book exist. When I asked one vendor if he is willing to sell something for $10 cheaper he said he couldn't because it was listed in the book at more than what he was selling it for. I told him I hadn't read that book and picked up a small value item and started to pay for it. As I was walking away I told him that if he wanted to sell the item that he would need to make a counter offer. He actually pretended to call his office to see if he could sell it at my offer. Deal done. Met some good people will reasonably prices also. And nothing closes a deal faster than showing a lower online price to a seller and saying " I am buying one either way. Either from you or them. Your call. Rather buy from you but not at that price " works ever time. FMH

I suppose somebody has to say it: the only "Beef" I normally have with trains shows is a hamburger or hot dog from the snack stand, at lunch.  I just leave if its boring and small, and only stay through lunch if the show is really a good, big event, so when I have a "beef" - it's a good show.