Going to the Greenberg Oaks, PA show?

Unless they've changed for the better, I'm been really unimpressed with the Greenberg shows in recent years.

 

I pretty much agree, concerning Oaks. They tend to be better in Timonium,MD due to much larger space for modular layouts. Oaks usually has Greenberg in the smaller of the 2 halls. Even so, 2 HO, 2 N, and 1 mixed traction layouts are listed. Since I'm retired, my weekends are not usually "spoken for".

Greenberg has had problems over the past 9 years finding a ideal SE PA area location. Many of us miss the old Ft.Washington venue.

I'm definitely with you on that one. 

 

I got really spoiled when I started in the o gauge hobby when I moved here in 1997.  I used to go to Greenberg and also GATS shows at Ft. Washington all the time.  While it was crowded in the parking lots there too, it was normally a decent show, no matter whether in hall A or B.

 

I have to admit I have never been to Oaks to compare.  Was considering the first one, but then when the traffic fiasco from that event was so prevalent on the news, that turned me off to ever attending.  I've pretty much been doing just Allentown and York in recent years, though I do occasionally pop in to the small local Atlantic Division TCA meet.

 

Having missed Allentown last month, I may venture to Oaks tomorrow if I get some other chores done today.

 

-Dave

Allentown is a good show, and when the World's Greatest Hobby on Tour was at Oaks, that was a good show.

Yes, but remember that they had the large hall. At that show the traffic was so bad the police had to shut the exit off of 422, plus lines at the few restrooms were looong. Oaks can be a real problem when 2 shows are running at the same time.

I remember the early Greenberg shows in the 1980s, which were called "The Greenberg Train and Dollhouse Show" held at the Philadelphia Civic Center. Parking at the garage cost $$$. Those shows were smaller, even with the dolls, than they are today. We, in this area of PA, have shows that others would consider huge. Even the Greenberg show I once attended in Virginia Beach was much smaller.

Our club was running at that show, and there were some great displays, not to mention most of the manufacturers and a ton of other vendors.  A good time was had by all.  I'll go to that one again if it comes around.

 

Oops.  That's the event I was referring to at Oaks.

 

 

It's not just here.  A lot of it is probably due to the drastic rise of internet commerce since it was in it's infancy in the late 90's.

 

I used to go to Greenberg shows when visiting family on Long Island as well.  There used to be 2 Greenberg venues, Hofstra University and Stony Brook University.  Now Greenberg doesn't do either of those (possibly the rates charged by those venues went up, I don't know).  I think the closest Greenberg show to LI now is Edison, NJ.

 

-Dave

That's right Joe, we're spoiled!

 

We can get our fix at York twice a year...

NJ hi railers put in for the oaks show to bring the modular layout but did not get the invite. So I guess there is no O gauge layout at the oaks show this time. 

I just got back from the Oaks, PA show and it is probably a 6 out of possible 10. OK but not great. Loads of HO trains, die cast models, RR crafts, books and odds and ends. All the modular layouts were crummy N or HO jobs.  I wasn't too disappointed as there were loads of diecast cars there and that's what I was looking for. I picked up over a dozen cars/trucks for the layout, people figures and Scenic Supplies (Scenic Express was not there though), The show could have been better but ( with few exceptions) it seems like the days of the super large train shows have passed, being replaced by eBay, e commerce and online auctions. 

Do you mean "crummy" because they were HO and N, or because they were not well done? I like any scale as long as the scenics are interesting. I have seen 1 or 2 very large "O" modular layouts with very little in the way of scenics. My take-away was, "why bother?".

As someone who has done modular setups at shows, let me explain:

 

Unless a Greenberg show is at a large place like Timonium or Reading, there is limited floor space for layouts... hence, participation is limited.

Greenberg wants a firm commitment far in advance, yet enough group members may or may not be available, especially for a Friday afternoon setup. If the group commits, but then cancels, they can forget being invited to future shows.

Joe - there were no O scale layouts save for one traction layout.  There was a N scale and HO scale layout which had good scenics. 

Show was very light on O scale and par for the course for a Greenberg show in this area...I'd rate it a 5 out of 10 at best. 

The highlight of the show by far was running into Chuck Genna and John Devlin at the same time and having a nice conversation with them

--Greg

. . . so forget the train show, right Joe?

 

Pete

For me, Greenberg shows are a waste of time.

I was going to go today but both of my kids had basketball.    May or may not go tomorrow.  Sounds like it may not be worth the hour ride.

 

Rick

Gosh no....not even close.....unless you're into HO.

--Greg

Ok lets reword that line. Let us say that the HO layouts there were uninspiring. Those HO, Ho, ho and NO trains are so small that you can't even see them, especially with old eyes! Greenberg should advertise this show as mainly an N and HO venue. It doesn't measure up to Allentown or the Edison show that are the only two shows worth attending.

Try Greenberg at Somerset, N.J. on Jan 3rd and 4th. Easy to get to, right off I-287

on Davidson ave. This show is about the same as the Edison show. It's a good show,

always busy. I'll be there as usual.        Mike

Somerset has less in the way of vendors than Edison - scenic express doesn't attend somerset - I'll wait for York in April.

Yes, I ran into them at Allentown, and still haven't recovered from it.

I haven't recovered from Chuck, he handed me his Reading Crusader and want's it updated!  

You guys are too funny!

-Greg

Just got back. I went to look for the Woodland Scenics Ready-Built IGA store in HO scale (for my S layout), and found it at the first dealer I came to. Turns out, it, and one O version he had, were the only ones left at the show.

I was surprised to find another dealer selling reproductions of 2 animated Lionel Dealer displays...the pre-war conductor, and the postwar lion. I have not seen these for sale at any show, including York, for 7 years (which is when I bought my conductor one). These were only made in the '90s for a short while before Lionel forced them to stop. The dealer had each priced at $75., which is what I gladly paid for mine. They both were in working condition.

Let me just say that the modular layouts were not the best I have seen. The show was full of young families with very happy kids. Fortunatly, a few dealers were selling a neat large size train that ran in circles without tracks for $14., batteries included. N.Smith was there with sets for sale at about $200.