How many diffrent train shows have you been too

none of the big shows...yet. Have hit several small local ones.

Oglebay Park in Wheeling used to have a really nice one every January until a few years ago.

Monaca,Pa has a twice a year show, and The BLRRHS has one in New Castle.

Same with the Marx Convention, I'm only 45 minutes away, but working 3 out of 4 weekends, guess when the shows are?

Greenberg shows in Somerset and Edison...Allentown...World's Greatest Hobby in Edison I think (?)  East Coast Train shows in Wayne, Montvale, Dover and Brick...all NJ.  The Big E in Springfield.

 

And then, the grandaddy of them all, of course.  York.  No comparison to anything else I've ever seen.

 

- Mike

Can't count the number of shows I have been to. My favorite shows are the twice yearly TCA eastern division York shows. I also attend Allentown, Edison And a few others if I have time. 

That's easy for me.

 

1. York - The biggest and best show for O gauge
2. TrainFest - The biggest and best show for all scales that I go to
3. Monthly DuPage Show - Great show every month except July
4. National O gauge Show - Fabulous layout tours & great scratch building supplies
5. Various local shows at schools and colleges in the area

Yes, we are blessed for train shows in this part of the country.

 

Art

Dozens and dozens around the Ohio area over the past 30 years or so. I hit about 2 or 3 a year plus at least one of the Yorks.

Countless, hunting HO, before I was back in three rail and heard of TCA.  I am sure I could not remember them all if I tried to make a list, not even of certain shows,

but attendance at the show annually or bi-annually.  Used to keep a table at Wheaton...could not tell you how many times I attended that one show.

I attend about 3 or 4 a year. Used to go to Greenberg's Train show when it came to Ft. Lauderdale FL over 10 years ago.

The TCA Southern or some local train shows are about all that southeast Florida has left.

 

I have been to the Hamburg PA train show one year, very large train show for the area it was in. Maybe because of all the former railroads in Pennsylvania there is a higher level of interest.

 

Maybe with the addition of All Aboard Florida, the FEC high speed rail project, interest in trains will pick up here in southeast Florida.

 

Lee Fritz

Regularly:

2 Yorks / year

3 Greenberg shows / year

4-6 small local firehall shows / year

 

Occasionally:

Timonium - Great Scale Model Train and Railroad Collectors Show

Fort Pitt TCA show

 

Andy

 

Andy

Until two years ago I was able to attend seven major shows plus eight to ten local shows every year. I did so for almost forty-years.

Now I'm lucky to make it to three for medical reasons.

 

"Pappy"

Bnsftrains,

    Usually about 3-5 a year in the Pittsburgh, Pa area.

My favorite is the little Fire Hall Train Show in Adamsburg, Pa just off Rt #30.

Old time vendors who make good deals.  I also like the Monroeville, Pa Train Show,

it's real close to my Churchill home.

PCRR/Dave

If you are contemplating any train show for O-Gauge, the York meet should be your highest priority. You will see more O-Gauge vendors and manufacturers there than anywhere else. Everything else takes a back seat to the York Meet. It is held twice a year in April & October, and you must be a TCA member (you should join anyway if you are into this hobby).

 

Geography tends to have an impact on train show attendance. The Thread Starter has asked before about the Big E Show and for him, so that may be a good choice as well.

I do about a dozen a year.  Seven in Florida and perhaps 5 in NJ and PA

 

Al

I have been going to train shows for many years.  The only count I have kept up with is York.  If (I hope) I go to York in April, that will be York show number 70.

been going to local and regional shows for years ... Trainfest since it started..

the yearly 0-scale shows... but never been to the big one.. York. 

First and foremost the big dance at York thirteen times.  Allentown's Spring Thaw at least twenty times.  Greenberg shows at Philadelphia, South Jersey, Somerset, N.J., Edison, N.J and Wilmington, Del.God only knows how many times but I have not attended a Greenberg show for quite a while.  TCA Atlantic Division meets at Northeast Philadelphia about six times.  Hamburg, Pa once and Gilbertsville, Pa. twice.  I guess I've logged in quite a few miles over the years.  The one meet I'd love to attend would be the Big E in Springfield, Mass. but the opportunity has never presented itself.  Someday perhaps. 

Not enough.  Texas is a wast vasteland, comrade, when it comes to trains and shows, and I can buy plenty trains off the web for what it would cost me to go to York.  And anyway I don't much care for crowds.

 

Pete

Pete. Train shows are the best   The hunt is amazing. It's a feel like no other when walking into a show.

How many total?  No idea.  I've been back in the hobby since 1989 so I guess my best answer is "a bunch".  Since moving to Atlanta, I'll normally attend 3-4 local shows a year (plus WGHOT the years that comes to town) as well as the occasional trip up to York. 

 

And as a few others have noted above, nothing beats York, at least in the eastern third of the country.

 

Curt

I never knew anything about York and never even heard of it before getting onto this forum (I'm not into 3-rail), but have hit countless travelling shows over the years, the big show at Timonium, MD a couple of times, and others in big cities since I was a teen in the 80s. I've been to all 50 states and a few countries, and I've hit shows in a lot of them. Even stumbled across model train shows in other countries a couple of times...

That's not counting the RR collectible shows that didn't have model trains, as I've been to a bunch of those over the years as well.

I couldn't count the # of train shows I've gone to in that time, both big or small...

The Question •

     How many?  How many a year and which has been your all time favorite.

My Answer •

      About 5 per year

Favorites.

     Ole Toy & Train Show - Sunday Jan. 25th. - St. Robert Bellarmine School Gym

     A Train Show - Sun. Jan. 18th, 2015 - Avondale High School

     29th Annual Railroad Swap Meet - Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 - at American Legion Post,        Lapeer, Michigan 1701 W. Genesse Road.

     Trainorama - Sun. Oct. 2014 Costick Community Center

     The Train Show & Sale - Sat. & Sun. Nov. 1 & 2

     LCCA - Events - See their schedule in ad above.

     Chi-Town Union Station - Check web page www.Chi-TownUnionStation.com

Three or Four. And that's total train shows, not per year. Very little O gauge around here, they are all most all HO, some N and very little else.

Maybe two hundred over the last forty years?  

 

My favorite is generally the last one I went to.

Granted I attend shows with the club (modular) but the majority I attend are NOT in "train" venues. We are at the College Park Aviation Museum twice per year, local town halls, etc. The only "train" event I attend is a small, display layout only show as a fundraiser for the local Lions club. 

 

I skip Greenberg shows. Stopped going years ago and about a year or two ago I went to one. Wow....LAME! What a disappointment. More dolls, toys, and junky crap than trains and prices were high, high, high! 

 

I stopped going to York in April 2011. However, I was fortunate to have a flexible schedule this year to go to York both in April and October 2014. Hope to be back in April 2015. Missing York is a bit of a downer but not the end of the world. I generally just have fun walking around any show and seeing the layouts, things on tables, and running into friends. 

Quite a few over the last 25 years or so.  I tend to do better at smaller, local shows than the Greenberg shows that come to Monroeville 3 times a year.  The Greenberg shows have seen steady increases in admission and prices, with steady decreases in number and quality of vendors IMO.

As a side note- I find it interesting that shows in other parts of the country seem to be mostly HO and N scale.  Around here O gauge is the majority at nearly every show.  As usual, western PA is the opposite of everywhere else!

Seventeen, and back in the day I went to all of them annually, semi annually, whenever they were scheduled. Now a days I go to two or three, not counting York.

Just one back when I was 11. The next one that comes to the Sacramento area I will make an effort to go to (if my boss gives me those days off). 

I've been to York four times, First Frost and Spring Thaw.  Greenberg shows in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida.  I probably go to a show about 10 times a year.  I went to many shows about twenty yrars ago and started going back to shows about five years ago.  The first show I attended was the Large Scale Show in York.  The first time it was a great show.  The last time I went 2014 fall show it was a bust.  Many of the small shows like the Brick Train Show, Tom's River and Wayne are hit or miss.  I found a few MTH trains for a decent price, many buildings and other accessory pieces.  I went to a Knights of Columbus Hall show in Florida and picked up a couple MTH trains cheap.  Many of the larger shows have gone down in quality in the past few years.

MARTY, What do you mean,"if I go"

Too many to count over the years.  York is by far my favorite.

-Greg

Just one, It happen's 3 times a year here in town. [Tucson Az.] This is the weekend.

 

It is the, Toy Train Meet & Show to benefit the local Gadsden-pacific toy train museum.

 

I have taken my shower and have my need/want list in hand.  

 

I have done well over the last few years rounding up the things I need.

 

I'm sure it will be another good day.

 

AZGary

When I started getting to O-gauge back in 1999, I went to many many toy train shows. However these days, I only go to three not including club open houses:

>Central Operating Lines All Gauge Swap Meet in Farmingville, Long Island;

>Northern Spur Train Show, Lindenhurst, Long Island;

>The Big E in Springfield, Massachusetts.

 

I gave up going to York, the Greenberg shows and the shows in Allentown, Pennsylvania. At the York show, only Building 8 was of interest to me and I was not happy being forced to join the TCA. Prices at Greenberg shows were too high. I find that the Big E show is an excellent replacement for York & Greenberg.  

I have only gone to the Big E since 2009. Can't go to York because work schedule, maybe some day.

 

Cocoloco will you be at the big e this year?  Im going. Very excited

Been to the big show in Green Bay a couple times and went to the Great Midwest Train show for the first time this last summer. There are a few local shows every year here in Iowa but my favorite so far is the one in Central City (at the local school), it was in February but now it's in the fall because the weather in February here sucks and the last couple years is was ice storms and caused very poor turn out.

Dan

I'll be the Saturday.

Greenberg shows in 9 different locations.

TCA local shows in 2 different locations

Scale Shows in Timonium location

Allentown

York

WGH Oaks,PA

So, 15 locations X many times at some of them...about 60 in all.

Only York....3 times....its awesome!!

all the ones that come to southern calif.

Springfield, MO

Joplin, MO

Tulsa, OK

Pine Buff, AR - Show in old Cotton Belt shops - location, location,location

Jacksonville, AR

Oklahoma City, OK - largest show a round these parts

Wichita, KS

Enid, OK

Dodge City, KS - go each year - only 425 miles from my house one way.

Springdale, AR - home show, NWA Model Train Show - Feb 28, 2015

 

I would like to go to other shows in my area (500 miles from my house) but I can not

work them into my schedule.