is there an O Scale national convention for year 2025? I cannot find any information. Are the nationals no more?
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Correct, O Scale National Conventions have been discontinued. The last OSN was in 2023 in Denver, CO. The location and venue were very good, but the attendance was very low. In the end, vendors and show organizers felt it did not meet their expectations. After the show, there was some online discussion on this forum as well as other 2-Rail forums. An informal poll was taken and, overall, the response by those in favor of continuing future OSN conventions pretty much matched the last convention attendance (quite low), so future OSN conventions have been tabled, at least for the foreseeable future. For now, the effort is to use existing dedicated O scale shows, as well as, having tables at several high-profile all-scale RPM (Railroad Prototype Modelers) meets to help promote and grow 2-Rail O Scale in hopes of gaining numbers so that the OSN can be sustainable once again. On a positive note, the Indy O Scale Show returned this past year in September but more as a regional show vs. a national show. That model proved successful and will return again in 2025. The O Scale March Meet held in Chicago is currently the closest show that has a national size feel to it. The O Scale Central Events page stays up to date with 2-Rail O Scale related shows if you are looking for an upcoming show to attend.
Scott
@David Eisinger posted:is there an O Scale national convention for year 2025? I cannot find any information. Are the nationals no more?
Can't be found since there isn't one and probably no more going forward since there's no real central sponsoring organization. Looks like it's partnering with the misc. shows and meets but with very little resemblance to an actual O scale event.
Probably should consider just making the Chicago meet the de facto O scale Nat'l and be done with any other site unless someone or some organization ponies up the resources to host an actual convention somewhere else.......
The last that I heard, O Scale West is still scheduled for 2025. This is probably the nearest to an O scale national show that is still available. However, OSW 2024 had disappointing attendance and I'm not sure how much longer OSW will continue.
The O Scale March Meet in Lombard, IL has become the biggest and best attended O scale show. NH Joe
