O Scale West How was it??

I enjoyed it.  But, I didn't take any pictures.  There were several empty tables owing to the East Coast folk not being able to make it due to weather.  None of the retail dealers were there (except 1/64th scale).  So it was much more like an old fashioned swap meet.  Which mean't I spent a lot less money and actually made more than I spent

A lot less wet than expected.  North of SF bay got lots of rain, 9-13 inches,  San Jose got 3/4 inch and most of that was at night.

I was there with my Delta Models resin casting display. Sales for parts were swift

and over all I was pleased. This was my second year to have a display and show my products. It will remain to see if I get a surge of internet sales.

The web site is up and running very well, and the shopping cart works well also.

www.deltamodelsusa.com

the rest of the show was well attended for both buyers and sellers.I would say there were 350-450 buyers on the floors at any given time.

2015 will mark the 25th year this show has been held. At this point it is anyone's guess whether it will continue in its present form after this date . Rod Miller show host just wants to stop doing it. one thing is for sure is that it will be a different hotel from the Hyatt.

Over all this has been a very good west coast show over the years.

william

I had missed the last two, but have been attending since the late 1980s when it, and 2472, were in a park.  I always enjoy seeing old friends and looking at stuff.  I rarely actually buy anything - I may get a divorce if I bring one more 2-56 screw into the house, let alone an entire box car.

Attendance is down from the halcyon years, but it is still ok.  A decade ago one might have trouble walking down the aisles, and that is decidedly no longer a problem.

There were no booksellers - too bad, because I had decided I needed a few new books and CDs.

One striking thing - the contest had a Missouri Pacific Berk - one of the very best renditions I have seen, and way beyond my abilities in terms of detail.  Everybody assumed it was an import, but it was a Lobaugh, built by an expert.  Sadly, my photos are very blurry.  Glad I did not enter my latest SP Deck - it would have lost to this Berk, and deservedly so.

Rod and crew have been doing this for a long time.  They are going to take a break - they deserve a rousing "thank you" from all of us.

I do have some photos to share as a result of OSW - look for them on an alternative forum.  Probably get to it by Monday.

Lets not forget the UP 9014 bald faced 9000's. Built by an expert also, it did not win any thing. This is the trouble with popular voting contest. this is the model before painting.

Bill

No - that is the trouble with not putting a note next to your model saying "scratch built".   I somehow missed this one - perhaps because it could easily have been mistaken for PSC or Kohs.  Others missed the Berk for the same reason - too good to not be a factory painted import.

I would love to have more info on that beauty - I have one underway myself.  Mine is running, but awaiting tender and fine details.

Gorgeous work.  What kind of valve gear did it wind up with?  Did you make masters for the Gresley levers?

Bob thanks for comments. This is your mid 1980's Sunset models 4 12 2

not 3rd  rail. All valve gear was scratch built and plated. All front end work

was removed and new cylinder heads were turned and replaced. The new valve gear was fabricated using the UP erection drawings.

It took about 9 months and 3 people doing the work. A expert builder---a drive expert

and a custom painter.

No masters were made, but I came make more valve gear if wanted.

william

I was there for an hour or so Friday and a few hours Saturday and had a very good time. Came away with some more wood and metal boxcar kits and also a Walthers 75' coach kit.

I really loved this caboose. Never did find out it if won, but it impressed upon me the importance of adding people to a scene!

Also attended the Stevenson Preservation Models talk on building a brass kit. Looks like quite a challenge!

Fred

I have to agree with Bob2, notes on said model would have gone a long way.  Even the other models needed notes.  The Northern Electric was totally scratch built with Archer Rivets and no notes given to that fact.  The model contest was lean as it has been for the last few yrs.  Does this mean RTR is the new normal now?  I hope not.

Greg

Model contests everywhere have suffered.  Getting a contest worthy model through an airport is a risky and very costly business.  Unless I'm driving, I restrict what I bring to sell or I buy to parts, books, and the like.

Charlie

Charlie,

Did you give a clinic on signals at the show?  If so, did you offer handouts?  

Steve

Yes I did Steve.  The clinic was a brief introduction to SP signaling and how I apply working signals to my layout.  I had two handouts.  The first was a sketch of parts to modify the Timber Creek/Red Cliff Miniatures switchstand for a lighted lamp and to rotate on a Tortoise operated turnout.  The second handout was a schematic and parts description of the standard block detection module I use on my layout to operate semaphores and target signals. 

Charlie

When I voted on Friday, only one steam engine had any documentation on it.  Saturday I went through the contest models and saw a few more photos had been entered but my vote was already 24 hr old.

Greg

Impossible to answer that w/o seeing photos of whatever was awarded 1st place.

But, as stated, it was a popular vote contest and as such has absolutely no connection to or reflection of actual craftsmanship, scratchbuilding, or qualities of work that has been put into a model. 

People just vote for what they like.  It's totally arbitrary.

Picked up the new San Juan Car Company O scale Pioneer Oil tank car from Rio Grande Southern Hobbies at a good price.  There were a couple of estate sale tables with some good bargains.  Older Atlas/Roco track @ $2 a section...IM cars for $10.  Friday was far from crowded which is nice for browsing but perhaps not so welcomed by sellers.

Allan

My very first model contest I entered a scratch cab forward.  When I say scratch, I mean new boiler, new frames, new tender, cylinders hogged out of solid brass - not reworked Sunset.  I lost to a factory built, factory painted, dealer- owned GN articulated.  I think it was Overland.

I have lost several contests since then that way.  You have to look at it like Martin says - popular vote means nobody cares how much effort you put in.  One year a stock Sunset, dusted with Floquil weathered black, took some major ribbons and wound up on the cover of OST.  Joe thought it was scratchbuilt.

But I have won way more than my share, and have always put little notes by the models explaining what they were.  That Berk had no note when I went through the contest area.  I do not remember the 4-12-2, but I can tell you, if it looks like a factory model - a Sunset, or PSC, or Kohs, I do not vote for it.  Tag it if you want my vote.

It would be oh so easy for the organizers to require a "data" sheet to accompany each model explaining the origin of the piece and just how much was scratch built, and/or what had been done to it (if anything). That would not keep a factory  built model from winning, but it would remove any doubt of it's origin.

I don't understand how anyone would take any serious amount of pleasure from "winning" (presuming here that the awards are not of any great material value) if all they did was pull a dead stock model out of the box and place it on the table.

I do understand why a dealer would enter a  factory model, as it would be free exposure/advertising of what they are selling.

Sad, but that is the way of the world.

Simon

William

You asked so I'll bite.  Your workmanship is very evident, but it appears in the photos that your car lacks diaphragms.  That aside it would be impossible for anyone to anyone to comment on what place it deserved in a contest without seeing  the competing entries.

Ed Rappe

Never get your feelings hurt in a popular vote contest. For one thing, folks do not always vote based on how much work a modeler has done, and you already know I will not vote for something that looks factory made unless it has a tag that says otherwise.  

But the big deal is, it is quite possible for a displayer to go around telling all his/her friends to vote for a specific model.  I got 3rd place in a contest behind two Max Gray models - the owner freely admitted that he had all his friends vote for his models.  And as far as I am concerned, there is nothing wrong with that - all you get is a ribbon.

t610:

Either accept the results with good grace and quit your whining, or face up to the fact that contests aren't for you.

I've been there, done that, and discovered that my enjoyment of trains and model railroading contests are not compatible. I was modeling for the wrong personal reasons.

I was hoping to see some photos of the show in general frankly, to get some idea of what all was there. I guess the contest model discussion had more traction though. oh well.

I didn't see any trolley pictures either,

I would have almost bet my best glue you would reply exactly that way my friend...

I know before i post this that this is a mistake . i have been a judge at Chevy/Vette fest for years, have entered models in O SCALE NATIONALS as well as several model car shows. I have my share of trophies both in models as well as my muscle cars and race car. the way i figure it out the money i have in my 70 ss454 Chevelle i could have bought myself a roomfull of trophies and sat at home drinking a cold one. one year at an o scale convention i won 1st and 3rd in steam locos 1st in passenger and electrics my bank account wasn't increased a penny by the wins(real cars or models). as i told my son the one I share this account with when he was about 10 he entered a model car contest and took 2nd place he was upset. i told him he should do this for fun and work harder to become a better modeler, car builder(real cars) and now he's the one who built the shell gas station and working on the gulf station. Remember this is a hobby to have fun with if you want a room full of trophies buy them!  lastly in our world where no one should have hurt feelings we don't keep score in little league should everyone get a trophy?     

It was my model of the U.P. 4-12-2 at the model contest.  I did not enter thinking I would win anything.  These types of contests that are popular vote are just that. You vote on what you like best.  I am a friend to the fellow that built the 2-8-4, he is a excellent modeler and I was happy he won with all the work he did. I did not put a write-up on my locomotive until late Friday, my fault. I had a lot of help on my engine  and I am glad to have entered it. When I see what other people do, it makes me want to work harder to do better myself. I think write-up should be required as it lets people know what the model is and what was done. 

Like 69nickycamaro I know this is a mistake and am putting on my flame suit beforehand.

This is a hobby for me, and as a non competitive person in general, I won't judge other peoples work nor do I enter anything I have done for others to judge.  I really don't give a rats what anyone else thinks about my work, I do it for myself.

I prefer showing off ones work in a non judgmental setting. It allows me to appreciate what is presented in it's own right, whether scratchbuilt, kitbashed, slightly modified or refinished or an off the shelf something.  Something that is well done is well done regardless.

Moby - I met your buddy at OSW - the Berk builder.  I was going to get his name, etc, but he disappeared. He is an excellent craftsman.  If I had had a tripod, I would have photos.

When I show my models, I enjoy telling my glazed- eyed guests that my 4-10-2 won both popular and judged contests.  They don't care, but I don't know that, and I rattle on about esoteric stuff until they invent an excuse to leave.

bob2  YOU can ask Rod Miller for his name or, it you like my name and phone number.

         Jim talked about talking to you this AM

Bob,

Some of us faster than others.  I always considered the ones that stick around for a while to be rookies.

There is a write up in the newest O Scale Resource available now

Looking at the new OSR magazine (excellent again Dan) I noticed a nice photo of Lou Cross sitting at his table at OSW. Does anyone know the name of the individual with the table to Lou's right side. I see a UP E-8/9 and something else UP I can't make out and would like to contact this gentleman. 

Thanks,

Butch

Butch,

It's Bob Jarvis, a modeler of some note with UP as his primary interest.  Another good guy.  Do you want me to ask him if I can give you his phone number?

Jay

It might have been my table you were looking at. I had the Overland E units and several other UP items on my tables - a 5 car passenger set, an F3 AB unit, an SW-9

among other things. I can be reached at 562/618-5853 or e-mail jhoff64902@aol.com. However if it is Bob Jarvis I apologize.

John

It is the table just next to Lou on his right. I can see an E-8/9 in UP livery and something tucked behind it also in UP paint. 

John, when I get a chance later today I'll contact you to see what you have. 

Yes, Dan, please see if it is okay to give me Bob's number. I miss not attending these shows as there is always something that shows up I could use.   

Thanks!

Butch