Questions about Greenberg Upper Marlboro show

I'm looking for the same thing. Thanks Santa Fe VA. Hope we get some comments. Terry

It hasnt been there in a few years, but I would guess that its going to be about the same as any other Greenbergs show around the DC area, probably not too great, but it depends what you're looking for. The one in Chantilly last August was just ok. There were some guys with good deals, but for the most part, I thought the prices were a bit high.

The national capital trackers will have a display there with a 24x48' layout, among the other scales on display.

I've been to many of the ones in Upper Marlboro in the past.  This is the first Greenberg show there in 6 or 7 years.  It has been half O gauge and half everything else.  Have gotten some great bargains over the years.  I like it cuz it's much closer to my home than the Timonium, MD shows.  The displays are worth the price of admission.  Over all, a good show, not a great show, but I enjoy the outing.

It has been a long time since a show was there. The upstairs has a few tables, and a few layouts where possible. The arena floor is where the most stuff is but is hard to get to (no signs) and only about 1 flimsy narrow portable staircase going down to it so it gets backed up very quickly. 

It is your "standard" GB show. Toys, trains, and such. Not York at all but not a bad way to pass an afternoon, which is what I plan to do on Sunday. 

Go to York!

Seriously, if you're going to drive up from Central Virginia, skip this one and got to York in April.

All trains shows have something to offer, but I have found the Greenberg shows only so-so at best.

My opinion only.

Thanks everyone for the comments. We have plans to make our first trip to York in the fall. Can't go this Spring. This might have to hold us over until then.

Ended up taking my son to the show this afternoon.  It's about a 2 hour drive for us and we arrived just after 1 pm.  Smaller show than the Greenberg event we attended last winter.  Sparse crowd by the time we got there.  A lot of HO and N scale items, some O products but no luck finding any buildings or tank cars that were to my liking.  A couple of layouts were set up that always seem to draw a big crowd--the National Capital Trackers had a very nice Western Maryland steamer that wasn't running and a nice Amtrak Auto train that was.

My son and I decided this would be a "scouting" trip until we get to go to York in the fall.  He saw a nice Williams Santa Fe "Blue Goose"  for $199 and an old Lionel Broadway Limited set from the 1970's that he liked.  I liked a few scenery items and some of the diecast cars. 

The real issue was that I forgot to bring cash and we just didn't have very much spending money but maybe that's a good thing. 

We ended up buying a graveyard kit for the future Halloween layout, a handful of O sized people and signs, a finished mini-scene diorama, and a G scale Helicopter (that's for his birthday next month).  Pictures attached.  Everyone was nice and friendly and my son (10 years old) was allowed to touch and examine most items without any trouble from the vendors. 

I was there today running trains with the trackers. There wasnt much to buy... deal of the day was definitely the 2 Weaver Troop Sleepers I snagged for $50 a pop. Other than that, just bought some vehicles and some tools. I thought it was rather lackluster, the crowd seemed small and not many people seemed to be buying much of anything.

Oh well... you know what you're getting into with York, so just remember to hit the money machine before you go

When I was there Saturday, iut seemed like the guy selling those RC coptors was doing more business than anyone.  I, too, was looking for buildings and didn't find what I was after.  Ended up with a Carling Black Label beer boxcar that I have been after for a while and some plasticville parts.

I went this morning and it wasn't worth the drive. A MAJOR let down, compared with past Greenberg Shows at this venue. A waste of time on my part. 

In the past, the entire upper "ring" near the entrance was jam packed with tables, the arena floor had more tables, more layouts, and a LOT more O Gauge. This time, old junk galore, toys, and more old junk, and non-train pieces. I did manage to grab the Centerline Track Cleaning Car Replacement Roller pack, a much needed item in my train room as well as a tow truck for my gas station, which ended up being way too large to look "right" and is currently on the "For Sale" forum. Only spent $25 on the whole haul, regardless, not worth the drive and REALLY not worth the price of admission, which I thankfully didn't pay. 

The little O that was there was priced at or above MSRP. My personal favorite was your standard Railking Caboose priced at $80 and a pair of MTH Premier 40' Boxcars for $150. What WAS a pretty good show for O is a memory now. 

I went today.  First time I have been to that location.

Nice facility for the show.  Wide aisles, lots of seating if you want to rest, clean, free parking, well lighted and well ventilated.

I would say the layouts and their associated space areas took up about 25% of the floor space.  About 30% were folks that had all or majority of their items in O Gauge.  Remainder were HO, N or something else.  One guy had a ton of S Gauge.  It was really nice to see - well presented.  He might have had 5% of the selling tables just by himself.  I like these shows because it is a lot of different items and I like to see the other scales.

So, without getting into a political discussion, we have a economy that is barely growing (and probably in a recession), we have sequestration hitting the DC area as of last Friday (ergo, no pay checks for people), and it was cold and overcast.  Those were  probably factors that played into the crowd, buying habits (or lack thereof) and mood.

I was more than pleased with what I saw.  Went into the show with intent to buy nothing and spent $10 on a car/trailer for the layout.

I did see a few folks that I saw at York.  J&R Trains (from PA) who rivals Trainworld on pricing for Williams; B&B Hobby Supplies - who also has ETS trains at really great prices; and a guy from Ocean City NJ with a lot of HO items (can't recall his name). 

Overall, I thought there were some great items at very good prices.  One just has to be patient and look.  For example, I found a guy selling MTH cars for less than $30.  It was not primary item he was selling and 'off to the side' of his display.

I would say this is definitely smaller than the Greenberg show at Dulles, but if you go to these shows expecting little in the form of O, then you are set for some nice surprises.  Not a knock on the show or organizer, just my personal approach.

If one wants predominantly O, then one must go to York.