Smaller hometown train shows

Coordinating the Maine clubs for a shared show in the mid coastal could possibly become a reality!

what do you think new englanders? And all others ?

Has anyone provided or organized a small town train show?

how did it go?

Any details or fascinating stories?

leroof

Leroof,

Good luck...I never organized one before, but have been a vendor for 20+ years. I very much appreciated the people like George Tebolt who took on such a task for many years.

Tom

That is an interesting idea, and I think it's doable.  As meet coordinator for the New England Division of the Train Collectors Association (NETCA), I'm always looking to broaden geographic diversity and get more members involved in our show.

I am one of those who get updates of the membership list.  Checking your email against the list, I see that you are not a member of TCA.  If you're interested in helping to plan a train show, it would be useful for you to join TCA.

The April list shows79 TCA members in Maine, distributed

29 - South and west of Route 302 including Portland.

26 - east of 302 to the Kennebec River

14- east of Kennebec to Penobscot River

10 - beyond Bangor.

So you should probably focus on the area around Brunswick for a venue.  Do you want to have an outdoor tailgate type meet or an indoor affair.  For indoor meets, high schools, colleges on summer break and Elks Lodges are worth a look.

Most train meets are on Sundays, but sometimes on Saturday.  That essentially excludes mid June to early September.  No one wants to drive between Kittery and anywhere on the coast east of Portland going on Friday or returning on Sunday.

The most important part of setting up a show, and often the critical limitation is who is going to do the work ?  Are you up for taking the lead on this or do you know someone who would.  I'd think Norm should be interested as his shop isn't a long detour on the way to that part of Maine.

I'll be glad to help with ideas on how to get this moving.  We have a good publicity capability and certainly can reach all NETCA members, not only in Maine, but all New England states.

As for show content, you mentioned "mostly postwar, modern 3 rail, O scale, toy and foreign trains, and a mixture of accessories, die cast cars and such." At our big show last week, the most common were postwar Lionel, AF and Marx, 1945 through the demise of Lionel in 1969.  Second was prewar tinplate.  Modern era, anything requiring electronics was a clear third.

--------------------------

So much or ideas.  Now all we need is someone local to take the lead on making it happen.

Malcolm Laughlin

Thank you Malcolm.

This is valuable information. I will look into re establishing my TCA .  Organizing a meet would be an interesting retirement opportunity. I will add this to my bucket list! I appreciate your foresight and experience. Currently, I am not the person for this monumental task anytime soon. Thank you for the reality check. I will consider it for the future and contact you or your associates when the time presents itself.

Leroof.

Malcolm, I will talk to Norm in the coming weeks and see what he thinks as well.

thanks for your wisdom.