Train Show Next Weekend! what do you run?

When I was part of a modular group, I would bring a little of everything: Gilbert Flyer, Lionel Flyer, contemporary HiRail and Scale as the modular railroad could run anything on American Models track. 

My favorite comment from an observer was: "It's too bad you can't run Flyer on this" as a repainted Gilbert Flyer freight train ran under his nose.

Rusty

I don't know about S scale at shows. I know of no club in the area that I could join. However, there's a guy that brings a portable layout to a lot of shows around here, and he has a few trains that always seem to be a hit. One is a repainted Flyer train to match Lionel's girls set. Another is a Thomas set; I don't recall the details about it.

His other trains are mostly postwar. He usually has a passenger train and a freight train running. The freights have lots of gondolas and hoppers loaded with things that kids would put in there if they were playing with them (such as candy, army men, jacks, marbles...)

When I run at our modular club, I typically run old trains. Nothing scale, nothing slow. I try to run a train that is carrying something appropriate for the season or theme for the show. Our club sets up at an antique tractor show each year, so there's a lot of flatcars hauling tractors around that weekend. Christmas boxcars and the Polar Express are running during the Holiday shows. Last month I had a pair of gondolas filled with candy hearts.

Some of the stuff I run doesn't play nice with switches or crossings, so what modules are set up at a given show influences what I bring that weekend. If that's an issue with your tables, don't bring a bunch of stuff that won't run on your track. I also bring a Marx M10005 (if there's a loop with no switches) because it is so easy to pack away after the show. It's usually the last train running on the last day. This way everyone else can pack up their trains and I can pack up my other trains that take longer to pack while that train is zipping around. 

Hope this helps,

J White

Yes, kids do like the fact I do run the trains faster than "scale" speeds Lol and so do I.

 That's the Fun of course! Faster the train goes, the faster the "Choo choos" and the more smoke comes out.

   I'm hoping to have a good show and good time. Things have difficult for me with tough economic times locally here in Alberta and my contract job is ending the of the month. Period.(train crash sound) so alittle stressful. 

 Trains are a great stress relief when life is gettin to you(always lol)

Al

One of the guys in our modular club (Atlantic Coast S-gaugers Tidewater Division) made this Oscar Mayer hot dog train.  He used a plastic Oscar Mayer hot dog bank and powered it with a Flyonel docksider.  Brightly painted cars follow with a hot dog bun, hot dogs, ketchup, relish and mustard packets, etc.  It is a big hit with kids and adults alike.  Other than that, the most positive comments we hear are about any engine that smokes well.  Those are primarily original Gilbert steamers as they seem to put out more smoke than anything else we run, and we run stuff from most of the major manufacturers.

 Dean