Back from a Great Train show in SW VA.

Yes I will be going. Should be there at 10.

WOW!! What a great little train show. I have always preferred smaller shows. This one was in a building about 1 1/2 times a football field in size. Nice newer building, set up well and ADA accessible!  A number of dealers and just folks selling collections. Layouts in O, S, HO and N scales, about 15 total. One figure 8 up and over S scale layout had 3 trains running via old school automation. Really cool! 

It was a great time from when I left home to the time I got back. Took me 2 hours to drive. Here's my haul!!! 

Weaver U25B with sound. Very little run time. Weighs a TON....nice level of detail. 

A bit dusty from sitting on a shelf. Happy to get a 'modern' era PRR diesel. All I had before was F's and GP's. She'll get a cleaning and oiled before service.  Love the grilles.....

Only 3 freight cars today....need to cut back on buying freight cars....

Weaver 50' flat car, PS-1 undec box car in ratty box and I think it's a Lionel reefer. No markings other than a tiny LI on the trucks. 

Some scenery stuff.......

Real coal for a tender and another project in the works. And some real granite for roads and creeks. This vendor also had nice large Spruce like trees and I bought 15 of them. A start for my WV mountains. No proto as the boxed them in travel boxes made so well and safe transport I didn't take them out. A GREAT deal! 

Two K-Line containers as you can never have too many!!!

Switches.........

3 new Gargraves, one older GG and one Ross O-72 Y. $60 for the lot!!! I was happy! 

Also bought a DVD of slide taken of the B&O Railroad. It has many photos of the Weston to Richwood line which is the line my Great Grandfather ran often Tracks are gone now but these photos are from the 1980's and will be great for model reference. 

Bought a few small HO items....but no need to cover them here. 

I was wearing my 'Fire Up 611' shirt and that opened a lot of conversations with folks including one guy that is working on her. He showed me photos on his phone of work finished last week. 

A very nice show, location and vendors. Lots of nice folks, kids watching trains, families. I had a great time buying, looking and talking trains model and real. 

Don't pass up these small shows. The Mega shows are fine....but really love these. 

Gas, lunch and toys .....right at $250......a lot of fun and stuff for that much cash!!!

Thanks

AMCDave,

Great Haul...

Looks like you had a blast and saved some cash at the same time.

Have fun using all that new stuff.

Thanks...I was a little over excited as other than a stop at a California train show where I really couldn't buy.....it's been 2+ years since my last train show......so I had lots of pent-up excitement!!! 

Looks like and sounds like it was a great show at a fabulous location.  Dad gum it I wish I could have been there.

Sometimes you find good buys at the smaller train shows but a hall about 1 1/2 times the size of a football field is larger than the Orange Hall at York. Glad that you had fun as that's what this hobby is all about.

I've also been finding great deals of late but at the Allentown, PA and Greenberg NJ shows. The Greenberg shows are getting a bit more like flea market and rummage sales but the prices have been excellent. Lots of dealers and collections who are retiring and liquidating inventory seem to be showing up of late. The changing face of the hobby is happening rapidly, sad to see, but very good for the consumer.

Small in so much as the good size building had so many large layouts, a small eating area and wide open isles meant it had fewer dealers than say a York or other 'National' show. But it was great for me! I'll go back next year. 

AMCDave,

You did great. Everything you purchased today were great finds. I especially love the Weaver engine. I'm sure you will enjoy everything you purchased. Go play and have fun.

quote:

Back from a Great Train show in SW VA

Well, it was in Virginia. Just not the SW part. 

of all those deals, I'm actually drooling over the coal!

I also have to get some for a project of mine.

I like when train manufacturers use real (looking) coal loads. They spoil us!

That Weaver looks pretty nice from here!

You are correct.....but I drove south....then headed East.....so in my mind......