TRAINFEST . . . a bit of a snore!!

I haven't been to Trainfest in quite a while. I was disappointed by the lack of O gauge vendors and did get hit in the ankle by a few strollers but I do look at some of those little people in strollers as the future of the hobby.

 

I'm completely amazed at the size of some of those "portable" layouts!!

Good thing I went to DuPage County where I picked up a Lionel Interlocking tower, and a Beer car for Marklin HO. And it was only 14 miles from home.

Too bad it was not exciting. I was hoping to see a lot of pictures from the show.

I was hoping to see any!

 

Interesting on how on the York Meet threads people are consistently griping about not being able to take pictures at the event, but when events like Trainfest and Allentown are wide open for picture taking, you rarely see anything come of it. 

"You kids! Get offa my lawn!"

" Oddly all of his Ross-Ready switches for sale were equipped with the DZ-1000s instead of the 2500s."

 

probably because they hav or can get those. Some DZ products hard to find. 

 

 

Allan, hasn't OGR been there in the past?

I agree with Alan.  We all thought the show was a little flat for some reason.  We were really looking forward to seeing and visiting with the OGR staff and were very surprised that they weren't there, especially since this is the biggest show in the Midwest each year.  The Midwest Independent Hi-Railers had their normally high quality layout which is always a highlight for me.

 

The opportunity to spend a day with good train friends was the real highlight and made everything worthwhile.

 

Art  

Well York is not for many of you guys and this show is not for you either so you all should just post your negativity on this forum and leave the good times to all these people with there strollers.

My apologies. My bride is the over the top picture taker and she didn't go with me.

As for Allentown, I didn't take any photos, but I did buy a few.

 

Taking them would be stealing

F&G RY,

 

Looks like you got navy.seal's circus cars in your photo. Usually, there's plenty of coverage on YouTube. Members of SGMA usually post some good footage for us to enjoy.

 

Sunrise

 

Yes, in the past.  But George Seil is retired now and Ed and Don were at Allentown.  We're spread thin on resources.

 

However, I well remember Trainfest from my Kalmbach days, and it was (and likely still is) a great show.  Definitely family oriented and fine exposure for all aspects of the hobby.  There also are a number of good hobby shops in the Milwaukee area, so those who become inspired at the show can rather easily find a place to purchase things.

I went to the show this year and really enjoyed it.  Yes, there were many families at this show but at 28 years old it wasn't long ago that I would  have been on of those kids  i personally really enjoyed seeing the excitement on the kids faces that I remember feeling at a young age.
I personnally dont understand all the complaining and fear of the hobby dying but turn around and complain about the ones to keep it alive (stroller people).

I do agree very limited opportunity of purchasing at the show Chicagoland didn't seem to be present who usually offers some O Gauge or gb trains out of Green Bay, WI.  

Many of the layout although not all O scale were extremely well done by truly talented people much like here on the furom

I was at Allentown. Except for the new and bright lighting it's the same as the last Allentown and the one before that. Same layouts - same train races. Nothing to excitedly make me whip out my smart phone camera. No crusher crowd at 9am either. I did not hear the usual announcement telling everyone to get ready for the 9am stampede. IMO 9am came and went with no photographable change in the crowd density. When it snowed on us waiting on line before 8am two years - now that was photo worthy.

sorry guys was bussy talking with friends and talking about my lionel oo layout to take pictures

I was at Trainfest on Saturday.  I had a great time. I enjoyed it as much this year as I have for the past 15 years.

 

Here are some of the photos I took.  They are of a limited range of interest I will admit that, and not the best quality.

 

The Wisconsin Standard Gauge Operating Society was there again this year.

Thanks for those photos, Greg!  Good to see the Standard Gauge folks showing up in force.  People love to see those bright and shiny trains do their thing.  

 

Also good to see Mike showing the colors for OO.  Looks good with those O tinplate accessories, which actually are more appropriately sized for OO than they are for O.

My wife and I went yesterday, and had a great time. This was our favorite display (at Scenic Express).

Imagination shown by scenic express!  What next, crop circles?  This show and

Wheaton are really not that far apart...unless this is a two day show, where you

hit this one first and then Wheaton, that would be a problem...if you lived in Rockford,

wouldn't it be kind of "eeny, meeny, miney, mo"?

Actually, the Chicagoland chapter of the European Train Enthusiasts (ETE) has crop circles on their HO modular railroad for several years, now.

 

Film at 11...

 

"Commuting" to both shows over two days wouldn't be much of a problem from Rockford.  I made the "reverse commute" twice to the Janesville S Fest from Chicago both days last weekend.

 

Rusty

That seems awfully...negative...to me.  Why not just accept that not everyone is attracted to the same things, and leave it at that?

 

I don't live anywhere remotely near Milwaukee, so I wasn't there.

 

Years ago,  I would do both shows, Trainfest on Saturday and Wheaton/ DuPage on Sunday. This year, I had other obligations on Saturday, so I picked the once-a-year show. I'll do DuPage next month. I only go there a couple times a year, in any event. 

 

And, yes, you could do both in one day....they're probably 90 road miles apart. Morning at DuPage; afternoon at Trainfest.

man, that redwood on the scenic express exhibit is awesome!