TrainFest and DuPage - Who's Going?

I just have to make a quick comment about the different shows.

I love the DuPage because it is close, monthly, often find bargains, and get to see my friends.

York is the largest, and best O gauge show...period.  I have only been once, but hope to go again.  I feel that everyone needs to go at least once and as often as you are able.

TrainFest is I believe the largest show in total attendance.  It is very well organized and appears to be growing every year.  It has all the scales, but it also has something for everybody too.  So many things to do and so friendly to kids of all ages.  They had the train you could ride on, some kind of family entertainment, train races that are always popular, clinics that show you how to do things, a place where kids could build with Legos, and the list goes on.  Many layouts setup in all scales, even a large standard gauge layout.  All the major vendors were there Lionel, MTH, Bachman, Atlas, Woodland Scenic, Scenic Express and etc.

All three of these shows are different, but all very much worth going to  Just my two cents worth.

Art

Hear are a couple of photos of all the guys that attended breakfast

Yesterday's DuPage outing was fun....I'm glad I was able to make breakfast. 

I had a great day selling outside at DuPage yesterday even though the South wind felt like it came from the Artic. I missed breakfast this month but next month I'm planning on being there, No more selling until spring for me.

Great to see people at the show and it was busy even with Trainfest going on up North.

I did have some time to shop and found some prewar Marx with one way couplers, a nice variation for my collection once I get them cleaned up and some restoration.

franktrain

Scot - Thanks for taking and posting the pictures.  Great show.

Art

I still can recognize most seated at this table. Great way to start the Dupage Show with good train friends.

Somewhere above someone mentioned that to them Dupage has become the same old sellers filling tables with the same old junk month after month. While sure, there are some of the same people with the old stuff, it seems like lately there are all sorts of new sellers, and they bring really great things and for prices that can't be beat. Something about this months show made me think there were far more tables filled with O than in the past.

On a side note, I scored a Lionel ZW for $40 Sunday. $40!!!! It was after the main gates had opened, it was priced at $65, and the seller (whom I didn't know) offered it to me for $40 out of the blue. The cord was cut off, but with a new cord on it works great. Have ZW's really fallen this much in price? I didn't even need this one (I have two), but now I have a really over powered test track on my work bench.

Sorry I missed you guys.  I was there about about 8:15, made 2 trips through then had to rush out.

Yes very often the same people are there with the same junk or the same high priced items.  But there are some dealers that have different items from collections they picked up.  I bought a modern culvert loader and unloader that appears to have been dispalyed only, $150 for both.

don

My only suggestion is that a newcomer go to such shows, particularly York, with someone with at least a little bit of experience so the newcomer can know what he/she is looking at and have some idea of what a reasonable price or bargain is.

Carl

Thanks Kevin! I was a little slow with the response, as in 3 days slow!! Always one of my most favorite scenes on the modular layouts. It really attracts a huge crowd. 

Hope you guys will be coming to the Lyons Township High School show in March.