Why are all the best events on the East Coast?

you should be in southern calif especially san diego. 

 

 

even worse out here.

'Cause we are cool !! 

Model railroading got its beginnings on the east coast. Even TCA began in a barn in PA. I guess the early pioneers didn't have room in the wagons for trains! 

Don

In Ca we will have a train show in San Jose next weekend,then on Feb 6&7 there will be O Scale West at the Santa Clara Convention Center complete with layout tours,first weekend of March at Cal Expo in Sacramento will be a two day meet in two buildings covering all gauges of trains,then the  Cal Stewart in the Bay Area later

in the month.

Mikey

Think about where the most trains ran and continue to run.  Look at how many lines existed in the east coast and compare that to anywhere else in the country.  So take that fact and then add to it the fact that the east coast has been the most dense area of the country.  So you have THE MOST people getting THE MOST exposure to trains.

 

I grew up in the midwest and model trains still is just not huge there.  The hobbies that most people have are geared more towards the outdoors or arts.  Sure, people see trains everyday there, but I don't think people gravitate towards them like on the east coast.  On the east coast, you have subway lines, Amtrak, passenger commuting lines, etc.  Many large terminals.  People are just exposed to trains more and it's a larger part of their lives.  In the midwest, the train is just kind of there running through industrial areas and you don't give it a second thought.  It's just freight passing through. 

Electric Model Trains had its beginnings in NY and NJ. AC Gilbert was in New Haven CT. Louis Marx was headquartered in New York City.

 In the early part of the 20th century the West was still being settled and the population was comparatively small. Josh Cowan focused on where most of the business could be built but Lionel did maintain an office in Chicago. Louis Marx and AC Gilbert followed suit. Since the roots of the model train industry are in the NE that's where most of the train buyers were and still are. Model trains were deep rooted in the culture of the people in this region for decades and still are.

I am very happy to live in the world of trains.  I live 20 minutes from Charles Ro.  Lots of train shows in the Northeast.  I always try to visit train stores when on the road.  On the west coast, I was super impressed with Eastside Trains.  In Pennsylvania the same went for Mercer Junction.  In Florida it is Ready to Roll.

 

I have sold many items to people in the Heartland.  They are great people to deal with.

I got into enough trouble back in the 90's living too close (less than 15 minutes) to Nicholas Smith Trains!    At least now it's a 45-minute drive.  But the computer keyboard is now even closer than driving to the LHS 25+ years ago! 

 

As the old adage goes... be careful what you wish for...

 

Honestly though, I wouldn't want it any other way.

 

David

We don't have squat in CA.. including basements. On the bright side, we don't have to worry about flooding in the basement. Local hobby shop is 100 miles away and sells at full retail, and train shows??? Cal Stewart and thats a tiny fraction of what York is.

But Omaha is the headquarters of the Union Pacific. 

 

Art

Gee, in Ohaha you could at least make it to the Chicago area monthly Wheaton show....

not sure, but that might be about my driving distance to it, and shorter than my

long drag down the dreaded Turnpike to York.  In California, nature sometimes opens

up big holes in the ground, but not sure why no basements...although maybe they are

related.  I thought that was a Florida condition, due to high water table.....NOT a

problem in California, often short of water.

Hi Bob • Can you take the Amtrak or drive to Chicago?  

http://www.marchmeet.net/

  Click artwork to enlarge.

Canada has its share of postwar and modern train men and women, but comparatively few LHS's or extremely few O gauge importers. Still, at 67 I consider myself lucky to have grown up in a very Lionel age. Back when mom and pop stores and auto parts stores were also fertile train suppliers, even small cities, like Lethbridge, Alberta, my home town, had some credible trains. Because of a few experiences I definitely remember, such as seeing in '52 or '53 a clear-shell F3 demonstrated (probably by a once-yearly Lionel rep) at a local hardware store; then a few years later seeing a #621 Jersey Central switcher with the orange-painted frame shown in the catalog illustrations - helped to fire my love of trains. Until about '57, Lionel, Flyer and Marx trains were all over Alberta, especially in Calgary and Edmonton, and prices were very cheap. I passed up a #746 N&W J class with short-stripe tender for 25 bucks at a LHS in '59 (no $ at the time). But since then, except for tiny spots and one big show in Calgary every year, toy trains have been out of the public eye. I belong to a revamped TTOS division now called Canadian Toy Train Association, which has several members who make an annual trek to Mecca, P.A., and some of those guys are very willing to share knowledge and decent train deals for all, but out here it's mostly about recapturing those wonderful moments of yore - few guys have extensive layouts...

For some reason, only cold climates seem to breed basements.  However, I am pleased to have the only below ground basement of anyone I know in SoCal.  I lucked out.  And guess where my layout is...     But to stay on topic, how is it that Los Angeles, one of the largest and most cosmopolitan (debatable) cities in the world doesn't have a train show? Barely a train presence at all, for that matter.

Bobbroyal

The answer to your question is population density.

 

Why not take an east coast  vacation and make York one of your stops. Lots of train clubs and definitely spend a few days in NYC.

 

'Cause of all of the rain. We've got a bunch of Fungi(s)!

 

Gilly

So it can all be close to me!

Hi Chester7 •I am sure that a Relocating Specialist, can find anything. lol

Check out these links.

 

Chicago O Scale Meet......http://www.marchmeet.net/

 

Amtrak.........................http://www.amtrak.com/home

 

Greyhound ...................https://www.greyhound.com/

 

GPS  & Auto   http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UT...f=pd_sl_592yjtmd4c_e

 

BY TRAIN • As printed on Chicago O Scale Meet - Flyer

Guests arriving by train can use the Ogilvee Transport Center in downtown Chicago to catch a train to the Lombard train station. The Lombard train station is three miles from the hotel and the hotel offers free shuttle service to and from. To coordinate your shuttle, contact the hotel directly at (630) 719-8000

Good Luck

A few background demographics:

 

In this part of the country many  if not most of our earlier relatives worked for a RR at one time or another.  RRing is a part of our fabric. 

 

One of the proudest well heeled local areas is called the Philadelphia Main Line.  These are the neighborhoods along the former PRR Philly to Paoli four track run.  Initially settled with big homes by RR executives.  Just like Ridley Park PA.

 

According to a conversation I had several years ago with Ed Boyle most of the subscribers were from this quadrant  of the US.

 

If one took in all the train shows around here they could only work a part time job

 

I remember a sign in Cleveland Ohio, "50% of the country lives within 500 miles of here".

2011 Census says 58% of people live east of the Mississippi river.  Looking at the map that's about 1/3 of CONUS.

 

From what I've seen some good shows seem to be around Ohio, Illinois area, at least 2-rail anyway.  I'm sure there's enough out in California to satisfy most everyone.

 

I'd like to see a map of shows east of the MS river to see where the majority are, probably PA or nearby.

"Because that's where the peoples is!"

 

Few words say it all.

fyi..................There's a large train show in Plano Texas today and tomorrow!

http://www.dfwtrainshows.com/

 

Regards,

Swafford

Ahhhhh but the West Coast has the San Diego Model Railroad Museum in

Balboa Park that more than makes up for all the good stuff on the East Coast...

Well for one thing there is not much to do here in New England when the temperature gets to zero. Having a lot of train shows helps us from getting  cabin fever! 

Why are all the best events on the East Coast?

 Because our women are stronger, we're better looking and our children are above average.

Hey! didn't someone else say that.

Railroads got their start on the east coast of the US, Pennsylvania had very many railroads, almost one for every major city in the 1800's.

 

Without railroads in Florida you would not have as much industry or as many large cities. A lot of people retire to Florida, so they bring their hobbies with them as well.

 

Lee Fritz

The Denver TCA show is great plus we have the Georgetown Loop, Cumbers & Toltec and Durango & Silverton. Not too shabby!

 

I do miss Cass but I get my Shay fix in Georgetown.

I'm also in the Midwest, Kansas City area which is about 2.5-2.6 million people. There are a few train shows here every year but they are 90% HO & N, very little O gauge. I have yet to find an O gauge club, my LHS doesn't even know of one? There are several HO and I think even a Garden scale club or two, but no O.

 

My LHS is a pretty good train store and they do specialize in O gauge. They carry quite a few O gauge items and offer a small discount on most items. It is small compared to many of the train stores in the East. We may still have one other train store that carries some O gauge. It is much smaller and they have very few items in stock. They used to have ads in the classifieds of the magazines, but I haven't seen any lately so I am wondering if they are still open? My LHS is much closer, other store is (was?) a lot farther away, I have only been there once when I was re-starting in the hobby about 4 years ago.

Because that's where the peoples is!

The density of toy trains in the northeast is also increased by the fact that (to continue the fractured grammar) it is the place that people was.

 

The peak interest in O gauge toy trains happened in the decade after WW II.  Take a look at the population of the states in the northeast in the 1950 census.  About 32% of the US population lived in Pennsylvania and the states that border it and an even larger percentage of toy train sales may have been made in that area due the importance of and interest in railroads in the region and relatively high wages resulting in more households with disposable income for high priced toys.

 

Today about 20% of the US population lives in Pennsylvania and bordering states.  As people moved out of the northeast over the decades many of the old toy trains remained behind.  On my first trip to York I remember standing at the end of an aisle in the Orange Hall and commenting to my brother "where else can you comparison shop original 400Es?"  There were five within sight!  That isn't unusual at York, but it is at just about any other train show in the country.  That is why many toy train enthusiasts travel to York, it is where people were and train sellers are.

 

Bad winter weather and the presence of basements in most homes also contribute to the popularity of model railroading in the northeast to this day.  But when it comes to collectable toy trains the northeast has a dense population of trains in part because that is where people lived and were likely to have high paying jobs when those trains were made 60 or 80 years ago.

 

 

i miss the monthly train thing at the dupage county fairgrounds... at least in the chicago area theres hobby shops and clubs and meets and what not...

 

 

try living in el paso texas....yuuuuuuk! can't wait to move back home!

 

 

the guy at the ONLY hobby shop in el paso, and quite possibly worst hobby shop on earth didn't even know what a lionel UCS track was. didn't know what the lionel vision line was. i had to school him a little bit with some youtube vids of vision loco's. c'mon man. and you work in a hobby shop???????? be thankful you're in the midwest at least....it could be worse lol

 

was in durango back in november. they were setting up the durango silverton for their polar express thing so the trains weren't running at the time. planning a trip back this spring to ride the train with the kids! thats some beautiful country out there

Don't know if it was mentioned, but Lionel, MTH, Atlas, Weaver, and Bachmann are all on the east coast with 3rd Rail/GGD on the west side.  Not sure if there's a connection but it's a worthy note of interest.

I'm currently traveling in Washington State.  Not feeling a lot of toy train vibes.

 

Bill

The sun shines bright in CA all winter long.  I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt at the G&O garden railroad in the SF Bay Area this morning.  

 

Those of us who live in the West are much more car oriented than we are public transportation oriented.  Therefore, fewer people out here take the train as a percent of the population.  There is simply more model railroading in areas where people ride and see more trains.  Another factor, at least here in CA, is that good weather keeps people outside year around.  This is why garden model railroading is very popular.  

 

Although none of our train shows can compare to York, we do have more than enough train shows to keep us busy.  O Scale West is the first weekend in February in Santa Clara (near San Jose - SF Bay Area).  There will be some very nice layouts on the tour schedule.  The Northern CA Cal-Stewart show is 22 March in San Ramon (SF Bay Area near Oakland).  This is the big Northern CA TCA show.  The Cal-Stewart show will have layout and collection tours for the first time this year.  The Southern CA Cal-Stewart show is in October each year in Ontario (near LA).  

 

This year, 2015, the NMRA national convention and the national train show will be in Portland, OR in August.  This should be a terrific convention.  I am planning to attend.  

 

The Coast Division of the NMRA is having its local show in April.  Next year, 2016, the National Garden Railroad convention will be in Santa Clara (near San Jose - SF Bay Area).  Nearly every year there is some big train show / event at the CA State Railroad Museum in Sacramento.

 

When I was living in the LA area a few years ago there were a couple of trains each year at the Pomona fairgrounds.  The City of Fullerton held a railroad fair every year.

 

I think you could keep busy attending a train show somewhere in CA every month if you wanted to spend your time and money doing it.  

 

Joe 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CA can't be too shabby with such a large population. The fella who started Milepost 38 out there some years ago has recently moved here and has visited our club. He told us how his business (4800 sq feet) was quite good with very little online presence. His nearest competitor (another large store) was 17 miles away and they BOTH did a great business.

 

When he retired for good last year, he sold his store to the other guy (Arnie's?) and the new owner rented additional space and put Milepost 38 next door! 

Try living in AZ. The Scottsdale McCormick Park club has one swap meet a year. There is usually the AZ train show at a hotel in Phoenix, and a show and swap meet put on by a club in Tucson. As far as I am aware, that's it. The east, even in NC where we relocated from, had at least one a month somewhere in reasonable driving distance. Not counting York of course. In addition, there is one in Albuquerque NM that is several hours away.

However, there is no humidity to make your homasote roadbed swell...

this is true!! and thanks

 

 

but we need some where to buy all the great trains we run!!!

Aw Ted...I was doing my best impression of Del Gue from Jeremiah Johnson...

 

Mark

 

Jeremiah Johnson?  And I thought you were speaking Brooklynese. 

 

So much for deciphering regional dialects on a forum post!

 

Thanks to York I've watched a Seahawks Thursday night football game played in Arizona while eating dinner in Pennsylvania with some wonderful people from Brooklyn.  Ya' just gotta love America and this hobby. 

 

We do have plenty of great railroad attractions in the Pacific Northwest.  Portland has SP 4449 and SP&S 700.  Southwest Washington has steam excursions at Chehalis and Mt. Rainier.  The Snoqualmie Railroad Museum has made great progress with car restoration and preservation and is now on the road to resuming steam operation in addition to their diesels.  And we have several very nice local hobby shops.  As Marty Fitzhenry said, Eastside Trains in Kirkland is one of the top O gauge train shops in the country with a good selection in other scales too and I am very happy to have it close to my home.  And, as far as I know, it is the only train shop in the US that is easily visited by boat. 

 

The northeast has great train shows and I have enjoyed every trip I have made back east.  But I love being able to ski in the morning and then have lunch and shop for trains in the afternoon.