World's Greatest Hobby on Tour

Same thing in Cincy a couple years ago.

This sounds about par with their show in Oaks, PA a while back. There WERE a lot of nice modular layouts, but huge detailed layouts may be a cost/time/space turn-off for most. Lets face it, most families with kids were looking for a "fun day out". The dealers should have known that 80% (my guess) of those attending were not there to buy anything except a inexpensive toy for the kids.

To get new folks into the hobby, I think pre-Christmas shows and advertisements would work best. I had a Christmas layout for 19 years before I really got "into" the hobby.

That's been my experience the last few years.

The one I go to sets up a forced gauntlet whereby you have to navigate every plush toy table, every kite selling table, crafts and nick knack table; all having nothing even remotely connected to trains. 

I have noticed more and more people coming just for that.  Fine, if that's what you like, but let's not call this a train show anymore.

I'm glad you brought this up, i was at this show about three or four years ago. It was one of the best train shows I've ever been too.The isles were packed there was no room to walk and 95 percent of the vendors had train related items.  This past weekend I was at the Edison show and I found it to be kind of disappointing, so many vendors with toys and non train related items. I went on Saturday, there's was so much room to walk around ,the isles were pretty much empty. A friend of mine went on Sunday he said the place was completely dead. So sad looks like this show is turning into the rest of the boring train shows. On the bright side the layouts were top notch

Thanks

alex

The Greenberg shows are heading in the same direction, to many toys and not enuf trains

There really are two shows that are left on the list for me  York and Springfield

I attended the Edison WGHOT show and the Greenberg's show a couple of weeks earlier in Wilmington, Delaware.  Other than the large number of modular groups and mainline retailers present at the WGHOT show it was pretty much a carbon copy of the Greenberg show with far too many toy racing cars and helicopters flying through and around the aisles.  At least Greenberg had  more train vendors selling things.  I really only went to both shows because I had some idle time on my hands.  I won't make that mistake again.  I would add here that the Allentown first frost and Spring thaw meets are still great train shows.  York is still in a class all by itself.

Ben,

What about the LCCA convention in Boston this year?  We will be at the DoubleTree Hotel in Danvers Ma July 20-25.  We have a train show on Friday night July 24 for LCCA convention members only, then on Saturday the show is open to the public from 9 AM to 3:00 PM.  We would love  to see you and all of the NJ HirailerS there.  We are going on tour of the Bospton Metro Hi-Railers club too. 

Al K. 

Mailed a check for 3 tables tis morning!!!

maybe seller tables cost too much at wghot?

I was always told wghot was mainly for manufactures.

While much of what has been reported here is true , I found the WGHOT show enjoyable and to disagree with some, it was crowded Saturday morning. It is similar to a Greenberg show but the interesting part is that many manufacturers themselves exhibit and there were many great layouts.

The fact of the matter is that it is a challenging time for train shows. The prices of new trains are going through the roof, and in many cases are affordable for those only with the deepest pockets. The used trains are plentiful and the prices on that stuff are falling like a lead balloon but so is the demand. Consider that the internet stores offer much (and save you gas and admission), have had an impact on the shows and the audience is shrinking each day. Unless we can reach, teach and inspire even a small percentage of young people, we can expect some radical change in this hobby in the coming years. Thankfully the WGHOT show is inclusive, welcomes families with children and I have a post here with pictures taken at the WGHOT show titled "The Future of Model Railroading in Pictures". Its something to think about.

I has noticed that the show was heavily advertised on network TV in prime time for a few days before the show.  I was nervous that the crowds would be overwhelming due to the advertising .  It was packed the last time the show came through the NY/NJ area.  

I don't know what show others were at that thought it was packed but it wasn't. I was there Saturday morning and never had a problem getting to any tables.   I guess the ad campaign was because the organizers knew attendance would be down.  

I was very disappointed.  Few vendors,  few people (and fewer children)  and many, many toy (non-train) tables.    The last few Greenberg shows at Edison also had lowered attendance (and wider aisles!)   I hope this trend does not continue.