World’s Greatest Hobby Show Edison, NJ Photos

Thank you for posting these pictures. I enjoyed them.

Thanks for posting photos . Paula and myself were there and it was a wonderful and refreshing show to attend.  We got there around 11 am and the place was packed to the walls. Families with young children all over the expo center. There were free train rides for the young children, by the Lionel booth the little folks were all running trains with LionChief remotes. Lenny the Lion was there for picture ops.   Picked up a few items from Grzyboski's and Caboose Industries. The WGHOT show is a welcoming and fun train show for the whole family to attend.

Dennis LaGrua posted:

.... The WGHOT show is a welcoming and fun train show for the whole family to attend.

Two different events with totally different personalities.  And that's OK.

After how many decades has York been the "mecca" for many an O-Gauge enthusiast?  And there's a reason that's the case.  A ton of work goes into making York as successful as it is, which is why 10,000+ enthusiasts make the trip TWICE each year.  There's both a social element as well as a train selling/buying element to York.  And that was by design, I'm sure.  And the EDTCA deserves huge kuddos for putting York together AND keeping it relavant as many of us morphed from collectors to operators.  Likewise, the organizers of WGHOT deserve similar atta-boys for producing an entirely different style train show that exposes youngsters to the hobby.

But at the end of the day, everybody MAKES their own fun at these train shows.  If you attend a train show purely to be entertained by trains, then you're likely missing the "big picture" point of the event.  And if you attend a train show purely to gauge the demographics of people attending, that's also missing the larger picture.  Neither York nor WGHOT are "better" than the other.  They're both doing just fine the last time I attended either, because I choose to have fun at either show.

Sure... York is "designed" more for the seasoned 3-Rail toy train enthusiasts who have a lot of years invested in the hobby, whereas WGHOT is oriented more for families with young children and kids in strollers.  WGHOT is perfect for first-timers and folks interested in exploring this terrific hobby. And that's perfectly fine, because there's really no need to have both shows doing exactly the same thing.

Personally, I could have fun at either show because I choose to do so.  And I suspect that other folks feel the same way, which is why both shows exist -- yet cater to different audiences at the same time.

David

The Raritan valley modular group keep upping their game.  There is a whole lot of detail on that layout.  And getting to pick up two o scale njdot coaches from the atlas booth for $40 each made my day.  

Rocky Mountaineer posted:

Dennis LaGrua posted:

.... The WGHOT show is a welcoming and fun train show for the whole family to attend.

Two different events with totally different personalities.  And that's OK.

After how many decades has York been the "mecca" for many an O-Gauge enthusiast?  And there's a reason that's the case.  A ton of work goes into making York as successful as it is, which is why 10,000+ enthusiasts make the trip TWICE each year.  There's both a social element as well as a train selling/buying element to York.  And that was by design, I'm sure.  And the EDTCA deserves huge kuddos for putting York together AND keeping it relavant as many of us morphed from collectors to operators.  Likewise, the organizers of WGHOT deserve similar atta-boys for producing an entirely different style train show that exposes youngsters to the hobby.

But at the end of the day, everybody MAKES their own fun at these train shows.  If you attend a train show purely to be entertained by trains, then you're likely missing the "big picture" point of the event.  And if you attend a train show purely to gauge the demographics of people attending, that's also missing the larger picture.  Neither York nor WGHOT are "better" than the other.  They're both doing just fine the last time I attended either, because I choose to have fun at either show.

Sure... York is "designed" more for the seasoned 3-Rail toy train enthusiasts who have a lot of years invested in the hobby, whereas WGHOT is oriented more for families with young children and kids in strollers.  WGHOT is perfect for first-timers and folks interested in exploring this terrific hobby. And that's perfectly fine, because there's really no need to have both shows doing exactly the same thing.

Personally, I could have fun at either show because I choose to do so.  And I suspect that other folks feel the same way, which is why both shows exist -- yet cater to different audiences at the same time.

David

 

Extremely well said.

 I have a great time at both shows, so I agree with David. I walked into the WGH show today, and waiting for me there was Kevin at the METCA booth. Always good to talk to him and abuse Stu a little bit in his absence. Turned around and there were Andy and Rich at the MTH booth. With balloons for Andy's birthday. Happy birthday Andy! Almost across from MTH was Jim at Scenic Express. Always good to talk to Jim. As Yul Brynner once said (many, many times), etc., etc., etc.

Gerry 

I was there it was a mad house with the kids running all over and I got clipped by 2 carriages.  Lol all in all it was a nice show. Lots of HO stuff some good prices but imho nothing compared to york .

I suspect that if York persuaded HO, N and G gauge manufacturers and vendors to attend the demographics of York's attendees would change.  It wouldn't do much for the collector, O and Standard gauge trains, etc. side of the hobby.  

It has been my experience that most of the young family crowd attending train shows is there for entertainment.  Seldom do they become train buyers, modelers or operators.  It is important to expose these folks to the hobby but the payoff is about 30 years in the future.

The real target for most manufactures, vendors, and train clubs are people who are nearing retirement and are looking to spend their hard earned retirement money on a satisfying hobby.  Grandparents are more likely to buy a train than their children.   It appears that York serves grandparents and other folks in this age group rather well.

NH Joe

NHJoe. Ihave to disagree. I saw a lot of young couples actively looking and I presume buying sets to start out in the hobby and or for their kids. It was actually kind of refreshing to see and hear this as I was going thru the show. This kind of show is definitely a plus to this hobby and if opening york up to more HO  N and Z so be it. We need to open the hobby up to new blood or it will be gone. 

Just got done from packing up and then getting home and unloading. We had an absolute blast. All the young faces and people interested was wonderful, can't wait until the next one.

Made it there Saturday - from around 1400 hrs to 1600 hrs! Daughter took me and graciously wheeled me around. WE had a blast! After an absence of over 50 years I am getting back into "trains". It was great to see so many families and the kids enjoying the show, and I noticed a lot of families purchasing starter sets! For me it was a learning experience; I wanted to see up close and personal what I had been reading about in mags and looking at on the 'net. We both enjoyed the show and now we have some concrete ideas on how to start building a layout. And, my Daughter surprised me and bought the Lionel WWII box car. I believe there was something for every type of train enthusiast.  just my 2 cents . . .

jim sutter posted:

Thank you for posting these pictures. I enjoyed them.

Agreed, and kudos to Trainworld's Ken Bianco Jr. for his continued commitment of promoting the hobby with this event's free drawing to win a Lionel Polar Express set w/ remote.

gladstone23 posted:

I always enjoyed this show when my boys were younger ...nice to see young families with their children enjoying the trains 😎

GLADSTONE23, Thank you for posting those photos. They certainly afford us a perspective on the event worth thinking about.

FrankM

I went up, first time in a very long time. It was better than I remembered. I think I may have gone to the first one, and I don’t remember nearly as many dealers. I like Allentown and York better, but still, it was a nice way to spend a day. Got a good deal on one of those trailer homes by Woodland Scenics.

I actually had a ticket for a horror convention, much closer to home, but at the last minute I decided to eat the $30.00 and go to Edison instead. Had a feeling the convention would be too crowded for my tastes. Boy did I nail that. Fire Marshall shut their doors due to the crowd size. Looking at trains is way more fun the getting trampled by a mob.