Ok I admit it, I am still a little bit in shock. My wife, Pam, and I attended the Amherst Model Railroad Show in West Springfield, Mass this past weekend. It was truly a case of sensory overload. For the first time in my life I was confronted with too much model railroading. We shot two hours of video, mostly of operating modular layouts and other selected points of interest. I suppose one gets out of any experience that which he seeks, and I was there for ideas and turnouts. I got some of each.
I had also hoped to meet up with some fellow members of this web community, but after being on the receiving end of more than a few glares, I stopped asking. As someone else pointed out, there were a lot of rude people there, but there were many more pleasant folks, there to enjoy the trains, share experiences and buy. And buy they did! I have a friend who is a vendor, dealing in antique toy trains, and he said it was one of the better shows yet. The serious collectors show up at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning and clamour at the gates to be let in early. They swarm the antiques dealers and swoop up the bargains. I was told they were gone by noon, and the serious modelers took over. Saturday seemed to be their day and the attendance was almost all male. Pam and I commented on that and wondered what percentage of modelers is female. We decided that it can't be too high. Sunday, by contrast was family day. Hordes of marauding children ran from table to table, the more experienced among them armed with step-stools so they might better see the layouts.
While it was a good weekend overall, I found myself, late on Sunday afternoon, offering money to several dealers for a few minutes in one of their folding chairs. The hard concrete floors of the exhibit halls took their toll on my poor aching feet. (I am sure it had nothing to do with the extra 90 or so pounds that I am packing.)
Pam and I agreed that while we enjoyed the show as a whole, it is not something we would want to do every year. Of course, we decided that on our way home, who knows how we'll feel in a year?
Show of Shows?
the real question
What did you BUY? I know you didn't walk away from there with just ideas. Nobody's got that kind of self-control.
I know I spent about $325
I know I spent about $325 on train stuff, including a couple of things for my boys, a diesel loco, 5 boxcars, 3 Micro Trains disconnect log cars, a couple of small building kits, a Tichy rotary plow kit and windows, plus some other scratch-building stuff like EZ-Line. Seeing all the cool displays at the show: Priceless.
On the way home, I was thinking I wasn't interested in going back but I'm already starting to think I might. A friend and I drove 9 hours to get there, stayed 3 nights and had a great time. Our wives was to come next year, so there goes the "good time" part. Ha ha ha! ;-)
-mike