Who else has withdrawal symptoms?

I live in So Cal, only get a few a year anyway.

Steve

Art,

I have withdrawal when I go down to the basement and see floor tiles.

Eliot

I hope that you are working to correct that?

Art

I drove around the four major islands....Maui may have been the most scenic, but the

"big island", Hawaii felt like there was more room, more Lebensraum.  As a car nut who

likes photographing grain elevators across Kansas, anywhere you can't even drive among the islands gave me claustrophobia.  No train shows on Oahu, either?  With the

sugar cane trains, there was a lot of railroad history on the islands.

Here's a link to this month's Great Train Show at the DuPage County (IL) Fairgrounds that others have mentioned will be held this weekend. I enjoy going to the show year-round, just to see what I might find.  

So, just out of curiosity, who's planning on going this weekend?

I will be there.

Art

Withdrawal?

None at all.  Strasburg O scale meet is this Sat.  Indy meet is next month.  Regional NMRA meet in Oct.  Cleveland show and Cherry Valley in Nov.....

Heh Art - come see us - we are just north of Indianapolis - 200 miles from O'Hare..... If you come down during the week - you and I can run some trains..... On Saturdays, we run trains for everyone.....

Not bragging, but I'd bet we have more O Gauge trains on display and for sale than you'd ever see at the DuPage show.

"You guys are lucky. There has never been a train show on Maui. Don"

Hmmmm, water temperature in the eighties, some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, guava juice sold like orange juice, and the scenery, well, I need not say more.

Steve - I have wanted to come down and visit your great store and beautiful layout and will make it one of these days.  A couple of my train buddies, Jon & Ken, were down not too long ago and had a great time. 

From the pictures of your store, there is absolutely no doubt that you have more new trains for sale than at the monthly DuPage.  DuPage for me is about seeing my friends every month, talking trains and what's new with them, occasionally finding a new die-cast car or truck, finding a hard to find K-Line passenger car set, and things like that.  It could never compare to a well-stocked, professionally run hobby shop, of which yours is obviously one of the best.

Hopefully I will see you and your wife at York again this fall and may stop by your store on either the way out or back.

Art

I used too when I was in the "acquisition" mode of the hobby.   But I buy very little these days and just enjoy running what I have.

The shows are great,  but they come around during the Christmas season here and that works just fine for me..............

Mark

Here in Maine there isn't much toy train activity any time of the year, but it is definitely slowest during the summer, at least for us. Exception: thanks to this forum, I've connected with Passenger Train Collector, and we have plans to get together soon, and are looking forward to it. Our summer is so short here that we have to play hard and fast or we'll miss it. If we're lucky, we get 8-10 weekends of good warm weather for summer activities. That's it. There will be plenty of fall and winter days (or as my Dad used to call it, "toy train weather") to enjoy the trains.  

Speaking of Hawaii, we visit Kauai about every 2 years; on our last trip in '14 I visited the (I think) only train store on the island; I have to admit, being from the north, it seemed strange to see all those "winter toys" in a tropical environment. We also rode the train at the Kauai Plantation Railway--great time, especially stopping to feed the wild pigs!!  

DuPage Show in my book isn't a great train show and hasn't been for the last 10 years or so. 

Thank you, Art...... We should rent a party bus for you guys in Chicago to all come down together......

I only feel the heat walking from the main house to the workshop/train building. That's what a/c is for. Hiking and yard work are done in the early morning or late evening. I spent most of today in the air-conditioned shop working on a locomotive for a friend. Never do favors that involve upgrades of old brass engines! 

I have a 3 and 6 year old to entertain so I'm always in the heat but I do agree that mornings are best for everything. Train wise though I typically only have afternoons free to myself.

There have been a couple of small shows that I have missed this summer, but my sons' baseball games have kept me very busy. My youngest finished up last night, and there just so happens to be a Greenberg show this weekend. I'm getting ready for vacation, but I'll do whatever I have to do to get myself up to that show. I spent an hour running my trains yesterday, and I can't wait for fall so I can settle in for my Sundays in the basement.

There is a train shop on Kauai!?  Only thing I found there was a Lappert's ice cream

shop and a lot of interesting volcanic activity, caves and such.   Missed that railroad,

too. Dang!

I was....until this past weekend.  My kids had no events and it was very hot/humid in this area.  Thus, I went to the basement and worked on the layout for a few hours.  It was fun!

Art 

Having been to the DuPage show and to Mr Muffins, Mr Muffins will cost you a lot more money.  I am hoping for a rainy day, but Sunday is suppose to be 87 and no chance of rain. 

I'm sure that you'll be on the boat!

Even on a beautiful Saturday here we have lots of visitors - over 100 last Saturday.... Mrs Muffin says we have great air conditioning.....

I will, but I do miss the trains, but the family said they will commit me if it's not cold or rainy out and I go to the train room. LOL  They may give me a hard time, but every time someone comes over to the house they show them the train room!!! 

My wife and I went to all the islands in 2003, and I was unnerved the entire time. The idea I couldn't walk home from there bugged me. I had the same feeling whenever I traveled to other countries. Once I was back in the good old continental US, I could always walk home from wherever I was.

Not much RR anything in Hawaii. The Lahaina, Kaanapali and Pacific Railroad was a great ride as they had steam at the time we rode it, but they're rebuilding it after a very slow decline.

Can't say I was terribly impressed. I was from Florida originally so I was used to nice beaches and warm-humid weather. Frankly, I am generally annoyed by Hawaiians because lots of them move to where I live now and spend every moment of their lives griping about how Hawaii was so much better. The locals also seriously look down upon mainlanders, and they talk even slower (if that's even possible) once they know you don't live there.

Yes, Mr. Muffin is correct.  He has more to see than what the DuPage show has to offer!!  His shop is great place to visit!  If you have withdrawal symptoms, a visit to Mr. Muffin’s is the cure! 

Steve, we will have to plan another trip down at sometime…maybe a few more can come along with us.  A party bus sounds fun!  LOL!

No withdrawal symptoms with me this summer.  I visited hobby shop in West Columbia, South Caroline on vacation in July.  A very small train shop that had trains stacked to the ceiling.  He had about 1000 square foot store and needed about 3000 feet for all the trains jammed into his small store.  I was afraid I was going to trip over something when there!  I was digging though Lionel boxes to see if I could find anything I wanted.  I did not find anything after spending an hour there, but nevertheless; I enjoyed looking at what he had. 

I also visited Misty Mountain Railroad in Blairsville, GA.  A great layout to visit. 

I found out about another hobby shop a few weeks ago that I was not aware of in our area.  I had my daughter drive me there.  She is learning to drive so she was more than happy to take me to the shop in order to get her driving time in!  Overall nice store with assortment O’Gauge, HO, N and G scale trains. 

Visited IRM for diesel days which is always fun.

Yesterday, on way back from a long weekend in Michigan, I stopped by I Love Toy Trains – The Country Store, the home of TM Books and Video in Michigan City, Indiana.  My Garmin had me take some country roads to get there.  At first I thought my Garmin was taking me on a journey to nowhere!  However, the store is located on a country road in place you would never think you would find a train store.  They have small store but some nice stuff on sale including some nice K-line Aluminum Passenger Cars and rolling stock!   

Ken

"They may give me a hard time, but every time someone comes over to the house they show them the train room!!!"

Isn't that how it goes?!?

Hi Ken

Did I Love trains, have k-line 21" passenger cars?  What was the name of the other hobby by you?

Jim,

They had a set of K-line Milwaukee Road Aluminum passenger cars.  I did not look at the size because I was not very interested in them since I already have a couple sets of MR passenger cars.  Don't remember seeing any other K-line passenger car sets other than K-line rolling stock.  The other Hobby Shop is Walts Hobby Shop in Crest Hill, IL...Near Joliet. 

Ken

Its good to give the wallet a break during the summer

Art:  Jump in the car, drive east to Pennsylvania.  When you get to the state line, give me a call, and I'll get you down to my place.  Then you can relieve all your withdrawal symptoms helping me haul lumber down the basement, and finish building my benchwork.  

Bob - You are killing me.  We would have so much fun everybody would think we were doing something wrong.

Art

Art,

Here's something to do after the DuPage train show this Sunday.

http://downtownnaperville.com/...ergency-vehicle-show

franktrain

Frank - I hadn't heard of that before, it might be interesting.

Art

Here in Arizona our shows are but a shadow of what you folks enjoy in the Midwest and East, but we do have them during the summer.  Despite the Phoenix heat, the Grand Canyon Model Railroaders hosted a nice show last month.  Then next week we invite all the low desert folks to join us up here in mile high Prescott to our Beat the Heat meet.

We just make sure our halls are air conditioned.

After doing York in April, the Nassau Lionel Operating Engineers Open House and a couple of orders from different outlets and visits to Nassau Hobby, I've satisfied my need temporarily.  I got some trains on the way for my birthday and thanks to the help of some great forum members I was able to finally get my Big Boy, what else is there?  I'm squared away almost up til X-Mas.

Doesn't sound like anyone else is going to our monthly meet at the DuPage Fairgrounds this Sunday?  I must be the only one having withdrawal symptoms around here.

Art

Thanks Ken

I have been to Walt's, I went there not expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised. It's on my list for a revisit. 

Art

You can always come to our house for a boat ride!!! 

Not me; I keep plenty busy with outdoor activities during the summer.

Jeff Davis