If you are going to Springfield, there is a nice restaurant about 1/2 hour or so away. It is called "The Steaming Tender", and is a coverted historic train station. The food is good, prices are reasonable, and trains still run right by the station. Check out their site. I sometimes stop there on my way home from the Brimfield antique shows.
I think I learned about the restaurant here on this board. I have eaten there a number of times.
As far as Springfield goes: I try to get there for the opening bell on Saturday. By noon it is too crowded for me.
Last year I could only go on Sunday. MY favorite tableholders were well picked over, but I still managed to buy a few items.
One item was a 2460 crane that was dirty and in pieces.
I though I was buying it for parts, but much to my surprise, it cleaned up and is now on my layout. All it was missing were the screws to mount the cab, and the threaded round piece that goes on the boom to accept the height adjusting screw. I had one in my junk drawer, along with the screws.
