First Visit to DuPage in 15 Years

My sentiments exactly, Jim. It has been quite some time since I've attended the DuPage "show", and that is pretty much what it has turned into the last 10 years, i.e. a "show". Except for Caboose Stop Hobbies and Rails Unlimited, both in the 3rd building, very few tables have anything new for sale.

There is not a single thing that I cannot find or order at my regular hobby shop (Timberline Hobbies in Downers Grove), on E-Bay, or at an on-line shop.  I have not been to Dupage for at least as long as you, and my experience the last time paralleled yours. 

Unless there is a social benefit to attending, it is not worth the time, money, or carbon emissions to attend.   

GNNPNUT

"For those that are familiar with the floor plan you know who I am talking about when I say: Main Building, second aisle from the west wall, comb-over, a wall of Orange boxes 12-high spanning 2-3 tables ALL marked "show special"."

LOL! I remember my brother and I haggling with that dude back in the '80s. How does he justify the expense and time to be there?! 

Right...shows a dud...I quit attending when the idiots started parking 3 deep at the upper parking lot 

One's reaction to this show may depend on what one is looking for.  I have purchased a number of items in the last few years.  Prices in general at Dupage are much better than York. 

I know of the dealer you are discussing.  He is a good guy and is a MTH and Lionel dealer.  He takes pr-orders without a deposit and delivers every time on time.  He is very nice and responsible.  I think he does move cars at Dupage.

Bill

I attended the show yesterday and while there was not a lot of new merchandise on display there was considerable new-old cars and locomotives for sale. K-Line, Weaver and Lionel freight cars new, mint in the box for $20-25.00. Can't find those prices at local hobby shops. For new Lionel, Weaver, and Atlas there is Bill Hirsch in the Main Building with great prices on rolling stock and ALL the Woodlands Scenics Buildings. He is a Lionel-MTH-Atlas dealer with excellent prices and service. Caboose Stop Hobbies in the adjacent building has excellent prices on MTH and Atlas. The show does not compare to the heyday of the 1980's or 1990's but is still a great way to spend a Sunday Morning.

I guess at times we all go to different shows in the same buildings.  I had a great time at DuPage yesterday.  It depends on what you are looking for.  Here are a few of the things that I got out of yesterday's show.

1. Was pleasantly surprised to see and visit with SantaFeJim.  Getting to see a great friend and talk trains is always a good day in my book.
2. Had breakfast with many good friends at The Verdict.  Smaller group than normal, but the quality was definitely there.  Scot, Howard, Bill, Mike, Alan, and me were the only ones.
3. Picked up an order for my friend Stan who couldn't make it.
4. Found out details on where to get connectors for Tortoise Switch Machines.
5. Had in-depth discussions about my potential Spencer Packing Co. reefers with several people at the show.
6. Checked a new reefer book for pictures of a Spencer Pack reefer with no luck.
7. Saw several friends who host operating sessions and compared notes about future session.
8. Saw many great Atlas cars for sale for $40 asking price.  Many were brand new 2-rail cars that could easily be switched to 3-rail.  Almost and should have bought a Deep Rock single dome tank car that is still haunting me.  Would have made a great car to weather for my meat packing plant.
9. One seller had a large lot of signals for sale.  All styles of MTH and Lionel cantilever style with additional lighted signals that could be added or used to scratch build signal bridges.  Also had many Right of Way signals but they were all Pennsylvania style signals that I didn't want to mix with mine.  Great deals though.
10. A seller offered me a gorgeous Brooklyn 55 auto that retailed for $135 for $68!  He had a box of really nice, high-end die-cast that he was blowing out for half price.  Fabulous deals on die-cast!
11. Bill Hirsch had some great cars including a special run Peppers Packing Co. reefer.  And his usual great deals on new Atlas, Lionel, and MTH cars.  Plus he had quite a few new Weaver cars including many Milwaukee Road box cars.  Super prices on Woodland Scenic buildings too.  Bill's table is worth going to DuPage for alone.
12. Tom from Berwyn Hobby seemed to be having a great day.  He was too busy making sales for me to be able to visit as much as usual.
13. Ted Schnepf had a great selection of new die-cast as usual, plus O gauge cars, and his treasure chest of books. 
14. Mike Abernathy of Zephyr Routes was there and sharing details of his new excursions coming up.
15. Franktrain was selling in the parking lot enjoying the great weather.
16. Unfortunately we had a political discussion at our mid-morning coffee break, but Earle stopped by and helped even the discussion a little. 

17. Saw several K-Line passenger cars, but none I couldn't live without.

18.  Tempted to buy a great picture showing an arrival at Aurora station.  Maybe next month?

I definitely got my money's worth.  I'm sorry that some of you didn't.  It was a smaller show with a number of vendors missing.  Summer is always a smaller attendance as not everyone has "withdrawal symptoms" as I do. 

Art

Well said, I couldn't agree more.

Art

SanteFeJim - I'm sorry you didn't find the MTH twin stacks that you were looking for.  I haven't seen them here in a long time.  I will keep an eye out for them for you though and hope you find them soon.  At first I wasn't sure which ones you were talking about, but I agree that they are beautiful looking cars.

Art

It has been a few years since I have attended the Dupage Show. My first one was in 1996 when I was transferred to the Chicago area. Over the fourteen years that followed, there were new dealers that went away and it is smaller, but I found value in continuing to attend. The best part was the Forum group that gathered for breakfast before the "early entry" to this show. It was always a fun time. I did not expect to find great deals on trains, but as Art mentioned, I continually found nice buys on die cast vehicles and every now and then, the unusual item.

I remember one show when Art hunted me down at the show to ask me if I had seen the Sante Fe Chief drumhead (1 to 1) offered by one of the sellers. I don't know how I missed it, but Art directed me back to the seller. If I had not gone to this show, I would have never found it.

So, indeed the Dupage Show is not the end of all ends, but it is fun if only to meet and greet train friends. I sure miss it.

If it is mostly O gauge it's got to be a lot better than the almost all HO & N gauge shows they have around here.

rtr12,

From what I saw yesterday I would say about 50% O gauge.  HO was 40% and 10% (N & G).

I haven't seen near that much here, maybe 5% or a tad more, but I think 10% would be stretching it. The quality of the O gauge stuff wasn't very good either, all was extremely well used. I have gone to about 3-4 of these shows and have never seen anything of interest. I haven't been at least 3 years now, maybe I will try again this fall just to see if anything has changed.

About everything you say SanteFeJim is true. I have gone with pocket full of cash and left with it. If you get one time sellers,  there are deals to be had.

"Bill Hirsch had some great cars including a special run Peppers Packing Co. reefer.  And his usual great deals on new Atlas, Lionel, and MTH cars.  Plus he had quite a few new Weaver cars including many Milwaukee Road box cars.  Super prices on Woodland Scenic buildings too.  Bill's table is worth going to DuPage for alone."

Bill has the best price right now than anyone for a DCS system including on the web.

I used to go to the Wheaton show almost every month back in the late 80s and early 90s.I gradually slowed down to one visit every other year,only because I found everything I wanted.I recently went back a few times in the past year and while it wasn't like the peak 25 years ago,there was plenty of interesting items for sale,and at much lower prices than I paid way back.I also sold some of my excess train inheritance from my Dad last February and sold basically everything I brought.

Dan 

Sorry but from the lists I seen posted no latest offerings from any of the manufacturers...just old stock. No Chicagoland Hobbies, Sommerfield's, Jim Delgado, L&B Trains etc....any Legacy Big Boys there?? I doubt it. 

Most of what I seen posted can be done via social media or a phone call.

Let's see..cost me $20 gas + $10 admission + $10 eats somewhere on the road. I'm out $40 just showing up x 11 shows = $440 per year...not worth it. I paid early admission so I can get out before the public table gawkers are let lose...you know the ones that never buy anything but block viewing any tables that the vendors are renting at $48 each.

"Most of what I seen posted can be done via social media or a phone call."

If you are referring to the benefit of Forum members having a chance to break bread with great conversation (face to face), then I emphatically disagree with the above statement. Social media sure doesn't replace the ability to actually meet and greet rather than to sit behind a keyboard and screen.

Translate this to the OGR York Meet Thursday Gathering, Would it be better to have all of us to sit somewhere with a smart phone and text back and forth. Me thinks not. 

Have been to show once this season looking for older busted things for spare parts etc.

Many years back piles upon piles of stuff could be found above and under the tables but much less nowadays.

Still a decent show in my opinion .

Art  i first met Tom in 1990 when his traIn hobby store was in Tinley Park on Oak Park Ave out towards my way it was quite small at the time, then he moved on Harlem in Berwyn right by the train tracks which is where he let me make payments on  ABA 2343 because they were expensive but in very nice condition. Still have them.

His mother also super sweet lady , Tom then eventually moved to his current location in

Berwyn an old car dealer ship if memory serves correct as i grew up nearby Cicero and we also cruised Ogden or RT66 as its called.

Pre ordered my DCS  from Tom at that store when they first came out and still use it although i never upgraded the system and still have an extra remote brand new and all the orginal boxes sales receipt etc and its used weekly.

Will go to the show later this fall to look around before the snow hits .

Martin

Martin - It would great to meet you.  Join us for breakfast at The Verdict if you can.

Art

As Art says going to the show is about your expectations.  I don’t go often but I enjoy going to the breakfast to hear Art’s stories!!  That is worth the price of going!  LOL!  I have to agree with what Brian said above…you don’t get the face to face interaction here on the forum or even over the phone.  For me the social aspect is what makes it fun even more so than finding something at the show.   Sharing this hobby with others brings more enjoyment as well as keeps me more enthused about it.  I don’t have permanent layout other than carpet layout so when I go to the show I am not looking for anything particular.  I have not bought anything at the show in the times I have attended in the past year, but the times I have attended I have enjoyed talking with the other guys at the show.  I want to say thank you to Art for coordinating the breakfast gathering every month.  If were not for the breakfast, I would not have met some great guys such as Art, Stan, Jon and others. 

I've attended 5 or 6  train shows in the past couple of years.  I've been looking for used accessories and buildings as my layout is still under construction..  Unfortunately, I've come up empty at most of them, including TCA.  Although,  I did pick up a bunch of rolling stock. 

Even though I came up empty on buildings I had a blast at TCA.  A lot of it had to do with the fact that my boys were with me.   The small shows have the same stuff every year.

Martin,

I would like to meet you as well.  I lived in Cicero until I was 10 years old.  Then we moved to Forest View in 1957.

I also know Tom from his Tinley Park, Oak Park Ave days.

I live in Tinley and you are in Frankfort, out here that practically makes us neighbors.  Our club has a FREE Open House the weekend, why not stop in and visit us.  Hours are Saturday & Sunday from 10:00 - 5:00.

Directionand details are in this link.  http://www.hirailmodulartrainclub.com/

Dan and Riverrailfan, you guys are not that far either.  So why not join us this weekend.  Art has been there a few times and we expect to see him and his "Verdict" crew sometime this fall.

Great story, PTC.

When I relocated from Atlanta to Chicago in '87, I was just getting started in the hobby and recall, in hindsight, thinking the Dupage monthly meetings were sort of a "York lite" show compared to the tiny TCA quarterly shows in Atlanta.

Not sure how I met the train friends I had back then, but we regularly met for breakfast and then went to the fairgrounds.  Being with those guys was always worthwhile; and, I have no clear recollections of any significant purchases made at the show except for a William scale brass cabforward being blown-out for $549.

Next to the Wednesday train nights in the basement of the late Rich Sherry's home, the Dupage breakfast/train shows supplied some much enjoyed social time in the hobby.

We have visit your club, it's worth the trip

rboatertoo,

You and I had a few back-and-forths on this forum back in January or February,  When I looked at your profile it said Indiana so I did not waste any time inviting you to our club.  You explained that you spend the Winters in the SunShine State so I said feel free to stop in and visit when you get "Back Home Again in Indiana".

I'm guessing you are back up here now... the invitation is still open.

Will we see you this weekend??? 

 ________________________________________________________

JIM,

I just re-read your post and see that you have already visited our club.  Soooo sorry I missed you.  Drop in again sometime and we can chat.

Jim

Back working Saturdays and have a outing with the kids on Sunday.