OSW impressions

PHOTOS or it didn't happen.

Next time will take photos. I didn't realize photograph proof was essential to make an opinion? 

swrr posted:

Next time will take photos. I didn't realize photograph proof was essential to make an opinion? 

Essential?  Never, but it does help those of us that can't attend to live vicariously through you.  Glad you enjoyed the show.  Unfortunately, it's just a little too far from Houston for me to attend.

"Pictures or it didn't happen" is just a phrase used on BB's to express the desire to see photos of something discussed.  Certainly not something to be taken the wrong way!

OK, Tell us what all you saw that was interesting/a great deal.

Simon

swrr posted:

Some remarkable deals were to be had.

Ok, like what?

I had a great time and got to visit with a lot of great people.  Attendance seemed down quite a bit.  Many feel it was because it was held on the holiday weekend.  Fact is, we don't really know.  The only people that know for sure are the ones that didn't attend.

Jay

There were some S Helper Service S gauge reefers for $25 each. That was an excellent deal.

Well for me it was great. talked to old friends and met new people. Best deal for me was the purchase of a Wasatch UP 5816 series Baggage RPO.  350.00 took it home. The last one I bought

was 1100.00 big difference.  Yes attendance was down about 15%.  There was also good buy on PSC brass heavy weights cars. 15 vendors were selling these so prices were all over, you could really deal.

The OSW committee did a great job on the show, and the Hyatt was as always great. The dates for nexted year are the same as this year. OSW has a lock on the hotel through 2020.

Bob

Bob Harris posted:

Well for me it was great. talked to old friends and met new people. Best deal for me was the purchase of a Wasatch UP 5816 series Baggage RPO.  350.00 took it home. The last one I bought

was 1100.00 big difference.  Yes attendance was down about 15%.  There was also good buy on PSC brass heavy weights cars. 15 vendors were selling these so prices were all over, you could really deal.

The OSW committee did a great job on the show, and the Hyatt was as always great. The dates for nexted year are the same as this year. OSW has a lock on the hotel through 2020.

Bob

Ugh I've been looking for a PSC HW observation car, any idea who may be selling one???

OSW has a lock on the hotel through 2020.

Nothing like a little advance planning put into place for these events!

Thank you Bob, will do!

We well didnt attend because of the date. Memorial Day Day weekend, the 1st 3 day weekend of summer, traveling in CA on a holiday weekend.... next year is going to be the same??? Really? 

Why not go back to Feb? Memorial Day Weekend is not a good idea for train shows out here. Its a 6 hour drive for me without being a  holiday weekend.

Our choices for 2018 were Super Bowl weekend or Memorial day weekend.  We're not happy about it either.  When we accepted this weekend last year we were told we would have better choices for 2018.

Oh, and expect about 50 Key E units to show up on Brasstrains.com in the near future.  They're from the Gibson estate and they weren't about to give them away at OSW.

I thought this date was OK, but yes attendance was low. But the vender selection for items to sell was outstanding.  Driving back to Portland Oregon on Sunday was very light. left hotel at  6 am was back in Portland at 5 30 pm.   No accidents on I 5 north lots of chp and OHP.

Now for the date I will attend next year and will see what it looks like for future.

Bob

rdunniii posted:

Oh, and expect about 50 Key E units to show up on Brasstrains.com in the near future.  They're from the Gibson estate and they weren't about to give them away at OSW.

This stuff from the Gibson estate was Hugh, but the down fall was no posted prices or open boxes to review models. The had a list disription from hell. 10 minutes later after going thru the list to get an answer. Were asking 4400 for a Key AB E 7. They did not man the selling table you had to look for them. Imaging 25 key model e unit boxes stacked on the table 5 wide 5 tall yep 25 boxes.

Now for there ethics about unloading at the dock, they backed there semi up to it for 4 hours and no one else could use it. That to me was BS

Bob

Traffic in the Bay area was pretty reasonable for this midwesterner.  SFO to Santa Clara on Friday morning 10am was a bit busy.  Drove to Fresno Sunday morning and came back in the afternoon - light traffic.  Back to SFO Monday morning felt like something out of a Twilight Zone episode - had the road nearly to myself.  I'm sure the trek from SoCal would have been painful.

Yes there were some nice deals. Car Works Sac Northern Steeple cab for $799; Precision Scale SP T-31 ten wheeler for $1000; Precision Scale Mountain for $895.  These were the marked prices so likely sold for less.  The Gibson estate stuff there was no bargaining but minty.

mwb posted:

swrr posted:

Some remarkable deals were to be had.

Ok, like what?

See above. "Brevity is the soul of witt. "

"Well for me it was great. talked to old friends and met new people. Best deal for me was the purchase of a Wasatch UP 5816 series Baggage RPO.  350.00 took it home. The last one I bought."

Your a lucky man, that was an incredible buy. 

Butch

The traffic was very light because of the 3 day weekend.  Thursday traffic was normal for set up but friday was less than half of normal and the weekend was it's usual not much.  The Tahoe ski areas are still open so I imagine the friday traffic was eastbound over the Sierra.

It is normally a zoo on highway 101 - a beautiful drive, but with everybody driving in the left lane.  I cannot imagine doing it on a 3-day weekend. Super Bowl weekend would be tons better - everybody is home drinking, and not driving or flying.

rdunniii posted:

Oh, and expect about 50 Key E units to show up on Brasstrains.com in the near future.  They're from the Gibson estate and they weren't about to give them away at OSW.

Judging by the $4400 price (given a few posts below yours), doesn't sound like they were giving them away!

Simon

at those prices they did not sell any that I could see. There table was right across from me.

if you do not man your table you can not sell, pretty dumb.

I understood Bill Davis and Norm Pullen bought a large amount of the Gibson collection 2 years ago, were they reselling at OSW?

Couldn't have been them.  They price things reasonably, and sell them at a modest profit.

The asking price for the Key E units was dealer prices.  As the Key dealer prices were different between different E units so was the asking price at OSW.

There is a ton of brass popping out of the woodwork right now, besides the incredible Seacrest collection. Whoever thinks they can get even anywhere close to wholesale prices on NIB KEY diesels is kidding themselves. The market is off by 25% and sometimes more.

Still amazed at $350 for a Wasatch Baggage car. That might be the buy of the year or decade. They bought $700-900+ at the Seacrest auction and generally command a $1000 or better unpainted. Not enough were built so they were/are always in short supply. Apparently Jim had them all. 

BH

Yeah I got this car  for $149 on ebay, considering factory painted ones fetch for $400 I was more than happy to get this at such price.

Here is my view of OSW.

https://myp48.wordpress.com

Corrected link

The show was smaller than in the past but this interesting.

Gene

Have to sign in to view?

Excellent report Gene!  Great to see some of the movers and shakers in O scale too. For some reason I thought Dick Harley was a lot older, but unless his looks belie his age, he should be around for a long time. Good news for us UP guys. 

Had a hard time using your posted link, but since I visit your blog frequently it is bookmarked on my computer. This link below might work better for some. 

https://myp48.wordpress.com/

Thanks,

Butch

Butch

My link works but is not an ideal entry point.

I like yours better.

Gene 

Here are a few shots taken during OSW.

Chris Allen built the WP work car from his own 3D design.

Cab Forward was imported by Key and is a pre-war configuration

Speaking of which, Dave Davita sold the last of the Key Cab forwards at the show.  There were 3 left, now there are none.  The 4th one at the show is Dave's.

Here are some pictures of Yosemite Short Line (On3 or On30) layout. 

Plenty of brass available...

Some beautiful scenery done by (I believe) Dan and Armando Vargas.