RALEIGH NC TRAIN SHOW, A DISAPPOINTMENT

I'd love to go to even a 'bad' train show myself.

I have yet to be able to attend a train show since I went to the show in Huntington WV NOV 2013.  And due to family doings I will miss the Huntington show this year too. And that is my closest show....a 3 hour drive for me.

I've been to shows that didn't have much.....but seeing layouts and looking at trains is fun...no matter the scale.

Ira, first let me say thank you for your service to our country.  Secondly, I am sorry you found the show to be a "disappointment".  I have been a table holder at this show for 27 years now and as a mostly O gauge guy accept that it is run by a club with a majority of members being into HO.  It usually draws about 2000 people in two days (which is very small by many larger area standards) but that makes it the latest train show in North Carolina.  Only about 25 to 30 percent of the vendors have O items which cuts down on competition for what ever I am offering for sale.  If I am not set up to sell, I try to attend all the train shows within 2 hours of the Raleigh area and must say I have always enjoyed myself and found some items that made the trek worthwhile.  I have never seen a layout I did not like and I though the many layouts on display here were all nice:

1)   The Standard gauge layout in the lobby way colorful

2)   The N gauge layout in the lobby is the best looking N layout I have ever seen with 

      beautiful scenery and artist painted backdrops

3)   The S gauge layout toward the back had a lot of operating accessories  with easy to 

      push buttons for kids of all ages to activate

4)   The small O  layout you referenced is very popular with kids because they are allowed 

      to run the trains

5)   Just behind that one was the new Fastrack modular layout (apx 10 by 24 feet) built by the East Carolina Railroaders to Lionel's standards where children were allowed to run trains with Legacy controllers

6)   The large G scale layout in the right corner (apx 25 by 40) had four trains running 

7)   There were two N layouts in the center rear of the building

8)    The HUGE HO layout (about 40 by 50 feet)  had a lot of nice modules with some great scenery

This year the show boasted two large vendors selling all types of scenery materials  The show also had 30 more tables of merchandise for sale than previous years.

While none of this could insure you an enjoyable show, I hope that upon further reflection, having four plusses at one show might actually be consider good by some. 

I hope you will not give up on the show and hope to see you next November.

Wishing you and your bride all the best,

Don

believe me, no one at all has any reason to even think of a apology of any kind

this was my first train show, well, let me correct that i went to one in Wilmington that could fit in a garage, spent fifteen minutes and left

I will be back for sure,  maybe i just need to say,  if this could be understood i did not know what to expect but i guess i expected more?

I am building a new layout, I had to build the building first, and built a 16'X12' foot addition to my work shop, insulated it, and finished interior with ceiling and insulation and tiled the floor  started in feb this year with bare ground

here is layout proposed

and this is where i was on sat morning

but i am better for the experience,  and i did get some new toys! and my wife enjoyed it, and she now helps me with scenery and making terrain,

all of this goes to show just how much of a novice i am for all of this, my first train set was in 1948 or 47 and was a lionel on a piece of wood with castors that i could run under my bed, i had a figure 8 and 1/2 dozen cars and engine, all of the new stuff is learning curve big time

but thank you for your kind comments and thank you for the remembrance of Marine Corps birthday.  wish i could put uniform back on and climb into the truck and go to the sound of gunfire i do miss it

but i will be back in nov and i understand there is a show in new berne in feb

regards Ira

As Don mentioned, the Neuse River Valley RR Club's show is predominently HO & N, with a smattering of O and G, and once in a while Z.

The South East Region TCA folks are the mainly O-gauge crowd in the area. They have quarterly 'meets' that are open to the public. Their next one is the SETCA Holiday Meet in the Kerr Scott building at the State Fair grounds on Dec. 6th & 7th.

The Kerr Scott building is on the right, just inside the Blue Ridge Rd entrance. The 'meets' are what would be considered a big show, but there's lots of 'O' for sale.

Ira,

The shows are like treasure hunting. Approach them all with open eye and look at everything. disappointing is when you leave with nothing in hand. You found some treasures and had an adventure with the bride.

Is that part of the city area elevation? Looking good.

You can send me a photo or two of Tammy. Always easy on the eyes.

AMC Dave, I'm sorry to hear you won't be making the Huntington Show Thanksgiving Weekend. I was hoping to finally meet you! I was given my new traveling orders from "Miss Daisey" just a few days ago. Both us in late 60's, and she wants to visit her/our kids before we can't, so I won't be working the show with the club either....Brandy!

Ira, thank you for your service. Glad the weekend wasn't a total loss for you!

As others have said the TCA shows/meets have a lot more O-gauge/scale stuff. I was there Saturday morning and had a pretty good time. Went with a mental shopping list and since I didn't find anything on that list I just relaxed and enjoyed the show. Ended up with some nice vintage Marx tin I had been looking for that I had forgot to add to the morning's list!  lol

Also got to meet Mr. Jones too!