Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show 2013

[Puddington]

The O-B's will undoubtably push the N scale Turbo's out.....

[DKS]

I chatted with Bryan (FVM)...

Assume you meant Bryan (ESM)...

On a different but related note... I found it curious that Bob "TrainCat" Knight sold only one crawler (to you, it seems!--thank you!), but MB Klein can't keep them in stock. Really points up how very different the crowd is at these shows...

[seusscaboose]

It was good seeing some familiar faces...  DKS, Cody from Atlas, Bryan from ESM, Matt from FVM, Lowell Smith, as well as some fellow BANTRAK folks.  Even saw 3 or 4 folks wearing purple (i was gonna wear mine, but ended up passing on it).

It was my first visit to the show.  I walked the show 3x and it took me 7.5 hours.  1st time, i was basically overwhelmed by the size while i hit the 4 buildings.  2nd time i was trying to get my bearings but still ended up getting turned around a few times.  3rd time i had a chance to appreciate a few of the different booths and layouts.  I didn't buy anything, pretty much b/c i have everything i need and was just enjoying the atmosphere.  The only booth i missed was Bob's (TrainCat).

The drive from Baltimore is pretty straightforward and was worth it (to check off a "bucket-list" item).  I'll tell ya one thing, it is a LONG weekend... the drive up was 10 hours (delayed by snow) and 5.5 hours on the way home.   Next time I will know what to expect and try not to be overwhelmed as much.  In my estimate, the show stands up to its reputation as 'you gotta do it at least once".

my favorite pic from the weekend, courtesy of Brooklyn N Trak

[peteski]

Assume you meant Bryan (ESM)...

On a different but related note... I found it curious that Bob "TrainCat" Knight sold only one crawler (to you, it seems!--thank you!), but MB Klein can't keep them in stock. Really points up how very different the crowd is at these shows...

Yes of course, Bryan from ESM. As far as the crawler goes, to be honest, I didn't even notice them sitting on the H0 table until I was almost ready to pay for the other items I bought.  I don't think that others at the show noticed or even expected to see them on the TrainCat table.  Everybody was being captivated by Bob's exquisite etchings.

[DKS]

It was good seeing some familiar faces...

Great to see you as well! Aside from Daniel (and the CRHS Goon Squad), I did not see one other a$$hat. A bit of a disappointment...

I don't think that others at the show noticed or even expected to see them on the TrainCat table...

Bob said he was showing them off to many people. He sold more Z scale throttles than crawlers....

[peteski]

It was my first visit to the show.  I walked the show 3xm and it took me 7.5 hours.  1st time, i was basically overwhelmed by the size while i hit the 4 buildings.  2nd time i was trying to get my bearings but still ended up getting turned around a few times.  3rd time i had a chance to appreciate a few of the different booths and layouts.  I didn't buy anything, pretty much b/c i have everything i need and was just enjoying the atmosphere.  The only booth i missed was Bob's (TrainCat).

This is exactly why I have developed a system. That way I don't miss any vendors I'm interested in.
I print the map of the buildings on a 11" X 17" sheet of paper. Then I print out the list of vendors. I go through the list and when I find the vendor I'm interested in, I find their location and then I highlight their tables on the map.  So I end having all the locations I don't want to miss are clearly highlighted. At that point it is easy to plan out my path through all the buildings without missing any of the vendors I want to visit.

my favorite pic from the weekend, courtesy of Brooklyn N Trak

Yeah, that one is funny!  But I'm sure that at least one person complained that it was too gruesome and that their kid was scared for life by seeing that display.  I've heard about complaints at the past shows. 

[peteski]

Aside from Daniel (and the CRHS Goon Squad), I did not see one other a$$hat. A bit of a disappointment...

Bob said he was showing them off to many people. He sold more Z scale throttles than crawlers....

I was hoping to see you and possibly other  s  Maybe in the future we should arrange a meeting at some predefined location ant time. 

If Bob was plugging your crawlers and I'm the only person he sold one to (and he didn't even mention it to me), then I have no explanation for the lack of sales.  Or maybe because everybody but me already bought one online? 

[VonRyan]

Can I make a suggestion?

I'm not at Amherst but the thought crossed my mind for future events

At these shows it would be nice for Railwire members that are attending and haven't met other members in person if we were all to wear a name tag with our user name or something else to identify each other with....



I'd sure like to be able to recognize those that I haven't met in person while walking around the show!

Your thoughts...

Makes sense. Though due to some of the attendance to some of these shows. perhaps a more simplified and cleaner version should be adopted. I had put my username on my application but i never got on my badge.

-Cody F.

[jagged ben]

TrainCat:

This caught my attention.  I have been contemplating a project like this for years.  Also, a product like this could be easily adapted for Kato's Maxi-I or the various Maxi-IIIs, and I would be in for a number of those if the detail level was good.

Any more info available?

[GaryHinshaw]

Any more info available?

Maxi-IV and Maxi-I:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=28528.0

[CBQ Fan]

Was their any word from Rapido on their Cafe car or 10-5 sleeper?  As long as these two cars have been pushed off and depending on what new HO project gets the guys at Rapido excited the OB cars may be decades off. 

[bbussey]

Was their any word from Rapido on their Cafe car or 10-5 sleeper?  As long as these two cars have been pushed off and depending on what new HO project gets the guys at Rapido excited the OB cars may be decades off. 

I spoke at length with Rapido at the show, as we were just a couple of aisles apart in Mallary.  The N scale 10-window standard Pullman Bradley Light Weight ("Osgood Bradley Lightweight" as marketed by Rapido) has been designed and is firm on their schedule.  The screenshot of the digital solid model in the poster ad on display at the show was of an N scale car, not HO.  They are hoping to have the model on the market in 18 months, but the worst-case scenario is the end of 2014.  No guarantees on the 10-window smoker-coach, 10-window deluxe coach or the 11-window commuter version making it to N scale.  But the basic 10-window intercity coach is definite, with all three body variations coming (full skirts, wheel cutouts, no skirts).  And if the other bodystyles don't make it, the 10-window smoker is easily "kitbashed" by adding a roof hatch (M&R offers an etched hatch currently) and rearranging seats in the lounge area.  The other versions would require new window bands, but it is far easier to kitbash from a 10-window coach than using anything else or starting from scratch.  And other desired versions that never will be done because they are too esoteric - the NH grill car or the BAR mail car for example - are possible to kitbash from a 10-window coach by most modelers.

As an aside -- the 11-window commuter version was specifically mentioned during the conversation even though there is no HO equivalent that exists or has been announced, which leads me to believe the HO commuter coach will be announced sometime after the HO deluxe coach is released.

There was no mention of the Café car or the 10-5.  But to be honest, I didn't ask.  I didn't even notice the three Prairie cars.  My total focus was on the PBLW once they directed my attention to the poster ad.

[CBQ Fan]

I spoke at length with Rapido at the show, as we were just a couple of aisles apart in Mallary.  The N scale 10-window standard Pullman Bradley Light Weight ("Osgood Bradley Lightweight" as marketed by Rapido) has been designed and is firm on their schedule.  The screenshot of the digital solid model in the poster ad on display at the show was of an N scale car, not HO.  They are hoping to have the model on the market in 18 months, but the worst-case scenario is the end of 2014.  No guarantees on the 10-window smoker-coach, 10-window deluxe coach or the 11-window commuter version making it to N scale.  But the basic 10-window intercity coach is definite, with all three body variations coming (full skirts, wheel cutouts, no skirts).  And if the other bodystyles don't make it, the 10-window smoker is easily "kitbashed" by adding a roof hatch (M&R offers an etched hatch currently) and rearranging seats in the lounge area.  The other versions would require new window bands, but it is far easier to kitbash from a 10-window coach than using anything else or starting from scratch.  And other desired versions that never will be done because they are too esoteric - the NH grill car or the BAR mail car for example - are possible to kitbash from a 10-window coach by most modelers.

As an aside -- the 11-window commuter version was specifically mentioned during the conversation even though there is no HO equivalent that exists or has been announced, which leads me to believe the HO commuter coach will be announced sometime after the HO deluxe coach is released.

There was no mention of the Café car or the 10-5.  But to be honest, I didn't ask.  I didn't even notice the three Prairie cars.  My total focus was on the PBLW once they directed my attention to the poster ad.

Thanks for the detailed summary.  I am afraid I will be leaning towards Centraila for my NP equipment going forward.  I love the Rapido cars they don't match well with Cent/IM equipment and is not as readily available.  The OB cars will be quite interesting to see!