Great Train Expo: Richmond, CA, Jan 4 & 5

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Located in the beautiful Craneway Pavilion (old Ford plant) on the San Francisco Bay, this Great Train Expo will feature layouts of a variety of scales, including the Bay Area Z Scale "BAZ Boys", Peninsula Ntrak, my own Silicon Valley Free-moN anarcho-collective, as well as G, On30 and the NMRA "Build a Memory" layouts.

Free parking!

Quality building, modeling and beer!
(And the vendors even have some decent findings once in a while)

http://www.greattrainexpo.com/shows/2014Richmond.html

[CBQ Fan]

Looks like I may be going to the one in Indy!

[Chris333]

I hope its much better than their show I went to down the street. It was a ghost town in there.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

All the GTE shows in the Bay Area that I've participated in have been pretty well attended.
Not packed like the WGH show in May of last year (they go crazy with the adverts), but a steady stream of families and enthusiasts.
All I know is that I'm talking pretty much non-stop to people (and self) for the whole weekend.

We're also lucky here in the Bay Area to have many modular groups of various scales and decent-to-amazing scenery.

The BAZ Boys Z scale layout is worth the price of admission in itself!

Also no snow.
This week, including Christmas day, has been in the 60's.
Gotta love California.   

[dougnelson]

Claus Schlund and I have attended this local show the past 2 years.  Relatively small show but the historic Ford plant venue is beautiful and the Silicon Valley Freemo group is worth the trip.

Doug Nelson

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Claus Schlund and I have attended this local show the past 2 years.  Relatively small show but the historic Ford plant venue is beautiful and the Silicon Valley Freemo group is worth the trip.

Doug Nelson

Thanks for the plug!

Last year we had only about 1/2 the members make it:



This year we should have almost everyone and their modules, so figure a layout at least 2x the size.
Perhaps something like this:



I think there will be a couple more layouts than years past as well.

Craneway Pavilion is also part of the Rosie the Riveter WWII National Park, as well as a great place to do some railfanning of the nearby Richmond Pacific terminal switching line.

https://goo.gl/maps/GToDK

If any Asshats do come, please introduce yourself!!
Even if you have before!!
I'm TERRIBLE with faces and names (I wanted to name my kids "Hei" and "Yu" to make things easier) so I apologize in advance for not recognizing you.

The Extreme a$$hat Experience also includes an offer to run some trains (just download WiThrottle on your phone) and a free beer (if any left).
To redeam just shout at the top of your lungs, "YES I'M AN a$$hat!!".
(Or you can just mutter it  )

[M.C. Fujiwara]

About to unbolt and remove all the seats in my car (except for driver's  ) so I can load up the modules and take them over to the show.

Now that people can watch the Niner's beat the Packers on their phones and tablets, and that we'll have 60+ degree weather, there's really no excuse not to come 

Hope to see you fellow Asshats this weekend!

[Philip H]

Go Pack Go!

 

[ryan_wilkerson]

Hi MC, I plan to be there on Sunday with my two "bum-hats" (or would that be Jr. a$$hats?). Looking forward to seeing this venue!

[CBQ Fan]

Not quite so warm in Indy this weekend.

[dougnelson]

Claus and I will be there Saturday around noon.

Doug.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Claus and I will be there Saturday around noon.

Doug.

Great!
We might be up and running by then, too 
I hauled all my modules out there today only to find I forgot the Rockler level feet at home.
D'oh!
So I couldn't set them up.
(Having my modules set up on Friday helps get things going when others show up Sat. morning, but so it goes  )

Looking forward to seeing you (and all other Asshats) tomorrow!

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Thanks for pinning this up!
Was a great show: fab weather & pretty well attended (even during the 49ers' game Sunday afternoon)

bobdobbs posted some groovy photos of all the layouts (Z-G) here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34030277@N05/sets/72157639416337563/

"Official" Silicon Valley Free-moN photos and video here: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=28047.msg353117#msg353117

Hope to see all y'all at the Toy and Model Train Expo at the Santa Clara Convention Center March 1 & 2, 2014!
http://www.trainexpo.org/

[eja]

Free parking!

Quality building, modeling and beer!
(And the vendors even have some decent findings once in a while)

http://www.greattrainexpo.com/shows/2014Richmond.html

Now that's a novel idea.   Here in San Diego, it's $7.00 to get in the door and $10.00 for parking. No wonder I haven't been to one in years.

eja

[ryan_wilkerson]

I just finished editing a few photos of the show and will try to post them here:



Union Pacific on MC's wooden trestle:




Nil's UP 8518 SD70ACe DPU over the desert wash: