Is anyone watching the virtual trainshows this week?

[learmoia]

Is there any actual news?

I tried to sit through some of it.. and couldn't tell who was talking..

 It was 10 minutes talking about the Rapido E8 and a bunch of dumb youtube comments plastered across the screen. 

Someone got in their head that there should be more than 10 minutes with each mfg....   That was a stupid idea... 10 minutes was more than enough... it kept things moving.

~Ian.

[Chris333]

So it is only live or you can watch it at any time?

[thomasjmdavis]

I take it that the Amherst  show (or another big show 1000 miles from my house) was supposed to be this weekend, but isn't happening because of Covid.  I think I have "invitations" from at least 3 retailers to participate in virtual train shows, virtual layout tours, virtual interviews.  Plus this or that % off sales from a half dozen or more.

I might watch the TrainWorld one in a couple hours- if I understand correctly, Kato will be one of the featured companies, so I might actually see some stuff I would conceivably buy. 
Apparently that one was last night, lol.  Since there aren't 3 or 4 topics on this board about all the great new stuff from Kato and Intermountain, etc, I probably didn't miss much.

Virtually all my purchasing is N scale, and we are lucky to get 5 minutes out of an hour (with 30 minutes going to HO and 25 minutes going to chatter among the hosts  and noting how many facebook and twitter participants think their new product is "great!!!".).  These would be VASTLY better if they broke them up into "scale" shows, instead of having to watch 4 1/2 hours over several days in order to get 20 minutes on N scale.

Also, I would REALLY like to see a lot more from small manufacturers.  When I go to a train show in real life, I spend all my time (and money) at the booths of smaller companies.   

[reinhardtjh]

Is there any actual news?

I tried to sit through some of it.. and couldn't tell who was talking..

 It was 10 minutes talking about the Rapido E8 and a bunch of dumb youtube comments plastered across the screen. 

Someone got in their head that there should be more than 10 minutes with each mfg....   That was a stupid idea... 10 minutes was more than enough... it kept things moving.

~Ian.

I watched last night because I wanted to see what BLI would say and they were a No-Show.  I took some notes.

Atlas - Jarret - Pretty much what was in the recent Winter Arrivals catalog

• New Arrivals - 4-5 Containers Dec-Feb
• ACF 5800 Plastics Hopper - N & HO
• 2nd shipment of Christmas Graffiti cars arriving in Feb N & HO
• Trinity 25.5K gal Tank N & HO - Feb
• EMD GP20 - N Gold/Silver - Feb

Zach Thompson - Dana Kawala, Walthers Dr Product Marketing

• HO - Stuff
• N - 2 buildings.

Matt & Bobby- Rapido

• E8 - HO
• PA4

Kato USA - Alex Kovach

• N: GS-4 Post War Black
• N: GS-4 Daylight  ESU  10-car 2-car add on    Arriving Nov/Dec 2021  - not previously announced

Intermountain  - Ron Angstead - CEO

• 3 suppliers getting back on track
• HO Tier 4 - ESU LS 5 - On the water - Shipping from IM in Feb
• HO Autoracks - On the water
• HO GS Gondola
• HO Cylderacal Hoppers
• HO GP16 - In production
• N Autoracks - FVM - Production scheduled.
• N 5161 Trinity Hoppers
• N 4750 3-bay Hopper
• N Cab Forward in schedule. But not known when.

Classic Metal Works

• Beer Trucks

Broadway Limited - Ken - Did Not show.  Trainworld host talked about some things but nothing that hasn't been announced and no N Scale.

I saw little of interest to me.  They made a big deal of having two people from Classic Metal Works.   All I got from them was that they had some beer company license they were excited about and would be producing some beer trucks and soft drink trucks from the 50's.

So it is only live or you can watch it at any time?

[Philip H]

Amherst runs tomorrow and Sunday virtually.  They have layout tours and other things not product related to try and preserve the trainshow feel.

https://virtualrailfan.com/amherst/

[EL3632]

@Shaggy170 and I were trying to keep tabs on the Trainworld shows throughout the week. I posted the ESU announcements when they were mentioned on day 1, here: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=51348.0
Otherwise, I did not pay attention or hear anything of interest that wasn't announced already.

[Mark5]

I'll be checking in tomorrow.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=51310.0

[learmoia]

IM is still holding out hope for the 4750s???

Dear Scaletrains.. apparently there is a market for a couple more runs..
 

~Ian

[thomasjmdavis]

Amherst runs tomorrow and Sunday virtually.  They have layout tours and other things not product related to try and preserve the trainshow feel.

Thanks for the info, I may try to look them up tomorrow.  But my browser lit up like a Christmas tree with security warnings when I tried that link.  Granted, it is a fairly paranoid browser, but I don't get those very often.

[MetroRedLine]

I take it that the Amherst  show (or another big show 1000 miles from my house) was supposed to be this weekend, but isn't happening because of Covid.  I think I have "invitations" from at least 3 retailers to participate in virtual train shows, virtual layout tours, virtual interviews.  Plus this or that % off sales from a half dozen or more.

I might watch the TrainWorld one in a couple hours- if I understand correctly, Kato will be one of the featured companies, so I might actually see some stuff I would conceivably buy. 
Apparently that one was last night, lol.  Since there aren't 3 or 4 topics on this board about all the great new stuff from Kato and Intermountain, etc, I probably didn't miss much.

Virtually all my purchasing is N scale, and we are lucky to get 5 minutes out of an hour (with 30 minutes going to HO and 25 minutes going to chatter among the hosts  and noting how many facebook and twitter participants think their new product is "great!!!".).  These would be VASTLY better if they broke them up into "scale" shows, instead of having to watch 4 1/2 hours over several days in order to get 20 minutes on N scale.

Also, I would REALLY like to see a lot more from small manufacturers.  When I go to a train show in real life, I spend all my time (and money) at the booths of smaller companies.

All livestreams are archived after they originally air (unless the content creator specifically deletes it, but most never do anyway) so you can watch them anytime later. The only thing you miss out on are real-time comments and if they do Q and A.

[CRL]

Sorry, but a “virtual train show” just seems sad and pointless to me.

[John]

Sorry, but a “virtual train show” just seems sad and pointless to me.

Well -- we can add links to old overpriced stuff that hasn't sold since the last 6 shows

[Englewood]

Don't forget the smell of unwashed modelers. There's a few at every show.

[tehachapifan]

Don't forget the smell of unwashed modelers. There's a few at every show.

"Ooh, I know that smell...I know that smell."

[dougnelson]

I cover up the smell port  on my monitor and I will be watching the Amherst Show.  There is a detailed schedule that shows some interesting offerings - all in 15 minute segments, so it should move along well enough.