Wow I heard this show was very large. Looked fantastic! Was thrilled to see the brand new Vision Hudson Commodore Vanderbilt in a display case. As well as the upcoming ET44 from Lionel. Woodland Scenics had a super nice display. Absolutely love their stuff. They are my neighbors in Missouri as we live in Kansas. Fun stuff to see so thanks!
Since the owner has passed, his kids seem to be taking the operation in a different direction. It's been a few years since they've attended the show. It is a disappointment they're closed on weekends. I've been attending the show for over 30 years, many changes and expansions over that time. I spent most of my time assisting the Bristol S-gaugers with operations of their layout. I only purchased some limited scenery materials, I don't need any more locos or rolling stock.
Thank you Chris for sharing this - I do wish some of these guys would come to York - Woodlands Scenics, Scenics Express, Bar Mills to name a few. I can’t comprehend that Lionel doesn’t attend. Nonetheless, I enjoyed your overview.
A very nice overview of the show. It looks like they have quite a large selection, but mostly geared towards the 'HO-Boys'. I live in Toledo, so it is a long schlep to get there, so it's really not worth the trip, especially after watching a number of the videos that have been posted. I'll stick to the Ann Arbor Club's show in Saline, MI and the Toledo Toymasters show, where I live. Those two and both York's are usually enough. Too bad about Charles Roe. Maybe they do enough business that they don't feel the need to set-up at the show or stay open all week. Either way, Saline is coming up on the 15th and 16th of February, so maybe I'll have something new to show on my channel. An excellent video, as always.
Sounds like it was a great family trip and bonus to go to the show for the first time. I probably will go at least once just to say I've been. I know the show is not really geared for us O scale modelers, but like you said we still have York. There were a couple of vendors present that do not come to York, so that may be my justification for the trip.
Thanks for bringing us along Chris! There's a lot of us who might go to Amherst but it's just too far away. Ten hours ar least in my case, WAY too far for a train show. York's my limit and it's worth the ride. So your kids wanted to stay with your sister? She must be the "Cool Aunt!" Fun video!
Thanks for the review. I live in Wisconsin and have never figured out how to get there. As long as TrainFest continues to grow, I am ok with just that one. BTW, your boss was very nice to let you trounce about and spend the fam's money. She looks absolutely beautiful also - always nice to marry up in this world :)
Hey Chris. I was there. I go every year. Usually I fly up from Allentown in my plane but this year I drove. I agree - not much in O to buy but I did pick up that Visionline CP ES44 you showed in your video, from Joe G. I’m happy to have it. John Brady told me he just bought another one off a lady on his way to Springfield so if someone else wants one, call John. FWIW it’s only an hour flight from PA … much more convenient than driving. Even though there’s less to buy than York, it’s THE BEST show to talk to manufacturers. I usually have a bunch of specific questions to ask when I go and I get answers right from the source. For example, even though Atlas comes to York, their electrical engineers only come to Springfield.
Used to be a better show for us Narrow Gauge modelers, but now it's primarily for HO, with some N (in terms of vendors to buy from), modular displays and a lot of manufacturers. Doesn't make it a bad show, it's quite good in spite of the dearth of narrow gauge, but there are better shows. Timonium next weekend (Maryland) is a great show to go to.
Thanks for the review. I think my wife went to a train show with me once back in the stone age. She dropped me off and came back to get me! How does this show attract so many layouts, since only two days?
As I understand it the Amherst show is THE show to do up in New England, plus the clubs that exhibit have the transport, set-up, and tear-down of their "traveling roadshows" down to a science. While it's hard work it's not a major hassle.
@@wayneantoniazzi2706 Exactly... My son is a member of the Mohegan Pequot group. They have a special trailer with custom racks for all their modules, at least the club owned ones (private modules tend to be transported by the owners). They have a very efficient system for setting up and tearing down. Setup starts on Thursday, continues on Friday. Teardown on Sunday only takes his group a few hours.
Charles Ro wasn't open on Sat or Sun...and people wonder why it is said that the hobby is dying or the internet is killing off the local hobby stores (knowing that Charles Ro has a web presence) - when you aren't open at the times when the younger generations are available to shop, it really pushes people to just order online. In my area (Orlando), I don't have a bricks and mortar store within 1 hour's drive of me that has any new inventory of individual locos and/or rolling stock (there is 1 but they limit their inventory to sets pretty much and are slowly getting away from carrying train inventory).
I stopped at Brady’s on Friday and discovered that they were closed. 😢Now I see that they were at the Big E show. I wish that they would have posted on their web site that they were closed this past week.
@Chris's Trains and Things, Regarding Charles Ro, and their presence (or lack thereof) at the Amherst Train Show, they Used to go to all the shows. But in 2020 or 2021, Charles Ro Sr. unfortunately passed away. As such, a decision was made that they would no longer attend the shows. Perhaps that also affected the reason why their store in Malden MA, is not open on Saturday / Sunday weekends. -JP
I heard the same. Charles Ro the Elder enjoyed doing train shows but Charles Ro the Younger doesn't and in fact doesn't see the need as business is good enough without doing shows. I have to assume they don't see the need to open Saturdays for the same reason as incomprehensible as that seems to most of us. Closed on Sundays I can understand.
Out of my own curiosity. What is your opinion of the Lionel HO Scale berk announcement? For me I am hoping to hit it up next year. Since I’m in HO and N all the announcements have me hype.
I have to concur, and I'm an O Gauger myself. HO is the most popular size for railroad modeling and is likely to remain so. But we O Gaugers are back in the shadows waiting to strike! BWAA-HAA-HAA! 😈
York is the best train show! Especially for O gauge
Love that you took the family. The kids in the background gave me a laugh. Thanks Chris!
Nice job. Thanks for sharing
Since I wasn't there to buy, I just enjoyed all the layouts, the art, the historical societies, gathering new ideas, and loving the vibe.
Thanks Chris...well done ! 👍
Wow I heard this show was very large. Looked fantastic! Was thrilled to see the brand new Vision Hudson Commodore Vanderbilt in a display case. As well as the upcoming ET44 from Lionel. Woodland Scenics had a super nice display. Absolutely love their stuff. They are my neighbors in Missouri as we live in Kansas. Fun stuff to see so thanks!
It's great that your family was able to enjoy the trip.
Since the owner has passed, his kids seem to be taking the operation in a different direction. It's been a few years since they've attended the show. It is a disappointment they're closed on weekends. I've been attending the show for over 30 years, many changes and expansions over that time. I spent most of my time assisting the Bristol S-gaugers with operations of their layout. I only purchased some limited scenery materials, I don't need any more locos or rolling stock.
Thank you Chris for sharing this - I do wish some of these guys would come to York - Woodlands Scenics, Scenics Express, Bar Mills to name a few. I can’t comprehend that Lionel doesn’t attend. Nonetheless, I enjoyed your overview.
I couldn’t agree more!
A very nice overview of the show. It looks like they have quite a large selection, but mostly geared towards the 'HO-Boys'. I live in Toledo, so it is a long schlep to get there, so it's really not worth the trip, especially after watching a number of the videos that have been posted. I'll stick to the Ann Arbor Club's show in Saline, MI and the Toledo Toymasters show, where I live. Those two and both York's are usually enough. Too bad about Charles Roe. Maybe they do enough business that they don't feel the need to set-up at the show or stay open all week. Either way, Saline is coming up on the 15th and 16th of February, so maybe I'll have something new to show on my channel. An excellent video, as always.
Chris, it was great to meet you and RJ at the Amherst Show, and great to chat with both of you. Keep up the good work.
You have a beautiful family, that train show looked MASSIVE. Enjoyed the video 🫡
Sounds like it was a great family trip and bonus to go to the show for the first time. I probably will go at least once just to say I've been. I know the show is not really geared for us O scale modelers, but like you said we still have York. There were a couple of vendors present that do not come to York, so that may be my justification for the trip.
Thanks for bringing us along Chris! There's a lot of us who might go to Amherst but it's just too far away. Ten hours ar least in my case, WAY too far for a train show. York's my limit and it's worth the ride.
So your kids wanted to stay with your sister? She must be the "Cool Aunt!"
Fun video!
Thanks for the review. I live in Wisconsin and have never figured out how to get there. As long as TrainFest continues to grow, I am ok with just that one. BTW, your boss was very nice to let you trounce about and spend the fam's money. She looks absolutely beautiful also - always nice to marry up in this world :)
Back in the 90s, when I lived in CT, I would go to the train show. I think I drove about 1 hour or so to the place. Good times.
Hey Chris. I was there. I go every year. Usually I fly up from Allentown in my plane but this year I drove. I agree - not much in O to buy but I did pick up that Visionline CP ES44 you showed in your video, from Joe G. I’m happy to have it. John Brady told me he just bought another one off a lady on his way to Springfield so if someone else wants one, call John. FWIW it’s only an hour flight from PA … much more convenient than driving. Even though there’s less to buy than York, it’s THE BEST show to talk to manufacturers. I usually have a bunch of specific questions to ask when I go and I get answers right from the source. For example, even though Atlas comes to York, their electrical engineers only come to Springfield.
Chris thank you for showcasing Jimmy Trains!
5:02 Cool sneak peek at the (I believe) Newly tooled Atlas O center I-beam flat cars, I pre-ordered 4 of them.
yup! they look great!
Pro Tip: hit the White Hut for breakfast or lunch! It's right down the street from the Big E Fair grounds.
That looks nice.
Used to be a better show for us Narrow Gauge modelers, but now it's primarily for HO, with some N (in terms of vendors to buy from), modular displays and a lot of manufacturers. Doesn't make it a bad show, it's quite good in spite of the dearth of narrow gauge, but there are better shows. Timonium next weekend (Maryland) is a great show to go to.
Thanks for the review. I think my wife went to a train show with me once back in the stone age. She dropped me off and came back to get me! How does this show attract so many layouts, since only two days?
great question! there were a TON of modular displays which feels like so much work for two days only.
As I understand it the Amherst show is THE show to do up in New England, plus the clubs that exhibit have the transport, set-up, and tear-down of their "traveling roadshows" down to a science. While it's hard work it's not a major hassle.
@@wayneantoniazzi2706 Exactly... My son is a member of the Mohegan Pequot group. They have a special trailer with custom racks for all their modules, at least the club owned ones (private modules tend to be transported by the owners).
They have a very efficient system for setting up and tearing down. Setup starts on Thursday, continues on Friday. Teardown on Sunday only takes his group a few hours.
That line for parking, I thought you were held up by a train😂
Charles Ro wasn't open on Sat or Sun...and people wonder why it is said that the hobby is dying or the internet is killing off the local hobby stores (knowing that Charles Ro has a web presence) - when you aren't open at the times when the younger generations are available to shop, it really pushes people to just order online. In my area (Orlando), I don't have a bricks and mortar store within 1 hour's drive of me that has any new inventory of individual locos and/or rolling stock (there is 1 but they limit their inventory to sets pretty much and are slowly getting away from carrying train inventory).
I stopped at Brady’s on Friday and discovered that they were closed. 😢Now I see that they were at the Big E show. I wish that they would have posted on their web site that they were closed this past week.
That was fast
@Chris's Trains and Things, Regarding Charles Ro, and their presence (or lack thereof) at the Amherst Train Show, they Used to go to all the shows. But in 2020 or 2021, Charles Ro Sr. unfortunately passed away. As such, a decision was made that they would no longer attend the shows. Perhaps that also affected the reason why their store in Malden MA, is not open on Saturday / Sunday weekends. -JP
yeah, I remember when they stopped going to York, so unfortunate.
I heard the same. Charles Ro the Elder enjoyed doing train shows but Charles Ro the Younger doesn't and in fact doesn't see the need as business is good enough without doing shows. I have to assume they don't see the need to open Saturdays for the same reason as incomprehensible as that seems to most of us. Closed on Sundays I can understand.
Will you be going to the Allentown show in a few weeks?
I don't believe I will make it to Allentown.
I was there with my father
Out of my own curiosity. What is your opinion of the Lionel HO Scale berk announcement?
For me I am hoping to hit it up next year. Since I’m in HO and N all the announcements have me hype.
I don't follow HO enough to have an opinion. Makes sense since they just did them in O I guess.
O gauge is minority scale , like it or not
I have to concur, and I'm an O Gauger myself. HO is the most popular size for railroad modeling and is likely to remain so.
But we O Gaugers are back in the shadows waiting to strike! BWAA-HAA-HAA! 😈
I would love 10 k to blow at that show