D&J RailRoad
Professor of HO
I just got home from the Big E Train Show in West Springfield, MA.
I have heard so much about this show over the years but just wasn't able to go the distance due to work. Now that I'm retired, I made that a bucket list item.
A direct path up I-95 from Virginia would make it about a 430 mile trip. That would include the stress of passing through New Jersey and New York freeways were a GPS can't keep up with the turns ya need to keep making.
I stopped in to see some folks in PA before the show, so my trip to the Big E was from central PA. Coming back home, I choose to go west to Scranton, PA then catch I-81 down to Harrisburg, PA then I-83 down through Baltimore then continue south through MD to King George, VA.
The Big E show
Parking is extensive there. Acres of parking spaces and ya have to walk several hundred yards to the exhibit halls. Ya really want to wear your walking shoes for this show.
The train show occupied four buildings. All buildings were connected by shelter tarps that formed a tunnel to protect the visitors from inclement weather. Actually, it was only a bit cold this year with a little bit of wind.
Inside, the halls were extensive with all the major and most minor manufacturers, major and minor vendors and a large host of individuals selling off their collection of trains stuff. The private sellers made up more than half of the tables in the exhibit halls. Boxes and boxes of dusty old Lionel stuff that has probably seen more time traveling in boxes than on rails. Same with HO equipment. Tons of the toy variety, mostly way over priced of their true value. Brass sectional track by the mile and No. 4 turnouts spilling off the tables. Each building had a mix of all scales.
I had a chance to talk to Ken Sylvester of Broadway Limited and Shane over at the Scale Trains booth. Both had very good displays of their current offerings. Made most people want to buy something. I made the rounds of the major vendors and introduced myself as one of the primary providers for their retirement plans. They all encouraged me to keep providing.
I really didn't plan to buy anything but then when I saw the stock of C39-8s that Yankee Dabbler had on hand, I just had to buy a second NS unit to work with the one I picked up just a month or so ago.
I had originally planned to spend two days at the show, but after wandering around the four exhibit halls all day yesterday, I had pretty much seen it all. It was a bigger version of the Timonium show, which by the way is next weekend. I didn't want to spend another day wandering around seeing the same used stuff tables so I hit the road about 10am this morning and headed south to Virginia.
Will I go back next year. Definitely NO. As I said, it was just a bigger version of Timonium which is only 100 miles up the road from me. The Big E is great for the guys up north of New York.
Now, to unbox the C39-8, get it numbered and put into service.
I have heard so much about this show over the years but just wasn't able to go the distance due to work. Now that I'm retired, I made that a bucket list item.
A direct path up I-95 from Virginia would make it about a 430 mile trip. That would include the stress of passing through New Jersey and New York freeways were a GPS can't keep up with the turns ya need to keep making.
I stopped in to see some folks in PA before the show, so my trip to the Big E was from central PA. Coming back home, I choose to go west to Scranton, PA then catch I-81 down to Harrisburg, PA then I-83 down through Baltimore then continue south through MD to King George, VA.
The Big E show
Parking is extensive there. Acres of parking spaces and ya have to walk several hundred yards to the exhibit halls. Ya really want to wear your walking shoes for this show.
The train show occupied four buildings. All buildings were connected by shelter tarps that formed a tunnel to protect the visitors from inclement weather. Actually, it was only a bit cold this year with a little bit of wind.
Inside, the halls were extensive with all the major and most minor manufacturers, major and minor vendors and a large host of individuals selling off their collection of trains stuff. The private sellers made up more than half of the tables in the exhibit halls. Boxes and boxes of dusty old Lionel stuff that has probably seen more time traveling in boxes than on rails. Same with HO equipment. Tons of the toy variety, mostly way over priced of their true value. Brass sectional track by the mile and No. 4 turnouts spilling off the tables. Each building had a mix of all scales.
I had a chance to talk to Ken Sylvester of Broadway Limited and Shane over at the Scale Trains booth. Both had very good displays of their current offerings. Made most people want to buy something. I made the rounds of the major vendors and introduced myself as one of the primary providers for their retirement plans. They all encouraged me to keep providing.
I really didn't plan to buy anything but then when I saw the stock of C39-8s that Yankee Dabbler had on hand, I just had to buy a second NS unit to work with the one I picked up just a month or so ago.
I had originally planned to spend two days at the show, but after wandering around the four exhibit halls all day yesterday, I had pretty much seen it all. It was a bigger version of the Timonium show, which by the way is next weekend. I didn't want to spend another day wandering around seeing the same used stuff tables so I hit the road about 10am this morning and headed south to Virginia.
Will I go back next year. Definitely NO. As I said, it was just a bigger version of Timonium which is only 100 miles up the road from me. The Big E is great for the guys up north of New York.
Now, to unbox the C39-8, get it numbered and put into service.