Model Train Fair, Upstate NY, Syracuse.

[Gary P]

Just an FYI, there is a model train show at the NY State Fairgrounds in Syracuse NY.

Train show this week end, Nov 5th, 6th.


I plan on attending....  Anyone else going? 

[riogrande]

Normally it occupies the Center of Progress and the Horticulture buildings at the NY State Fairgrounds.

While I was living in the area some 15 years, I attended it pretty much every year; the last few years I went before moving away it seemed to mainly be a giant junk train show and not much new stuff unfortunately. I bid fair well to central NY in 2009 - I think Nov 2008 was the last time I attended.

[Gary P]

I hear ya.... Sometimes I question going, as there are some sellers with junk, but not too many. In my area, it's one of the better shows where there is a combination of some hobby shops and online sellers that have decent inventory on hand. There are very few local hobby shops in my area (Endicott, NY). Closest one would be about 20 miles or so, and they are mainly Lionel and O scale.

[riogrande]

Sounds like the vendors have improved a bit which is good. In the 06/07/08 years, it was slim pickens in terms of finding new train products at dealers and those few with new products had very slim discounts - so I mostly worked some remote vendors to get what I needed that was out on the market.

The best train show, by far, that I attended while living in central NY was the 3 1/2 hour drive to Springfield MA to attend the Amhearst show, which I went to only 3 or 4 times because of the distance. Drove out and back the same day - made for a l-o-n-g day!

The NY State Fairgrounds show is similar in size to the Timonium show in terms of square footage. When I moved down to the DC metro area in 2009, the Timonium show was much better in terms of what you could find both new and old stock, but in the last few years the quality of dealers has dropped off - it may or may not be a coincidence that the show changed owner/manager a couple years ago; it's not worth it now for me to drive 90 minutes for the summer show. The fall one was Oct 28/29 and my wife and I both noticed that it wasn't a very good one - didn't find much of what I was looking for; the consolation prize for a dud Timonium show is MB Kleins is only mile or two away and they give 10% off on a single item on show days so if I can't find anything at the show, I'll usually pick up a few things at MBK.

I hear you on the hobby shops in the area. I pretty hunted down most any shops I could during my tenure in NY between Buffalo and Albany because I traveled quite a bit for my work. One originally in village of Liverpool moved and eventually closed down, and another up north in Clay that was in a guys converted garage (into a shop) closed when the owner passed away. A new shop started in Liverpool near the Rescue Mission shop that was a start up but not much there - may be closed now. The only "better" shop still going when I moved away was Central Hobby in east Syracuse but the owners were friendly to big spenders but unfriendly if you weren't. There also was a larger hobby shop on the southwest side of Lake Onondaga which was mainly R/C cars and planes but had some trains too. Since I moved to the DC area, not much in the way of train hobby shops here either, a few hobby shops with only nominal toy train stuff and a tiny smattering of quality trains so it's basically train shows and online.

Since I see on Google that it's Walter Cronkite's birthday, I'll end with: And that's the way it is, November 4, 2016!

[Gary P]

Well, the train show is Syracuse seemed to be a little bit smaller than in previous years, but still a fun time. It was in just one building, the Center of Progress. There were a few less vendors, but that means a few less junk and doll vendors too, so that's good. I found some deals at a small vendor that was selling items he bought from a closed hobby shop. I managed to pick up a few E-L cars, and a brand new A/B set of Athearn Genesis F-7's in Erie-Lackawanna. He originally had them listed at $125, which I thought was reasonable, but I simply asked what was the best he could do and he said $100 for the set. Sold.

There were many operating layouts, and they were well done and running all of the time. Most everyone had their act together, and kept things interesting for the little ones in attendance.  I went at the opening time, and it didn't appear to be extremely crowded, so no hassle getting around, but there were enough folks there to keep the vendors busy. One vendor that I always enjoyed buying from was not there, and I later found out that they closed up shop. He was local to the area (Bessers Whistlestop in Baldwinsville, NY) and as I understand it, the original owner passed away about 5 years ago, and his two sons then took over. They seemed to be making a go of it, and I saw them at subsequent shows in Syracuse and Binghamton, but eventually they must have closed up shop. Sad.

As usual, there were a few of the vendors that must like carting their MSRP and over-priced stuff back and forth to shows, and not selling anything, but there were deals to be had. Also, one of the things I especially enjoy is looking at all of the displays of very talented modelers. Some of the work show is simply amazing.

All in all, I had a good time, picked up a few things (that I didn't really need ), and I'll go again next year!

[riogrande]

Wow, that's the first I've heard of that show being shrunk down to one building; every year I went it was both CofP and Horticulture - food court being in the latter. But honestly, if you got rid of 90% of the junk dealers you probably could fit most of the show in one building.

One hundred dollars for a Genesis AB set is super awesome. Heck I got an AB set for $150 and I was happy - that was at the Springfield show. Just look at what new Genesis F7A/B sets MRSP for at $309 - discount MBK $235. So you did real good to get a set for cheap.

Considering picken's are slim in that area, I'd probably still go too.