Discussion > Train Shows
Mitch, we will look forward to meeting you. We are in the better living center on isle 45 right across from scenic express (a big booth)
I'm sure you will have a great time, There's so many layouts set up. we do have a clinic at 1pm. I think you have to sign up in advance by going to the Amherst website. If your only there on sunday you might want to skip the clinic so you'll have more time to look around. It's almost impossible to see everything in one day. this is the biggest show we have ever been to by far.
Thom
I'm sure you will have a great time, There's so many layouts set up. we do have a clinic at 1pm. I think you have to sign up in advance by going to the Amherst website. If your only there on sunday you might want to skip the clinic so you'll have more time to look around. It's almost impossible to see everything in one day. this is the biggest show we have ever been to by far.
Thom
January 24, 2011 |
Dave
Dave
I went to the NMRA show in Hartford this year and I have to say vendor wise...the Amherst show has it beat. A little history about West Springfield where the Amherst train show takes place. The Big E fairgrounds used to be the summer quarters for the native indians who lived in Springfield, they wintered up in the Granville area just west of Springfield. The fairgrounds used to flood every year which made for the most furtile ground along the Connecticut river, they grew corn. Later West Springfield became one of the biggest repair/yard on the East coast. It was a staging grounds for trains carrying troups to NY city which is just 2 hours South of Springfield. The yard had 2 full wooden round houses with turntables. Right across from the fairgrounds CSX has a large train yard which gathers freight cars to be redistributed to the northern end of CSX's line including Canada. Just about any freight that needs to go north of Springfield has to go thru that yard.
There are many smaller train companies in the area...Pioneer Valley and COS all have transfer yards within a 10 mile radius of the Big E. From the looks of how big the Amherst train show is I believe we may even have the largest concentration of Model Railroad hobbyists in the country. Which is understandable because for about 3 months out of the year everyone is snowed in.
Springfield which is acrossed the river from the Big E houses the Basketball hall of fame. If you take route 91 up thru the city you will see it. Although Springfield seems to have a prime location, it sits on the convergence of the two biggest interstate highways rte 91 and 90 you would figure the economy would be good in this area. The fact is Springfield is one of the poorest cities in Massachusetts. I contribute that to the fact that it is nestled in between Boston and NY city both are almost exactly 2 hours away.
I hope everyone enjoys the show, it is one of if not the biggest model train show in the country and is well worth the trip to see it.
There are many smaller train companies in the area...Pioneer Valley and COS all have transfer yards within a 10 mile radius of the Big E. From the looks of how big the Amherst train show is I believe we may even have the largest concentration of Model Railroad hobbyists in the country. Which is understandable because for about 3 months out of the year everyone is snowed in.
Springfield which is acrossed the river from the Big E houses the Basketball hall of fame. If you take route 91 up thru the city you will see it. Although Springfield seems to have a prime location, it sits on the convergence of the two biggest interstate highways rte 91 and 90 you would figure the economy would be good in this area. The fact is Springfield is one of the poorest cities in Massachusetts. I contribute that to the fact that it is nestled in between Boston and NY city both are almost exactly 2 hours away.
I hope everyone enjoys the show, it is one of if not the biggest model train show in the country and is well worth the trip to see it.
January 25, 2011 |
JDuv
JDuv
Last Nov. I went to a Shriner show just north of Boston. That was the biggest one I have ever seen. My wife tagged along. One gentleman as we were waiting in line, said, how did you get your wife to come along?, I just smiled and shrugged.I knew the answer, it was just before my birthday and a month away from Christmas. One thing she wanted to make sure I didn't spend a fortune,LOL. The other she surprised me by getting me my a Williams diesel engine A-A unit, yeah baby.
My wife looked around and said to me quietly, I'm the only woman here. I laughed.
I will be attending the Springfield show on Sunday,I'm told that this is a big show and I'm looking forward to meeting you both, and I'm going by myself. Although my wife had fun in Nov. she gracefully declined going with me this Sunday. Yeah baby...
This will allow me to be in my glory all day, taking my time, looking here, looking there.
Will you gentleman have any clinics on Sunday?
Mitch