# Great Train Expo .... Comments?



## TruEnuff (Jan 1, 2010)

The "Great Train Expo" will be in Sacramento, CA this weekend. A quick glance at their website shows that this is a travelling show that apparently goes all over the country (It's in Colorado Springs and then Arlington Tx the following two weekends). I see that they advertise "G scale". For only $7 I plan to check it out, but I'm curious if others here have any comments or observations. 
Thanks!
Bruce


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## benshell (Oct 1, 2008)

I haven't been in the past, but I'm going this weekend too. The Sacramento Valley Garden Railway Society will be there with their modular table (and a live steam group will be there too) and from what I've heard there's a decent selection of G scale, at least compared to other shows like the Roseville Railfair that has almost no G scale.


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

We (the Utah Garden railway Society) will be showing at the GTE in Feb when they come to Salt Lake City. The last time they were here, 5 or 6 years ago, it was a very nice show. G scale was represented well, with the UGRS being there and many G manufacturers, I recall spending some time at the Bachmann booth and I believe Aristo as well. There were a number of smaller vendors as well showing structures, signals and accessories. I'm looking forward to their return. I was not a mamber of the UGRS at the time so I was just a "spectator". This year I'm the point person with the UGRS for making all of the arrangements with the GTE folks for the show. What contact I have had with them they all seem like a great bunch of folks. It should be a fun weekend.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By Dave F on 07 Jan 2010 10:59 AM 
We (the Utah Garden railway Society) will be showing at the GTE in Feb when they come to Salt Lake City. The last time they were here, 5 or 6 years ago, it was a very nice show. G scale was represented well, with the UGRS being there and many G manufacturers, I recall spending some time at the Bachmann booth and I believe Aristo as well. There were a number of smaller vendors as well showing structures, signals and accessories. I'm looking forward to their return. I was not a mamber of the UGRS at the time so I was just a "spectator". This year I'm the point person with the UGRS for making all of the arrangements with the GTE folks for the show. What contact I have had with them they all seem like a great bunch of folks. It should be a fun weekend. 

I do hope Dave that you will be taking video or some pictures of the display, I know you have that nice new camera. sure would be nice to see what others are doing as far as Displays...........


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

You can count on it....


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## TruEnuff (Jan 1, 2010)

Thanks for the replies, Guys. I'm glad to hear about the SVGRS being there...it will be my first introduction to that group. I'm looking forward to it!
Bruce


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

The Great Train Expo then moves to Council Bluffs Iowa, January 30-31. Open 10-4 and kids are free. Always a good display of Model Rail Roads. The River City Guys do a Great job with their display. We look forward to being threir.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I usually go to it when it is here in San Diego. The vendors are ok, some LS, but go to see the local layouts. 

Regards, Greg


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## Osvidar (Dec 27, 2009)

Bruce,
Here in C. Springs there was almost no large scale this weekend. There were two, each major HO and N modular layouts running. Otherwise vendors with little to offer in large scale--I was happy tos ee some friends (HO Operators) but disappointed about the large stuff. You can go back both days for your $7 but if you really wanted large it was a waste of $.

Tom 



Posted By TruEnuff on 07 Jan 2010 09:07 AM The "Great Train Expo" will be in Sacramento, CA this weekend. A quick glance at their website shows that this is a travelling show that apparently goes all over the country (It's in Colorado Springs and then Arlington Tx the following two weekends). I see that they advertise "G scale". For only $7 I plan to check it out, but I'm curious if others here have any comments or observations. Thanks!Bruce


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Maybe it would be good to check with the local G scale clubs to see if they are going to have layouts there? 

Regards, Greg


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## PLONIEN (Jul 31, 2008)

Their show is going to be in Arlington, Texas this weekend (Jan 23 & 24, 2010) and I'll let you know if any G stuff shows up. Past 2009 train shows in Ft. Worth and Dallas which were not sponsored by GTE, had great G scale working floor layouts and had the most people looking at the trains run. Most of the public with young children thought the G scale stuff was better for the kids, but shocked as to the costs compaired to the Lionel stuff, which was everywhere. There were only two G scale vendors at the Ft. Worth show and they didn't do much business during the time I was there. Their posted prices (mostly for Bachman and Astro products) were not as good as the normal internet vendors... go figure?


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## barnmichael (Jan 2, 2008)

Went to the Arlington show today. Pretty much a disappointment. I think a big problem was the local Council show was last weekend in Plano. I was truly surprised at last weekend's attendance. Way more than expected. A couple vendors had some large scale stuff. There was one N scale layout. Maybe less than half the vendors as Plano had last weekend. You could easily see the entire thing in under 30 minutes. I really didn't pay much attention and didn't know about it until Monday. Apparently one of our members was contacted and asked if we were participating a month ago. He figured the club wouldn't want to do two shows back-to-back, so didn't tell anyone. Just as well. I had a last minute business meeting in LA and with weather delays didn't get home until almost midnight Friday instead of 2pm Thursday as planned. 

GTE is a traveling show. A few vendors follow it around and hit multiple shows, but mostly it is a new group for every show. There can be a night and day difference between any two shows. 

At the two annual Council shows, our club's G scale is usually the largest layout at the show. In Ft. Worth we have a 36' x 36' layout, in Dallas (Plano) we fill a room about 50' x 60'. We typically have 6-8 loops running. We're the most kid friendly layout at the show as we're on the floor instead of up in the air. The whole thing is set up from scratch each time. 

Anyhow, GTE is a crap shoot. Some shows will be great, some will be a total waste of time.


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## PLONIEN (Jul 31, 2008)

I concur with Michael's assessment of the Arlington, Texas show. It was a real disappointment, not really any layouts to speak of, smaller than most shows, more expensive (no discount coupons and parking was $5), and only two vendors had any large scale stuff. I left after 1/2 hour. I think that's the last GTE show for me.


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

The GTE was in Cleveland the same day as a very popular local show. The General feeling was the GTE was a more family oriented show that is intended to bring people into the hobby. The local show while very popular is more intended for modelers and established people in the hobby. A newcomer could be somewhat lost. Both were/are very good shows it's a shame the GTE had to come in on that weekend and make the local show compete for attendance. 

Terry


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## post oak and otter lake (Dec 27, 2007)

I went to the Arlington GTE on Saturday. I was very unimpressed. I called a couple of friends and told them not to bother making the 50+ mile one way trip. I have been to GTE shows before that weren't bad. This one was a waste of time. 
I overheard one of the venders telling someone that the local clubs boycotted it becasuse of having done the Plano show the week before. 
My wife did pick up a Thomas set for under $200. 

Roger 
Post Oak & Otter Lake RR 
Caddo Mills, TX


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

This seems to be a pattern for these type of shows. About 10 years ago, one of these "travelling shows" came in to Wichita and got into a p*ssing match with the local dealers and clubs. Essentially, it was a "Don't call us, we'll call you!" kind of thing with them trying to crowd out the "local" show! Bottom line: the local show had incredible attendance both days and the "travelling show" didn't! It no longer comes to Wichita.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I think it has basically wore out its welcome. Its becoming a old show and some of the vender's have quite following it, especially the LS folks. Later RJD


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## SLemcke (Jun 3, 2008)

Our club set up our layout at the Tulsa show in Dec 07 and the Ft Worth show in 09. Both seemed to have good attendance and at least one vendor with LS items. The Tulsa show also had the Tulsa clubs layout. Overall I thought the experience during both was a good one. I would say the LS layouts caught the most attention, with the kids not wanting to leave and sometimes being dragged away. We had a great time and got to run trains for the kids, young and old.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

The GTE show is the old GATS group. The shows of the 1990s were good, but not so much recently. A small swap show in Bowling Green KY, had more to offer than the last GTE show I attended. The sum total of purchases was a nice restored and running American Flyer Atlantic for a friend for about $45. I should have hit him up for my admission too! 

Our best show is the local TCA swap meet.


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## barnmichael (Jan 2, 2008)

I don't think the Arlington show was boycotted more than it wasn't sufficiently advertised. Most of the vendors are on a GTE vendor mailing list, so they find out early. Many of the various club people I talked to did not find out about the show until it was too late to register. I find the traveling shows tend to cater to the micro-scales and rarely have any large scale stuff. The layout tour had no large scale layouts. But then again, neither did Plano. Several of the vendors told me the turnout was so dismal they probably would not return to a GTE show in our area.


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## barnmichael (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By SLemcke on 25 Jan 2010 06:02 PM 
Our club set up our layout at the Tulsa show in Dec 07 and the Ft Worth show in 09. Both seemed to have good attendance and at least one vendor with LS items. The Tulsa show also had the Tulsa clubs layout. Overall I thought the experience during both was a good one. I would say the LS layouts caught the most attention, with the kids not wanting to leave and sometimes being dragged away. We had a great time and got to run trains for the kids, young and old. 
Is your club a large scale group? There was only one LS layout at the Ft Worth show that I know of.


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## SLemcke (Jun 3, 2008)

Michael, 
Yes, the Central Oklahoma GRS. We have a very small group but are able to attend shows every once in a while. 
Steve


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