Great Scale Model Train Show Newsletter 

June 26-27 2010 Show

This was our sixth show in a row to be greatly hampered by the worst possible weather a train show can have.  Temperatures reached 100 degrees along with high humidity.  In spite of this, our attendance matched last year’s almost to the person.....1105 paid on Saturday and 401 on Sunday.  Total through the doors for both days was around 1900 including about 50 who came back on Sunday.  Our vendor tables were down to 335 due to at least 60 tables lost to illnesses and surgeries, at least 25 to the TCA Convention in Baltimore, plus our avoiding huge fines by maintaining the minimum 8 foot wide aisles.  We also lost our main display layout provided by the Four County group due to illness, as well as the East Penn Traction club due to other commitments.  We thank Kevin Hunter of Berrett Hill for setting up his unique display layout on short notice.  And the guys of BSME for their fun & challenging hands-on “Time-Saver” switching layout.
 
The attendees who came were the type A's or diehards – the ones we started this show for 28 years ago!  Many dealers reported record sales and many had their best June show ever.  I certainly did, as I almost sold out copies of my new book plus a mess of brass and Kadee cars.  Overall it was considered a fine show by many.  We would have liked to see more vendors and attendees, but until we can get some good drizzly weather that is conducive to train shows, we’ll be down around 30-50% in attendees.

  On Friday during set-up we lost power for 3 hours and temperatures in the hall started climbing.  Fortunately, power was restored around 6 PM.  Another show in the other building had no such luck and a massive generator was pulled in, but they still did not have enough power for a comfortable show.  Had we lost power and air-conditioning during a 100 degree day, we would have been forced to close the show and refund payments (AGAIN!!) as temperatures would have reached well over 120 in the building....not a safe condition for so many older patrons.....me included! (Ken is still young at 66)

  Now about the contest....We had only TWO contestants …just two entries.....not a rousing success.  Where are you modelers???  Are there any of you left???  Come on.....we were offering $850 in prizes!!!!  Ten years ago, we would have had to add additional tables for all the entries.  We’ll try again for the fall show. Surprise us!!!  Let's make this a fun and rewarding event for all!

  Sign-ups for our new November 27/28 show at the Turf Valley hotel were good and that show is a definite go.

  More about Saturday-only vendors.... for this show we allowed 10% of the tables to be Saturday-only since so many of our regular 2-day vendors could not attend due to unforeseen and hopefully non-recurring problems.  Fortunately John LaLima from East Coast Train Parts saved us by using twelve tables on Sunday; also Ron's Books, Herm Lotstein, and others brought in more merchandise to fill the other gaps.  And B&B Hobbies also helped by filling in a huge gap from a 1o-table "no show".  We will resume the rule of 5% or less for future shows because Sunday attendees pay for and are entitled to a show populated with viable tables...not empty spots!  So if you plan on being a Saturday-only vendor, do sign up ASAP as we will limit these to 35 and 40 tables for all Cow Palace shows and to only 18 tables for future summer shows.  
Here’s a better solution that we need to publicize more – anyone can get a SUNDAY-only table for a mere $25!!  As long as we have a Sunday-only table to replace each Saturday-only—then there’s no limit; the show becomes different & equally interesting on Sunday; and we’re all happy!  If your closet is running over, consider selling some stuff with a Sunday-only table… AND, we’ll include a special pass to give you regular admission on Saturday!!
Sunday is always about one half of Saturday's attendance, but those folks do spend money and many come back on Sunday to purchase that "whatever" they should have bought on Saturday.

  On a lighter note, my layout was on the tour list for the TCA convention.  Not seemingly unusual, but the TCA is about collecting toy or tin plate trains....an entirely different hobby from scale model railroading.  A big "however" here.....two bus-loads with almost 100 guests toured my layout, and seemed quite interested in modeling as many questions were asked about modeling.  Over the past decade we have noticed many TCA and TTOS (Train Collectors Assn and Toy Train Operating Society) members gravitating towards semi-scale and often scale operations and building....only on three rail track with larger couplers and wheel flanges.  This is why in 2000 we began allowing Hi Rail and Collector trains into our shows.  Older companies such as Lionel and newer upstarts like MTH have been producing excellent and reasonably priced scale trains in 'O' gauge to run on three rail track....and this track is almost scale in appearance except for the third rail.  “O Scale” is 2-rail track and is completely scale model railroading.

A Hi-Rail ('O' gauge) gentleman in Boulder, CO purchased my book and asked me if I can recreate something similar in Hi-Rail.  I said I could and for the last 20 months I have been doing exactly that.  Now Bill Carl, Joe Moltz and Keith Albright from the "very scale" Four County Society have signed on to this project.  When finished, this layout will set new standards for Hi- Rail -- and when published, we feel many will be inspired to enter this scale.  Cost-wise , in many cases prices are lower than scale HO or about the same, but items are double the scale, four times as large and eight times the volume......and older folks can actually SEE the models!! We DO see a future in this scale!

HZ (edited by KPY)

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APRIL 10/11 SHOW

What really gets my goat (and cow) are the idiots who relate and spread untruths either by ignorance or just downright meanness.  I’m referring to some comments on the Atlas chat room.  I’m not a member, but I do log on occasionally. I rarely pay attention to comments by folks hiding behind monikers, but when I read downright lies, I wonder…..  “why the hell am I giving up so much of my time and occasionally money to continue doing these shows?”.

Ken shares the same thoughts.

We will however continue, because we realize that the huge majority of attendees and vendors are wonderful folks and we feel (or hope) that the shows are providing a service to both attendees and sellers.

The facts behind the February and this recent April show are as follows….

We like many others heard the weather reports but hoped -- like with the boy who cried “wolf”….well possibly it may not be as bad as forecast.  Had the Fairgrounds closed, we would not have been charged rent, but we would have lost the thousands we spent on advertising,  table rentals, and liability insurance.  The Fairgrounds chose to remain open due to the log cabin show that had spent a considerable amount on promotional costs and was booked in the Exhibition building.  We also could not reach the many vendors already in transit and in no way would we allow them to arrive finding a closed venue….especially after braving blizzard driving conditions coming from the south.

We were charged rent, but a fair discount was given to us.  As far as credits or refunds which we were not liable for, we chose to grant full credit to those vendors who called in to cancel either by phone or email.  We are spreading this credit over four shows of their choice.  Also we are granting the same credit to vendors who actually set up.  For dealers who just did not call and did not show, we are allowing them to pay for four shows in advance and receive a 25% discount for pre-payment.

Ace Rental was kind enough to take down the tables which we knew were cancellations thus saving us around $1000.  This is why we are granting the call-ins the refund as we felt it should have been the responsibility of all vendors to at least let us know that  they were not coming.

Any more monetary restitution would have resulted in ending the shows forever, as we will be in loss mode for about a year to cover this disaster, but we feel that we can handle it.

Now for the misinformation being spread about the recent April 10/11 show….820 tables were set up including tables for display folks.  The final actual vendor selling tables came to 751 as there were several walk-ins and folks who thought that there was an automatic roll-over from the February show.  Fortunately we had enough extra tables to accommodate all.   As mentioned we have cut down dramatically on renting extra tables due to costs.  We only will set up tables for folks who have paid a minimum of 25% deposit.

We had 20 operating layouts which is something you will rarely find at any shows other than the NMRA national train show when it comes east.  One of these, the Western Maryland HO Modular group, set up a whopping 40’ x 200’ display!!

For those who erroneously comment on the show being “light” -- we spread out over 3 acres. Of course if we used only 2/3 of the space as we did for many years than the comments would be just the opposite……..”too crowded!!!”  Also, we maintain 10-12 foot aisles to accommodate the handicapped in power chairs, and strollers.  This also makes it easy to speak with vendors without being knocked over.  Sure we could cut our costs by using less space and, without a doubt, the comments would be as mentioned ….huge crowds -- but we feel the comfort of attendees is more important than good grades on attendance figures…or what is perceived as good attendance.

We are trying to attract families while still maintaining the “scale only show for real model railroaders”.  This is difficult as the numbers of model rails who speak this language are dwindling somewhat.  Just look at the silver hair!   But the future of this hobby lies within these young families….henceforth the handcar rides, Thomas play area,  kiddie activities, and movies.  The show still is primarily and foremost a scale show –in fact 75% of the vendor tables and display layouts were strictly scale model trains as is true of all our shows.  This show came out to about 615 tables devoted to scale model railroading which makes our show unique as it has been from the beginning.

We can accommodate the family activities and high rail as we have the space to do so without turning off the serious train nuts.  Also, high rail has evolved into actual scale model railroading….only on three rail track, and larger flanges and couplers. If you doubt this, just log on to Norm’s Trains site, or read the articles on Tony Lash’s layout in O gauge.

I’ve been commissioned to build such a layout, or better put…assist in building  a scale layout in O gauge (Hi-rail) in Boulder, CO.  I’ve been working on this for the last year, and will probably be doing so for the next several years.  Keith Albright and Joe Moltz from the Four County Club are also involved with this incredible project.  When finished, it will be quite similar in scope to my Piermont Division layout….only in O gauge.  Point….you scale two rail purists (me included) think first before negatively commenting on High Rail.  I’ve yet to see modeling as fine as on Norm’s layout.

Attendees were 2267 on Saturday and 1143 on Sunday.  This includes family admissions and kids.  This is an average spring show attendance.  For the 5^th show in a row the weather has worked against us.  The weather was drop dead beautiful driving 50-60% of would be attendees to the yards and various other beautiful weekend weather activities.  Since we do four shows per year at Timonium, many say…..”we’ll go to the next one in three months”

Many vendors reported very strong sales, and some not so.  This of course is depends on price, what the item is, presentation, attitude and people skills of the dealer….not us!  Our job is to bring folks in.

And speaking of this very subject which has been noted several times before, the winter show usually is an average of 875 tables and 6000-8000 attendees.  The spring show is around 700 tables and an average attendance of 3500.  The summer show is now 450 tables with an average of 2800-3200 in attendance.  The fall show prior the Fairgrounds putting us on Columbus Day weekend had been 4500 attendees and 800 tables.  Now that we will have the show on the 30/31 of October, we hope to again claim these figures.

This may tick off other show promoters, but we take pride in ourselves on telling the truth about the attendance.

Our new show which is called the Winter Holiday Model Train Show at Turf Valley is getting more sign-ups.  This show will be held on the 27/28 of November at the Turf Valley Resort Hotel.  Attendees who take advantage of the more than half-off room rates will have complimentary show admission.  Vendors also staying at the hotel will have half-off for tables….$35 each for the entire weekend.

Again thanks to all who attended and we hope to see you back in June.

HZ

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Newsletter...Feb 8 2010

Ida and Bob Pressley migrated to western New Hampshire from rural Alabama during the late 20's.  I met them just after the big war in 1946 when I was just eight.  Our summer home then near Warren was just down the road from the Pressleys.  They had become my musical mentors teaching me guitar, 5 string banjo and some fiddle...which then was tantamount to teaching algebra to a hippopotamus.

Ida had another unbelievable talent or ability...forecasting weather with the utmost of accuracy and weeks in advance.  She claimed this had been passed down for generations going back to the early 1800's.  She had some sort of a butt ugly bug in a large Ohio matchbox and she knew how to interpret from the bug's positions or activities what was going to happen in the skies.  During the seven years I knew her, she was never wrong.

POINT:  I only wish Ida and her black hairy bug had been around two weeks ago, as we could have changed so much.  Yeah, we had good projections, but we have all grown weary of these forecasts, and so like so many others, we were hoping for the best.  The best turned out to be that no one was injured from falls, nor were any vehicles damaged due to skidding.

Our worst possible nightmare came to fruition.  Our cancellations were almost 80% and attendance on Saturday certainly broke all trainshow records...8.  Sunday was also a record breaker with exactly 250.  Actually more could have come, but all weekend, our governor was on every form of media strongly encouraging folks to stay off of the roads and drive only in dire emergencies.  Many adhered.

We are most grateful to the vendors who braved the storm and set up, and to the attendees who did come.  Many vendors who called to cancel asked about rolling over the funds to the April show. We can understand your feelings and we are working right now on formulating some kind of workable solution.  Please understand, that we are not liable for this as this storm was an act of God.  The show was open, as was the fairgrounds.  What we come up with will be based on what we feel is fair to vendors and to us and to foster continuing good relations.  Many vendors understand and are not asking for any kind of credit.  The other side of the coin was a vendor -- who shall remain nameless -- called and demanded his refund no later than Wednesday.  What we told him to do and where to go shall also remain nameless, but we certainly do not expect to see him at future shows.  Once my wife and I had tickets to an expensive Broadway show in New York.  A major snow storm put the kibosh on our plans, but I can easily guess what the theatre and Amtrak would have told me should I had asked for a refund or credit.

We are as promised working on this and will come up with something.  Right now our feelings are to offer some kind of credit spread over so many shows until what was paid is covered.  And this will go only to the vendors who emailed or called so we were able to not rent their tables. Those who just did not show without notice will receive nothing....only we hope that they will return to our shows and our sincerest apologies although the weather was beyond our control.  There was no excuse not to call – even if only to say “I tried but I’m stuck in my driveway”.  Some vendors indeed did call, and we were able to cut our losses just a bit.

Losses?  Ken and I will have to dig deep into our pockets to cover these, but we understand that is the way of it sometimes, and after 28 years of good events, this was bound to happen.  What was frustrating, was this was promising to be one of our best ever shows.  The final table count was over 800 and we had 22 layouts that would have set up.  We had received a record number of “information about the show” calls, and we spent quite a bit on advertising.  Good news....we feel many will now come to our upcoming April 10/11 show as we have no make-up date available.

WEATHER........either Ken or I must have been or done something really lousy in our previous lives as it seems that Karma is working against us.  Our last three shows prior to this show were also hampered greatly by weather...but by great weather.  We have found that for the spring, summer, and fall shows, beautiful weather will cut down on the attendance, but good weather will foster the winter show.  For a year now, things have been the opposite, and had we have been a public company, stock values would have plummeted.  Things are bound to change as they always do.  Everything in life is like a strong heart beat...up down/up down.  On the down is always a bottom or a valley where things on the way down bottom out and roll upwards.  Neither Ken nor I in our combined 139 years of life have ever encountered an abyss.

CHOICES:

For the sake of safety and logic we would have preferred to close, but the fairgrounds insisted on remaining open as other events were still going to run.  Then of course there was no way to contact those vendors already in transit, and there were several.  We decided that it would be better to continue with the show rather than have so many arrive to find the event shut down.

We ran with a skeleton crew of Corina, Ken, and myself for Saturday.  Fred was there Friday and Sunday.  The bulk of our staff could not get out of their driveways. Corina, Ken, and myself camped out all weekend in the building sleeping on tables when we could.  There were showers, plenty of Allen Keller videos to watch, saltines & leftover coffee, and it was not bad, but we are getting a might old for this kind of stuff.

The food vendor was there Friday to feed those who made it, but no way could any of his folks arrive on Saturday.  Corina was directed to the various food lockers and made free coffee and chicken and pork sandwiches for the vendors on Saturday.

We were deeply impressed with the wonderful attitudes from those vendors sharing this incredible blizzard with us. Without exception all understood and had great senses of humor.  We are printing 'T" shirts for these daring folks...."I survived the 2010 blizzard at the Timonium, MD show".  They will be here for the April show.

HZ

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DATE CHANGE!!!

October 2010 show will now be on the last weekend ...Oct 30/31.  Ever since the Fairgrounds moved us to 
Columbus Day weekend, we have noticed a decline in attendance.  This was quite noticeable when the weather was good, as it is a three-day holiday weekend.  For the past 5 years, this date has had excellent "do something other than go to a train show" weather.  

We could also have gone to the 3rd weekend, but so many vendors also do the York PA TCA show which is on the same weekend.

ALSO....STAND BY......Something new is in the making and it will be our most spectacular announcement in recent times. When everything is in concrete, we will notify by email, regular mail, and our site. Please keep checking.

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VENDOR policy changes….

1.   Tables must be paid for prior to the show or at least we must have a minimum 25% deposit.

2.   We will accept vendors who call, email, or send in applications without payment, but we will not guarantee a spot for them, nor will we set up tables for them.  We usually have spare tables, and if these vendors do show up, we will try our best to find a spot for them.  We have found that a very large percentage of sign-ups without payment wind up as no-shows…sticking us with the cost of tables and leaving us with empty tables that we have to take down or try to fill.

3.   We have been granting a $5 discount per table if tables are paid for during the current show for the next show, or as many shows a vendor would choose to sign for. This discount only applies only to vendors signing up during the current show.

4.   Again, we limit the Saturday only tables to 5% of the total set up tables.  If a show is 700 tables, then 35 may be allotted for Saturday only. We will not make any exceptions to this rule.

5.   We will continue with free electricity and coffee during set up hours ( buns on Saturday mornings). We have increased the carts now to 8 and will add more if needed.

6.   We do have a vendor line at the snack bar, but many vendors either do not know this or do not use it.

7.   Trailers may be left in the north side of the Cow Palace during show hours, but no vehicles may be left inside the building.

Clinicians wanted….please contact us.

NOTE ABOUT ALLOWED MERCHANDISE

As the ranks of the vendors are dwindling a bit, we have somewhat relaxed our standard as to what is allowed – and obviously have gotten TOO relaxed about enforcing those standards.  NO MORE!!  This is and will remain a “model train show” – it is not a flea market!  If you are selling non-model railroad or non-railroad related items, do not register for future shows!  We will ask vendors to remove these items if displayed, and possibly to take down and leave the show.  IF YOU FEEL YOUR ITEMS ARE MARGINAL, CALL FIRST FOR A RULING ABOUT WHAT IS ALLOWED!  Here are some hints:

     -       NO Barbie dolls (not even one!)
     -       NO jewelry unless it has a train on it
     -       NO beanie babies
     -       NO antique toys unless they are trains
     -       NO superhero or action figures except Casey Jones
     -       NO LEGOS unless they are trains
     -       NO Transformers unless they are power packs!
     -       NO Disney stuff
     -       NO NASCAR items except those in model train scales
     -       NO monster figures except that the Japan layout has  
                 special dispensation for Godzilla and Mothra.

We would rather have a smaller show about model railroading than a flea market of junk.

Howard and Ken