Springfield 2024

 Last weekend was the annual Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show.  I always refer to it as Springfield (even though it's in West Springfield ...details details).  The Springfield Show takes place in four buildings at the Eastern States Exhibition Center.  It's roughly nine acres of model railroading fun.  I went on Saturday and being able to get to everything in one day takes careful planning. There is so much to see and do.  The show is a two-day event (it's really four with the two days of clinics).  I arrived before the 9:00 AM start time and got amazing parking thanks again to the owner of my local model railroad show.  He got me a parking pass.  Thanks, Roger!

I spent the first part of my visit getting everything on my shopping list.  Here's what I came back with.

I started with a visit to MacRail.  I picked up more FREDs and EOT red flags.  I also picked up their new ballast hopper solar panels and derailer.  

B & B Hobby Supply was my stop for a new pair of hard wire cutters and some Hunterline stain.  I also by a stop to a hobby shop selling a several packs of Intermountain cars.  I found a three-pack of CN Government of Canada wheat hoppers.  I debated getting them and decided that if they were still there when I was getting ready to leave then I'd get them.  They were still there.

I went into the Better Living Center, tbe largest of the buildings, and stopped by Kadee for some couplers and then went to Otter Valley Railroad, right next to them.  OVR is a Canadian hobby shop and I've ordered from them now and then.  They have started manufacturing freight cars under their own name.  I bought some their first cars, a bulkhead pipe flatcar and 6000 cu. ft. scarp hopper car.  I also bought a load of scale pipe for the hopper at a pretty decent price.  One of the next cars they are producing is a CN transfer van, I have one on preorder.  If they come to the 2025 show with them to sell, I may end up going home with a second one.

Azatrax is a company out of Colorado that specializes in signaling circuitry.   I stopped by their booth and saw they were selling some NJ International signals.  I'm not sure what they current status of the company is.  I've reached out to them several time for support with my malfunctioning crossing signal but still have heard nothing.  I ended up buying a replacement signal at Azatrax's booth.  I'll replace the faulty one with this new one (hopefully this one works without problems).  I'm sure I can use the faulty one in the future.

Osborn Model Kits makes lumber loads for flat cars.  I've written about OMK before, I'm a huge fan of their products.  I picked up a set for my new flat cars.  I also picked up a Walthers 72' wrapped lumber load for my new Rapido Centerbeam cars.  I could have bought more, but I wanted to see if I liked them and if they'd work with the Rapido cars.  ...I do and they work.  More will be purchased in the future.

Toward the end of the day, I stopped by Ron's Books.  They are new to the show but well known in the railroading world.  They carry just about have railroad book there is.  I picked up MRC's new Scenic & Weathering Techniques book on sale.

The rest of my time was visiting different exhibitors.  I had 54 on my list and I made it to each of them (there were about 370 at the show). Many on my list were model makers.  I stopped by Class One Model Works to see the soon-to-arrive 86' auto parts boxcars.  They look great and should be arriving in around five weeks.

Bachmann Trains had the full VIA Rail Siemens set on display.  The cab car should be shipping out to hobby shops soon.  They also had the newly announced Acela set out for people to look at.

Walthers had the production samples of their Canada Post and USPS delivery vans.

Aroura Miniatures showcased their boxcars and newly announced GMDD SD50F/SD50AF locomotive in CN paint.

At the very busy Rapido Trains booth I was able to get some pictures of many of the upcoming arrivals and newly announced cars they are doing.  

I appreciate that Rapido just announced the Berlin Mills boxcars because I've wanted one in the St. Lawrence and Atlantic paint scheme for a long time.  I'll order one of the Boston and Maine boxcars, too.

I also stopped by Athearn, Tangent Scale Models, Scaletrains, and Atlas.  I did ask an Atlas project designer about the CN PSC vans they teased at last year's show.  I was assured they will be announced, but they are working on improving the tooling and electronics.  Prairie Shadows is making their second run on the PSC van in N Scale.  They are also making a second run on their HO scale 5250 covered hopper.  I didn't get a picture, but there are their sales packs.

As I made my way to the back section of the Mallory Complex, I passed by the Pioneer Valley Live Steamers display.  These are 1:8 scale models.  I wouldn't mind something like this running around my back yard.

Finally, you can't go to Springfield without seeing layouts.  I know I didn't get to see all of them.  I spent a lot of time checking out the Lego layout.  I haven't really spent much time looking at them before, but it's amazing what can be done with Lego these days.  Many of the Lego locomotives were sound equipped.  The Reading Company Technical & Historical Society's modular set returned this year.  It is massive!  I always visit the Syracuse Modular Society's layout in the Stroh building.  There's a reason why it won "best in show" for so many year.  These are just random layout pictures (I never claimed to be a photographer). 

Around 15,000 people were at the show on the Saturday I went. It was a record day for Springfield.  I felt like there were 15,000 people, crowds everywhere!  It's the way this show should be.  A total of 22,657 people visited over the two days.  With vendors and staff, the total number participating in the show totaled 26,157 people according to the Railroad Hobby Show website.  Springfield is the highlight of my model railroad calendar.  I'm already looking forward to next year's show.  It'll take place on January 25 & 26, 2025.