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Post by JKP on Feb 25, 2024 1:55:30 GMT
I was able to go today, crowded, lots of O gauge trains, had a nice chat with Rockymountaineer Dave. Then I spent some time @ the Farmers Market, always amazed walking through it, so much great food under one roof. Even though the parking lot is huge, it was still a challenge finding a parking space.
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Post by ron045 on Feb 25, 2024 3:59:31 GMT
One of the better shows we have been to in years. Lots of variety with good prices. My son got two engines and negotiated great prices. I picked up one of those Nicholas Smith $5 Lionel cars. This one will get a bath, repaint, decals, weathering and kadees. It will be a cover car for my SMS tank train. We had fun. I only saw one person with an OGF hat, but they were deep in conversation and I did not want to interrupt. A very fun day indeed. Ron  |
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Post by Adam on Feb 25, 2024 12:35:15 GMT
$5 cars! What a deal!
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Post by ron045 on Feb 25, 2024 13:19:18 GMT
I have to thank my son for talking me into this one. I was very reserved and strangely in control of my buying. There were a lot of good deals. But I was focused on just a few things I wanted. If I saw them, I was going to buy them. I was not going to stray away from the plan. We had walked through once and my son purchased one engine. After one circuit, we talk about what we saw and liked. We return to tables and if the item is still around we buy it. If it's gone, then it was not meant to be. We were at the NS booth talking with Dave whom my son has known since we was 8 (21 now) and Dave mentioned the $5 cars. I found this one, looked at it and put it down. My son said it would be a good car to practice on with any new paint or weathering techniques and that I should get it for my cover car. If I ever find the Atlas TTX Gunderson car I really want, then I can replace. So for $5 it's mine.
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Post by dlagrua on Feb 26, 2024 23:29:21 GMT
I saw evidence to suggest that the Spring Thaw event was larger than ever. The attendance figure had to be big. I'll take a guess at 3,000+. All tables were sold out and many were packed high. The major dealers were there; Gryzboski's, JusTrains, Nicholas Smith. I walked in around 10AM and the meet was jam packed. Aisles were full of folks and walking them was slow. There was a wide variety at good prices. Although there is parking on the fairgrounds for over 3000 cars, I had to park far away from the Ag Halls. As a completely open to public event, one easy to reach from the NYC/NJ and Phil metro areas that may be why it continues as one of the best.
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Post by rockymountaineer on Feb 27, 2024 3:16:48 GMT
I can easily say this ATMA show was one of the best-attended in YEARS!!! Even Sunday surprised me. Although nothing touched Saturday's packed attendance, Sunday's crowd was a very decent turnout compared to any other Sunday that I can ever remember. There were also LOTS more young families who attended on Sunday. Saturday's crowd was understandably composed of mostly die-hard train enthusiasts. But I saw lots of parents with kids in tow and kids in strollers on Sunday. WONDERFUL TURNOUT all around!!!
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Post by runamuckchuck on Feb 27, 2024 23:25:55 GMT
It seems counterintuitive, however this First Thaw was IMO better attended and had better merchandise from which to choose than First Freeze 2023. Hopefully this upward trajectory bodes well for this already excellent show.
Even the items which were not of interest for purchase were interesting. The variety of scales, manufacturers, accessories and incidentals was enough to please everybody.
I spent 4 hours there on Saturday and did not begrudge a minute of it.
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Post by Traindiesel! on Feb 28, 2024 6:57:36 GMT
It seems from the reports on this ATMA show that the hobby is definitely shrinking and dying! 
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Post by ron045 on Feb 28, 2024 16:48:19 GMT
It seems from the reports on this ATMA show that the hobby is definitely shrinking and dying! Ha Ha... That was the same thing I heard while standing online outside about 50 deep at 0915. "This hobby is supposed to be dead, what are all of these people doing here?"
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Post by dlagrua on Feb 28, 2024 17:10:22 GMT
It seems from the reports on this ATMA show that the hobby is definitely shrinking and dying! Ha Ha... That was the same thing I heard while standing online outside about 50 deep at 0915. "This hobby is supposed to be dead, what are all of these people doing here?" I believe that the hobby may be contracting but do not have concrete evidence to support that. Consider that there are far less meets and shows than there once were so hobbyists attend the meets that still exist. York attendance is down so what does all this mean? Is it that online buying has taken over, or demographics playing a role? All and all the hobby is still there, thriving to an extent, and in all likelihood will remain for a long time to come.
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Post by ron045 on Feb 28, 2024 17:26:42 GMT
How many times have you heard this... We need to get more young people into the hobby. Then how many times have you heard this... I just retired and am new at this... Or just got back in after 20+ years. While yes, we do need some young people to be lifers in Model Railroading, remember, a lot of young people don't have disposable cash or have other financial requirements. In my opinion what the hobby needs is just for the next generation to just get old. While at the same time hoping life expectancy for the rest of us goes up.  |
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Post by healey36 on Feb 28, 2024 17:34:48 GMT
A mix...the for-the-shelf collector and interest in operator-quality pre-war and post-war is in decline, and that's a demographics thing. Most I know that had extensive collections of postwar have liquidated their collections (either on purpose or because they're not here anymore). Only pristine examples of pre-war and post-war stuff, or exceptionally rare pieces, commands high prices now. Gen X, Y, and Z are not collectors. They have no interest in filling their house with stuff. I suspect it's the Boomers buying the new stuff...when they check out, the whole thing flushes.
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Post by dlagrua on Feb 28, 2024 18:11:35 GMT
I will throw another question into the subject. What happens to the millions of trains in our collections when we are gone? Young people have little interest, we know that, but as they reach middle age and the senior years will they look back at dads layout/collection and use that as something to keep them occupied? Even if our collections are sold someone will buy them. The prices may fall into the mud and It may become a new cheap hobby for many.
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Post by Adam on Feb 28, 2024 19:31:54 GMT
I will throw another question into the subject. What happens to the millions of trains in our collections when we are gone? Young people have little interest, we know that, but as they reach middle age and the senior years will they look back at dads layout/collection and use that as something to keep them occupied? Even if our collections are sold someone will buy them. The prices may fall into the mud and It may become a new cheap hobby for many. My daughters will inherit them and, if they do what I told them, they will sell them if there is no interest in them. So the real question is if they will be worth any money. Who knows.
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Post by steveoncattailcreek on Feb 28, 2024 20:19:28 GMT
I will throw another question into the subject. What happens to the millions of trains in our collections when we are gone? Young people have little interest, we know that, but as they reach middle age and the senior years will they look back at dads layout/collection and use that as something to keep them occupied? Even if our collections are sold someone will buy them. The prices may fall into the mud and It may become a new cheap hobby for many. Well, no real reason to speculate -- there's a regular parade of "new members" on all the forums who only want to know how to dispose of their (or a friend's) dearly departed's trains, as well as a somewhat similar number of those who have newly discovered remnants of their or their family's childhood train set in the attic, and want to do something with it. IMHO the main difference between the groups are childhood experiences with model trains, theirs or others, or at least a childhood envy of those who could afford such luxuries. Again IMHO, the number of us who had *no* such formative experiences and rather instead just decided to take it up as an adult hobby are minimal. YMMV . . .
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