"The danger of railroad shows" Topic

I bought a couple of dozen figures last month in order to start a new project. A railroad show was in town this past weekend, so I figured maybe I would find a building or three to go with my new and yet to be painted soldiers. I walked out of there with 29 assembled HO buildings; the vendor even volunteered to help me carry everything to my car. I guess I need to buy more figures now.

Yes, I have started to attend the Denver train show after the local cons turned into cosplay events. I always find gems there.

You did not buy any trains to transport your figures? What were you thinking?

The lady who was helping me asked what type of train layout I had, and I told her that I didn't have one at all, nor did I own any trains. I told her that I was using them with military figures, and she said that she sold a building before to someone else who wanted it as some type of gaming piece.

Quit attending train shows around here many years ago as I did not find much of interest. What era/war are you gaming?

There's a lot of synergy between the two projects once you get past each hobby's snobbery.

My dad is a railway modeller and I get him to paint & weather my buildings for me. In turn, I paint his O gauge figures for him.

Commercially a few companies have started to appeal to both market. I believe 4ground amongst others have a dedicated railway/railroad range now.

I miss my local model railroad shop a lot more than I miss the many fly by night "game" stores.
It was my go-to shop for bass wood, pin vise drill bits, Woodland Scenics, and a ton of terrain stuff.
There was always someone "on duty", instead of sitting in the back playing on his computer.

I used to go to our local train show until the offerings got stale. They also dramatically raised the entrance fee which didn't help. Luckily I loaded up on all those cool cheap dental tools from India at the last one I attended.

Yes the two local train stores have closed. I used to find all kinds of things to use in gaming.

I think that a perfect convention game would involve blowing up a railroad bridge while a train was running over it -- something Gomez Addams would do.

YouTube link

Ah, Bridge on the River Kwai.

@Allen, I am doing near future. Kinda a Red Dawn or Secod American Civil War. I am putting together a small town downtown.

There are many, many of us that enjoy doing scenery and lots of buildings! If you have facebook, drop by Miniature Real Estate Fansite and have a look around. link

While the site allows for all scales, there is an incredible amount of painted 6mm on display there from the members.

While stationed in Stuttgart for over 7 years, I had a used toy and game store literally across the street from me. He sold the expensive Kibri, Faller, Vollmer, etc. assembled (and kits ) for about 20% of the new kit prices. Needless to say, over 7 years, I pigged out on them! Wish I had bought even more!!!

Enjoy!

I went once to a railway show and came out with a bag of Woodland Scenics trees, a San Francisco cable car and a Chevron Cars "Rudy Ragtop" cheap so I was happy! I met several other members of my local wargames club there.

I go to model train shows to bottom feed for used buildings – and the odd HO-scale military vehicles.

European buildings are insanely cheap because most model railroaders start out with those, and then sell them off once they decide to do more American buildings. The nice part, besides the price, is that you can carry enough buildings for an 8'x10' table in one trip.

I'm now selling off my BF and most of my other resin buildings.

Wyatt

It was going to a railway show that introduced me to 'real' wargaming for the first time as a young kid.
Amongst all the train layouts was a sand table across which Airfix tanks were being maneuvered. I immediately went home and tried to recreate it with my brother. "Right, your tank is not destroyed just cos I point at it, it's now destroyed if I roll a six on this dice!"

We had a great railroad hobby shop and we had a sort of fair railroad hobby shop. They both closed. I use to get all kinds of stuff there. I have always thought it would be great to have a combination hobby and game store. Then I take a nap and the thought goes away.

I guess all these great old hobby shops are shutting down. The internet is killing them off. I really miss them more than all the fly-by-night game stores. I remember going to a game store late at night, knowing the store would still be open late, to buy some glue. They didn't have any glue! You sale miniatures, bases and paint but no glue!

Rallynow, I don't' think it is the internet – the internet has allowed the few that remain to stay open.

Interest is gone from traditional hobbies. Children are ignorant of the hobbies, parents buy them electronic devices that take up all their free time.