2017 Fall Train Show Calendar For Upstate New York

Multiple shows coming up this Halloween weekend -

10/28 - Port Jervis - Tri-States Railway Preservation Society Train Show, Port Jervis High School
10/28 - Elmira Heights - TCA Toy Train Show, American Legion Post 154
10/29 - Kingston - Kingston Model Train & Hobby Show, Murphy Midtown Center
10/29 - Scranton, PA - 68th Scranton Model Train Show, Lackawanna Station Hotel

There is also a show I missed - imagine that, another show in Buffalo:

10/29 -- Buffalo (Cheektowaga) - Trainorama, The Pvt. Leonard Post, 2450 Walden Ave.


I would presume some of the same folks will be at Port Jervis and Kingston since they're only around 90 minutes apart. And by the same token it's likely Elmira and Scranton will see a few of the same dealers. Cheektowaga would be the usual Buffalo area crew.

Just a reminder this weekend is the 43rd annual Great New York State Model Train Fair, at the New York State Fairgrounds.

It's back in the cow barn (has a new name sponsor and I don't recall who) this year due to a conflict, the veterans get the COP. They sold out of tables over a month ago; with no real conflicts everyone comes here, short perhaps some Buffalo guys who prefer a one day show in Erie on Sunday.

For more details - http://www.modeltrainfair.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As a follow up to the Syracuse show; while attendance appeared to be normal (haven't heard numbers yet) most folks I talked to reported sales being down this year, including my own, with no apparent reason for it. Some frustration too with the Veterans Day parade on Saturday creating parking issues and reportedly some issues even getting into the show from the public entry doors.

They also now insist on keeping all the other doors locked and closed all day (likely a State thing) which led to someone smoking in the bathroom on Saturday.

Per announcement the plan for next year is back into the Center of Progress building.

Some Chapter folks are also doing a new show in Camillus in March; it only conflicts with one of the 650 or so Buffalo shows, although it's only going to be a couple weeks after Eastwood. I'm putting together the 2018 list together now and will have it all posted at a later date.

Another busy weekend coming:

11/11-11/12 - Fulton - Oswego Valley Model Railroad Club annual show, Fulton War Memorial
11/11 - Jamestown - TCA Toy Train Show, Jamestown Savings Bank Arena
11/12 - Batavia - GSME Great Batavia Train Show, Clarion Hotel
11/12 - Poughkeepsie - Hyde Park Station 46th Annual Train & Hobby Show, Mid Hudson Civic Center

And reminder the Binghamton Regional show that normally would be Saturday was moved to December 2nd this year.

Batavia was very good, a normal crowd, but unlike last week they actually spent money. I mean it's bad when I sell about 80% more here in one day than last weekend in two. I was well up over what I sold at last fall's show, too - it just shows you never know what will happen at a particular event.

The big news, though, is about their next show on March 25th 2018. The show will be in the recently completed Richard C. Call Arena at Genesee Community College. This facility is similar to the Gordon Field House where RIT holds their show next month; a big, bright room with more space for more vendors, no more dark corners and maze of rooms (which they were unfortunately forced into when the Batavia Downs decided to add more gaming machines some years ago). The show will remain a one day, affordable, primarily model railroad show.

And I by no means want to put down the Quality Inn, or the GSME, either; the hotel was the best they could make do with in a tough situation and maintain their show dates. Other than the end of the loading area needing to be repaved, I had no issue with the facility.

Two shows this weekend, one on each side of the state -

11/18 - Albany - Albany Train Show, Polish Community Center
11/18-11/19 - Hamburg - WNYRHS 35th Greater Buffalo Train & Toy Show, Erie County Fairgrounds

No idea what to expect, the big show should translate to more sales, but the last two events were the reverse.

Hamburg was more of the same, crowd appeared average, sales down for no apparent reason, although some of the others I spoke to were happy. I'm sure they'll have numbers in the Discovery Center thread.

I've always looked at this show as a case of the sales pay for the trip and I can run around and buy up things other people are dumping, though. I got some screaming deals on some things there.

I seldom visit train shows, with the exception of Springfield every year. That show is close enough to make the drive not too burdensome, large enough to make an entire day of and just about see everything, and the deals and layouts make it very worthwhile. It's big enough to get my fix for an entire year, just enough where I'm really looking forward to it by November!

I mainly purchase on ebay, as it's easy and I prefer to buy from the comfort of my home/computer and have things arrive at my door step. I'm usually strapped for time on the weekends, don't like paying for parking or admission (although I seem to have no problem paying for shipping - go figure!). I would love a link to your ebay store, as I buy quite a bit and always like buying local. However I rarely buy anything new - mostly used HO rolling stock and I'm usually looking for specific stuff. All of my locomotives are exclusively BLI, except for my small but growing collection of ON30.

This week is an off week for me, the Norwich show will be Saturday, and on Sunday there's a TTCS show in Rochester at the Eagle Club. I think for the guys who might do Scranton, there's a little show in Pittston on Sunday, too, in the St. Josephs Oblates Rectory - but I haven't seen any flyers or looked it up, that's just the weekend it's been the last few years.

The GTE is coming up soon on December 3rd. According to Train Show people, it is almost sold out with 350 tables at last count. If years past are any gauge, the attendance will run about 3000-5000 people.. There is also a Christmas Tree event that will take place around the late afternoon which could boost attendance.

Yes, I planned to post a reminder during the week.

Last Facebook post said 330 tables with maybe room for 1 or 2 more.

Attendance as noted varies from around 3000 to around 5500. The way this year has been I don't know if it means anything or not.


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Lots of shows coming up this weekend - the delayed Binghamton show on Saturday, the strangely scheduled Syracuse TCA show, GTE in Albany and a TTCS Buffalo show.

12/2 - Binghamton - Binghamton Regional Train Show, American Legion 177 Robinson St.
12/3 - Albany - Great Train Extravaganza, Empire Expo Center
12/3 - Syracuse - TCA Toy Train Show, American Legion Post 787, Cicero
12/3 - N. Tonowanda - TTCS Trains In The Tonwandas show, Knights Of Columbus


From what I heard last year, the TCA got like 8 vendors, including the CNY NRHS who sells primarily books, magazines, and children's novelties. I mean guys I know from Oswego, drove past it, to go to GTE as attendees. I wish them luck, but they need to move it back to Saturday if they're ever going to draw more vendors. (this year an exception).

GTE of course is the big guy here and draws vendors from both directions down the Thruway. The TTCS gets the usual Buffalo area guys who don't want to drive four hours to Albany; I'm not sure how big it actually runs. Binghamton gets an interesting draw of some of the Thruway circuit and some southern tier and northern PA dealers.

Continuing the strange trends for 2017, I was only down about 20% on the shows I went to; I didn't catch attendance for Binghamton but Albany was down at just under 2900, so that translates to more or less normal spending for those who did attend. As usual, so far, Albany's been the best show I've done.

Heard Cicero was very small, someone I know went so I'll get details from him sooner or later.

RIT is coming up next weekend and who knows how it's going to be.

It seems like that people are looking but no buying. As a dealer at the GTE, this was clearly the worst year for me as far as sales go. I barely broke even. According to other dealers I spoke with, some had the same results. I will say that talking to many people was enjoyable. I thought advertising for this show was good and combine that with the Annual Christmas tree lighting, I thought it would have been better attended.

I have done this show since 1978 and this is not a new trend. I have seen this show with 5,000 attendees at time and 3,000 other times. I strongly suspect the internet plays a role in the poor sales too.

The elephant in the room is that the primary buyers aren't getting any younger, and have reached a level of saturation in an ever-shrinking market. Unless you're dumping stuff extremely cheap, you're going to see dwindling sales as the years go on. There's just too much vying for the time and attention of people today.

mkirsch wrote:The elephant in the room is that the primary buyers aren't getting any younger, and have reached a level of saturation in an ever-shrinking market. Unless you're dumping stuff extremely cheap, you're going to see dwindling sales as the years go on. There's just too much vying for the time and attention of people today.

That same point has been raised in amateur radio. Even with really cheap radios available for local comms, kids just aren't impressed with the idea. Being able to talk around the world has limited appeal as well.

For railroad shows, we see lots of younger kids at the shows, but then other activities take over. And odds are, mom and dad aren't model railroaders - they're bringing Junior because he likes trains (for now).

As for me, I'm usually out looking for something I don't have, but I've got shelves full of unopened projects already. I do always look to buy a package of people for my model railroad, if nothing else.