lockport train show

what are the dates of the lockport train show this year?

There hasn't been alockport show in several years

The end of the Lockport show came about when someone was able to get in overnight and steal from several of the vendors. If I remember right they took a number of specific items rather than just clean someone out of say brass locomotives or whatnot. I'm not sure now just who ultimately was to blame (I want to say they got in by pushing a panel section out of a garage door?), but vendors won't come to a show that can't provide security overnight. It's tough enough just watching out for the handful of known shoplifters and the out of control kids during the day. So, no more show. I was at it once and I didn't think it was that hot, anyways, the tables were overpriced for the turnout it was seeing and I'd have needed a hotel for the night to boot, so I never tried to sell at it.


I would imagine you can use a search engine to dig up more specific info or older discussions if you want to know more about it.

And before you ask, there's no Ithaca show either, they gave up on that one a couple of years ago because they were losing money on it.

Not to get off topic but the break-in at that show was the main reason why security at the Central Terminal's train show was beefed up.Including overnight security in the building and Buffalo Police patrolling the plaza.

It is widely believed that the person/persons who burglarized the Lockport show also burglarized K-Val Hobbies on two occasions, LBC Trains on one occasion plus a failed third attempt to burglarize K-Val a month or so ago. And there may be a connection to the burglary at the Model Railroad Club of Buffalo several years ago as well. Unfortunately there is only circumstantial evidence which is inadequate for prosecution purposes. No one seems to know the actual identity of this person/persons which hamstrings any attempt at a serious investigation. But it is my understanding that in each case the burglar targeted very specific items and did not proceed to ransack any property. One can only hope that sooner or later he/they make a mistake and are caught with the goods.

My understanding (which comes no better than second hand) about the robbery at the Lockport Show was that the perpetrator(s) knew exactly what they were doing and took items that would be easily resellable without suspicion.

And yes, it killed off the Lockport Show. I suppose it's debatable how long it would have survived without this unfortunate incident, but we'll never know that.

I remember 1st attending the Lockport show back in the mid 80's and was impressed with the crowd and many venders crammed into the Arena. Periodic visits in the years since revealed decreasing venders higher prices and lower attendance. I attended the show in 2006, and was disappointed by the lack of attendance and venders. The burglary/theft was the final nail in a long decline.

the person/persons who burglarized the Lockport show also burglarized K-Val Hobbies on two occasions

Someone must really hate model railroading.

Having worked the show for many years, my opinion was that it was the same people, the same vendors selling the same thing, the same displays year after year after year. It got to be boring after a while and turned into a social event for me as that was the only time I saw some of the people. It is to bad as all shows and swapmeets for all hobies and trades have suffered over the years due to the internet and other publications. The early object of all these shows was to introduce new product and technology to the public and it is not needed now.

Very true, Steve. Other shows in Western New York, and I suspect other geographies, could be described that way as well.

I have a personal "ignore list" of vendors that I don't bother to stop for since I know the odds are very low that there will be something in which I'm interested.

To be fair, some portion of this isn't their fault: pre-orders, limited runs, and restrictions on who distributors will sell to now vs. before also drive this situation.

So for me the shows are social events, and if I find something I like, it's a bonus.

I had attended the lockport show maybe 5 or 6 times near the end of its life span and found a few decent deals as far as N Scale stuff went other than that I think its the farthest West that I've traveled to go to a train show.

Steve W wrote:Having worked the show for many years, my opinion was that it was the same people, the same vendors selling the same thing, the same displays year after year after year. It got to be boring after a while and turned into a social event for me as that was the only time I saw some of the people. It is to bad as all shows and swapmeets for all hobies and trades have suffered over the years due to the internet and other publications. The early object of all these shows was to introduce new product and technology to the public and it is not needed now.

That's a short-sighted way to look at it. I know I have a few things I've carried around for years - but for every one of those things I usually have at least half a dozen new ones that I've picked up in the meantime, maybe even since the last show. And I just mix the stuff all in together so I can pack it up that much easier at the end of the show.

But then I never went to a show after the new stuff - I go to see what cool old stuff I can score for next to nothing - and a lot of times I do pretty darn good. I remember one show I bought brass locomotives for $20 and $25 from a guy who had no idea what he had. Diesels.

And if you don't support your hobby show vendors, then they have that much less reason to come back and try to sell anything.