Get Ready for the Amherst Show

The initial vendor list for the 2015 Amherst show is now available. Start your planning so you can visit everyone you want. http://www.railroadhobbyshow.com/listofexhibitors.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't see Bob's Photos on the list of vendors. I always made it a point to visit his vast array of historic slides and photos and always walked away spending a big chunk of change. Is Bob okay after the spill he took a few years ago in the icy parking lot? He's been a fixture forever at the show since it began and always a great guy to deal with! I hope this is an oversight or maybe I missed it?

At an RPM in New Jersey a couple of months ago, Bob's Photo had a sign stating that he would no longer be attending the Amherst Show.

Bob himself was not at this venue-- there was a much younger person staffing the tables-- so I couldn't ask about this, and I'm not sure I would have had the nerve to in any case.

My attendance is always weather dependent. So far, I've gotten there once, and hit nasty snow on the way back.

If Santa didn't bring you everything you wanted, it's time to start your shopping list for the show. One month to go.

Less than 2 weeks to go. Hope everyone has checked out the vendor list and the floor plan. Get your walking shoes ready and check the limit on your credit cards.

Found this in another forum where someone from the society post info.

FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE

Amherst Railway Society
announces our new

FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE

For our Railroad Hobby Show

January 24 - 25 2015

The shuttle will run from the Amtrak Railroad Station in Springfield to the Sheraton Hotel in Springfield to the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition.

The shuttle will run Saturday and Sunday.
We estimate a 30 minute round trip.
There is no schedule.
The shuttle will be doing trips back and forth all day
The shuttle will be a 15 passenger van.

If you get there early enough. Right across the street from the Better Living building is Memo's. Breakfast and lunch. loads of train people in there every show.

I go there a lot during the year.

Rich

It's just a week away. Hope everyone has their shopping lists ready and has checked out the floor plan and vendor list.

Might not be important to anyone here. Found this in the MRH forum.
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Best Western in West Springfield MA suffered flood damage 1/18/2015I know a lot of venders stay at this hotel for the Amherst model RR show. I was told that they will not be able to honor my reservation for this coming weekend. I had to book with another hotel.
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rich

Tower35 wrote:I don't see Bob's Photos on the list of vendors. I always made it a point to visit his vast array of historic slides and photos and always walked away spending a big chunk of change. Is Bob okay after the spill he took a few years ago in the icy parking lot? He's been a fixture forever at the show since it began and always a great guy to deal with! I hope this is an oversight or maybe I missed it?

Bob's photo will not be at the show.
He will be at the NERPM in May in Collinsville, CT
http://neprototypemeet.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What's the latest status with the impending snow storm?

Well...sure am glad I didn't plan on making the trip up to the Amherst Show today. The Hudson Valley in NY got 6"+ of snow, the roads are bad, and things are supposed to be worse across Route 84 in CT and up Route 91 toward Springfield, MA. Good luck to any of you trying to make the run and coming from a distance.

CNJ999

CNJ999 wrote:Well...sure am glad I didn't plan on making the trip up to the Amherst Show today. The Hudson Valley in NY got 6"+ of snow, the roads are bad, and things are supposed to be worse across Route 84 in CT and up Route 91 toward Springfield, MA. Good luck to any of you trying to make the run and coming from a distance.

I did...and had a great time.
Caveat, I stayed overnight in Hartford because I knew I'd be too tired to make the trip from Long Island to Springfield and back in one day. particular after 6+ hours of tromping around an exhibition. The trip from Hartford to W. Springfield up I91 this morning...it wasn't that bad. Started around 8:15AM, the interstate was more or less plowed, I stayed in the right lane as much as possible, as I puttered along at 50mph on a 65mph road - dangit! . Most people were going along 40-50mph in that stretch, I didn't much worry about those going faster than that, but I did give as wide a berth as possible to those petrified idiots putzing along at 25mph gripping their wheel for dear life- IME they have no winter driving skills, poor control and so end up skidding out and causing accidents.
Anyway, got to the Expo Center at 9:30 only because I missed the turn to 147 and had to double back thru semi-plowed secondary roads - GRRRR, West Springfield does not seem to be a firm believer in clear street signage. I wish the parking lot had been as plowed as the Interstate, as I, along with several other people I saw, managed to slip and fall (luckily it was into soft snow, so no damage for me). Later that ice turned to slushy puddles, real pleasant to walk thru (and you had to, to get between the different venues - although they did have tents over each entrance passage, these tents didn't extend across active roads for obvious reasons).
Exhibitors commented that attendance was down and I can understand that - I mean there certainly were lots of people, but it wasn't superpacked. Worked out great for me, as I was able to chat with a lot of exhibitors - and nit-pick too, especially the N-scale guys with the "Air Park" (I still think it looks more like a Air Museum) - haggle down prices on some items, catch a few interesting scenery and weathering clinics, give the CMRR guys a few bucks and a thumbs up, and take a lot of pictures throughout the four venues.
I headed out around 4:30PM after seeing everything I wanted to see, and exceeding my spending limit by 50.00 (those darn Sylvan models put me over the limit), trudged thru the slush, headed south on I91 and I95 - everything was pretty clear by then, so I was and pretty much everyone else on the road was able to sustain a "nominal" 65mph, as God meant it to be, stopped for gas in Hartford, dinner at Arby's in North Haven, and...got home without incident, did some chores, and finally typed this up. So the answer is: CNJ999 - you missed a great opportunity as the exhibitors were all there but the annoying dense crowds - not so much.