Spring 2022 Train Show Schedule for Upstate New York

Any of this could change last minute due to the Covid situation, so double check any show before attending.

Dates in italic are unconfirmed as of Dec 8th 2021, when they become confirmed (or new dates turn up) it will be reported in following replies. Those confirmed are either via website, flyers handed out at other shows, or announcements at previous shows.

January

Sunday 1/16– Utica – TTCS Utica Train Show, Union Station
Weekend 1/29-1/30 Springfield, MA – Amherst Model RR Club huge show
Sunday 1/30 – Buffalo – Trainorama, Pvt. Leonard Post, Walden Ave.

As in the past I include the Springfield show because so many attend.

February

Sunday 2/20 – Buffalo (Depew) – TTCS Buffalo Snowball Train Show, Polish Falcons
Weekend 2/26-2/27 – Buffalo (Hamburg) – WNYRHS Winter Train & Toy Show, Erie Cty Fairgrounds
Saturday 2/26 – Rochester – Edgerton Model Railroad Show, Edgerton Community Center

Hamburg is a couple weeks later than usual. The Syracuse Model RR club lost it's space when the building was sold, so that show is defunct. It's possible the Hartlot club could take over the date at some future point with a show similar to the Camillus one, but as of yet I'm not aware of anything.


March

Saturday 3/12 - Albany - Albany Train Show, Polish Community Center
Saturday 3/12 – Binghamton – Greater Binghamton Regional Train Show
Sunday 3/13 – Syracuse (Camillus) – NHRS Spring Ahead Train Show, Camillus Fire Dept.
Sunday 3/20 - Kingston - Kingston Model Train and Railroad Hobby Show, Murphy Midtown Center
Sunday 3/27– Buffalo (N. Tonawanda) – TTCS Spring Into Summer show, Knights Of Columbus
Sunday ??? - Rochester - TTCS Shamrock Show - Currently showing no location hence no date

Have yet to hear anything on the CNY NRHS Camillus show, possible it could be the previous Sunday also. Greenberg did not schedule a Rochester show (usually first weekend in March); they like to use that Dome Center and who knows what's going on with that but the date is open in their schedule. I confirmed the Albany show with the promoter, he said that was the only date they could get at the venue, it is also opposite a Greenberg Edison, NJ show. Kingston has not updated their website in some time, had no flyers out at GTE, it's possible they've quit entirely. And the one TTCS show I guess wait and see on.


April

Sunday 4/3 – Batavia – GSME Great Batavia Train Show, Genesee Community College Call Arena
Sunday 4/10 – Amsterdam – Alco T&HS Rails Along The Mohawk Show , Riverfront Center
Weekend 4/23-4/24 – Lockport - TTCS/NOME Train Show, Keenan Center


May

Weekend - Fulton (Volney) - Oswego Valley Railroad Assoc. Spring Show, Volney VFD

I presume this will be the week after Lockport but I don't know they've even begun to think about a date yet. I am sure they will hold it, Fulton and Binghamton are the two places who have held events pretty well right along despite the madness.

If I missed a show, feel free to add to the list, if you can copy the format that would be appreciated, or send me a message.

Already have a few dates confirmed for the fall, too.

The more interesting one is the show in Hemlock, I think Flower City put that on, they're going to hold it again but it's bumped out to the last weekend in September (24-25) so it wouldn't be against a BCT show should that happen. It does put it opposite Massena but I don't think that creates any issues.

As part of their convention in Albany this year, the New York Central System Historical Society is having a train show on Sunday, May 15th, at the Crowne Plaza Albany. You can see more about the convention and the show at https://nycshs.org/. You will need to scroll down just a bit to see the section on the train show. Unlike many train shows, the web site indicates admission will be free.

I finally got some information about the Camillus Spring Ahead show. They are waiting to hear from the town if the building is available. Going to hazard a guess that's more pandemic related than other events being booked. If they are able to hold it the March 13th date is what they are planning for. But they're not going to promote it until it's certain they can use the facility.

And just like that, they've been approved, the show will go on March 13th, 10-4. Adults $5, 15 & under free. Same location at the Camillus Fire Department.

March 12, Vermont Rails show, St Albans VT

Outside the purview of this posting. At this point the only non-NY show I'm including is Springfield and only because it's the biggest show in the northeast and people will drive 3 and 4 hours to attend.

Utica show I think the attendance was down some but the sales were good. It was absurdly cold in the morning and that may have had some people hesitating on going; I know some regulars I'm used to seeing weren't there, or weren't there very long. They also had space for maybe 10-15 more tables and a few people were no-shows.

I've been adding up 10 or so years of data and averaging it, I didn't do that yet for this show but I suspect I was close to or above what it will average to.

My only complaint would be I wish they'd just put everyone on their mailing list (even if just an e-mail list); you have to be in the TTCS club to get them to mail you the forms, which isn't unreasonable but it doesn't make sense for me to join when I only do one TTCS show a year.

I also heard secondhand the FunTrack group may be doing their show in Ilion this year. Typically that's held around the end of April, a two day show, I've never been. IIRC the venue is the Masonic Temple. They may be waiting to see when the Oswego Valley group is doing their spring show.

Those planning on Springfield are probably already aware the weather is to be bad on Saturday.

Multiple manufacturers have cancelled including Rapido, Athearn, Broadway Limited, Tangent and Exactrail. I expect more are likely to drop out, although they did have a waiting list to get in. If the forecast is accurate it will put a big dent in the Saturday attendance and may make it more crowded on Sunday.

Springfield attendance was down by 2/3rds or so at just shy 6000, with I think 1200 of that on Saturday.

There were flyers out for the NYC Historical Society show.

Probably safe to assume at this point that no Kingston show will take place.

I can now confirm April 30-May 1 as date for the Oswego Valley Club's spring train show in Fulton at the Volney Fire Department. Got the flyer in the mail today, in fact I almost said May 1-2 as there's a typo in it where they forgot to remove the "& 2" from the date.

This coming Sunday is the Buffalo Snowball show, and next weekend the big WNYRHS show. The way gas prices are going, could be my last.

LVRR and Everyone:
Got a message about this upcoming 3 day Memorial Day weekend show in Port Jervis, NY:
Port Jervis Transportation Festival - Saturday, Sunday and Monday May 28-29-30, 2022
www.pjthc.org/festival
- Admission $5 -
This show features Trains - Cars - Trucks and is at the new Port Jervis Transportation History Center
The show is accessible by MNCR/NJT rail service from Hoboken, NJ and Suffern, NY - Port Jervis Line.

The Jersey Central Chapter-NRHS show will be on Sunday March 6 from 9 AM to 3:30 PM.
Mother Seton High School in Clark, NJ - Garden State Parkway Exit 135 - Admission $5
https://thecrhs.org/events/clark-2022
I added mention of the Clark, NJ JCRHS Show even though that this is not a NY venue - it is close enough
to the Hudson Valley/Eastern NY areas to be worthwhile - and more importantly this one show is known
as one of the best railroadiana (hardware, paper, etc.) Spring shows in the entire Northeastern region...
Multiple NRHS chapters and various rail-oriented historical groups are also in attendance (Ex: CRHS)
The 2020 Show had over 500 paid in attendance (2021 was cancelled) in two building spaces...

Good to know that there are some Spring train and rail-related shows to look forward to...MACTRAXX

500 is a small show. The Syracuse Model Railroad Club show I think set a record at a little over 400. Batavia sees around 1500 in an average event, IIRC.

The annual open house for the Rochester Model Railroad club is listed on their website for March 5 & 6, 2022
Saturday hours: 10 AM - 5 PM Sunday hours: 1PM - 5PM. Model railroad equipment sale on Saturday only. Located at 150 Clinton Ave Rochester NY.

The Upstate NY Chapter TCA is having a show in the Buffalo area on May 7, I don't have the flyer in front of me but will update when I dig it out.

Attendance was good at Hamburg, sales were high. One large vendor did not attend, I haven't looked to see if there was a Greenberg the same dates or what. I felt pretty awful Sunday, I ended up packing a little early (the last straw was when the chair I brought collapsed under me). It was either that or I was going to blow up at the next person to offer me half what I wanted for something.

There were two other shows outside of the scope of this thread on the same weekend but close enough perhaps to take away vendors from Hamburg. One was a Greenberg Show.