I was at the FTW GATS too and I must say I was disappointed, as usual. I don't know what it is, but the last several years that show has gone downhill. I went on Sunday, so maybe I missed the deals, but the only two HO items I saw marked below retail were an Athearn Genesis boxcar and a pair of Walthers 86' autoboxes (which I purchased). Everything else was right at retail. There wasn't a single Kato locomotive there, either. No Atlas B40-8s or B40-8Ws anywhere, but I probably wouldn't have been happy to find them anyway with those prices. There was one table with a ton of "custom painted" and kitbashed models on display all organized by roadname. I couldn't believe what the owner was charging for some really shoddy work on stock Athearn stuff. Especially the NS high hoods he had for sale - terrible. Okay, I paint and kitbash these things for sale myself, but I would never put my name on anything that bad. What did I see there that intrigued me? For one, the HO ARK-LA-TEX layout was very whimsical and showcased some good modeling ideas if not some good modeling. I guess that's another thing that bothers me - mediocre modeling on display for everyone to see (yes, I'm going to do something about it and not just complain - I'm joining a modular club). Another thing I enjoyed was seeing the large scale stuff by USATrains and Aristo-Craft. I'm a yellow dog HO scaler, but an enormous SD45 for $250! I think I may need to acquire one soon... My report? Yet another poor GATS with some fun stuff to see here and there. Will I go again? I think I'll try to make the one that happened a few weeks before the GATS this time next year (instead of thinking it was the GATS and blowing it off). I've been giving my money to the GATS people for too long. Anyway, the original question, what should you get? Get to Trainworld.com and get the stuff on your list! RC
When I lived in Topeka, Kansas from 1982 to 1986, I went to the first GATS shows in Kansas City, MO, and there were plenty of discounts and great modular layouts. After I moved down to Texas in 1986, I stoppde going to GATS shows, and I can now see why. Personally, I liked the Holiday Train Show at Ft. Worth- that's where I got the discounts on all the stuff I bought this year (and it seems to be the choice of the Metroplex model railroaders, from what I've heard- besides the Plano show). The reports I've read in here have pretty well made my mind up about going to any more GATS shows in this neck of the woods.
