After moving to Illinois over 22 years ago, one train show has been one of my all time favorites: Galesburg RR Days. So much so, I eventually jointly built a modular N scale layout based on the town. The city wide celebration which once hosted preserved locomotives, historic run through's and yard tours has been suffering for years and is only a shadow of it's previous self is now cancelled due to the on-going pandemic and shelter in place guidelines set out by the governor of Illinois. The model train show which for years was organized by a good friend of mine, Harry Grossman, was later transferred to another friend, Larry Anglund. Our small group here in Illinois learned a few weeks ago of his sudden passing due to a heart attack which has left our group with sadness. This combined with the pandemic has forced those who make the decision to cancel one of the best model train shows in Illinois. I fear this may be the end of one of my favorite shows. It was a good run, a lot of friends made and a lot of good times. I used to set my calendar to this show and looked forward to it every year. To everything there is a season.
That is sad. Let us hope it will return, and be stronger than ever. The most popular show in my State, which should have happened last month, quietly did not happen.
Sad times, indeed. Thanks for posting, Jim. Until cancelled in March due to the pandemic, I was coordinating Layout Tours and Operating Sessions for the NMRA's Peoria Rocket 2020 Mid-West Regional Convention in East Peoria Illinois, co-hosted by the Illinois Valley Division (West-Central Illinois) and the Illinois Terminal Division (East-Central Illinois). The Convention activities were to be held May 14-17, and my layout was to be open for convention registrants to visit on 3 of the 4 days. Making lemonade from lemons: The Mid-West Regional Conventions are already scheduled for 2021 and 2022, so we'll try again in 2023. For now, instead of hosting a regional convention with 130 participants meeting face-to-face, the Illinois Valley Division is complying with the statewide Stay At Home Rule, and will hold a (much smaller) Divisional meet virtually (on WebEx) and I'll be giving a virtual clinic on Making Scrap Metal Loads.
Another one bites the dust. We had to cancel the NMRA, MCR, Division 8 Train Show and Sale, http://div8-mcr-nmra.org/site/html/trainshow.html [shameless plug] which was going to be held in March. Next Show will be in NOVEMBER. Moved all reserved Seller's tables to the November Show. Have about 95 tables available at our location. 100% were reserved and PAID FOR. A few Sellers had schedule conflicts come up and request refunds. That was about 15 tables refunded. So we are left with about 80 tables reserved and maybe 15 tables to be available for the Show. Have always had a few Sellers who do one Show or another but not both[March & November] Sure don't want to turn Sellers away. Will be sending out letter to inform Sellers that 1) You have tables already reserved at the Nov/Fall Show. 2) If a Seller wants to add an additional table, GET IT NOW. 3) At this time, only 15 tables will be available. This will be only the 2nd Show at this location, we are still trying to get a few bugs worked out.
I'll miss the Galesburg show. It was one of the few that I was able to attend living here in NE Missouri. Life is sure changing.
Jim, I'm so sorry to hear that. This horrible pandemic has affected pretty everyone directly or indirectly. And it will drive a lot of small businesses under. Yeah, they say the economy will come roaring back when the time comes and I do believe that but for the small mom and pops they can't wait that long. Maybe after all this craziness is gone, get back with your buddies and see if you can start it again. Perhaps name it after your friend Harry Grossman as a tribute to him. I'm sorry for your loss and your pain.
That is bad news. Although I grew up in Illinois, I haven't lived there for almost 40 years. I did have the pleasure of attending the Galesburg event in 1998. Great memories. IRM had the Nebraska Zephyr there, and it was open to walk through the E5 carbody and also to sit in the (air conditioned!) observation car and relax while trains came and went. The Milwaukee Road Northern pulled a fan trip in, but it didn't get in until evening (something about problems with bearings I believe). We took the rail tour of the yards. It was a great time.
Ah NorsemanJack, that was my first year and introduction to Galesburg RR Days! I did not make it until Sunday as I had gotten married that Saturday. My wife at the time and I had our Honeymoon at Ron Hatch's Railfan Bed & Breakfast. Ron, who is now a good friend, designs the annual RR Days posters and at that time had a great Bed & Breakfast track side to the Santa Fe's Transcon mainline. We got to meet the crew of the Milwaukee Road as they came over after they got in late and yeah I think your right, wheel bearings. That show, coupled with the fact that my wife of the time was from Illinois, is why I moved out here. From 1998 until 2019, I only missed one year. When I lived in Northern Illinois, my wife and I would start planning in January, getting a hotel, saving money, working on the display items I would display at the model train show. We would typically leave the Wednesday before Railroad Days and railfan from Mendota to Galesburg. Heck, It's how I met Dave, AKA PPUIN. My wife and I would railfan all day Thursday and Friday and have fun during the weekend at the train show and downtown including the yard tour operated via Metra cars. Great times! As the years went on, the show slowly diminished. BNSF pulled out support I belive in 2003, downtown displays were relegated to a random GE from the shop, the carnival downtown got smaller. The town changed RR Days more into a kiddy carnival and soon railfans lost interest. Bill Selleck lost his great website regarding Galesburg and it's history. I divorced my wife in 2008 and have largely gone by myself since. The train show moved from the college to a field house and the atmosphere changed. We lost Larry a few weeks ago, the train show coordinator who worked tirelessly to produce a great train show every year. Now this. I hate to sound negative, but I doubt we see RR Days next year and if we do, it won't be anything like it was in 1998. Hopefully by next year I'll be back in New Hampshire and on to other things.
That's interesting Jim. Unfortunately, that 1998 event was the only one I was ever able to attend. Fortunately, we did it right. IIRC, we checked into a motel on Friday and spent the whole weekend. Lots of great rail action. Also, as we expect from Illinois, the heat/humidity was awful.
I am feeling quite pessimistic about there being any train shows at all for the rest of the year. The show at which I've had a table as part of a group of 10-12 people is not until mid-December. I don't think it's going to be held. Even if it is held, I wonder how much disposable income will be available to spend at it. Tough times ahead I fear. I'd love to be 100% wrong about this. I'd be thrilled to even be 50% wrong about this.
I too share your "pessimism" as our Governor has closed the state down until June but stated yesterday it could go on indefinitely. Train shows here are cancelled until August.
Lots of national and international trade and professional society shows are cancelling and or going virtual as well. Which makes sense given what little we know about the epidemiology of the virus. The NMRA X on-lone cling spree two weekends ago was apparently well received and I certainly hope they keep it up through the summer.
Sad news indeed. There's no big RR shows in North Dakota, but the fact that ND State Fair and the Norsk Hostfest (the two largest tourism draws for our state) were canceled due to the 'Rona is quite telling.
There id still hope for the train show in Oct in Fargo, hemi. Hope to attend as the April shows in Livingston/ Helena got dropped. It was a good show last year.
At some point in time we all have to face the inevitable. I am pessimistic on getting a 'silver bullet' vaccine in the near future or ever for that matter. Viruses have an innate ability to evolve and what worked last time does not mean it will work again. Then we have the so called 'common cold' which is also a corona virus and we have not had any success with that one. Right now all we have is speculation that we will have a vaccine in a year, eighteen months or whatever time frame. I hope so and I also hope that is not overly optimistic. In the mean time, not having any train shows really sucks!
