2019 N Scale Enthusiast National N Scale Convention

Jenna Jul 3, 2019

  1. Jenna

    Jenna TrainBoard Member

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    Last week, George and I attended the 27th annual N Scale Enthusiast National N Scale Convention in Chicago, June 26-30th 2019.

    This event was jam-packed with lots to do and see: 8 home layout tours, lunch cruise, Illinois Railway Museum excursion, a Chicago Dog's baseball game, Micro-Trains Welcome Reception, auctions, 4 different layouts, model and module contests, swap-a-rama, hobby retailers, room sales, clinics, banquet dinner, raffle and manufacturer's breakfast.

    Here are some highlights from the Welcome Reception, Auctions and Clinics at the convention.

    Welcome Reception
    At the Micro-Trains sponsored Welcome Reception, over dessert and coffee, NSE members held a meeting. Event hosts were introduced. This year 550 convention registrants traveled both near and far (Mexico, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK) to the event. About a dozen folks indicated that they came to the event via train and another dozen or so were first-time attendees.

    Dessert, meeting, shopping!
    After the meeting, folks lined up to buy (with NSE $) lots of discounted and hard-to-find NSE special run cars -- some regular releases, some singles out of a multi-pack and some prototypes never released. "This is cool inventory and at a discount," said George Johnsen, Chairman of the NSE.

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    Shopping Spree with NSE Currency

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    NSE currency!

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    Cool loot at a discount. George purchased an Atlas NSE special run
    (Fruit Growers Express reefer Salt Lake City Fish Co) from last year's NSE convention in Utah.
    He got the car (which would normally run $30 to $40) for $10 (NSE $!)


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    Which Room Sales to attend?
    How convenient to have an ATM by the Room Sale list...hmmm...how much to withdraw?
    Too bad the NSE currency can't be used for these purchases!


    Layouts setup.

    While lots of folks went on the trip to visit the Illinois Railway Museum, some folks stayed behind to set up the four different layouts -- Free-MoN, n-trak, Modutrak and t-trak -- for the public show to open on Friday.[​IMG]
    These folks were gluing cows onto a T-trak module.

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    Gotta get that wiring right!

    Auctions (Live and Silent)

    Folks lined up early to get a preview of items and sign up for the silent auction as well. Lots of great items were up for grabs. NSE members get a chance to auction their items (for a 10% fee) and fellow members get to buy them![​IMG]
    Get your paddles ready for the auction!

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    Live auction items varied from single cars like this 2013 Banquet Cheese car.

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    Edgar Allan Poe Box Car up for grabs

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    Box o' trains (one said to contain a $100 bill!) and conveniently packed to ship back home.
    Items like this sold for over $1500.


    Clinics
    On Friday and Saturday there were over 10 clinics for folks to attend. Topics ranged from an Introduction to T-trak (Ray Chaffee), Basic Signaling Using PanelPro (Paul Bender) to General Q&A on anything N scale (panel).

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    George Michaels, TroveStar founder, gave a presentation on the three reasons
    (research, historical pricing and NSE-TroveStar classifieds) to use
    the TroveStar N-scale Model Trains Database.
     
  2. Jenna

    Jenna TrainBoard Member

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    Swap-A-Rama: 2019 N Scale Enthusiast National N Scale Convention

    Last week, George and I attended the 27th annual N Scale Enthusiast National N Scale Convention in Chicago, June 26-30th 2019.

    Here are some Swap-A-Rama highlights.

    Per usual, folks lined up outside the Swap-a-Rama room well before the doors opened at 9:00 a.m.. Here are some pix of just some of the items you can buy (books, movies, building supplies, couplers, trains, event memorabilia, etc.), at this shopping extravaganza for n-scalers (and some other scales as well).

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    When will the doors open?

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    Lowell Smith of Rail Smith Models creates a special NSE concept car each year
    that is only available at the show. His Schwinn trailer sold out
    within minutes of the doors opening this morning.
    Schwinn Bicycle Co. was founded in 1895 in Chicago, IL.
    Lowell Smith special runs are considered some of the most
    coveted among n-scalers.


    NSE Special Runs
    Want some show memorabilia? Want to see an item before you buy one?
    As usual, the show stocks lots of NSE inventory. Before you purchase your coveted NSE special run car, you can see it up close and personal.

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    The NSE's George Johnsen putting his personal marketing spin on some special run items.

    Here are some fantasy (NASA and Morton Salt) and prototypical items the NSE's Fred Hoxsie showed me. "We polled our members and 50% want fantasy and 50% want prototypical," said Fred Hoxsie of the NSE.[​IMG]

    NASA items

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    Morton Salt items

    [​IMG]Prototypical boxcars

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    More show memorabilia/Chicago-centric items...Chicago Crane Train (lattice work is from N-scale Architect and the flat car is Micro-Trains).
    "We create some great items...it's all team work, that's
    the key...teamwork," says Hoxsie of this Crane Train and special run items in general.
    Hoxsie ships 3,000 items like this one each year from his home.


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    Robert has been in the hobby since 1975 and loves the layouts.

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    Rick from NJ (his father bought him his first train set before he was born) likes the layouts as well.

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    Linda from NJ shared information about an upcoming Altoona, PA train show...N-Scale Weekend (first weekend in August). Thanks Linda!

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    Jim from OK was quite happy with his purchases.
    He likes to run a caboose consist with different road names.
    "I added to my caboose (NE-6 caboose) collection and bought some Kato U30C engines."


    [​IMG]Individuals like Jon from Maryland get to sell some
    of their personal collection..."stuff I'm not interested in anymore or duplicates," said Jon.
    He also said he lists some items on the NSE-TroveStar Classifieds."
     
  3. Jenna

    Jenna TrainBoard Member

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    Layouts: 2019 N Scale Enthusiast National N Scale Convention

    Last week, George and I attended the 27th annual N Scale Enthusiast National N Scale Convention in Chicago, June 26-30th 2019.

    Here are some layouts highlights.

    There were four different layouts (Free-MoN, n-trak, Modutrak and t-trak) at this year's show.

    FreeMoN
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    Eric of DE and his FreeMoN layout

    Eric of DE (with one of his recently finished first layouts) is one of three folks who brought Free-MoN modules (1.8 scale miles of mainline track point to point configuration) to the show. Popular in the central and western parts of the U.S., Free-MoN is a type of n-scale modular layout considered more prototypically correct than t-trak and n-trak. It has a standard interface, uses a single track located in the middle of the module (most RRs use a single track) and modules are easily interchangeable.

    "Free-MoN attempts to be more true to life with a single mainline," said Eric, who has "been enamored with the prototypical nature (more interested in switching and operations) of this kind of model railroading for quite some time."

    Since there are no back drops on these modules, long consists of trains on the move can be viewed from both sides. These modules are situated 50 inches high, which is more adult-friendly and great for taking photographs.

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    FreeMon layout

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    FreeMon layout

    N-trak
    The n-trak layouts consisted of roughly 5 scale miles and 41 modules from 5 different n-trak clubs: NorthWest N-trak, Heritage Group, Chippewa Valley, Mantrak and Lake Erie N-trak.

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    N-trak

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    N-trak

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    N-trak

    Standalone n-trak/Chicago-centric layout
    I had the pleasure of meeting Horace from the north side of Chicago, who has a Chicago-centric layout -- Tribune Model Railroad -- to the side of the three main exhibits. "Trying to capture this snapshot of time," Horace has (over 5 years -- high school and in college) replicated the Chicago Tribune Freedom Center Printing Plant site.

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    Horace and his Chicago-centric layout.

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    Tribune Model Railroad

    At first, he was fascinated by the graffiti on the cars and then he got to know the people who operated the trains and eventually after lots of research, photographing (the area) and trips to Home Depot and an earlier NSE national convention, he created his layout, which is on display at the Chicago Tribune Freedom Center Printing Plant.

    T-trak
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    Dave, NJ (left) and Joe, IA gave me the stats for this year's
    T-trak layout -- 67 modules (122 actual single units) and
    about 3.75 scale miles of double track mainline.


    Thirteen groups were represented and 16 people brought modules. This kind of layout is very popular with kids because it is at their eye level and modules often times have different toggles and switches for little hands to maneuver to make things happen on the module (dump a load for instance).

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    T-trak

    Modutrak
    Modutrak is "not a national standard but very popular among a group of like-minded friends (about 15 people)," said Bill from IL (pictured). Considered more prototypically correct than n-trak or t-trak, it was inspired by an H-O Midwest module. It is set up at eye-level (so you see models versus roof tops just like in real life) and runs a double track mainline. It eliminates connectors between modules and instead track runs to the very end of each module and a C-clamp (from underneath) is used to hold modules together.

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    Bill from IL at the Modutrak Layout

    "This makes it easier and faster to set up and tear down exhibits," said Bill. With about 32 modules running approximately 6 scale miles, this layout consisted of scenes from actual towns. "New Lisbon is where I rode the train when I was a kid," said Bill. Modutrak runs full DCC and Code 55 track.

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    New Lisbon Modutrak Module

    Modutrak guest runner
    One of the great things about model train shows and conventions is the opportunity it gives folks to come and run trains and meet fellow n-scale brethren. Alan from Louisiana (pictured) was a guest runner on the Modutrak layout. He ran "PrivateVarnish" (American Association of Private Railcar Owners) cars...passenger cars that really rich people buy (usually for a bout $1M a pop) and customize inside with deluxe accommodations and ride for about $15k to $20K per run (maybe from Chicago to Denver) to go to a rodeo, said Alan.

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    Alan from Louisiana, a Modutrak guest runner
     
  4. Jenna

    Jenna TrainBoard Member

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    Banquet Dinner: 2019 N Scale Enthusiast National N Scale Convention

    Last week, George and I attended the 27th annual N Scale Enthusiast National N Scale Convention in Chicago, June 26-30th 2019.

    Here are some banquet dinner highlights.

    As per tradition, Lowell Smith (Rail Smith Models) began the evening with a prayer. He is one of a handful of folks who has attended all 27 of the NSE National Conventions. While folks ate the buffet dinner, Centennial Express (MicroTrains’ Eric Smith (vocals playing the ukulele) and Kato’s Jumpei Kikukawa (he played a cajon, a box-shaped drum) regaled us with songs like Country Roads (by John Denver). Volunteers (an army of 20 to 30 people) were thanked. Model and Module contest winners were announced. Folks won lots of raffle prizes and contributors to the NSE Magazine received their Author's Cars.

    Dinner
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    Raffle
    In between announcements, folks won raffle prizes ($20K worth of inventory donated from many manufacturers/convention sponsors).

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    Raffle Numbers

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    Coy from KS holds up his raffle booty.

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    George (TroveStar) bought 70 tickets for $50 and won two multi-pack items (pictured).

    As usual, the prizes got more and more expensive (10 and 12 pack items, multi-pack locos) as the evening wore on. Manufacturers got up to read off some of the raffle prizes for the items (many multi-packs, locos, decoders, etc) they donated and winners got to to take their photo with these generous raffle contributors.

    At the end of the Raffle, any folks who did not win anything were invited to choose "consolation" items.

    Banquet Car
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    Banquet Car, courtesy of Micro-Trains

    This year's Banquet car was a Micro-Trains Tootsie Roll 50 foot steel Gondola car complete with a candy load (Tootsie Roll company is Chicago-based and has been making the chocolate taffy-like candy since 1907).

    Author's Car
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    Author's Car

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    The Author's Car was also distributed to lots of
    folks who penned an article in 2018 for the NSE magazine.


    See you next year in Nashville, TN!
     
  5. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    Thank you very much for your pictures and information
     
  6. Jenna

    Jenna TrainBoard Member

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    Manufacturer Announcements: 2019 N Scale Enthusiast National N Scale Convention

    Last week, George and I attended the 27th annual N Scale Enthusiast National N Scale Convention in Chicago, June 26-30th, 2019.

    Here are some manufacturer announcement highlights. We missed the Manufacturers' Breakfast but visited with companies at the Public Show.

    Atlas. According to Paul Graf of Atlas, sooner or later, the NJ-based firm will re-release all the Walthers/Life-Like toolings it purchased in 2018 with the exception of the lower-quality Life-Like models. One of the earliest Walthers re-releases we can expect to see is the Russell Snow Plow.

    Since Atlas does not have a record of all the road numbers and paint schemes produced by Walthers, don’t be surprised if the company re-releases duplicates. Given that some of these toolings are 30 years old, there is no doubt that n-scalers will be happy to see them available once again.

    Bluford Shops. Later this summer and in the fall, the company plans to ship its new tooling: International Car Bay Window Caboose, which is mega late due to the Chinese factory fiasco of 2018. There will be 5 different variations of these cars.

    ExactRail. Folks could buy the company’s latest new tooling, the Johnstown Autoflood II Hopper and expect re-runs (new paint schemes and body-mounted couplers) of the Evans 5277 boxcar (which has not been run in 10 years) sometime in August.

    Chris Brimley hinted that the company will announce 2 more releases maybe as early as the Trainfest show later this summer. “Given that we did so few releases over the last 4 to 5 years, four n-scale announcements in one year is a big deal for us,” said Brimley. Sales of the Autoflood have been strong with inventory getting low for the Breast Cancer Awareness car. ExactRail, known for n-scale freight cars, will continue to revisit old toolings.

    Fox Valley Models. As announced at the 2019 Amherst train show in January, intermodal containers are the main focus for Fox Valley Models this year. The company plans on re-releasing Deluxe container toolings (20’, 40’ (2 different versions) and 48’) and it has developed its own tooling for a 53’ (6 different versions) container as well. Releases are expected this fall and winter respectively.

    Undecorated production samples were on display. Since these Deluxe toolings are 15 years old, these containers may not fit in all well cars, especially newer releases.

    Something new for the company: Fox Valley Models now sells its own stock online at shopfvm.com.

    Matt Gaudynski of Fox Valley Models said the firm is still working out production issues for a number of products due to the August factory closing in China.

    InterMountain. Like other manufacturers caught in the Chinese factory fiasco, InterMountain is playing catch-up and finally delivering products. It expects to ship its ACF center flow 2-bay hoppers and its 4650 cf 3-bay hoppers next week.

    The long-awaited superdome passenger cars will ship in August according to Doug Dolloff of InterMountain, which now has 4 new manufacturing partners in China.

    Jacksonville Terminal Co. (JTC). Steve Campbell showed me the company’s latest new release: a 20 foot standard Stolt tank container (new to n-scale), which in real life carries anything liquid but must sit on the bottom of a well car.

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    20 foot standard Stolt tank container

    I also saw a production model of a 40 foot container chassis, which will feature metal inserts so it has magnetic compatibility with 40 foot intermodal shipping containers.[​IMG]
    40 foot container chassis

    If you own, say, some Atlas cabs, you could buy this chassis and attach a 40 foot container to it. Both new items are due for release in September/October 2019.

    Known for its intermodal products, the Florida-based continues to broaden its foothold in this niche sector and plans to release 20 foot and 53 foot container chassis in 2019. It also plans on announcing 40 foot reefer containers, TOFC cars and intermodal trailers and a 53 foot (permanently attached) well car. To be sure, other well cars exist from the likes of Atlas and Kato among others. But not all containers fit in all well cars. For example, the Kato Maxi IV well cars are too small to fit non-Kato containers.

    Kato. H-O versions of the recently announced n-scale E8A + Pullman Bi-level car 6-unit Chicago & Northwestern “400” train were on display at the Kato booth.


    The company also featured a number of t-trak modules, two of which were made by local t-trak enthusiasts using a newly available kit: N Kato + Woodland Subterrain T-Trak Module Kits. Kato and Woodland have joined forces and now offer a kit complete with everything (Unitrack, wood, legs, foam, plaster) needed (except trees, grass, paint and the like) to build a t-trak module. “We sold out of our first batch already,” said Michael Conway of Kato. Conway explained that Kato is the main distributor of Woodland products in Japan.

    Fay Chin, considered a T-trak master, has written a review of this new kit. "The kits are ideal for beginners like Scouts and 4-H clubs. Surprising, the kit was quite rigid when completed. With good illustrated instructions, I was able to build the kit within an hour. I added a coat of Mod Podge (mat medium) to strengthen the foam sides." He adds: "The Kit was a fun and easy project."


    Kato Field Trip. On Thursday, about 20 T-trak enthusiasts traveled about 30 minutes to the Kato U.S. offices in Schaumburg, IL to learn about new Kato products (the T-trak/Woodland kit) and give the Japan-based firm feedback as well. Bruce Alcock of N-Trak participated in the event and one of the questions folks asked Kato was whether it would consider releasing a 4 axle engine (a smaller engine like the GP38, which is used for smaller consists, shorter runs and switching).

    Micro-Trains. The Oregon-based firm recently announced two new products: a Weathered tie-loader gondola / Conrail and Union Pacific (3-pack).

    The tie loader (which will slide back and forth on the gondola) will be 3-D printed with an etched metal grabber.

    It also recently announced the 60 foot rib side double-plug door high-cube boxcar, which it will produce earlier than previously announced and should ship in the spring of 2020.
    60 foot rib side double-plug door high-cube boxcar

    Originally, the company’s 78 foot heavy weight single window coach was to be produced first. “We feel the boxcar will have broader appeal,” says Eric Smith of Micro-Trains.

    Smith also mentioned that the company plans on expanding its military vehicle line and will announce a new tooling for a multi-purpose military vehicle.

    On the horizon: Micro-Trains has been selling metal wheelsets (33” and 36”) for some time now and it plans on equipping some of its future releases with metal wheels. Out of the 12-15 releases Micro-Trains does a month, perhaps 3 to 5 of them will come with metal wheels, said Smith. Some folks are happy with their plastic wheels so not all cars will go metal. He expects this to happen in 2020 at the earliest.

    North American Railcar Corp. The 5077 single door box car (announced in January 2018) is coming this September.

    ScaleTrains.com. To appeal to a variety of customers, the company will continue to expand its Operator line (lower price point version) of locos and introduce an Operator version/$99.00 of its Tier 4 Gevo locomotive, expected in the first half of 2020. This would be the second loco offered in both Operator and Rivet Counter versions. The Dash 9 engines are available in both versions but “the Rivet Counter versions outsold the Operator version 5 to 1,” said Shane Wilson of ScaleTrains.com.

    The Tier 4 Operator will be available for $99 without sound/DCC and with sound and DCC for $189. But for a few dollars more, folks can get the Rivet Counter version (highly-detailed product) for $234.99. When asked about future products, Wilson said, “we see strength in the Rivet Counter loco sector for the company.” So we will have to see how these different price points fan out.

    Trainworx. A victim of the abrupt closing of Chinese manufacturing sites last year, Pat Sanders is waiting to ship items (the truck -- Freightliner Cascadia with 53 foot container -- due out in September) he announced back in 2017.

    [​IMG]Freightliner Cascadia with 53 foot container

    He is expecting a container (from China) every four weeks over the next four months to catch up on sales. He showed me the Scratch and Dent sale items at his booth.

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    Scratch and Dent cars

    These are flawed cars (printing mishaps) that would otherwise be scrapped. But for $4 (and only at a show like this) folks can buy these and assemble a nearly complete car (except for trucks and couplers).
     
    Mart, Hardcoaler, Joe Lovett and 2 others like this.
  7. RBrodzinsky

    RBrodzinsky November 18, 2022 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

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    Thanks Jenna! Great photos and write up.
     
    Hardcoaler likes this.
  8. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    Agreed! An excellent review of the events. Thanks for taking the time to put it together and share it.
     
  9. nscalestation

    nscalestation TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thank you Jenna for your coverage of the convention. Means a lot to those of us who were not able to be there.
     
  10. SecretWeapon

    SecretWeapon Passed away January 23, 2024 In Memoriam

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    GREAT REPORT!!!!! THANKS(y)
     

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