I'll be there at the Carstens publications booth. Stop by and renew your subscription to Railroad Model Craftsman and Railfan & Railroad for only $25.00. Besides working the booth, I hope to be walking around getting pictures and seeing the ModuTrak guys for ideas. My T-Trak modules will be with my club, N Scale of Bloomington Normal (NSBN). Look forward in going.
Like Bill, and Jim, I'll be there both days with Modutrak. Saturday I'm bring the boys up to watch trains, Sunday will be Daddy's day to have some fun alone. Make sure you guys say hello and introduce yourselves to us. It's always nice to put faces with names!
I'll be there one or both days. Hoping to do some railfaning while there. Is the admission good for both days?
Think you need a ticket each day. Please stop by Modutrak on Sunday, I'd love to meet the WC man in person!
It's "For Serious Model Train Hobbyists". I guess that leaves me out even if I did lived close enough. To me 'It's just a hobby'...nothing that 'serious' about it. Something to escape from reality to now and then.... ;-)
I am not he, but I just checked out your website, and I'll definitely be stopping by. I'm in the brainstorming stages of planning still, and modular concepts (oNeTrak, Freemo) have really captured my attention this go-around in a way they (NTrak) haven't in the past. Can't wait to be inspired.
Why is subscribing direct with the publisher more expensive than several of the offers here: http://www.magazinepricesearch.com/detail/railroadmodelcraftsman.html
Heh, the Soo(CP) fed me, raised me, and put me through college (literally, got a small scholarship from them). Dad was 'done' with them after 30+ years, but they'll always have a place in my heart. I need to find a belt for it, but I've even got a dollar sign belt buckle, (c) 1974 (coincidentally, the year I was born).
No worries sir. I'm not "serious", and I've been going there for years. I just go for Leon's frozen custard & Kopps burgers.
Carstens Publications is not affiliated with this company selling subs for any of our magazines, Railroad Model Craftsman, Railfan & Railroad and Flying Models. With this in mind, there are no guarantees that you will get what you pay for. Getting a sub or renewal at the show for $25.00 from a Carstens employee will however.
About to head up with this kid. Myself, I'll be in a Chicago Blackhawks hat and Guitars for Vets T-shirt. If you spot us, say hi!
Trainfest 2013 Day 1 Update The place was packed. For the first time that I can remember, they had to park people on the backstretch of the Milwaukee Mile - really. (I took a victory lap on the way out). Lots of good displays in various scales. HO or O or anything doesn't bother me when I get a chance to see excellent modeling. I'm not in a position to be able to post my pictures until later this week at the earliest but if any turned out, I will. So here's the manufacturer update. Walthers: I congratulated Tommy Thompson on his new gig and asked him about N scale. He said they have something new coming but he wouldn't elaborate. I asked "locomotive, rolling stock, or none of the above?" and he replied "None of the above" and got closed mouth when I mentioned new Cornerstone models. Athearn: They told me repaints of existing models but no new tooling. Micro-Trains: They are really responsive in person and take notes about what you suggest. I suggested a BREX wood sheathed reefer runner pack. I tried to find out if the SW1500 has directional lights but they didn't know. (Not that I have a dog in that fight but I know others here are interested.) They did say that it will be DCC friendly. For the Z scalers, they said they are not going to discontinue the z-scale track. There is a new rivet side mechanical reefer in Z coming as well. Atlas: They said they are getting caught up on Code 55 and other track. I suggested a CB&Q SD9 since the last one of those they did was a Seikisui Kinzoku (Kato) model years ago and we all know how that is off. Intermountain: I can't remember if they have a new N scale car coming. I did try to get them to make a CB&Q NE-7 caboose and to rerun the BREX Red Caboose wood side reefers. Bachmann: The had a new turn table, new 55 ton 2-bay hoppers, an NW-2 which didn't look quite as good as Kato's but not bad and comes with DCC installed. The F7 and F7B looked pretty good to me. And then boxcars and tankcars. No word on when they are going to re-run their award winning HO scale Shay. MRC: New line of transformers called Tech 7. Also what looks like a Tech 4 260 replacement called the Tech 4 600. Kato: Trying to do U.S. steam but not replete the known problems with the GS-4. As usual, it's a fight between U.S operations and HQ in Japan. Scheduling U.S. runs seems to be a problem, too. I commented on the scarcity of undecorated early SD40-2s and that was another fight they lost with HQ. I suggested they run their Cal Zepher F3s in CB&Q Grayback so they could get some extra mileage out of the tooling. I also mentioned an E5B but that doesn't sound hopeful. Mikado traction tire drivers should be in or close. FVM: Stopped by and said hello. Bluford: Stopped by and said hello. Carstens: I stopped by and talked to Jim Wiggin. Exactrail: No word on the new N scale metal wheels. N scale bulkhead flats are in (and look great to my eye) but they aren't currently planning to make their HO 4-bay hopper in N scale. I don't usually buy new stuff at Trainfest but there were vendors with N scale. I always view Trainfest as a place to see some excellent modeling and to talk with manufacturers with the occasional purchase thrown in. Oh, and I did buy a butter pat for my china collection.
