Between the Bedford, PA N Scale Weekend,and now the Ohio N scale weekend I am intriuged on how to go about putting one on in my area of location. Are these put on by a LHS or N scale club? or in conjuction with each other? Are your participants, Local or do you draw from other surrounding states? Are the vendors local ? I'm just very curious since we only have one active n scale club around these parts but I would believe there are alot more N scalers around hiding and maybe some exclusive event like this would help to bring us together. Anyhow I think they are great events and whomever is the brain child for the start of such an event like "N scale weekends" should be commended and given a medal!!!!!
In Southern California we have a Yahoo group and Bob the moderator/organizer(jack of many trades) puts layout tours together usually every other month. He will pick a geographic area(limited) and the members in that area open their layout to a self guided open house. This includes all scales and he reaches out to non-members to open thiers to. Heres the link to the group. I am sure Bob could give you some pointers to help you get started. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Model_Railroads_Of_Southern_California/ Good luck.
our club, Central Ohio NTrak is putting on the Ohio N Scale Weekend. A few of our group have attended the Bedford Weekend several times. We enjoyed it so much, and with their blessing and much assistance, we wanted to do the same here, and we cannot thank Mike enough. And your right, I believe there are more N scalers than clubs, and getting everyone together promises to be a great time to enjoy the hobby and meet some new people. If you have any questions pm me and I'd be happy to answer them.
Hi route 66, OK, I've never been to an N scale weekend, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. But, I have been involved in planning local MR events. Earlier this month we had our sixth annual Olympia Area Model RR Tour. This year we had nine model railroads on the tour. We also host an annual Operations Day. The Olympia metropolitan area (wow that sounds big) is outside of the Seattle/Tacoma area and the population of the entire county can't be much more than around 200,000. We are really a pretty small community. If it weren't for state government we'd still be just be a mill town. I would say that most importantly you need a core group of like minded folk with the time to plan and organize. Our group sprang out of an operations oriented "round robin" group. I'm talking about three or four people, not a huge number. As you mentioned in your post, for an N scale event, you need a sufficient number of N scalers in your area. Here, in the Olympia area, there aren't many N scalers, so we are a multi-scale group (yes, N scalers and HO scalers can get along). You may want to consider a multi-scale event. The bottom line, at least from my perspective, is that it's not rocket science. Start small and make it fun. When others see how much fun you're having they'll want to join in. Jim
Route 66, I am not sure where in Florida you live, and you can rest assuredly that if there is an N scale weekend somewhere within driving distance, FloridaBoy will be there!!!! I would say you are practically guaranteed success if you are in the Orlando area, due to the legacy left 20 years ago by Stew Marshall, former owner of the Train Depot on Fairbanks Ave in Winter Park. Stew was the ultimate enthusiastic model railroader, organizer and inspirer, and was an original founder of my old work group down here in south Florida. Unfortunately, Stew passed a few years ago in Ormond Beach, after retiring, he didn't stay down long and started a model railroad movement in Surf City........cowabunga. However, if you live in South Florida, forget it entirely. There is no chutzpah down here anymore due to absolutely poor morale and apathy. Most model railroaders have abandoned the scandal-ridden clubs, groups, and antagonized by hobby shop closings, have basically turned inward and become "lone wolves" as I have done. If you live anywhere else, I would say that N scalers are still a small minority, so if you organize something, I would suggest you walk before you run and that means "Train Weekend" first, then ferret out those N scalers and see how much interest and participation can be had for N scale. Down here in SoFla, the liesure and hobby population is dense and high in numbers, but the only "weekends" of trains were regional NMRA conventions and the 2002 NMRA National Convention. As of now, there are two clubs in the 4 million population WestPalm/Miami/Ft.Lauderdale market, and both are predominantly HO. N is assigned ugly sister roles to attract members. Like I said, walk before you run. Should you wish to go ahead, success is highly dependent on your ability to get the word out. Not only flyers constantly being supplied at LHS's, but also athletic workout places, boat shops, etc where men hang out, plus go for the newspaper public ads, and maybe even invest in a display ad in a local section of the newspaper. Activities? First, you should have a display layout either a permanent club one or NTRAK modules set up at a place. Second, an auction and/or swap meet is an absolute must for a lot more goes on than buying and selling. Other activities include layout tours, workshops, train watching trips, industrial tours, sightseeing and shopping for wives, children and family members, and local hotel accommodations offering a special price to "weekend goers". Again, N is in the minority, but thanks to the spirit of us N scalers, if you throw an "all scale" train weekend, you will get plenty of N at all activities. Many of us N scalers enjoy other scales as well so again, throwing this type of event probably would prove must fruitful. Once you have thrown a good show, you will almost automaticaly create a mailing list of attendees, who will likely attend another, and it will grow and grow. Just a suggestion from a guy who has been involved in throwing, organizing, and conduction auctions, swap meets, train events and even a prestigious work group down here. PS Do not throw any model railroading event "for the money" only; if you throw a good one for the benefit of model railroading and railroaders, the money will follow. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman
It's not a "money thing" what they are doing in Bedford Pa. and Ohio just looks like a "Helluva lot of fun" other than 4 one day event train shows a year not much is going on in the way of the hobby. There is a local N scale club but other than their normal meeting hours I have never seen them host an "OPEN HOUSE" and they do the shows to raise money for the club if money wasn't involved they most likily would never leave the club house,I could be wrong but I think money is their only motivational factor.I am In the Orlando area,not a club kinda or organizational type of a guy I more enjoy a loose knit round robin type of atmosphere and just thought maybe this would drag out some more lone wolfs.I might not even possess the tools to organize such an event like this that is why I'm asking about how these weekends came about.Was it a club's or LHS's undertaking or just a few N scalers dreaming?Renting some space for a weekend,setting up some modules,running some trains and just inviting the public and it evolved into what it is today?I find it very fasinating and the Bedford Pa. group seems to have found a niche and from what I have seen and read in the forums a Great event, picking up and going stronger each year.
To answer your questions The concept of an N Scale Weekend originated with Mike Phillips of the Bedford (PA) Model Railroad club about five years ago. The idea was to bring together N scalers for a weekend of running trains and some good comraderie. Unlike the typical train show where the emphasis was on the venders with layouts secondary, the N scale weekend placed emphasis on the layouts and the more the merrier. There also some venders there as well as clinics, doorprizes, an auction to help a local charity and a chance to visit some local layouts too. But the main idea was to get N scalers together and just run trains. The Bedford, PA event has drawn people and clubs from several states like PA, OH, MD, VA, NJ, WV and NY and maybe some more. Venders have been local as well as out of state. Here is the post on the Atlas Fourm by Mike Phillips announcing the 2009 Bedford event: N-Scalers, Keeping with the week before Labor Day weekend, this years "5th N-Scale Weekend-Bedford, PA will be held Saturday Aug 29 & Sunday Aug 30, 2009. Set-up will be Aug 28th. Thank you, Mike Phillips miknscale@yahoo.com 814-623-2239 Schedule of Events: Friday August 28th Vendor & Layout, Set-Up: Noon till 8 PM Saturday August 29th Vendor & Layout Set-Up: 8 AM – 10 AM Open Public 10 AM till 5 PM Clinics Sat. ? Door Prizes 5 PM, Pig Roast 5:30 PM, Auction 6:30 PM (Vendors & Participants Only) Sunday August 30th Vendors & Participants Building Open 8:30 AM Clinics: ? Open Public 9 AM till 3 PM Tear Down 3 PM Location: PROCARE “SPORTSPLEX†125 Willow Grove Drive Everett, PA 15537 3 mile east of Bedford & 6 mile west of Everett Rt 30 Between Bedford & Everett, PA … On hill above Wal-Mart Plaza, Gray building w/Blue roof Lodging: Judy’s Motel,814-623-9118 ask for Bill Bedford Best Western Inn 814-623-9006 Ask for RR Discount.. NEW Fairfield Inn & Suites 866-539-0036 and (814) 623-3444 Quality Inn-Bedford 814-623-5188 for special rate, ask for Ashley 7 AM - 3 PM Tunnel Inn-Gallitzin, Pa 814-884-2975 HOME 10% discount mention: N-Scale Weekend Campground & RV’s: Friendship Village 814-623-1677
You're correct it is not a money thing. The idea is to just get together and run trains. But there are costs involved and so there is a participant fee and if you want a fee for the dinner and one for a souvenier shirt. I suppose the venders pay a table fee also. At Bedford Mike Phillips has always offered our club an honorarium and we have always turned it down. After all, we go there to have fun and we always do. But the Bedford event did not start from scratch. For several years before the first event Mike and his crew have put on a yearly train show with the usual train show format around Halloween . So He had some contacts among venders to start with. But unlike the regular train show which is not scale specific all of the venders at the Nscale weekend are N scale specific. No HO, O, G, toys, dolls or airplanes.
Inkaneer, thanks for your PM and the info you provided,I like the reasoning for this event "The idea was to bring together N scalers for a weekend of running trains and some good comraderie. Unlike the typical train show where the emphasis was on the venders with layouts secondary"I am thinking about going to the Bedford event seeing I have a few friends in the Pa. area to visit I can do that and on the weekend run some trains.
It helps to have a hobby shop & club sponsor an event. There can also be a "deal" with a local mall that has an empty store. This provides a location for a modular group to set up & work on modules. You may have to agree to be open on evenings & or weekends to draw a crowd. Some security is provided by the mall & closing gates. Local shows will draw locals. Larger events like WGH, GTE, etc advertise & draw from a larger area.
The more the merrier and bring something to run. Bedford is not too far from some prototype railroad adventures too. NS action can be viewed at Horseshoe Curve and the Railroader's Museum in Altoona which is north of Bedford. CSX action can be viewed at Sandpatch and the Cumberland, Md area along with the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad south of Bedford while to the East is the East Broad top narrow gauge RR. All within about 2 hours drive of Bedford.
Looking forward to attending in Bedord again. A few of us are planning to head over a day or 2 early to do just that. I was unable to get to the curve last time I was railfanning the area.
Another member of the Denver N Scale Club and I started the Rocky Mountain N Scale Meet 10 years ago. After the success of the first one, I was asked to do a clinic about setting up a train show. I stressed that it was not a "show" but a "meet" or a "gathering" of N scalers. I probably still have the power point somewhere. Our biggest problems were a) finding a venue b) paying for the venue and c) advertising to the public. The first year we had clinics but they were poorly attended (everyone was too busy playing with trains). The next year we did layout tours and that was highly successful. It helps that there are 8 or 10 world class layouts in the Denver area. I got the tough duty of helping with crowd control at Mike Dannemann's. Tough duty, but it had to be done. <G> We had clubs from CO, NM, CA, NB, KS represented with 9 layouts. Four were NTRAK, one BeNdtrak and the rest were smaller portable layouts. Generally the manufacturerers were generous with door prize donations. We billed it as bigger than a show but smaller than a convention. I moved away after the second year . It kinda fell apart after that.
Roger, I wouldn't say it fell apart that quickly. We successfully held the RMNS Meet every year right up until we hosted the 2006 National N Scale Convention. Now you have a bunch of burned out guys that might start up another meet some day in the future, maybe when a certain guy from Alabama comes back!
Sounds like you expect me to do something in my retirement days. <G> Gotta find a venue, since I heard Lakeside was demo-ed. And I won't be moving back until the 401k sky rockets from the depths, unfortunately.
