Winter Timonium, MD show in 2 weeks!

Its that time of the year on the east coast for train shows.  The Springfield, MA Amherst show is this weekend and then Feb 1st & 2nd We have our Great Scale Model Train Show in Timonium, MD.  While I've never attended the Springfield show, the GSMTS is a whole lot closer and I'm on the staff.  Our October show was one of the biggest Fall shows EVER and looking like this winter show is going to be huge show and thousands of people through the doors.  Hope to see you there and as always, I'll have my excess for sale right behind the entrance doors at Makin' Tracks.

Fall Great Scale Model Train Show next weekend: October 26th & 27th

Next weekend is the big show in Timonium, MD!  The Great Scale Model Train October show is the biggest in the Mid-Atlantic.  Show hours are 9-5 on Saturday and 10-4 on Sunday.  The weather looks perfect for a train show that weekend, fall like and a little rain!  Hope to see you there next weekend!  I'll be headed up on Thursday afternoon to staff the show and help my buddy Mike at Makin' Tracks.  Virginia Midland Shops will be selling extra cars and locos there.  Make sure you stop by and say hello. 

All show info can be found here:
Great Scale Train Show Info

That time of the year...

Well after a very warm and dry start to the fall season, we have finally had some "fall like" weather here in central Virginia.  That only means one thing: model railroading season is upon us!   It's that time where we get back into the swing of projects or pick up where we last left off on some.  It also means train show season too and if you know me, I'm a regular with the most of the shows in the Mid-Atlantic area with Makin Tracks.  We have the our Great Scale Model Train Show (north of Baltimore) coming up in 3 weeks too.  This ironically it is our next show. 
Info can be found here: www.gsmts.com

Here are the shows we will be at:

Oct. 26-27   Great Scale Model Train Show       Timonium, MD
Nov. 9-10    Neuse River Model Train Show      Raleigh, NC
Dec 14-15   Greenburg Train Show                    Chantilly, VA
Dec 28-29   Greenburg Train Show                    Virginia Beach, VA
Jan 18-19    Greenburg Train Show                    Richmond, VA
Feb 1-2       Great Scale Model Train Show       Timonium, MD
Feb 15-16    Greenburg Train Show                    Hampton, VA
May 2-3      Great Scale Model Train Show       Timonium, MD

Projects ready to go!  Actually these were completed already!

300th post and over 200,000 views post!

It's my first post in about a month to this blog and it's also a milestone one.  This is my 300th post to this blog and sometime over this week, I went over 200,000 views on the blog.  Pretty neat and thanks for check out my blog to make this happen!  Not a whole lot happening on the model railroad in the last month.  I've been helping out my buddy Mike at Makin' Tracks: www.makemytracks.com with train shows and we've had the Timonium show on which I posted about.  We also did a show in Virginia Beach and the following weekend did the Neuse River show in Raleigh, NC.  So you can see why it's been tough to get a blog post done or do anything on the railroad.  We pick back up in December and a show list is below.

 I did just complete some cars for a client so I'm clear sailing on the layout now.  At the Raleigh show, I did have the chance to witness the enormous Sipping and Switching modular layout.  It was neat to see so much railroad under one rather large roof!

Also, hope to post during the few days I have off next week but have a great Thanksgiving and be safe in your travels!

Makin' Tracks Schedule:
Dec. 1-2 @ Timonium, MD Greenberg Train Show (Maryland State Fairgrounds)
Dec 15-16 @ Chantilly, VA Greenberg Train Show (Dulles Expo Center)
Dec. 29-30 @ Virginia Beach, VA Greenberg Train Show (VA Beach Convention Center)
Jan. 19-20 Richmond, VA (Raceway complex)
Feb. 2-3 Great Scale Model Train Show Timonium, MD (MD State Fairgrounds)
Feb. 23-24 Fredericksburg, VA (Fredericksburg Expo Center)

They have been in MR a few times and other publications

One LARGE layout!  Yes it goes all the way in the back of the building by the guys standing in the distance.

One of my favorites, a BQ23-7

Great Scale Train Show is this weekend!

 Well it's that time of year again!  Model Railroad season is here and we are kicking of the season with one of our big shows down near Baltimore, MD this weekend!  All the info is on the flyer sheet below.  Checkout the website for money saving coupons on admission to the show.  I'll be there all weekend with the Makin Tracks crew so stop by and say hi!
www.gsmts.com
Makin Track Website

Post Timonium Show

Had a great time at the Great Scale Model Train Show this past weekend.  We had over 5000+ people through the doors on Saturday and Sunday was slower (freezing rain/cold heavy rain) but still it was a great show.  I sold lots of stuff and the the show was a great success.  I did manage to snap a few pics on Saturday.  In all, it was a great time with friends and the others who run this show.  Glad to be a part of it!

Next show is April 14th and 15th
Great Scale Model Train Show

Here's Mike and Paul of Makin Tracks.  Mike is the owner of the show.  Jerry on the left is a long time staff member.

Kevin (in the brown jacket) selling some of his items.  

Great Scale Model Train Show this weekend Feb. 3rd/4th

Well, its that time of the year for the big show at the Maryland State Fair grounds. Yes, it's the Great Scale Train Show February show.  This one promises almost 900 tables and is easiest the biggest in the Mid-Atlantic region.  I'll be up Thursday night to help get the show doing "behind-the-scenes" work to make sure this show is awesome.  Doors open up 9AM sharp on Saturday.  All the info and upcoming shows can be found on the flyer below.

Great Scale Model Train Show:  www,GSMTS.com
Maryland State Fairgrounds-Timonium MD
Saturday Feb 3rd: 9AM-5PM
Sunday Feb 4th: 10AM-4PM

I'll be helping out Mike as usual with Makin Tracks: Makin Tracks Discount Model Railroad supplies

Train show in Lynchburg, VA over the weekend

Got up very early on Saturday and drove down to a yearly train show I attend every year.  My oldest son, Cameron also went down with me.  It's a smaller show but always turns up so good bargains for me and I do sell a lot of my excess items.  While my selling was OK, I did pick up a 65' gondola, a book and a Bachmann 70 tonner painted in the attractive M&ET scheme.  I actually ran upon them on my honeymoon in 2004 while passing through Modesto, CA.  It was really neat to see 3 70 tonners moving a long string of reefers.

Very well done 70 tonner in M&ET paint

On the way home, I wanted to bypass the unfortunate craziness in Charlottesville and decided to go another way home and see the original Buckingham Branch and photograph the large chip mill they have. I also grabbed some shots of two other types of loaders they have in town.  These are both not in operation but would be neat to model.

This looks as if it was a hopper loader at one time.  Probably sand trucked in.

A closer view of the loading area

This loader was on the same spur as the possible sand loader.  Maybe aggregate?

Loading shoot

The dump end

A very old Y&S boxcar rusts away

The original BB's largest customer and probably newest one: Rock Tenn wood yard.

These Westvaco wood chip hoppers are ready to be loaded.

One full hopper!

This is a massive operation.  Look at all the logs stacked in the distance.  That's only about fifth of them.

Our final stop was in the town of Orange to see if we could catch a train.  No luck on the train, but a great display on the railroad history of the town.

Lots of railroad history here in Orange, VA.  Orange is the terminus of my Virginia Midland model railroad.

This was a scary wreck back in 1965.

Some of those towns sound familiar!  This is the station list from Fredericksburg to Orange.

County map of Orange

Some more history on the Virginia Central

The wreck of the Fat Nancy Trestle just south of town

The Virginia Central rail bus.  It also had a trailer it towed.

A post in May for me is rare...

Well, I am just about done with school and coaching this year.  Only have 24 days left, but in all it's been quite busy the last few months.  I've been really trying to make time in the layout room but it has not happened lately.  I rewarded myself last Sunday with a trainshow over in the Shenandoah Valley.  I believe these small shows are the jewels of trainshows.  You can find a bunch of junk at them, but on the other hand, you can find some real bargains, if you look.  Talking down prices always seems to work also.  Last year at this show, I bought an Atlas Trainman RS32 that's now the yellow VC #106 for $30.  This year was no different.  Got a Proto 2000 SW900/1200 for $30, and 3 of the Micromark "Switch Tenders" for $24.  I've never tried the Switch Tenders but at that price, I had too.  These are under the table machines for turnouts.  They are brand new and sell for $16 each.

I also did some railfanning on the way back.  First stop was the Shenandoah Valley Railroad in nearby Staunton, VA.  Heard they had a Alco they were restoring and wanted to get some pics of their locomotives.  The SVRR is a small railroad paralleling I-81 and running north from Staunton.  It serves several industries along the way.  They are owned by Durbin and Greenbriar Valley RR, the same company that owns the tourist railroads in West Virginia.  I was in for a treat!

The SVRR #40 has been there work horse for years.  GP-9 I believe.

Believe this is there newest loco. Ex-KTR GP-9

The Alco I was looking for.  Lots of rebuilt stuff on this including trucks, fuel tanks, and pilots.  This RS-11 was Ex-Maine Central.

SVRR #8701 Whitcomb

the other end of #367

Closeup of the nose

Some sun on the #6512

Roster shot

The other side of the Alco

Cab view

Most shortlines have cabooses and the SVRR is no different.  This is an old faded blue "For Progress" C&O caboose.