Large Scale Central

ECLSTS vendor info?

Looking at getting a booth at the ECLSTS for 2018, but the vendor signup sheets are not working on the site when I check. Can anyone shed any light on any info, price et… for a 10x10? Thanks

http://www.eclsts.com/exhibitors-registration-form.html

By the by, I just talked to Dan @ Star Hobby. The sheet I picked up at 2017 ECLSTS listed 23&24 March 2018. The new Garden Railways Magazine listed the dates as 30&31 March 2018. Dan said the Fairgrounds changed the date on him.

Yes, that is Easter weekend, but he mentioned everyone should be home Sunday. With setup, it should involve Thursday through Saturday.

My personal opinion is that it will hurt a show that is one of the few remaining ones.

When we attended 2-years ago on Easter Weekend attendance was down, also a few of the normal vendors were not their either.

We however will be missing the 2018 show due to another commitment we have.

I’d say Easter weekend is a bad weekend, and of course then you don’t have a show on Sunday, and most hobby shows are Saturday and Sunday, when us working stiffs are off…

Greg

Its been on Easter Weekend a couple of times. The bad part is some people have other obligations then. The good part is that many schools are closed on Good Friday and more kids can come on the Friday. The reason it was changed to not be on Sunday is that the Fairgrounds charges a very increased rate for being open on Sunday.

Well, when the ECLSTS was also on Sunday, that was almost a wasted day. The crowds were light. Trainworld (and other vendors), would be packed up and out by lunch time, if not before. I was usually on the road by 2 . Just before closing down on Sunday, some vendors would really slash their prices. Unfortunately, by that time, I had already spent my allowance.

I heard some attendees, a few years ago, complaining that all the “good deals” were gone on Friday, and it wasn’t fair to them, since they couldn’t get there till Saturday. I guess you just can’t please everyone.

When things were hot and heavy, all of that was true. People would fight to get there as soon and as early as they could to try to scoop up the deals.

And whatever the last day, as soon as people had sold most of their stuff, they packed up.

Not so today, haven’t seen that 3 day shows are popular any more, 2 days seems typical.

Maybe the kids get off on Good Friday, but not most working parents!

Greg

Yea, I got there early the one year and nabbed the PRR E8 I wanted for a great price. Right Larry?

Trainworld would pack up early on Sunday, even though they still had a whole lot of stuff. But, that doesn’t happen anymore, since they don’t go to the ECLSTS anymore.

One year a nabbed an E8 (that I didn’t need) from St Aubin’s, for an even better price then the one I wanted, an hour before close on Sunday. They just didn’t want to pack them back into the truck.

At Trainli we found Friday was the busiest day. By Saturday 2PM things got real quiet and many started packing up by 3PM Saturday.

I wonder if it would be better to change the location. Maybe a new location would fresh-in things up and draw more people, especially those that might be a tad far. Something like the NYC metro area.

Shawn, that would leave me out.

I don’t think location is the problem. You would likely get similar results no matter where in the Northeast the show was held. Some like David might find it too far to travel, others may find a large metro area too expensive. York is small enough that food and rooms are reasonable and it is close to a major highway. I’d love it to be near Hartford, but instead of finding a $99 room I’d be lucky to find a $199 room.

The problem, as I see it, is the shrinking market and lack of new exiting stuff to show. Easter weekend isn’t a problem for me as half my family is 1500 miles away. Getting excited enough about a show to drive 5 hours for a few hours of fun is my problem.

Shawn Viggiano said:

I wonder if it would be better to change the location. Maybe a new location would fresh-in things up and draw more people, especially those that might be a tad far. Something like the NYC metro area.

At one time it was in the NYC metro area, Somerset, NJ. I only went up for one day since the hotels were a bit pricey. The First show was in Atlantic City, which was also a bit pricey. Like Jon said, it probably has more to do with the market then the location, but I may be a bit biased since I’m only a little over an hour way from York.

Jon Radder said:

I don’t think location is the problem. You would likely get similar results no matter where in the Northeast the show was held. Some like David might find it too far to travel, others may find a large metro area too expensive. York is small enough that food and rooms are reasonable and it is close to a major highway. I’d love it to be near Hartford, but instead of finding a $99 room I’d be lucky to find a $199 room.

The problem, as I see it, is the shrinking market and lack of new exiting stuff to show. Easter weekend isn’t a problem for me as half my family is 1500 miles away. Getting excited enough about a show to drive 5 hours for a few hours of fun is my problem.

Yes, the lack of new product is discouraging to many in the hobby. Why drive to a show a few hundred miles away, to see the same stuff you saw last year? Just because it may have a new paint job, isn’t reason enough for a lot of people. The market is shrinking, and many people have differing theories as to why that is. Part of the reason is the high cost to enter the hobby. I know, hobbies tend to be expensive, no matter what hobby it is, but to have to spend over 4 figures to have a decent loop of track, a locomotive and few cars, is quite intimidating to those who are looking to get into the hobby.

But the shows do tend to have some good deals, and it affords someone the opportunity to see the products in person. That is something that is harder and harder to do, since so many hobby shops have closed down, or do not carry large scale equipment.

At this point, I have much more then I need, but I go to see the few new products, try and nab a deal on a few things, and to spend the time reconnecting with like minded train folks. If the show were too much further away, or if the hotels were too much more expensive, I probably would not go.

As for it being on Easter weekend, that isn’t a deal breaker for me, although it could be for a lot of folks. Who knows, maybe a dealer of two will have some good deals because its Easter weekend.

I go for the bargains, and to see the guys I only get to see and talk to once a year. Oh yeah, and the cookie store.

But there are some of you that I see, and turn around and head the other way!

Lou Luczu said:

I go for the bargains, and to see the guys I only get to see and talk to once a year. Oh yeah, and the cookie store.

But there are some of you that I see, and turn around and head the other way!

I stopped attending when I realized I had not purchased anything noteworthy at the show for years. Now I just go up for the Drag And Brag (and lunch at The Left Bank) - it’s fun to see folks after a cold winter. Hmm, a cookie store? This I might have to visit…

Ken Brunt said:

Shawn Viggiano said:

I wonder if it would be better to change the location. Maybe a new location would fresh-in things up and draw more people, especially those that might be a tad far. Something like the NYC metro area.

At one time it was in the NYC metro area, Somerset, NJ. I only went up for one day since the hotels were a bit pricey. The First show was in Atlantic City, which was also a bit pricey. Like Jon said, it probably has more to do with the market then the location, but I may be a bit biased since I’m only a little over an hour way from York.

It’s pretty clear that somehow Ken got it moved to be closer to his house. If he has that sort of influence I don’t think they’ll move it again…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

Oh Bruce, there is a Stauffer’s cookie outlet that fulfills all of your cookie and pretzel needs in one place. Coupons available.

If there is no new product to attract the “Throngs”, then maybe it’s time to just arrange a “Drag & Brag”, and friendly get-together in a smaller town, or location, like Syracuse…add other small town names here… Book a big room at a hotel, where there are rooms at a fair price. Get Ric to bring his portable layout; have a tub for ice; and make sure there is a good, old-fashioned diner nearby.

…if someone close by happens to have a railroad, then it might be an excuse to run a train or two…

No…don’t turn it into a high priced “Convention”. Just treat it as an annual “Reunion of Friends”.

A meeting of friends doesn’t always have to involve buying and selling. It can just be meeting old friends, and any new ones that happen along, to just have a great social event, with the opportunity to actually meet the people that seem to be the “Bad Actors” on the internet, but in person can become “Best of Friends”.

Large Scale model railroading isn’t dying; it’s just taking a rest…!!!(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)