Enjoying the addiction of model railroading, i have come across a cast of characters. Some whose main interest, to me ,are in two catagories
1-do anything to make a buck and rip you off! 2-Are the nicest people in the world,try to help you,explain things to you,and share thier love of the hobby with you. On a recent trip to a train show held at a fire station, i came across many 50s style of milk cars [which i was seeking]. IT was the last hour of the show and it looked like nobody was buying. almost empty. Viewing a table full of ho scale milk cars in good weathered condition i inquired "HOW MUCH". Amazed to find out how little he wanted for each car. Bought 10 less than 50 dollars........Maybe my lifelong rush to go and get thier early and get lucky was not the way. Maybe is just luck. .... Many shows i went to the vendors charged more than the hobby shops!........................WHAT DO YOU THINK !

ward kesic Wrote:Enjoying the addiction of model railroading, i have come across a cast of characters. Some whose main interest, to me ,are in two catagories
1-do anything to make a buck and rip you off!
2-Are the nicest people in the world,try to help you,explain things to you,and share their love of the hobby with you.

You found #2, with what you wanted.
It doesn't always work that way, but it does happen.

My experience is similar, but it is the professional vendor who does shows for a living vs. the modeler/one-table wonder who is downsizing or willing to swap. Not that the professional vendors are ripping people off (because they aren't), they just tend to have higher prices than the modeler / one table wonders who just want to sell or swap and move on. One rule to go by at shows/swap meets: let the buyer beware!

Chuck

I work at a train show every year so I get a lot of walking around with the same vendors. I usually buy the "must-have" stuff at the beginning of the show (or even before opening!) and haggle for the deals in the last hour of the second day.

Sometimes the people selling things shouldn't be in the business. Every so often you have to assume you've stepped into an episode of Fawlty Towers or Open all Hours.
Some of them don't care/don't know what the competition is. Some of them will sell at any price to avoid taking it home again. My wife would give it away to get it out of the house.

I have almost always been disappointed in train shows. When you figure the admission price into the price of what you buy, is it still a good deal. I don't go to very many any more. Usually I go because I don't have anything else going on that day.

At the last show, I didn't buy anything but Dayle found 2 large scale geese (neither galloping). This show was an hour and a half drive away.

Actually, I like it if I go to a show where I can admire some of the stuff but don't get tempted because it's the wrong scale/railway/era.