# Timonium MD train show - worthwhile?



## longle (Mar 7, 2015)

I've been a regular at the annual radio show at Timonium MD for over 30 years until this year. I won't go into why but after last years show I decided it would be my last, at least until they moved to a new venue and cleaned up their act. However, I didn't even know there was a train show there until recently so I'm wondering if it's worthwhile or, like the radio show, is it loaded with all kinds of booths hawking all kinds of junk completely unrelated to trains, like socks, cell phone supplies, and laser pointers? Anybody been?

http://www.gsmts.com/index.htm


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

The Timonium shows are well worth the visit. It is usually the biggest show on the east coast in Feb and April when it is held in the Cow Palace. Usually, many operating modular layouts and hundreds of vendors. When it's in the Exhibition Hall, it's a smaller show.


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## longle (Mar 7, 2015)

How fast does the parking fill up? At past radio shows it went quick and one year I couldn't even get into either lot. Of course that was the year they decided having a horse show the same weekend was a good idea. Not so much a problem in recent years though. Might be a good excuse to visit my son in Columbia that weekend and drink his beer.


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

There is adequate parking on the grounds. Overflow parking is available. I usually get there about 1/2 hour or so after opening and have always had parking within the fairgrounds.


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## natsb (Dec 6, 2014)

I found the last show to be all about trains. Parking must vary. I had a hard time finding parking. Maybe because I got there late. On the other hand, I got some sweet deals from vendors who would rather let stuff go than pack it back up.

Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

It really depends on what scale you are interested in. Much of the stuff was HO and N, with a smattering of O and S gauge. OTOH, I went this year and scored a pair of 21" K-Line passenger cars NIB for $30, sold them the next day for $200! That paid for my show trip and then some, so the other stuff I bought was free.


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## PhillipL (May 5, 2012)

I used to attend the shows (usually the February, April and October ones) on a regular basis from around 1995 to last year. I found more and more of the show was devoted to layouts (the same ones every time), and I found myself buying most of items at Klein's or through their website (modeltrainstuff.com) so that I stopped going. The price of $9 plus the drive via I95 and the Baltimore beltway also pushed me towards not going. Don't get me wrong, it is a very nice show.


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## mustangcobra94 (Apr 28, 2014)

I made the trip there in april it was a good show I was hoping for more regular sellers not hobby shops the layouts were nice, did find some good deals at the elephant table (I think they called it) that is a nice touch.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

I can understand anyone having gone to the same show over and over can get jaded. OTOH, based on what I've read some people post about what they have access to in other parts of the country, it sounds like we are spoiled, even if "the good ol days" aren't what they used to be. Yes, I"ve read how great the T show used to be before I moved to the DC/Baltimore area, bigger, more vendors and lots of great deals, but it's still a good show and IMO worth going to. You can print out coupons now for discounted tickets to get in, parking has been free and always no problem, even when crowded. Some shows are better than others - true.

Always remember, there are some shows which are "duds" and others which are quite good. I go most every show and enjoy it, even though it's a bit of a hike from where I live. Also keep in mind MB Kleins only about a mile away and gives an extra discount on show days - so you can make at a double date. Who doesn't like a visit to Kleins!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Since I get to go to York for the TCA extravaganza, many other shows do pale in comparison. OTOH, I like to go to other shows, I'd probably go back to Timonium. In truth, we are discussing the possibility of our modular club displaying there at some point.

I would point out that the building you're in is called the "Cow Palace" for a reason, and the brown stains on the floor are not rust.


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

I've attended the York TCA event since I joined, but I have only attended the Timonium event a few times since then. A friend of mine and I signed Howard Zane's, and his partner's, at the time, application to join the TCA, but then TCA wouldn't allow him to distribute fliers promoting his show, and he started bad-mouthing the TCA. I don't know if the bad-blood is still there, the TCA certainly doesn't care, I haven't talked to him in several years. 

I did pick up an assembled and slightly incomplete model of the Aurora Atlantis for $10.00, I thought it was a bargain, the seller didn't know what he had.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The Timonium show is where I picked up two NIB K-Line 21" Great Northern aluminum passenger cars for $30. They were the blue and white ones, what a deal!


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## AndyH (Sep 21, 2015)

A bunch of us from the Pittsburgh area go once or twice a year. It is always a long but fun road trip that usually includes breakfast at the Round the Clock Diner in York, and dinner somewhere on the way home (and sometimes a stop for pie at the Summit Diner in Somerset).

We have all found some good bargains there from time to time. Even going just to look at the layouts is generally worth it.

Andy


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

AndyH said:


> A bunch of us from the Pittsburgh area go once or twice a year. It is always a long but fun road trip that usually includes breakfast at the Round the Clock Diner in York, and dinner somewhere on the way home (and sometimes a stop for pie at the Summit Diner in Somerset).
> 
> We have all found some good bargains there from time to time. Even going just to look at the layouts is generally worth it.
> 
> Andy



I'll have to look up the "Round-the-Clock" diner in York. Years ago I used to eat at the Summit diner in Somerset, at least once a month, when we went up to visit my mother at the Patriot Manor assisted living home. I know that in the past the Summit would cut their own meat to serve, they might still.


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## Joe Hohmann (Nov 5, 2015)

There are (were?) two Timonium shows, Greenberg and Scale. I used to drive the 2 hours to both. The biggest draw for me was the large numbers of modular layouts in all scales...in fact, I participated in 4 of the shows.
I'm not sure if this is still the case. Google the shows to see how many modular groups are signed up. I remember one show had a mind-bending 27 layouts! I pretty much stopped going because traffic backups on I95 could be a nightmare (the kind where you think it was a major accident, but ends up being a cop ticketing a car).


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

If you go to Timonium, remember that they don't call it the *Cow Palace* for nothing, the stains on the floor are exactly what you'd expect in a Cow Palace.


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## Ricky Tanner (Sep 19, 2015)

When I've been working in the area,I've been to both shows,I attended in 2011,2012 and 2013. Between the Greenberg and the Great Scale show. The scale show is larger and more interesting but I've never really found a lot of used MTH Premier and Lionel O scale steam. The Greenberg in Edison,NJ and the Allentown shows are much better. I want to mention a really good small show.It's is the one held in Westminster,MD. I found a lot of good buys and a good selection when I went in 2013.It's bigger that you would expect and I draws a lot of individuals sellers rather than dealers.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Where is Argenta? Driving a long distance to a small train show usually doesn't pan out for me. However, I'll be at Allentown.


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## Ricky Tanner (Sep 19, 2015)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Where is Argenta? Driving a long distance to a small train show usually doesn't pan out for me. However, I'll be at Allentown.


Argenta is the original name of North Little Rock,Arkansas and the original home of Missouri Pacific's big steam shop and operations. UP's huge heavy locomotive repair facilty-the Downing Jenks shops sits in place of the old shops.A UP DD40AX,#6938 sits proudly out in front.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You'd be driving a long ways to get to Timonium or Westminster I would expect.


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## Ricky Tanner (Sep 19, 2015)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> You'd be driving a long ways to get to Timonium or Westminster I would expect.


I work in Harrisburg on projects often. You can't beat it for the train scene. There's really nothing down here. We have our little "round robin" group of O gauge nuts and thats about it. Most of the time I'm travelling out of state.

That meet at Westminster was really good,it was maybe 200-250 tables and packed. I was pleasantly surprised. One guy was blowing out all his early Premier PS1 MTH steam and Premier ABS passenger sets. I bought nearly everything he had. I also bought a lot of K-Line O scale rolling stock. It was fun.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Harrisburg does have a lot of train activity and history, no doubt about it.

I'm certainly going to be at Allentown, we'll see about other shows. I'd like to make Timonium again as well...


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

Ricky Tanner said:


> I work in Harrisburg on projects often.


Years ago my brother worked for IBM and he and another tech came to Hbg. to install a computer system for a business in the city. That morning one of the execs came in and asked what they wanted for lunch and dinner. They both laughed and said by lunch time they were going to be back on the road to Pittsburgh. The exec didn't understand that the installation could be done that quickly. My brother stopped by the house on the way home around lunch time for a visit.


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