For food in the area, there are a number of restaurants in the Basketball Hall Of Fame area which are pretty good. But I like the following: Student Prince at the Fort - Downtown Springfield block or 2 west from the train station. Serves German food, lots of beer and antique beer steins. I usually get the Veal a la Holstein and definately get the salad with blue cheese dressing (this is the Alsais-Lorrainne(sp) style) Big Mamou - across from the post office. Top notch real cajun. I'd suggest the Steaming Tender for the train theme but that's all the way to Palmer and a hike from Enfield. Cheers, Craig
Thomas (and Friends) are often found on several layouts at the show. Bachmann featured their line of HO and large scale Thomas the Tank Engine models: Thomas can be found on hi-rail layouts: ...as well as on more 'realistic' layouts: In addition there are usually several vendors selling Thomas-themed-everything: toys, plates, pencils, toothbrushes, shirts, backpacks, etc. --Mike
|Daniel, make sure to drop by Rapido's booth - be good to meet you face to face after all these years; I'll try and get over to your booth too !
It is officially the beginning of the train show weekend in Springfield MA. When you wake-up this morning... bundle-up and don't forget your camera/video recorder and note pad to document what we all hope is a lot of BRAND NEW N Scale items... not just re-runs of the same-old-same-old. Questions to ask... Inquiring minds need to know! What's KATO got brewing for their next ALL NEW American prototype passenger consist and matching locomotive(s)? When will we be getting the long awaited Atlas Alco S2 switch engine? Will CMW be more diligent at producing the needed N Scale vehicles we need? What's going on with Intermountain Railway Co' releases for this year... will there be more setbacks? Is Fox Valley going to surprise us with the much awaited 4-6-4 Otto Kuhler F7 Hudson? What does Bachmann have up it's sleeve this year... a new version of the 2-8-8-4 perhaps... a Northern Pacific version??? Is Walthers/Lifelike N scale going to be releasing any items worth buying this year... a recommitment to N scale we hope? Will Rapido make some more big announcements on the heels of the U25C... maybe an RSD15... that would shock us all? Is Athearn the one to announce the long awaited Union Pacific FEF (4-8-4)... or will we continue wondering WHY this iconic engine has not been released yet? Will this be the show that ushers in the resurgence of the 'Golden Age' of N scale... which sadly faded about 6 years ago?
Well for balance, if one is to ask about the UP FEF then that opens the door for asking about a PRR K4 or a PRR anything for that matter.
"Well for balance, if one is to ask about the UP FEF then that opens the door for asking about a PRR K4 or a PRR anything for that matter." I don't know if GHQ goes to these shows or not but if they do they would be the ones to talk too about PRR stuff. They recently announced a brass PRR Mike and has had a pewter conversion fit for the Kato Mike for several years... if anyone is likely to show a little PRR love I would have to say that it would be these guys.
Now it is "Hornby Arnold". People in the German forum made this "Hornold", which I think sounds quite funny.
Jerry, it was GHB International that announced the brass Mike. Here's the link to the topic on railwire: http://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31285.0
Yes and the price is in the "upper $600". Not too many people want to spend that kind of money for a shelf queen which, unfortunately most brass engines are. As for GHQ they have never produced an engine, just boiler conversion kits. I have the PRR L1 conversion kit for the Kato 2-8-2 but the kit does not address the valve gear difference so it is not quite what one might expect in the way of an L1. Actually I was hoping that Bachmann would do a K4 or modify their 2-8-0 into a PRR H series. Again the Baker valve gear would have to go. I was told by a person whom I understand to be well connected in the model railroad community that PRR steam is on the way but that was almost two years ago. Meanwhile more and more PRR steam is being released in HO. Maybe that is the way to go.
I got pics of Rapido's new road switcher, Prarie Shadows, Kato, and Fox Valley. I,ve been out of the loop so long I didn't know was new.
"Jerry, it was GHB International that announced the brass Mike. " Oops... my bad. "Rapido announced N Osgood-Bradley coaches coming." Not really a new announcement... that info has been mentioned some time back but it is great that they are coming!!!
WHOOOPPPPSSS.... I guess that old confusion bug bit me again. I seems that It's been so long since I read the news of Arnold making the U25C... I just assumed it was Rapido. And yes... I remember the former Arnold-Rapido... but since Rapido has been making most of the announcements I guess I forgot about the 'new' Arnold company. Arnold has a long way to go to become a recognized name again in N scale.