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North Raleigh Model Railroad Club

Area Train Shows

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Area Train Shows

  2013

  2014

Future Conventions

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Introduction

This page lists North Carolina and southern Virginia area train shows, meets and conventions, plus important regional and national shows and conventions in chronological order. All shows have operating layouts. Most also have dealer tables.

Train shows are open to the public, unless otherwise noted; admission is charged at entry. Meets and Conventions generally require advance registration, although many also have portions, such as a train show, open to the public. Check on the listing for more information and a contact to the organizing group.

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Shows in 2013



Second Saturday of Each Month

Wade's Train Town

Location: Brookford Community Center
1700 South Center Street
Hickory, NC 28602

Hours: 10:00am – 2:00pm

Wade's Train Town is a large HO scale model railroad display layout located in the Brookford Town Center. It was built by Wade Warren, who died in 1995. Since then the layout has been cared for by several groups. In mid 2006 the Carolina Southern Division of the NMRA's Mid-Eastern Region was granted access to the layout for restoration and preservation.

The layout was essentially complete and scenicked with dozens of structures, most with operating lights and other features. Two main lines circled the layout and were operational, and there was a respectable stock of locomotives and rolling stock. Work has been underway to clean, repair, restore, refurbish and upgrade the layout, a process which still continues. In addition contemporary electrical equipment and scenery materials are being applied to the layout, as well as some additional trackwork.

Trains are running during each session the layout is open to the public.

The following map shows the location of the Brookford Town Center, which is near the intersection of I-40 and US #321.

Brookford Map

More information, plus links to layout photos, is available at http://www.carolinasouthern.org/TrainTown.htm.

Volunteer restorers are welcome to participate in the continuing restoration of this layout. Contact Rick Knight at traintown@carolinasouthern.org.




September 21 – 22, 2013

Tidewater Division Model Railroaders, NMRA Mid-Eastern Region
2013 Train Show & Sale

Virginia Beach Convention Center Hall D
1000 19th Street
Virginia Beach, VA

Hours, both days: 10:00am – 4:00pm
Admission: $8.00, Children under 12 free (with an adult).
Scouts in uniform with Scout Leaders in uniform: Free
$1.00 from each admission goes to "Toys for Tots"

This show includes: the sale of model railroad equipment, supplies, tools, videos, books, photos, memorabilia and train sets; operating layouts in various scales; hourly door prizes; model railroad clinics; and white elephant tables; train doctor; all scales test track. Scouts will also be working towards their Merit Badge in Model Railroading.

How to clinics will be conducted both days of the show.

For visitors from out-of-town the recommended hotel is the Virginia Beach Doubletree Hotel at 1900 Pavilion Drive in Virginia Beach. This hotel is adjacent to the Convention Center. For reservations go to their web site at www.virginiabeach.doubletree.com or call (757) 422-8900.

For more show information contact the Show Coordinator Leonard Boucher by phone at (757) 420-7879 or by Email at lenboucher@aol.com, or visit the Division's web site at http://www.nmra-mer-tidewater.org/.
 



Ole 97 Logo

Old 97 Wreck

September 28 – 29, 2013

Danville's Old 97 Rail Days
110th Anniversary

Danville Science Center
Old Pepsi Building
The Crossing at the Dan
677 Craghead Street
Danville, VA 24541
Phone: 434-791-5160
Web: dsc.smv.org.

Hours: Saturday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am – 3:00pm

Visit Danville Web Site

DanvilleThe Old 97, a Southern Railway mail train en route to Spencer, NC, derailed at Stillhouse Trestle near Danville, Virginia, on September 27, 1903, killing 11. The event served as an inspiration for songwriters and balladeers, and the result is the now-famous "Wreck of the Old 97". The Centennial Commemoration of the Wreck of the Old 97 was held on September 27, 2003 at the Crossing at the Dan. The event was organized by Lawrence McFall of the Danville Historical Society in conjunction with the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department of the City of Danville. The celebration has turned into an annual event to be held on the fourth weekend in September.

The show will feature an operating NTRAK layout (located in the old Pepsi Bottling Plant) and a display of railroad-related items and other model railroad exhibits. This event is sponsored by the Danville Science Center with the participation of Richmond Area NTRAK, Lynchburg Area N-Scalers, North Raleigh Model Railroad Club, New Jersey Southern and South Hampton Roads NTRAK.

For more information on the train show and other events during the Old 97 Rail Days go to the Visit Danville web site.



GTE Logo

September 28 – 29, 2013

The Great Train Expo

 
Dixie Classic Fairgrounds
421 West 27th Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27102

Hours: 10:00am – 4:00pm (Saturday and Sunday)
Admission: Teens & Adults $6.00 for both days, Children under 12 free.

The Great Train Expo is a national, traveling show that caters to the model railroad enthusiast. The show features 200-500 tables of train dealers, who offer everything from HO Scale, N Scale, Lionel (O Gauge), G Gauge, Z Scale, American Flyer (S Gauge), hobby tools, die-cast vehicles, train whistles, scenery items, Railroadiania Slides, t-shirts, videos, railroad gift items, books, photos and much more.

The show offers a variety of operating model railroad and toy layouts for the entire family to enjoy in many different scales and gauges. Check them out and get some great ideas for your own layout! If you're interested in joining a local model railroading club, the Great Train Expo is a great place to visit some of the different clubs in your area and learn more about them.

If you're looking to sell an old toy train, this is the perfect place. You can get appraisals and offers from multiple dealers under the same roof.

For more information go to The Great Train Expo web site at www.greattrainexpo.com/.



October 5, 2013

Town of Selma, NC
Rail Day 2013

Selma Union Depot and Downtown Selma
Selma, NC

The North Raleigh Model Railroad Club NTRAK layout will be located in the Visitor Center (old Courthouse Building) on Anderson Street, and will be open all day Saturday. No charge.

The layout will also be open for Selma area school children on Friday, October 4, 2013



October 10 – 13, 2013

National Model Railroad Association (NMRA)
Mid-Eastern Region (MER) Convention
C&P Junction 2013

Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza
3 Research Court
Rockville MD 20850

Hosted by the Potomac & Chesapeake Divisions, Mid-Eastern Region, NMRA

The Potomac and Chesapeake Divisions invites you to come to Maryland for the 2013 MER Convention to be held the second weekend in October (10-13) 2013. We have scheduled four days of model railroading activities: clinics, contests, modular layouts, a live auction, layout tours, prototype tours, a banquet with featured speaker, awards presentation, non rail activities and a train show. There will be much to see, learn, do and enjoy.

Many clinics and several prototype tours are lined up, along with an extensive self-guided tour of home layouts in the area. Operating sessions are being planned, including operations on the layouts at the Train Show. The usual NMRA contests will be held. Festivities include a banquet with a featured after dinner speaker, followed by the usual auction.

Activities will center around the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza in Rockville, Maryland. The hotel is located just off Interstate 270. Nearby are many eating establishments and regional shopping centers to accommodate other needs.

For more information and registration go to http://home.comcast.net/~CandP2013/.



French Broad eNpire

October 12 – 13, 2013

French Broad e'N'pire NTRAK Club
Autumn Rails 2012
All Scales Model Railroad Show

 
Expo Building
Western North Carolina Agricultural Center
1301 Boyleston Highway, Gate 5
Fletcher, NC 28732

Hours: 10:00am – 5:00pm (Saturday) & Noon – 4:00pm (Sunday)
Admission: Teens & Adults $6.00 for both days, Children under 12 and Scouts in uniform free.

The show will feature operating NTRAK, HO, S, O and #1 Scale layouts, 90 – 100 tables of model railroad equipment and supplies in all scales from Z to G, railroad memorabilia, clothing items and railroad art. There will be door prizes.

The WNC Agricultural Center is located on Boyleston Highway. From Asheville take Interstate 26 Eastbound (i.e. South) to exit 40. Make a right turn onto Airport Boulevard at the end of the ramp. After passing Fanning Bridge Road turn left into Gate 5. From Hendersonville take Interstate 26 West (i.e. North) to exit 40. Make a left turn onto Airport Boulevard at the end of the ramp. After passing Fanning Bridge Road turn left into Gate 5...

Dealers (tables $30/8' table) should contact Chuck Place at 828-685-2726, by Email at hmp3@blueridge.net, or by US Mail at: 1396 Spicer Cove Road, Hendersonville, NC 28792.

For more information go to the Club's web site at www.fbe-ntrak.com.



Autumn Train Excursions

Sponsored by the NC Transportation Museum Foundation & the Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society

Saturday, October 12, 2013: The Virginia Autumn Special
Spencer, NC & Greensboro, NC to Charlottesville, VA & Return

Departing Spencer at 7 am, Saturday's "Virginia Autumn Special" will offer a second passenger pick-up at the Greensboro Amtrak Station at 8 am, allowing those living in the Triad a more convenient boarding opportunity. Passing through the North Carolina cities of Thomasville, High Point and Reidsville, and the Virginia cities of Danville, Lynchburg and Oak Ridge, passengers will experience beautiful views of the Piedmont and rolling hills of the Carolinas and the western part of Central Virginia.

In Charlottesville, travelers will have nearly three hours to explore the historic downtown area. A short walk takes you to the downtown outdoor mall, considered one of the finest urban parks in the country. Unique shopping and dining opportunities can be found in boutiques, specialty wine, coffee and tea shops and outdoor dining spots. Travelers may also enjoy relaxing walks under a lush, leafy tree canopy.

Departing Charlottesville at 3 .m, the train will arrive back in Greensboro at 6:45 p.m. and Spencer at 8 pm.

For more information, reservations and tickets contact the Museum at 704-636-2889, ext. 237 or click here to go to the Museum's web site.

Sunday, October 13, 2013: The Blue Ridge Special
Spencer, NC to Asheville, NC & Return

The "Blue Ridge Special" will travel through the western Piedmont into the foothills and on to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Departing Spencer at 7 am, the train will roll through the cities of Statesville, Hickory, Morganton, Marion, Black Mountain and Swannanoa. The train will climb the famed "loops" of the Blue Ridge Mountains and pass through several tunnels before arriving in Asheville at noon. Passengers will have nearly three hours for an outing at Biltmore Village.

Established in the late 1890s as a planned community near the entrance of the Biltmore estate, Biltmore Village offers shopping in unique, locally-owned boutiques. Passengers can dine in restaurants and take walks along brick sidewalks that parallel tree lined streets. All of this will be enjoyed alongside spectacular views of the North Carolina mountains.

Departing Asheville at 3 pm, the "Blue Ridge Special" will return to Spencer at 8 pm.

For more information, reservations and tickets contact the Museum at 704-636-2889, ext. 237 or click here to go to the Museum's web site.




October 26–27, 2013

4th Annual
Grand Strand Model Railroaders, Inc.
Train Show & Sale

The Lakewood Conference Center
5873 South Kings Highway
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
A "Kid Friendly" Event

Times: Saturday: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am – 4:00pm

Admission: Adults $5.00, Children under 12 Free

The Grand Strand Model Railroaders will display their NTRAK layout plus there will be layouts in others scales as well. There will be 70+ tables of dealers selling model railroad products in various scales as well as railroadiana and other railroad-related items. Also Clinics, Door Prizes, Food Vendor, Free Parking.

Visit the Club at Myrtle Beach Mall (near Bass Pro Shop) Monday 4–7pm, Wednesday 12–4pm and Saturday 10am–5pm.

For more information visit the Club's web site at isfans.com/gsmrc.



NRV Logo

November 9 – 10, 2013

Twenty-Ninth Annual
Neuse River Valley Model Railroad Club
Trains & Railroadiana Show and Sale

The Largest, Longest Running Model Train Show of its Kind in North Carolina.
 

 
Operating Layouts: O-27, S, HO, N, Z and Large Scale (Garden), Memorabilia, Vendors, Full-size model of Thomas the Tank Engine
 

Exhibition Building
NC State Fairgrounds
Raleigh, North Carolina

Hours, both days: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Admission: 6 years and up: $6.00 (covers both days)
Under ten with adult — Free

 
For more information visit the NRV show web-site at http://www.nrvshow.org or write to George W. Lasley at P.O. Box 19573, Raleigh, NC 27619-9573.



TCA Logo

Saturday & Sunday, December 7 – 8, 2013

The Train Collectors Association
Southeastern Division
Toy Train Sale

Sale & Display Items: Lionel, MTH, K-Line, Weaver, Atlas, Williams, American Flyer, Marklin, Ives, Marx, LGB, Aristocraft, Bachmann, Varney — Track, Switches, Accessories, Replacement Parts & other toy train related items.

Features over 100 tables of toy trains & related Items, plus door prizes and operating layouts. Raffle prize drawing of Lionel 6-33177 #2124W GG-1 Passenger Train Set on Sunday at 3:00pm.

Kids Train Races — bring your favorite racing engine (loaners available).
 

Kerr Scott Building
NC State Fairgrounds
Raleigh, North Carolina

Hours: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Donation: 13 years and up: $6.00 ($5.00 with flyer or newspaper ad)
Under 13 with adult — Free

 
For more information visit the Southeastern Division web-site at http://www.se-tca.org.



December 21 – 22, 2013

Greenberg's Train & Toy Show

Location: Richmond Raceway Complex
600 E. Laburnum Avenue
Richmond, VA 23222

Hours, both days: 10:00am – 4:00pm
Admission: $7.00, Children under 12 free.
More information at www.greenbergshows.com

Greenberg's Train & Toy Show is a traveling show that caters to the model railroad enthusiast. The show features 200–500 tables of train dealers offering everything from ... HO Scale, N Scale, Lionel, O Scale, G Scale, American Flyer, Hobby Tools, Die-cast vehicles, train whistles, scenery items, Railroadiana, Slides, T-shirts, Videos, Railroad Gift Items, Books, Photos, and more. Purchase items at excellent prices, locate a hard to find item, see new products, or get ideas.

The show offers a variety of operating model railroad and toy layouts for the entire family to enjoy. Informative presentations are offered on a variety of model railroad and toy train topics. If you're looking to dispose of an old toy train, this is the perfect place. You can get appraisals and get offers from multiple dealers under one roof.



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Shows in 2014



January 25 – 26, 2014

Cape Fear Model Railroad Society
16th Annual Model Railroad Show and Sale

American Legion Post 10
702 Pine Grove Drive
Wilmington, North Carolina 28409

This show features operating layouts (G, O, HO and N), workshops and train vendors.

Hours, Saturday: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am – 4:00pm

Admission: $5, children: $3, 5 and under free.

For more information go to www.capefearmodelrailroadsociety.org.



March 1 – 2, 2014

17th Annual
Carolina Coastal Railroaders Model Train Show

Sudan Temple
403 E. Front Street
New Bern, North Carolina 28560

Hours, Saturday: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am – 4:00pm

Admission: $6.00
Children under 12 with Adult: Free

See operating layouts in N, HO, S, O, Standard Gauge and G scales, and Thomas and Friends. New and used model railroad equipment available. There are hourly door prize drawings. Concessions available.

For more information contact Dave Finn by phone at (252) 638-5994 or by Email. or go to the Club's web site at http://carolinacoastalrailroaders.org.



May 29 — June 1, 2014
NCTM Logo

North Carolina Transportation Museum
Historic Spencer Shops
"Streamliners at Spencer"

Southern Railway Spencer Shops
411 S. Salisbury Street
(Exit 79 on Interstate 85)
Spencer, NC 28159

The N.C. Transportation Museum Will Gather Locomotives of the 1930s – 1950s Together For An Once-In-A-Lifetime Event

The N.C. Transportation Museum's next major railroad event, "Streamliners at Spencer," will be a four-day festival for lovers of classic streamlined locomotives of the 1930s through the 1950s. These engines will be gathered around the 37-stall Robert Julian Roundhouse turntable for daytime portraits, special operations, nighttime photos and more. Primarily a railroad photography event, "Streamliners at Spencer" is sure to be a rail fan's delight.

 
Popular in the 1940s and 1950s, more than 8,000 Electro-Motive Division streamliners, or "cab units," were built with additional locomotives coming from Alco, Baldwin, and Fairbanks-Morse. These locomotives replaced steam power and pulled great passenger trains like the Crescent, the Champion, the Broadway Limited, among others.

"They developed a loyal following thanks to their smooth shape, colorful paint schemes, and their look of speed," said Trains magazine Editor Jim Wrinn, also a N.C. Transportation Museum Foundation vice president. "2014 is a great time to recognize them as the year marks the 75th anniversary of the first such successful diesel freight locomotive—the FT demonstrator of 1939."

Despite the popularity of these locomotives in their day, Wrinn says, "Today they're all gone except for a few dozen in museums, on Class I railroads as executive units, and on tourist railroads and short lines as curiosities." The museum's own Atlantic Coast Line E3, the Southern Railway E8, and Southern Railway FP7 will serve as the event's host locomotives.

The museum's goal will be to bring as many streamlined units together as possible for an event on par with 2012's Norfolk Southern Heritage Locomotive Family Portrait. Attending locomotives are being confirmed and transported in cooperation with Norfolk Southern Corp. More details will be announced as the summer comes to an end with a great slate of visiting streamliners expected. Those wishing to stay up-to-date should either visit www.nctrans.org and check the event tab or follow the museum on Facebook at "N.C. Transportation Museum."



June 25 — 29, 2014

NCTM Logo

Roanoke Convention Logo

N Scale Enthusiast
22nd Annual
2014 National N Scale Convention

Sheraton Roanoke Hotel & Conference Center
2801 Hershberger Road
Roanoke, V A

There will be a Public Train Show on June 27 – 28, 2014.

You do not need to be a member of N Scale Enthusiast to attend the Convention, but you must register to attend and take part in Convention activities. Attendance at the Train Show will be $8.00.

More details about this Convention will be available this Fall.

Visit the Convention web-site at www.nationalnscaleconvention.com/.



Cleveland Convention Logo

NMRA Logo     NTS Logo

July 13 – 19, 2014

National Model Railroad Association (NMRA)
National Convention & Train Show

Convention Activities
New Cleveland Convention Center
300 Lakeside Avenue
Cleveland OH 44114
Phone: (216) 928-1600

The National Train Show will be held at the New Cleveland Convention Center.

  

Convention Hotel
Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center
127 Public Square
Cleveland OH 44114
Phone: (216) 696-9200
and
Renaissance Cleveland Hotel
24 Public Square
Cleveland OH 44113
Phone: (216) 696-5600

Check the convention's web-site at http://www.2014cleveland.org/.

NMRA National Conventions feature Rail Clinics, Prototype Tours, Model Layout Tours, Non-Rail Activities, Fan Trips, Contests, SIG Activities, the Company Store and the National Train Show.

The National Train Show on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 18, 19 and 20, 2014 is designed to promote the hobby of model railroading to the public, and consists of three parts:

  • The best model railroads of all scales on display for the public at large.
  • Industry manufacturers, publishers and railroad-related organizations display their products and converse with their customers.
  • Dealers and organizations selling their products and memberships.


Capitol Limited 2014 Convention Logo

August 7 – 10, 2014

Capitol Limited N Scale East

"The Big Daddy of N Scale Conventions"

Northern Virginia NTRAK, in partnership with Greenberg Train Shows, present the return of their hugely popular and wildly successful convention from 2004, Capitol Limited N Scale East 2014.

Location

Convention Hotel

Dulles Expo Center
4320 Chantilly Shopping Center
Chantilly, VA 20153

TBD

The Convention will feature several operating NTRAK and T-TRAK layouts, Clinics on model railroading, Auctions, Home Layout Tours, Prototype Tours, Model Train Vendors and Manufacturers,and Layouts in other scales.

Make it a family affair. The convention will have special prearranged excursions just for families, and it is near Washington, D.C., with all it national museums and other attractions.

For more information go to www.bigtrainlayout.org.



Ole 97 Logo

Old 97 Wreck

September 26 – 27, 2014

Danville's Old 97 Rail Days
111th Anniversary

Danville Science Center
Old Pepsi Building
The Crossing at the Dan
677 Craghead Street
Danville, VA 24541
Phone: 434-791-5160
Web: dsc.smv.org.

Hours: Saturday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am – 3:00pm

Visit Danville Web Site

DanvilleThe Old 97, a Southern Railway mail train en route to Spencer, NC, derailed at Stillhouse Trestle near Danville, Virginia, on September 27, 1903, killing 11. The event served as an inspiration for songwriters and balladeers, and the result is the now-famous "Wreck of the Old 97". The Centennial Commemoration of the Wreck of the Old 97 was held on September 27, 2003 at the Crossing at the Dan. The event was organized by Lawrence McFall of the Danville Historical Society in conjunction with the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department of the City of Danville. The celebration has turned into an annual event to be held on the fourth weekend in September.

The show will feature an operating NTRAK layout (located in the old Pepsi Bottling Plant) and a display of railroad-related items and other model railroad exhibits. This event is sponsored by the Danville Science Center with the participation of Richmond Area NTRAK, Lynchburg Area N-Scalers, North Raleigh Model Railroad Club, New Jersey Southern and South Hampton Roads NTRAK.

For more information on the train show and other events during the Old 97 Rail Days go to the Visit Danville web site.



October 4, 2014

Town of Selma, NC
Rail Day 2013

Selma Union Depot and Downtown Selma
Selma, NC

The North Raleigh Model Railroad Club NTRAK layout will be located in the Visitor Center (old Courthouse Building) on Anderson Street, and will be open all day Saturday. No charge.

The layout will also be open for Selma area school children on Friday, October 5, 2012



NRV Logo

November 8 – 9, 2014

Thirtieth Annual
Neuse River Valley Model Railroad Club
Trains & Railroadiana Show and Sale

The Largest, Longest Running Model Train Show of its Kind in North Carolina.
 

 
Operating Layouts: O-27, S, HO, N, Z and Large Scale (Garden), Memorabilia, Vendors, Full-size model of Thomas the Tank Engine
 

Exhibition Building
NC State Fairgrounds
Raleigh, North Carolina

Hours, both days: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Admission: 6 years and up: $6.00 (covers both days)
Under ten with adult — Free

 
For more information visit the NRV show web-site at http://www.nrvshow.org or write to George W. Lasley at P.O. Box 19573, Raleigh, NC 27619-9573.



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Future
NMRA National, NTRAK & N Scale Enthusiast Conventions

Year NMRA National Convention NTRAK Convention N Scale Enthusiast

2013

Atlanta, GA

July 14 – 20

TBD

2013

Milwaukee, WI

June 26 – 30

2014

Cleveland, OH

July 13 – 20

Chantilly, VA

August 7 – 10

Roanoke, VA

June 25 – 29

2015

Portland, OR

August 23 – 30

TBD

2015

TBD

2015

2016

Indianapolis, IN

July 3 –10

TBD

2016

TBD

2016

2017

Orlando, FL

TBD

TBD

2017

TBD

2017


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Copyright © 1997–2013 North Raleigh Model Railroad Club. All rights reserved.
The NRMRC is a Not-For-Profit Corporation incorporated in North Carolina.
The various logos and heralds shown here are the property of their respective organizations.

Last updated: Friday September 6, 2013

 

North Raleigh Model Railroad Club
Webmaster: John M Wallis (Email)

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