Tag: model railroading

ShowMyHobby.com YouTube Channel (Live)

April 1st, 2024, ShowMyHobby will now provide the Live ShowMyHobby.com YouTube Channel. Within the past week, I have been experimenting with making Live stream videos. The number 1 reason for this is because of the amount of time it takes for me to make normal videos with my cell phone, download those videos, and then re-upload the videos to YouTube. I have well over a hundred videos where this process has not yet occurred. The number of hours represented by those videos a probably very close to if not over 150 hours. To give you a more accurate elapsed time figure, I would have to go through all the videos and the issue with doing that is my lack of “TIME” to do so. The ShowMyHobby.com YouTube Channel, based on the 3 live streams I have already recorded, may workout better FOR ME to be able to present you with videos of what I am doing.

Although LIVE streaming videos are there to allow people to see in real-time exactly what is going on, my ShowMyHobby.com YouTube Channel Live Streams will simply be used as a much easier, less time-consuming way for me to get recorded videos into the channel. Thus far, I do not know if I can EDIT those videos once I have produced them. I am going to attempt to edit video #3 right have creating this page announcing the channel. Either it works or it doesn’t.

My plan is to create a post here on the website for every Episode on the channel (except for possible PRODUCT videos that are specific to 1 product mostly verifying that product’s current condition). Those post should therefore appear in chronological order below, starting with the very first one which is me actually testing whether or not a live stream video will be saved and where in my channel I can find it.

Bear with me as I begin this process and try to figure out a way to make the videos more entertaining while still providing you with some decent information and content. Unfortunately, I have learned that I cannot PAUSE a live stream video and occasion have already occurred and will occur when I will need to walk away from the recording process meaning I will not be in front of or behind the camera.

The ShowMyHobby.com YouTube channel has been online for quite some time now already. The Live streams are the new thing. This past year, I discovered that it is very easy to pull-up and watch the videos in the SHM YT channel on my large screen TV’s, all of which are smart TVs with Amazon Firesticks attached to them. I mention this to you because basically you can view the channel on practically every type of Eletronic, computerized, video equipped device you have including cellphones, tablets, chrome books, laptops, iPads, and Televisions. And I hope you will view the channel and videos on the largest screened devices you have.

I am going to apologize NOW for my poor camera recording skills. I promise to work on these to try to keep the items that I am talking about in the focus frames. I also apologize for state of my living room where the majority of the videos have and are currently being recorded. It is a MESS. I have overrun my home with trains. IT NEEDS SOME SERIOUS HELP — which is why I am doing the videos and part of the reason for selling consigned hobby related items. The trains need a building of their own. YOU CAN HELP ME BUILD ONE MUCH FASTER than I will be able to do so on my own by donating to the cause, watching my online videos, promoting them by sharing them with others, and buying some of the items for sale on the ShowMyHobby.com website.

As much as I want and need the money that SHOULD BE generated by the videos, I DO NOT LIKE ADVERTISEMENTS. Personally, I absolutely detest advertising that interrupts me. So, if I had my way, no advertising would INTERRUPT you! I am going to try to hold out as long as I possibly can and try to PREVENT YouTube from injecting ads into my videos. However, they offer the platform for free. To offset the costs and profit from their endeavors, they make money by displaying paid ads around all videos to the viewers on the site. Guess what? I have no choice in the matter. They will always inject some advertisements in or around the videos I place on their platform. I must eventually agree to allow them to insert ads into my videos if I am going to make any money from doing so. To date, I have not received 1 penny from Google / YouTube for anything that I have posted there. And I currently couldn’t tell you if any video posted there caused a sale of an item on ShowMyHobby.com or eBay (when I was listing items on eBay). I hope the future is much brighter than the past.

Previously, I have not really been concerned about subscribers to the channel. However, I have set a couple milestones and a subscriber goal. As I reach the milestones, I will reveal what they are and an action that I would like for the subscribers to consider taking as those milestones are reached. So, if you like the content presented, please click on the channel subscribe button. Also, Like this page and pages where individual episodes appear.

I will probably not have a set day and time when I make the live videos. Most of them will probably be made very late at night and in the early hours of the morning. I do not expect the majority of my channel viewers to be able to catch me actually making a live recording. Even if you do, I currently do not imagine that I would be able to interact with any viewers while I am live streaming. I mostly plan to be behind the camera with the focus on what you are looking at and not me. Currently, I’m recording video using a Chrome book and its built-in webcam. I have a surveillance camera that I hope to start trying soon. And I also hope to try the GoPro Hero 8 camera as a webcam source. There is a train show in Hickory coming up this next weekend and I am trying to get as much done to get prepared for that as I can including promoting the event and getting more items online. I am working very hard on the HJR Lonsway Pike layout project too and am ambitiously trying to get a lot of the wiring, lighting, scenery, and town finished. I have things I have wanted to work on and record of the Easter weekend and didn’t get to all of it. Two nights ago I came up with a name for the town and wish to talk about that as well as get it done. Today, I have to put up some ads for the Train Show, see if I can edit the 2:45 live stream #3 video, and publish all 3 ShowMyHobby.com YouTube Channel Livestreams.

Thank you very much for checking out this page, showing and interest in ShowMyHobby.com, watching the channel and the videos, and providing your support.

ShowMyHobby.com YouTube Channel Live Playlist

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Iron Station Model Train Show Yard Sale – Saturday, October 7th, 2023

Saturday, October 7th, 2023, ShowMyHobby.com will be participating in the Train Show YARD SALE being held at the Berkshire Station (train store) located at 4866 NC-27, Iron Station, NC 28080. There should be many other vendors present too. This is a NC Train Show SALES EVENT happening in the Iron Station, NC Area and is a good opportunity to buy model trains and model railroad related trains, parts, supplies, and accessories.

ShowMyHobby.com will only be there from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM. I must leave early to attend a previously schedule train club meeting.

As this train show is a bit unique because most vendors will be operating out of their vehicles on the lawn around Berkshire Station, the number of items that I will have on DISPLAY for sale at the train show will be very limited. However, most of the train inventory that I have for sale will be with me simply because I haven’t unpacked it from the vehicle from last weekend’s train show in Fletcher. However, I may not be able to get to everything as most of it will be deeply embedded in the vehicle.

Most of what I will have available that will be easy to get to is HO scale TRACKS (Mostly older brass tracks and a great many NEW and Opened Atlas & Peco premium Code 83 Nickel Silver tracks), the Athearn Denver & Rio Grande Western Train Set, Train-Minature train car kits, Athearn Blue Box train car kits, and many, many HO scale buildings (some previously assembled, partially assembled, and a lot of Bachmann Plasticville Snap-Together kits [packaged in ziplock bags].) I should also be able to get to the N scale Southern trains and the N scale Amtrak Lighted Passenger Cars. I have some N scale tracks available too.

Although I tried to share a pictured list of a thousand plus items that haven’t been listed at ShowMyHobby.com, the list could not be shown in its entirety before due to limitations. I think only about 100 of the photos were available. However, try this link now to see if Google will show you the entire album in another window:

Google Photo Album of Trains For Sale at ShowMyHobby.com

Between the hours of 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM, you may try to give me a call at 980-277-2475 if you see something that you wish to buy and want to know if I have it with me. If I am unable to answer, it simply means that I’m busy helping someone at the yard sale train event. If you can make it to the event, I will see you there.

Although a good selection of locomotives and rolling stock including box cars, passenger cars, gondolas, tank cars, hopper cars, diesel engines, steam engines, and other types of train cars, plus buildings, tracks, controllers, bridges, and other pieces in HO, S, N, and O scale train related items will be with me, I may not be able to get to most of those items. See the items above that I think I will be able to get to most easily.

Review the latest update to the list of consigned items. You may see something listed that you like and want to make sure you get it.

Additional information that you should be aware of:

Remember, all sales via ShowMyHobby are final. All items are sold “As Is”. No items are returnable. And No Refunds are provided for any items sold. These policies apply to ALL items and ALL sales whether made online, in person, or at a Train Show.

The ShowMyHobby.com Prize Sweepstakes WILL NOT BE available during this event.

I look forward to seeing you at the Berkshire Station Model Train Show Yard Sale event today, October 7, 2023 in Iron Station.

The photos are from past train shows and may show items that are no longer available for purchase.

The updated listed of All Consigned Items as of 9/13/2023. You can also use the Shop Via List for a better interactive list.

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Model North Carolina Piedmont Service

Inspired by a train ride talked about by a previous member of the model railroad club that I am a member of, I decided that I would take a ride myself again on an American Passenger Train. I made this decision within minutes of seeing that member’s post on Facebook around 2020, if I remember correctly. One of my hobbies is traveling. I was spoiled with a ride on the London to Paris High-Speed Eurostar passenger train New Year’s Eve 2016. My previous passenger rides in the late 1990’s were interesting but they paled greatly in comparison to the luxurious ride aboard the super smooth, 186 mph Eurostar. I started giving American Trains another chance. I took a sleeper train via the Amtrak Texas Eagle from Chicago, Illinois to Dallas, TX in May/June of 2021. I rode on the Alaska Railroad and the White Pass & Yukon Rail in August of 2022. And finally, I took day rides from Charlotte to Raleigh and back again onboard the North Carolina Piedmont Service in December of 2022. I plan to put detail information up in a travel section on this site one day about all of these train rides. This article is about the HO scale model trains in my Train Collection that are commemorative of the North Carolina Piedmont Service. This article appears in the Projects section because to create a complete representative model of the Piedmont Service train that I rode on, currently, I will have to make that train set up, as no manufacturer has sold such a set thus far.

Although a consignor previously consigned 1 North Carolina locomotive for me to sell, I did sell it before I rode the Piedmont Service, and I wasn’t interested in having a Piedmont Service passenger set at that time. Since that time, I’ve ridden on the Service and I’m sort of getting into having models of the real trains that I get exposed to. So, the cost of two Athearn Sound Equipped models of the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) locomotives became reasonably affordable at one of the sellers that I like to get trains from. So, I purchased the 2 locomotives with road numbers that show-up on the actual train roster of the NCDOT as locomotives in regular operating service on a daily basis in the real world. Many people have written about the trains and the service. Here is a link over to The Diesel Shop that identifies the Motive Power real trains used in the Piedmont Service.

The 2 Athearn models that I have are in their “Ready To Roll” series. They come with Econami sound decoders. As you can see by the following photo, I obtained road# 1755 “City of Salisbury” and the road# 1797 “City of Asheville” models. The reporting mark for the railroad is RNCX. The part numbers of these 2 models are: ATH64731 and ATH64732 respectively. If you listen to the following video, you will hear me verbalize my comments, observations, and opinions about the models. These 2 locomotives will be used as the motive power for my Piedmont Service train set.

In order to complete the train set, I will need to dedicate 4 85′ Pullman smooth side Lounge/Baggage cars to this project. In order to stay true to what to what occurred in real life, I can use either Kansas City or Union Pacific passenger cars. I have a fleet of HO scale Union Pacific passenger cars already in my collection. I have several that are too large to operate on my current HO scale Libraryville layout. I haven’t made-up my mind yet as to whether or not I am going to keep those cars indefinitely or put them up for sale. Once I have the passenger cars, I will need to repaint them to match the Blue and Silver with Red pin stripe paint scheme that North Carolina passenger cars are using. I have enough photos and videos to get a great idea of where the borders of colors come together. I’ll do my best to match the colors with the colors found on the 2 Athearn locomotives.

I have seen videos of the Piedmont Service train taken by others. NCDOT or Amtrak seem to change up the number of passenger cars in the consist from time to time. In videos I have seen as few as 3 passenger cars per trainset and as many as 9 passenger cars in a set. I wasn’t able to locate any information that indicates how passenger cars are supposed to standard on a set or the methodology used NCDOT or Amtrak to determine how many cars should normally be in a trainset.

HO Athearn 2 NC DOT Locos with WP&YR Passenger Cars

In the above video, you will see that there are 3 old time Overton passenger cars between the 2 locomotives. These passenger cars are also made by Athearn and they were purchased minutes after I finished riding on the White Pass & Yukon Railroad in Skagway, Alaska. I purchased them as part of a Collector’s set directly from the White Pass & Yukon Route Train Shoppe. The Athearn Roundhouse series Collector’s set contains 4 Overton Passenger Cars. However, the 4th car in the set does not stay on the tracks. It derails quite often especially in curves. Although I bought the set in August of 2022, I just opened the set for the first time on June 30th. I’ve been on some additional trips and travels since I opened the set, and I am trying my best to get the video posted with this documentation so that I can include it when I contact Athearn to see if there is anything they can do or suggest that I do to try to repair the train car. It appears to me that the hole for one of the axles on one truck is either too deep or not properly aligned. As a result, the wheel keeps slipping out of the hole causing the car to lean which causes a derailment. I hope they can replace the wheelsets or bad truck if not the entire car. The road number of the damaged car is 211 and the model number of the set is: RND99158.

Moving forward with the project of completing a NC Piedmont Service train set, will start by me choosing the passenger cars to dedicate to this set. I recently purchased a new Bachmann Union Pacific smooth side dining car from ModelTrainStuff.com. I actually purchased the last one of those they had at the time. It had a problem very similar to what the 4th passenger car in the WP&YR Collector’s set has. I contacted ModelTrainStuff and they made arrangements with Bachmann to get me a new car. I just received word yesterday that they shipped out the replacement so it should arrive soon. I took pictures and videos of the original order and test run of the trains in that lot. I also documented what happened just as I am doing with this set of locomotives and passenger cars. In that set, were 2 other Bachmann Lighted Amtrak Full Dome passenger cars. I haven’t posted any of those pictures or videos as of this writing. I wasn’t that impressed with the Full Dome passenger cars simply because the lighting is less than optimal or representative of the real trains. It actually doesn’t look realistic at all. The Union Pacific dinner car on the other hand, is absolutely stunning in appearance and with its lighting. The matching series of Bachmann Union Pacific smooth side cars would be great as cars for this NCDOT Piedmont Service trainset. However, those cars are very expensive. So, I’m not sure if I want to put that much money into cars that I am going to have to repaint just to fit the NCDOT paint scheme. You may have noticed just like I did that up-close the actual real cars look 30 to 40 years old, have a lot of dings, scratches and imperfections in them. From a distance and while running 60 to 80 mph hour, they look pretty good. So, time will see what I do. Maybe another special will happen and the prices may be more reasonable. Otherwise, I’m going to have to find some USED passenger cars or use some of the USED passenger cars that I already have which would be the most economical thing to do. The Union Pacific passenger cars that I have that require 24″ radius curves or larger would seem to be the best option, except if I use those, I won’t be able to actually run the completed trainset on my own current layout. That wouldn’t be optimal for me. Additionally, ShowMyHobby.com train sales are down / practically nonexistent thus far in the 3rd quarter of 2023. If you’re viewing this and find some trains you like in the shop area, consider placing some orders to help me out. Or you can always donate via my donation page. Wouldn’t it be cool to see a model replica of the North Carolina Piedmont Service running on a model HO scale layout?

I also recently bought 5 or more used Athearn Bluebox Union Pacific passenger cars (mostly 3-axles per truck Corrugated cars) from eBay. These have turned out to be a huge disappointment. I talk a little about this in the consigned Denver & Rio Grande Diesel 7 car set that is up for sale. I do so because Athearn made that set too, and the offset bolster hole for those cars just doesn’t seem to work reliably on my 18″ and 22″ radius curves. The ones in the DRGW set manage to allow trains to run around my tracks. But the older Bluebox ones consistently derail, especially at the locations where I have “S-curve” like features. The cars are smaller than 85′ at somewhere around 65′ to 72′ long and you would think they would be able to handle 18″ and 22″ radius curves very well, but they just don’t. Also, because they are corrugated, I definitely cannot use them as UP repaints to NCDOT for this project. I’m holding on to them to see how they perform on the MMRR’s club layout next Spring.

Activity Log

Date / TimeActivity
2023-08-18ModelTrainStuff.com delivered the replacement Bachmann Union Pacific 85′ Diner Passenger Car today. I’m eager to check it out. I may pull out one or both of the RNCX locomotives and test pull that car and maybe 3 other 85′ Union Pacific cars to see how well they look and run on my layout, which would give me a reason to aim at getting 3 more of those Bachmann 85′ smooth side or streamlined passenger cars to be used for this project.
2023-08-19 2:30ish AMOpened newly received ModelTrainStuff.com RMA replacement Bachmann Union Pacific 85′ Smooth-side Diner Passenger Car #3610 {UP3610}. Quickly examined car and its axles. Saw power pickup swipers against inside of all wheels. I don’t think those were there on the car I sent back. If they were, they should have prevented the skewed axle on the first one. (Tired & sleepy so went to bed without testing with power.)
2023-08-19
7:08 PM-7:30 PM		I unpacked the 2 RNCX NC Locomotives and put them on the Libraryville layout tracks with the newly received replacement UP3610 Diner Passenger Car. I expected to do a test run, however, the coupler heights looked to me like they were going to be a problem. So, I took some photos of them with my coupler height tool, the 2 NCDOT locomotives and UP3401 Diesel engine. Then, I opened a package of Kadee couplers that I previously bought with the knuckle above the shank and installed 2 of them inside the new passenger car. I took more photos.
7:31 PM-7:53 PMI tested the new UP3610 Passenger Car between my 2 NCDOT F59PHI locomotives. It ran well with the new couplers on it, and it didn’t derail or come a loose. I also looked at it and the LED lighting is as good as the one I had replaced. I’m still not sure if the one I originally received had power swipers on the wheels.

I made a video of the trains running but I paused it in the middle to look for additional cars to match with the diner car. However, I discovered that I don’t have any that will match with this car. I also made the decision that I would buy 3 of the Bachmann 85′ Smooth-side Coach cars and paint all 4 of these cars in the RNCX paint scheme. When I ended the video, I prepared the other UP passenger cars for storage again. I had to stop and take a nap.

Later, while entering updates to the spreadsheet, I did some research to try to get a picture of the interior of the real RNCX Cafe car. I found and read a government report filed in November of 2013 that stated NCDOT converted the Cafe Cars on the Piedmont Service from a full cafe car with a fulltime attendant and hot meal service to being half vending car and half baggage car. There are 2 vending machines and 2 coke machines, plus sink, and trash receptacles, and coffee machines inside what used to be the Cafe cars now. This converted car which is more like a “Vending Machine Car” has been a success for NCDOT, so they plan to leave it that way. I’m not sure if the newly converted car was part of the consist that I rode on, but my guess is that it might have been especially since I CHECKED a bag which had to be stored somewhere. Furthermore, I am not going to replace the interior inside of the diner car that I have to try to match what NCDOT currently has. I didn’t find anyone’s photo(s) of what the Cafe/Vending car now looks like inside, and I personally didn’t try to access it on either trip that I took in December 2022.
2023-08-20 4:01 PM-7:15 PMMade 2 online train purchases today. I didn’t want to but felt like I needed to or would miss out on some items. One was 6 items to add to the HO Amtrak fleet and the other were the 3 Bachmann Union Pacific 85′ Passenger Cars that I wish to use with this project. I bought 3 of the last 4 that Trainworld had so these are getting scarce which was what I was afraid of. I didn’t want to pay as much as I did for them. I prefer to sell some trains online myself first and then buy what I can with my profits. I had to buy first this time though since online sales have been flat the past 2 months. Then I cataloged today’s purchases. I also verified that the passenger cars on the real Piedmont Service are shorter than the heights of the locomotives, which answers a question that I discussed in yesterday’s video.

Published: August 16th, 2023. Last Updated: August 21st, 2023.

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Railroad Modeling University

ShowMyHobby.com will be at the CSD (Carolina Southern Division) RMU (Railroad Modeling University) event on Saturday, April 15th, 2023. This event is open to all people interested in model trains. I encourage you to search for the CarolinaSouthern.org website and click on information about the RMU. Pre-registration for the event takes place online only. You are welcome to bring family members for reduced prices.

The Annual Railroad Modeling University will be held Saturday, April 15, 2023, at West Concord Baptist Church, 225 Warren C Coleman Boulevard, Concord, NC 28027.

They are offering 26 clinics covering topics ranging from beginning to plan a new layout, through various stages of constructing a layout including adding highly meaningful and detailed scenery to enhancing a layout’s enjoyment through the addition of advanced electronics. Experienced master modelers will also share tips and tricks they have learned through their years of modeling. In general, everyone can have a good time learning more about our World’s Greatest Hobby®.

I personally will be attending classes during every time slot during this event. However, I am taking a few really good S scale American Flyer by Lionel and American Models items plus some HO scale goodies that have been consigned here and you can grab them in the White Elephant room set aside for sales during this event. If you receive our division’s BrassPounder Newsletter, you should receive a coupon code for free pick-up of items that you pre-order on my website prior to midnight, Friday, April 14th.

During the Hickory Train Show on March 31st and April 1st of this year, I spoke with a couple of people and let them know that my next event would be the RMU. However, I mistakenly mentioned that this event was for division members only. It isn’t. It is open to the public and anyone wanting to learn fabulous modeling techniques or wishing to get more fun out of their own starter train sets. Visit the website and see the 26 clinics currently being offered. There is something there for just about everyone. Class sizes are limited, and the date is April 15th, 2023, starting at 9 AM.

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Hickory NC Train Show 2023 – 3/31 … 4/1

Date: Friday, March 31st thru Saturday, April 1st, 2023
Location(s): Hickory Metro Center
Address: 1960 13th Ave Dr SE #5186, Hickory, NC 28602

Hours: Friday, March 31, 2023, Noon to 7 PM
Saturday, April 1, 2023, 9 AM to 3 PM

Admission: Adults $5.00 for both days.  Attendees under 10 years old get in FREE. Free Parking.

Features: There will be over 300 tables featuring model trains in all scales, railroadiana, railroad artifacts and antiques, and 5 large operating model railroad layouts. Admission is $5 per person and free for all under the age of 10. All proceeds from the event will go to the railroad history preservation efforts at the Southeastern Narrow Gauge & Shortline Museum at 1123 N. Main Ave. in Newton, NC, and the Museum will be open regular hours during the show! 

Hickory’s 21st Annual Train Show


ShowMyHobby.com will be occupying 4 of the train tables at the Hickory Train Show. Once you arrive, you will have to find me among the other vendors and attractions. I have lots of NEW and Used trains in very good condition. This year, I currently have a lot of great S scale trains available, almost all of them are in their original boxes in very good condition. The collection includes mostly steam era trains but also includes a couple diesel lines. I have A.C. Gilbert American Flyer by Lionel and many trains by American Models. If you are an S scaler, this will be a great opportunity for you to pick up some additions for your layout or collection. Or, if you are someone interested in starting your own S scale layout, you might be the first lucky person to pick-up the very realistic American Models’ tracks that I have which happen to be enough track to create a double mainline layout. The last time I checked with American Models they were OUT OF STOCK on their large radius curves, and I have enough for a complete circle. But S scale is just the beginning of the fine trains you’ll find at my tables. And if you cannot make this event, it’s okay, you’ll find a few of the items for sale on my website and/or on eBay. Items purchased online will begin shipping on Monday after the show.

I also have lots of great vintage HO scale items, many of them are simply NEW items in their original boxes that are 10, 15, 20 or more years old. Some items are factory-built kits and others are kits that someone put together, but rarely, if ever, ran on a layout. I also have USED trains. The majority of all trains I have for sale are in good to very good condition. I also have BUILDINGS and STRUCTURES. The buildings and structures take up a lot of table space at shows so sometimes it is hard to put those out on the tables. So, if you are interested in HO Scale buildings, please ASK me if I have any if you do not see them out on the tables. I have 1, mostly assembled, AHM 6-stall Roundhouse. If you want this, you have to contact me via my contact us page by 8 pm Friday night as I will have to return home, pick it up and have it at the show on Saturday. If time permits Thursday or Friday evening, I will attempt to post images of this roundhouse on my website. It would be best if you actually purchase it online first which would provide me with enough incentive to drive 2 hours and 15 minutes just to get this one item to the show on Saturday for you to pick it up. I do not have a box large enough to put this mostly assembled item in and you will need at least 3′ x 2′ of flat area in your vehicle to be able to transport this roundhouse. It is made of plastic and almost all of the pieces are present with a small box of pieces that did not get attached or fell off. Although the previous owner built the roundhouse, it was not in place on his layout when I picked it up and it was never installed. It was stored uncovered under the layout when it was consigned. A manual HO scale Atlas turntable is also available separately. This roundhouse is designed for large Steam Engines and actually is supposed to be a scale model of a very large and famous Pennsylvania steam era roundhouse. You may need to research how to incorporate this roundhouse into a layout as the instructions by Heljan (a German manufacturer) does not include how to route track to or through the roundhouse. One of the boxes which contains the spare parts has the original instructions with it. This roundhouse can be yours for $100 cash or plus 3.5% credit/debit. Turntable, steam locomotives, and other accessories are all available and priced separately.

Athearn, Tyco, Bachmann, AHM, Lionel, American Models, S-Helper Service, Life-Like, Atlas, Roundhouse, Model Power, Midwest Products, Shinohara, Campbell, Con-Cor, Faller, MRC, Train-Miniature, and Walthers are just some of the manufacturers that I have from. Road names include everyone from Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe to Western Pacific railroad. So come on out, bring the family, see some model trains, and buy a train or train related item either for yourself, a loved one or as a gift for someone. Incidentally, electronic gift cards are available online on my website so if you need to, buy someone a pre-paid gift card and then send them to the show to pick something out. Obviously, the gift cards only work at my tables or for online purchases on my website.

I am going to have a raffle registration on the table at the show. Fill-out the entry form if you wish to be on my direct emailing list and place your entry in the box. After the show, I will randomly pull one of the entries and email the winner. The prize will be the following display model trains that are currently up for sale on my website as 2 HO-like Classic Trolley Street & Cable Cars. One is the streetcar named Desire and the other is the Powell & Mason streetcar. I will email the winner and ask them to provide their shipping address. Once received, I will ship the prize to them on Monday. Because these are display models, they can easily be used by everyone regardless of whether or not you have an operational HO scale train layout. View the prize items on my website at this link address: https://showmyhobby.com/index.php/product/ho-like-2-classic-trolley-streetcars-cable-car-displays-desire-powell-mason/

The following pictures and videos are from the February 2023 Easley Train Show and represent a walk around of the tables I had there and some of the items I have for sale at the 2023 Hickory Train Show. The S scale Union Pacific Big Boy has been sold and is on its way to a new home in Florida. However, there is currently still another great Union Pacific Northern 4-8-4 Steam Locomotive available ($440) along with 2 different sets of Union Pacific Heavyweight passenger cars (set A 4-pieces [$240] and set B 2-pieces [$120], 6-pieces total [$360]) and a slew of UP freight cars.

ShowMyHobby.com sells trains, train related items, and other collectible items at train shows and online via my website as well as on eBay. Most of the items offered for sale are consigned items. If you a collection of trains you would like to get rid of, you can consign your trains by visiting the following link: https://showmyhobby.com/index.php/consign-your-hobby/. I will be attending other train shows throughout the rest of year which provides a great opportunity for your items to be sold. Many of the items currently available have been consigned by model railroaders getting out of the hobby and by recipients who inherited items from the estates of modelers and collectors. I can help your trains find new homes if you want me to. I prefer HO and N scale trains but can eventually sell most trains. I have a large collection of German and European trains that will be featured at future train shows.

If you are looking for electric model trains and accessories in HO scale, N scale, O scale, S scale and G scale, then attend the train show and stop by tables and check-out the model railroad related items I have for sale. I accept CASH and ALL Plastic Credit or Debit cards. I have Ready-To-Run items and kit items that require assembly. You will find a multitude of great items to choose from at this train show. Whether you are just getting started in model railroading or have been involved in it for a long time, you’ll find something that interest you at the train show and hopefully you’ll find something on my tables that you’ll want to take home and add to your collection or purchase as a gift for someone you know that loves trains.

Happy Model Railroading …

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NC Hickory Train Show – November 21st, 2020

Location
Hickory Metro Convention Center
1960 13th Ave Dr SE
Hickory, NC 28602

Date and Time
November 21, 2020
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Saturday, November 21st, there will be a TRAIN SHOW / NC Railroad Expo at the Hickory NC Metro & Convention Center. located in Hickory, directly off I-40. This train show is a much needed event and the last one this year. It opens at 9:00 AM and ends at 4:00 PM. ShowMyHobby.com will be there with several tables of great G, HO, N, O and S scale model railroad trains and accessories for sale. Items available from ShowMyHobby include Steam and Diesel engine locomotives, train cars (assembled and kits), tracks, buildings (assembled and kits), trucks, trailers, semi-tractor trailers, Intermodal rail cars, trains sets, shipping containers, train ornaments, and other model railroad accessories.

This is an excellent opportunity to get into the World’s Greatest Hobby of model railroading or to add to your train empire or collection. ShowMyHobby has roadname signs and placards, lapel pins, engineer hats for both children and adults, plus tons of modern and older era trains and automobiles. Grab your spouse, the children and even a neighbor or two and come on over to the Hickory Train Show. The concession stand will be open with snacks. Make a day of it. You’ll love it!

Admission is $5 for adults and teens over the age of 12. Mask are required and social-distancing procedures are in place.

ShowMyHobby.com shall be a vendor in attendance at the train show. Cash and plastic are acceptable forms of payment (payment using plastic credit and debit cards incur an additional 3% processing fee). PayPal app users can pay using the app. Currently, there are over 100 items available on the ShowMyHobby website. There will be over 500 items at the show. Items sold at the show will take precedence over items sold online during the day of the show. Most of our items are in original boxes or packaging and are in great shape. Many of our items are new, old stock or opened-boxed items. Some items have been slightly used. At passed shows, we have allowed testing of locomotives. During this show, no testing will be allowed and items will not be allowed to leave our area without payment. Please limit your handling of items to a minimum prior to your purchase.

Not sure where we will be inside the building yet. Once I find out, I will try to update this ad. I will be wearing one of the Blue & White Denim Engineer hats that we sell.

Are you looking for Christmas Gift ideas? Trains are the World’s Greatest Hobby. They make excellent gifts for people. Can’t make it to the show. No problems. Visit ShowMyHobby.com. We now have GIFT Cards available online only for amounts up to $500. Give the train collector and enthusiast in your life a wonderful Christmas gift. Give them a Gift Card so they can get exactly the train item they want or need. Available online only!

The Hickory Train Show is sponsored by the Alexander Chapter- NRHS. ShowMyHobby.com helps promote the show to increase awareness and participation.

  • hickory nc train show
    Hickory Train Show
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Father’s Day Gift Idea

Are you looking for a great gift for Dad, your Grandfather, Brother, or other Male relative?

Now you can give ShowMyHobby.com Gift Cards to anyone. Our gift cards are electronic and are emailed directly to the recipient. They are immediately usable the moment they are received.

In 2020, ShowMyHobby.com has a lot of great Model Railroad trains and train related items available for Father’s Day. We also have some excellent Christmas and train themed ornaments. And there are lot more of each of these items to be listed. So this Father’s Day, give a gift that you know will be well received. If you have a relative that is a model railroader, train enthusiast or ornament collector, by purchasing a ShowMyHobby.com Gift Card, you can select an amount, specify the recipient and when that person receives our email they’ll be able to visit our site, select they item or items that interest them and pay for them using the digital card code that they received. It really is that easy. You’ll be happy and satisfied know you gave them the opportunity to get what they wanted. You won’t have to worry about getting something that doesn’t fit or something they won’t like. They will enjoy the item that they select because they selected it. And who knows what they want better than them?

ShowMyHobby.com Gift Cards! That’s the way to make a father very happy on Father’s Day in the year 2020. And this year, Father’s Day is Sunday, June 20th, 2020.

ShowMyHobby.com Gift Card

ShowMyHobby.com Gift Card

Hobby Gift Card

$20.00 – $500.00
Shop now
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2020 NC Asheville Fletcher Train Show

WNC MODEL TRAIN SHOW

Date: February 28 – February 29, 2020
Location(s): WNC Agriculture Center – Expo Building
Address: 1301 Fanning Bridge Rd, Fletcher, NC 28732
Sponsoring Club Website: WNCMRR.org

Hours: Friday, February 28, 2020  Noon to 7 PM
Saturday, February 29, 2020 9 AM to 5 PM

Free Parking, Admission $6.00 per day Children under 10 FREE with Adult
8 working layouts with over 200 vendor tables.

ShowMyHobby.com will have several tables at the 2020 Train Show this year. We should be located towards the back just in front of the model train layout exhibits. We will have a lot of NEW and Used trains in excellent condition. We encourage you to come out and bring the family to this event. It doesn’t matter if you’re a train lover, modeler, or railfan, you will have a wonderful time viewing the the exhibits and seeing some of the latest and greatest model railroad items on the market plus a few antiques and older stuff too. Marvel at the spectacular things related to the World’s Greatest Hobby!

I will be there offering most of the train items listed for sale on this website plus hundreds of other items that haven’t been listed yet. I have a lot of modern era model railroad trains and accessories in HO scale, N scale, O scale, S scale and G scale. I accept CASH and ALL Plastic Credit or Debit cards. We have items ranging from $2 up to $1200 with the average price being $20 to $150. I have Ready-To-Run items and building kits. You will find a lot a great items to choose from. Additionally, I am accepting train and train related consignments that are mostly like new N scale and HO scale items up until 7 PM on February 25th. If you have trains or train related items that you wish to consign to be sold, let me know as soon as possible. Here is a link to a previous show ad that was held in Gastonia last year: https://charlotte.craigslist.org/wad/d/belmont-get-your-trains-sold-in-june/6885619709.html.

All consigned items need to be received by 7:00 PM on Tuesday, February 25h. Apply using the craigslist link above. You can view and print a spreadsheet to list your items or download a spreadsheet to list your items by clicking this link and attach it to your craigslist email application for the quickest response. View, Print and Sign the Consignment agreement.

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HO HJR SOFTWARE 50′ CSD Boxcar

HJR SOFTWARE (HJRS) is a small computer-business in Belmont, North Carolina. The HO 50′ CSD Boxcar will be an advertising piece for that business. In the real world, HJRS doesn’t have any need to have a real locomotive or any other real train car. As a model railroader, I create layouts that represent fictitious locations. As a hobbyist, I operate model trains. I’m a member of a the Metrolina Model Railroader’s club. Since I spend a good bit of my non-working hours operating model trains, I feel it would be a good way to continue promoting my computer business by placing the company’s name, phone number, contact information, etc. on a complete set of trains. When I joined the train club, I mentioned it might be a good way to help supplement the train club by allowing local businesses to advertise on the club’s layout like sponsors. For many reasons, the club doesn’t like this idea and so it hasn’t been implemented. However, for my own layouts, I choose to incorporate the names of things that are dear to me and HJRS is just one of those things. On one layout I have streets named after family members, business buildings with my own family name on them, etc. In 2018, I decided to make an entire HO scale train set consisting of a locomotive and 7+ cars. The Plus is growing. Some of the train cars were already made cars that were not in the best of shape representing whatever road names were originally on them or they needed a lot of repair. I decided to paint those cars a unique way. Other train cars I built from kits and painted them to be part of the HJR SOFTWARE Train Set. When the CSD offered a box car, I decided to dedicate that car as one of the HJRS train cars and the first one to actually receive the HJRS logo and other signage.

The CSD Boxcar project started the 3rd week of June, 2019 when I attended the CSD meeting where incidentally, I also received the NMRA Golden Spike certificate (I will blog about this eventually). Participating CSD members received the undecorated 50-foot boxcar shell as we were taught how to use a airbrush. For many, this was just additional information to a skill they were already quite familiar with. Although I have several airbrushes, as of late, I haven’t been able to put my hands on them (I’ve misplaced them). I only attempted to use them twice and not with very much success. I did however have some success with buying a Testor’s aerosol airbrushing kit and painted a custom-built covered Hopper for the HJRS Train Set several months earlier. The airbrushing sessions was a real treat for me and I learned quite a bit. Now if I can just find my airbrushes I might be able to use them better henceforth.

I didn’t take any photos of the unpainted boxcar shell when the CSD handed them out to us. I did take some photos after the airbrushing session and then again almost a month after the decal session. Those photos are in the gallery listed below:

On or shortly after the last CSD session in this series, I will post additional photos and comments on the finished boxcar. Now that I have the first set of HJRS decals printed out, I will also be applying the decals to the other train cars in the set and creating posts for those projects as well.

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Henry’s NMRA Rolling Stock Car Standard Scale Weight Calculator

I’ve created a model railroad train rolling stock car standard scale weight calculator.  Use this to determine the standard weight (as defined by the NMRA) of rolling stock cars.  This calculator is very useful for someone building or modifying model railroad train cars.

Henry’s NMRA Rolling Stock Car Standard Scale WEIGHT Calculator

Published 12/05/2018.