I know, I know – it has been too long since you last heard from me. My last note to you was The Night Before Christmas at “44.” I am alive and well, but just do not know where my days go, but also know that I am way behind filling you in, and documenting for myself, on many of my 2023 adventures, including:
July — my shore explorations on the St. Lawrence River
October — a unique cruising on the Champlain Canal
December — again enjoying the Inndulgence Tour in nearby Vermont
December — and, also enjoying the holiday tour in the Manchester, VT area
and, I am sure there are a few other shorter adventures.
Besides “getting lost” playing with my toys and collections, and working to deaccession things so others may enjoy them, I found another “cozy mystery” author that I cannot put down. In the last month I have read twelve titles in Lorna Barrett’s “Booktown Mystery” series. Making it easy is by using the LIBBY app through my local library — see if your library offers this service. If a book you wish to read is available as a Kindle download, you can “check it out.” Fortunately I had installed a decade ago the Kindle app on my 12+ year old iPad, and I am all set. LIBBY you interface with on your phone to find, check-out, and download a title. RAY RECOMMENDS – get LIBBY, and read the BOOKTOWN MYSTERY SERIES.
AMERICA’S LARGEST — I attended briefly in 2015, and then spent many hours in 2019 — LARGEST – yes with four buildings, 370,000 square feet (which is about 6 ½ football fields of area), over 300 exhibitors, crowd of over 20,000 in two days — it is the AMHERST RAILWAY SOCIETY – RAILROAD HOBBY SHOW – America’s largest railroad-themed trade show. Held on the grounds of the BIG-E in Springfield, Massachusetts, I wanted to go last year again, but sadly forgot, but on my September Train Trek, in the “goody bag” was a flyer for this year’s show, and I kept it in view since. I went on Saturday, and with the threat of snow on Sunday and the playoff games, all 20,000 people were there with me – you know “I do not do crowds.”
I prefer old and vintage – with trains that would be Standard Gauge, 1930s and earlier. But still it is fun to see the newer “O” Gauge, the layouts, accessories, buildings and the like. Also exhibiting are train museums and railroad groups to learn about. I toured all four buildings in 4 1/2 hours on my feet (remember now three back surgeries), but did not, and could not study all the booths and exhibits. Table exhibits had much for sale. One of the first things I saw was the “tear-drop” camper and truck below. Tempted for $30, but not really a fit for my vintage camper toy collection.
Many, many exhibits of train equipment, but I do not recall ever seeing a table full of accessory people for train layouts.
so many buildings for your layouts were on exhibit – made, and also kits – many of them having pieces cut by lasers,, ready for you to punch out and assemble.
you may not know that for over 30 years I have been collecting models of diners. In 1957, while on TV, I told Bert Parks I wanted to own a diner. Well, I do own almost 30 of them in miniature. Since they are ideal in train layouts I was hoping to find one to buy I did not have. But alas, none for sale that I saw, but this was on a layout – one I had not seen before.
and not to be left out, several displays had model boats and ships.
and, in one display a complete amusement park.
I hoped to also to see exhibits of train museums and train rides and excursion that I may not have known about. And, I was successful in collecting a number of rack cards to view, study, and plan road trips. Most amazing to learn about was the Lenox, Massachusetts, station and museum. Not in “downtown” Lenox I learned (I know the town) but in a little “berg” two miles west of my favorite US Route 7. Over six decades driving on US 7, and I had no idea — ROAD TRIP. Here do take a look at some of the rack cards I brought home, and plan your trips.
I regret to tell you that I did not purchase any “toys” for Ray — BUT, a pleasant surprise for me was my purchase of just over 100 railroad books to “play with.” And, that is what I have been doing since returning home.
Hopefully more coming soon in this New Year – Gary and I are trying to schedule a “six hour tour” – by train of course.
Stay well, yours, RAY
Shunpiking with Ray 
What a fascinating trip for you…tailored made for your distinct pleasure! My brother in law is a model train fanatic, but unfortunately, has Parkinson’s and is homebound. Thanks for including me in your virtual trips. Much appreciated. Carol
Libby is great for ebooks but the selection certainly depends on your library system.
Our library system used to use Libby but switched to a different ebook software (and based on other things from our library, I’m sure it was a cost saving measure). That new software doesn’t have the vast selection Libby did.
Those accessory people so remind me of our train platform each Christmas when I was a kid! We had metal and plastic accessory people and I remember my mother saying she painted the plastic people when she was young. I’m pretty sure I have those people stored away with that train set. I have only put it up a few years recently but when our boys were younger, they were told that when they hear the train whistle on Christmas morning, it was okay to come downstairs.
They recently mentioned waking to that on Christmas mornings.
Thanks for the walk down memory lane, Ray!
I’m really, really sorry that I missed this show. I’ve never been there! Can I ask what you are planning for adventures in April or May? Or, do you have any ideas for where I could go? I live near Greenfield MA and I’m plumb out of ideas for Franklin County MA. I was thinking of the Daffodil Festival in Meriden CT until I saw previous photos–way too big and crowded.