Model Railroading > GSMTS Timonium "stand-in" show in MD

Just got back from the GSMTS that is usually held at Timonium MD, but this spring was held at the Marriott Hotel a few exits down 83 from the usual fairgrounds building.  My wife and I went to the 9-12:30 session and it seemed well attended - fairly crowded.  This show even has two 3 1/2 hour sessions each day on Sat and Sun to allegedly space out show goers to make it "safer".  There where quite a few vendors but all in all, not terribly exciting and 3 1/2 hours is way more than enough time to see all the tables and pick though boxes if needed to read lots of labels. The GSMTS was encouraging customers to go to more than one session but really, most would have no reason to go back and pay another $12.

There were no layouts, only vendors, which is how it was advertised. Everything was spread out into 3 large rooms and some wide hallways. Probably 2/3rds of the vendors were selling older models and some long tables with Lionel etc. There few tables with newer items such as ExactRail, Tangent, Moloco, Intermountain and Rapido etc.

My wife and I browsed all the tables twice and by then I hadn't found anything I felt like spending money on. I probably could have bought a few things but my monthly budget was already way overspent (Thanks to Tangent and TCS etc) so I was reluctant to spend unless it was one of a few things I was having a really hard time finding. So I left empty handed after 1 1/2. I didn't get the impression people were buying a lot of stuff so maybe they were already spent out too! There was so much older items there which is common at Timonium shows that many of us walk past but if one was looking for older items, there was plenty to look through.

BTW, it was supposed to be a COVID safe show. If it weren't for probably many older people having gotten vaccinated, it probably would be a super spreader event. Efforts by JSGEARE, who put on the show, were more symbolic that actually effective. They had signs to funnel people through one-way through rooms but it was ignored by many and confusing. People were crowding around tables like always. If I wasn't fully vaccinated, would have felt it wasn't safe. Those who went and weren't vaccinated, were probably at risk for getting COVID due to the crowding all around the event.

All in all, like many, I wanted to get out and see what I could find and the show was roughly what I expected. It reminded me of a summer Timonium show which I went to once but never again after. I wouldn't go back to another one of these - not worth it at that distance and for what it was. This "stand-in" Timonium show was roughly similar to the Greenberg show I go to which are much closer to where I live. Hopefully Timonium will be back in the large fairground building with layouts next fall.

Thanks for the report. if I were you, I would send/forward this to JS Geare when you/we get the follow-up email after the event. I can't imagine that the Sunday afternoon session will be that crowded.  I passed based on the lack of layouts and the demographics of the average attendee. I doubted 6' distancing would be followed.

I would like to make a comment about this or ANY OTHER  show being a being a "super spreader" "event. Since when did COVID become the only "cootie" out there? I can remember "back in the day" while attending a train show and going to use the bathroom, people left without washing their hands. GROSS RIGHT??? No one died. BELIEVE ME, I get we are in a pandemic and close to 500,000 people HAVE died. But this scenario is getting out of control. I would MUCH RATHER  get on with my life AND LIVE IT then to stay at home fearful of being around other people, things and being alone.  YOU'RE GONNA DIE. I just want to have a little fun before doing it.   ×   

Gandydancer, you need to read what you wrote again and think about it. 550,000 humans dead and counting. 

My comment about super spreader was a bit tongue in cheek. But also a little bit not. Hey, you can't help people if they dont want to help themselves live long and prosper. I felt a disturbance in the schwartz before I went and definitely would not have gone had I not had both doses before end of March. Anywho.

Posted from Android

He [GandyDancer] is why I didn't go. I live and work in a county rated "very high risk to exposure" as are the counties near this show. With two siblings in the medical field, I rather err on the side of caution. Although I'm fully vaccinated and regularly tested because of my job, my sons aren't; I normally attend Timonium with them. There's nothing I need at the moment that can't wait to the fall show. I have enough kits that are still awaiting assembly. :)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/21 16:32 by VaCentralRy.

gandydancer4 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would like to make a comment about this or ANY
> OTHER  show being a being a "super spreader"
> "event. Since when did COVID become the only
> "cootie" out there? I can remember "back in the
> day" while attending a train show and going to use
> the bathroom, people left without washing their
> hands. GROSS RIGHT??? No one died. BELIEVE ME, I
> get we are in a pandemic and close to 500,000
> people HAVE died. But this scenario is getting out
> of control. I would MUCH RATHER  get on with my
> life AND LIVE IT then to stay at home fearful of
> being around other people, things and being alone.
>  YOU'RE GONNA DIE. I just want to have a little
> fun before doing it.   ×   



We came together, united to win WWII. Now we can't get together to win the fight against a virus.
Too many "Karens".

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/21 19:17 by needles_sub.

Thanks for the review, it is appreciated.

I didnt go since its a 4 hour drive both ways combined with $12 for 3 hours wasn't a good value for me. A young friend did go and bought a bunch of stuff. He said it was decent overall.

I have little concern for spread-ability as I have been working full time since this started in contact with random members of the public all day long as a tow truck operator. I guess its one of the expendable professions along with store clerks.

I did attend the Raleigh train show last November; it was light attendance. No reports of hobbyists dropping like flies and the dead piled in the gutters.

Michael

No, but there are dead bodies piling up in places like Brazil. Fortunately the US has been vaccinating rapidly a larger potion of the population. I have been working full time in my office through most of pandemic except for a few months when we were required to telework every other week. Interestingly, it's been during the last month 11 positive cases were reported on the 6th floor, 4 on the fourth floor and last week 2 on the lower levels. So it isn't risk free by any means.

Back to the show. If I wasn't so spent out I probably could have picked up a few thing. I didn't see any killer bargains but a lot of "fair" prices. Rapido Flexi Flo hoppers at $49 is about the lowest I've seen them discounted. My search for a couple one or two more plated phase 1 Amtrak Superliner sleepers continues.

Meanwhile back to outside house-work since the HOA woke from 3 years dead recently and are getting ready to hand out hundreds of violations. H8 HOA maybe my new personalized license plate. The pitchforks and torches are gathering in the community!

Cheers,
Jim

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/21 04:28 by SPDRGWfan.

gandydancer4 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would like to make a comment about this or ANY
> OTHER  show being a being a "super spreader"
> "event. Since when did COVID become the only
> "cootie" out there? I can remember "back in the
> day" while attending a train show and going to use
> the bathroom, people left without washing their
> hands. GROSS RIGHT??? No one died. BELIEVE ME, I
> get we are in a pandemic and close to 500,000
> people HAVE died. But this scenario is getting out
> of control. I would MUCH RATHER  get on with my
> life AND LIVE IT then to stay at home fearful of
> being around other people, things and being alone.
>  YOU'RE GONNA DIE. I just want to have a little
> fun before doing it.   ×   

Rethink this statment, Gandydancer.  Last week I lost a niece because of covid19. She was 29 years young.

SantaFeRuss

gandydancer4 is right. Lets get on with our lives. Havent missed a day of work, been around people that had Covid and didnt catch it. They all got over it. Have relatives and friends in the medical field that are around people with Covid all day. None got sick. Does it kill people, yes. But the majority of people that died had underlying health conditions. As far as healthy people that died, how many die of the common flu every year??????????????? Oh yeah, the common flu has been cured. And yes tired of being told to wash my hands. Been doing that since I was a kid. Did the rest of the world live like dirt bags before????????????? If you panty wastes want to live in fear, thats your problem. Dont make the rest of us suffer. Everyday we take our lives into our own hands. Could get killed by a drunk driver. Last time I checked they arent banning alcohol. Miss going to train shows. At least i invite people over to the house to talk trains and they all pretty much agree with me. You people need to watch the Wally movie and see if thats how you want your life to be. Pretty sure Todd Will take down this post.

I just checked the GSMTS/Timonium website and they are showing shows now scheduled for:May 8 & 9, 2021Had I known that, would have not gone to the April 10/11 show, and waited for the May dates which appear to be scheduled for the Timonium Cow Palace.  Oh well.

I find it odd that they would schedule two shows that close together. I just checked their website and it states that all their shows in the Cow Palace are cancelled until further notice. That facility is currently being used for drive in Covid testing.

Posted from Android

JayK Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find it odd that they would schedule two shows
> that close together. I just checked their website
> and it states that all their shows in the Cow
> Palace are cancelled until further notice. That
> facility is currently being used for drive in
> Covid testing.

The website now shows no shows scheduled for the Timonium fair grounds.  Perhaps they thought they were going to get to do it and MD stepped in or something.  Just a day or two ago it showed May 8 and 9 but today they have been removed.  It shows:

ALL REGULAR SHOWS ARE CANCELED/POSTPONED until the Cow Palace at the Timonium, Maryland Fairgrounds once again becomes available. In the meanwhile, we will look for opportunities to hold shows elsewhere in the Baltimore and nearby area.

 

I lost one aunt and two church members. The guy that died in my church, including the pastor, were part of a five-member group that produced the virtual service so people could watch at home. They all tested positive. That member, who died, would refuse to wear a mask at all, including in the church. His wife got it too. It's possbile he caught it in public and infected the group. How's that for a dose of reality? So if you don't care about yourself, give a little consideration to the people around you.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/21 16:25 by wabash2800.

wabash2800 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I lost one aunt and two church members. The guy in
> my church, including the pastor, were part of a
> five-member group that produced the virtual
> service so people could watch at home. They all
> tested positive. One of the members, who died,
> would refuse to wear a mask at all, including in
> the church. His wife got it too. It's possbile he
> caught it in public and infected the group. How's
> that for a dose of reality? So if you don't care
> about yourself, give a little consideration to the
> people around you.
>
> Victor A. Baird
> http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

Victor,  I am sorry to hear that.  I've heard there are even people in the past year dying in hospitals saying with their last breath that COVID is a hoax.   The world truly has gone mad. 

Cheers,
Jim

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wabash2800 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I lost one aunt and two church members. The guy
> in
> > my church, including the pastor, were part of a
> > five-member group that produced the virtual
> > service so people could watch at home. They all
> > tested positive. One of the members, who died,
> > would refuse to wear a mask at all, including
> in
> > the church. His wife got it too. It's possbile
> he
> > caught it in public and infected the group.
> How's
> > that for a dose of reality? So if you don't
> care
> > about yourself, give a little consideration to
> the
> > people around you.
> >
> > Victor A. Baird
> > http://www.erstwhilepublications.com
>
> Victor,  I am sorry to hear that.  I've heard
> there are even people in the past year dying in
> hospitals saying with their last breath that COVID
> is a hoax.   The world truly has gone mad. 
>
> Cheers,
> Jim

Modern medicine can cure many things, but it still can't cure stupid...

Basically.

Posted from Android

There are many factors in decisions in wearing a mask or not. Some people cannot wear one. As someone who MEDICALLY cannot wear a mask, I am tired of everyone saying people not wearing them are stupid. 

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SPDRGWfan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > wabash2800 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I lost one aunt and two church members. The
> guy
> > in
> > > my church, including the pastor, were part of
> a
> > > five-member group that produced the virtual
> > > service so people could watch at home. They
> all
> > > tested positive. One of the members, who
> died,
> > > would refuse to wear a mask at all, including
> > in
> > > the church. His wife got it too. It's
> possbile
> > he
> > > caught it in public and infected the group.
> > How's
> > > that for a dose of reality? So if you don't
> > care
> > > about yourself, give a little consideration
> to
> > the
> > > people around you.
> > >
> > > Victor A. Baird
> > > http://www.erstwhilepublications.com
> >
> > Victor,  I am sorry to hear that.  I've heard
> > there are even people in the past year dying in
> > hospitals saying with their last breath that
> COVID
> > is a hoax.   The world truly has gone mad. 
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Jim
>
> Modern medicine can cure many things, but it still
> can't cure stupid...

ST214 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There are many factors in decisions in wearing a mask or not.
> Some people cannot wear one. As someone who MEDICALLY
> cannot wear a mask, I am tired of everyone saying people not
> wearing them are stupid. 

Maybe it's unfair to call maskless people stupid. But you need to see things from others points of view.  People are dying out there and they are scared.  They see people without masks, in general, as part of the problem.  So when they see people without masks, the logical conclusion is they assume those people just don't care, or are perhaps anti maskers.  I'd guess there aren't many out there who medically cannot wear a mask.  I've never heard of a medical explanation yet in over a year, but give the benefit of the doubt that such a condition exists.

So many places have required masks like planes, stores etc. Do you flat out get refused service?   Understandably many would resist possible exposure and would say sorry, not allowed without a mask.  Stores want to err on the side of caution and people are paranoid and risk averse. Or do you get a doctor's badge to show people sort of like a handicap hang tag?

Even with a badge to show store personnel, they may still consider you a risk and refuse service as potential exposer or spreader which you could be let's be fair. A-symptomatic infected individuals are likely spreaders of Covid.  That's probably how it all got transmitted over here in the first place from China.  People felt fine, got on a plane and the rest is history.  Eleven employees at my office in March were confirmed Covid cases on the 6th floor. And we have a lot of in-place rules and precautions.  Someone obviously spread it around without realizing it.  We are required to wear masks at my office, no if ands or buts.  The only time we can take them off is in our office with the door closed.

Posted from Android



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/21 15:52 by SPDRGWfan.