Continuing Big Train Show coverage

The attendance was clearly composed of 45 years plus -- maybe 35 years in some instances.
The children's layout did have three kids - with adults operating the controls also.

Two cautions:
1- If attending at the opening bell, be sure to ask if the parking lot is full. Parking, $6, was being sold for the lot directly fronting the convention center when clearly the lot was full. After driving aimlessly among some twenty other cars, people were asked to park across the street. Time: 9:45 AM. Parking is assured across the street from the center.
2- On Saturday the 10 Freeway (San Bernardino), when driving east, was being worked on directly at the Vineyard Exit. The exit was not available. IF that is the case on Sunday, use the next exit (Archibald), exit south and take a right on Holt back towards Vineland. The convention center will be on your right.
Wendell

I wouldn't worry too much about the lack of "under 45" folks at the conventions or shows. It's not that we're not involved in the hobby, we just lack the finances and vacation time to make many trips over the course of the year. The Phoenix convention was very much predominantly the retired crowd. (Or was that Phoenix in general? ) If it weren't for the fact that I have family down in Tucson who had yet to meet Allison or Suzi--and this was a good excuse to get down there--we probably wouldn't have gone. Had my parents not been going down too, I know we wouldn't have bothered. There are too many other vacation destinations we'd like to check out to make attending a convention a primary travel consideration.

Truth is, I'm not sure I'll take my family to a convention for a few years. I spent so much time just keeping my eye on Suzi in the dealer hall that I never got a chance to go through like I really wanted to in order to ask questions and really see what was being offered. When I learn more about what the dealers had by reading the posts here than I did by physically walking through the halls, you know something's off-kilter.

Later,

K