View of a very small
section of the gym

For over 27 years the Northwest Jersey Train-O-Rama, The Dover Show has assumed the distinction of being one of the NYC Metro area's premier Train show events. What has given this show its longevity is the great scope and variety of vendors the show attracts.

All gauges from N through G were are always well represented. With vendors offering just about every item imaginable for model railroading, including Locomotives, Engines, Rolling Stock, Track, Transformers, Hook-up wire, Electronics and Scenic supplies. However, the show is not solely devoted to Model Railroading, as a decent number of vendors offer all types of Railroad Artifacts, such as Time Tables, Calendars, Prints, China, Lanterns and even Hats and Clothing.

Shows are held several times a year in the Dover High School Gym and Cafeteria, with a combined table count of around 350 vendor tables. Collector attendance is so great that show management posts direction sign flags on the end of the rows, for crowd control. This ensures an orderly flow of foot traffic in the halls. At this past show, both halls were very busy until around 1:00 p.m. when the halls appeared to thin out a bit. But I noticed collectors entering the show until around 2:30 p.m.

We participated in the show held this past Sunday, November 30, Thanksgiving weekend, and it was a great show for us.. After all, what's a better way for an O-Gauge hobbyist and his granddaughter to spend the Sunday after Thanksgiving, than at a good train show.

My focus is O-Gauge railroading and I was not disappointed. Bargains were in abundance, but you had to look carefully and fine tune your hunting skills to sometimes dive under a table or have the patience to look through boxes of train stuff.

I found some Gargraves operating track sections, new in the box and priced at $5 ea. I put them aside to use on my new layout. An hour after the doors opened I stumbled across a vendor who was getting out of 3-rail O-gauge and was starting in 2-rail O-gauge. After a little friendly haggling I walked away with a Mint in Box, MTH UP M10000, and a Commodore Vanderbilt, both with Pro Sounds, two for the bargain price of $150 each or $300 for the pair. I was after a M10000 since it was first offered by MTH and kicked myself for passing one up at the Wayne show a couple of years back for $225. Turns out that the Commodore Vanderbilt's box was signed by Mike Wolf. Other additions to my collection were some nice Marx Litho tinplate cars. Ten Lionel replacement boxes and some repro Lionel Billboards.

One vendor, who cleans out homes and basements, brought along a huge amount of mixed manufacturer postwar O-gauge, and a large amount of fairly current MTH and Lionel His merchandise was unceremoniously dumped on three tables for the frenzied crowd to pick through . I noticed some boxed MTH steamers with Proto Sounds Priced at $160, and passenger cars and rolling stock at $20-$25 ea. Most of the MTH and Lionel was used and wound up being sold by the end of the show. From the vantage point at my tables, I watched as collectors cherry-picked through his tables. By the end of the show, it appeared that he had sold about two-thirds of his merchandise, except for three Lionel ZW transformers, which he took home.

I spoke with a few big time vendors of new Lionel and MTH and all agreed that there was little action in rolling stock, but brisk action in Locomotives. I trust their statements, but we did a brisk business in selling off various new Lionel and MTH cars. May be their comments can be attributed to the near list price so many of them had priced their stock at? But prices were all over the place and varied from list price to half of list price, depending on the vendor.

When I asked one well known prewar/postwar vendor how did he do at the show, he didn't say a word. He simply smiled as he pulled out of his pocket and held up an enormous wad of folding money! Robert Salerno of RGS commented that one of his best sellers was his RGS Budweiser Tank Car, and his Santa Operating Car.

O-gauge starter sets also appeared to be selling briskly, as well as track and operating accessories which were being purchased by families looking to add on to their Christmas layouts.

Tommy & Katelyn enjoying
the Independent High
Railers Layout

The O-Gauge highlight of the show was the outstanding 44 x 16-foot three main line operating Hi-Rail Layout sponsored and operated by the Independent Hi-Railers, which was operating in the cafeteria. One of the members of the Independent Hi-Railers said to me: "this is a kids show." and he was so right. Moms and dads with their children were enjoying the show and were paying special attention to the operating layout. Many kids were content to stand and stare as the trains were running, and required gentle coaxing from their parents to get them away from the layout. Almost all I spoke with agreed that it was a good show and commented that they would be back in for the December show.

The next Dover show is scheduled for Saturday, December 20^th. It will be held in the Gym. It's the show that takes the place of the show that they used to host in the Armory. See you there.

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