Amherst Railway Society/ “Railroad Hobby Show” – News Release – 12/22/2006

Amherst Railway Society’s ‘Railroad Hobby Show’ Sees a Jump in Attendance!

Hartford, CT/ Springfield, MA, December 22, 2006 – Sudro Brown, ARS President and John Sacerdote, Show Director recently announced that the Amherst Railway Society’s Railroad Hobby Show attendance has shown a huge increase.

The Amherst Railway Society’s annual Railroad Hobby Show – now touted as the largest dollar grossing show in the United States – saw more than 25,000 rail-fans and public at last year’s show.  Attendance has been on the rise for the past few years.  The annual show has been the mechanism for raising a great deal of the money given to deserving organizations each year.  The show has also become a promoter of the hobby through its offerings of “How to” clinics.

This year’s show will run Saturday, January 27th and Sunday, January 28th, 2007.  Hours are from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and 10am to 5pm on Sunday, at the Better Living Center, and the adjacent Young and Stroh Buildings, 1305 Memorial Avenue, West Springfield, MA, 01089.

“We believe the increase in attendance is a direct result of our new theme for the Show,” said John Sacerdote, Show Director.  “We have developed a ‘Hands On’ theme throughout the Show. It’s all about participation…in trying things…finding out how easy – and fun – this hobby is!  We have managed to consistently add more to the show and we don’t seem to stop growing!”

This year, a number of exhibits and workshops or “how to clinics” presented by industry experts will be offered throughout both days.  Included in the line up will be Miles and Fran Hale from the Model Railroading University.  

“It is important to show beginners just how easy some of these techniques can be,” added John Sacerdote. “We are very happy to have Youth in Model Railroading at this year’s Show.  It’s amazing what a group of young kids can accomplish.  Also back from last year is Green Mountain Railroad and their Train Simulator…Take a train out for a test drive...see for yourself!  This is just two of the many things we do to promote this fantastic hobby!”

Since 1991, the Amherst Railway Society of Massachusetts has been making grants to non-profit groups and organizations dedicated to preserving railroad history and restoring railroad equipment and structures.  For further information about the grants program and the Annual Big Railroad Hobby Show, contact John Sacerdote, Show Director, Bloomfield, CT at jsacerdote@recruitinglife.com or Sudro Brown, President, Amherst Railway Society at WCRY_1960@comcast.net, call the Show Office at 413.436.0242 or visit The Amherst Railway Society web site at http://www.amherstrail.org/.