While toy train events and train shows are held throughout the year, July is a banner month for these events. With the Fourth of July celebration and the onslaught of summer vacationers you are not going to have to look hard to find a toy train event to attend. However, before you hit these events you need to prepare yourself for a few challenges.

The first challenge of July train events is that you are going to have to deal with summer crowds. This means that parking is going to be more difficult and expensive and navigating your way through the show is going to be more difficult.

Another challenge that you will face will be getting to the prized toy trains before someone else does. To avoid this problem you will need to study the layout of the toy train show before you arrive, if possible, and to develop a plan of attack. This will usually mean that you will need to focus your tour of the site on the booths that you are the most interested in. For example, if you want to buy classic toy train table plans

The third challenge that you will need to deal with is the weather. The summer months are hot, humid and potentially stormy. These issues need to be planned for, especially if you have a hard time dealing with the heat or if you will be attending the show with children.

Tips

To make July toy train events more enjoyable plan your visit ahead of time. Learn where things will be and where the best items will be. Next pack for the weather and climate. Bring water, snacks and cooling devices, if they are allowed. If not, plan on buying food and drink at the event. It is important to stay hydrated and fueled during your summer toy train event outing.

The end of July looks great if you are looking for family toy train events to attend, or if you are looking to find a great deal on educational toys for children. The first event that you can attend is the Hamburg Dutch Train Meet. It is scheduled for July 27 and will be held at the Hamburg Fire Company Field House, which is located at 4th and Pine Street in Hamburg, Pennsylvania 19526. This event will run from 9 in the morning until 1 in the afternoon. Tables cost $17 and general admission is $4. Kids under 12 get in free. Here you will find all sorts of toy trains, train videos and DVDs, books, snacks and lots of train activities.

The second event that you can attend next week is the TTOS SP DIV. Toy Train Show. This event is scheduled for the 27th and will be held at the Brookhurst Community Center, located at 2271 West Crescent Ave, Anaheim, California 92801. It will run from 12:30 until 3:30 and admission will be $5 per person or family group. Here you will find toy train layouts, a kids corner, snack bar and a toy train auctions.

The final event that you can attend next week is the All Aboard for Thomas and Friends! This special Thomas and Friends Train Event will be held on the 31st at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad located at 119 Front Street, Dillsboro, North Carolina 28725. This is an all day event with an admission price of $18. This price will get you a 25 minute train ride on Thomas the Tank Engine, and access to a variety of Thomas and Friends activities. This is a great family event that you won’t want to miss.

Before you show up at one of these event to buy collectibles, research the items that you are interested in. One blog that offers insights into the world of toy trains is Trenielettrici. A strange name I know but an interested blog site.

Next week you will find several great end of summer toy train events to attend. The first event is the 2008 O Scale National Convention. It is scheduled for July 23-26. It will be held at the DCU Center located at 50 Foster Street in Worcester, Massachusetts 01608. This event offers over 50,000 square feet of toy train displays, layouts and vendors tables to explore. One of the highlights of this event is the 27 foot by 8 foot Southern New England Module Layout. If you will be shopping for Brio trains then make sure you learn about Brio history to ensure you know what to look for in a Brio collectible.

The second event that you can attend next week is the UPHS 2008 Convention. This event is also scheduled for the 23rd through the 26th. It will be located at the Capital Plaza Hotel, 1717 SW Topeka Blvd, Topeka, Kansas 66600. Here you will find a swap meet, tours, toy train layouts, Bob the Builder Toys and lots more. Members get a sneak peak from 8 am until 9 am. The general public will be admitted to the event from 9 a.m until 5 p.m. Admission costs $5 for adults, $2 for kids 6-12 and kids under 6 get in free.

The third event you can attend next week is the Trains Enthusiasts Night. It is scheduled for the 24th and will be held at the Morris Arboretum, 100 Northwestern Ave., Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania 19118. This event will run from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Here you will find toy train activities, tours, model layouts and vendors’ displays.

Recently I ran across another great toy train blog that you might be interested in. It was called A-Moro Toy Trains. Visit this site for more information on the hobby of toy train collecting and modeling.

Next week there are a few interesting toy train events that you can attend. The first option that you have is the Lionel Operating Train Society Event. It is scheduled for July 7 through the 12 and will be held at the Holiday Inn South Bend/South Bend Century Center. This site can be found at 120 S. St. Joseph Street in South Bend, Indiana. Here you will find a lot of great toy train collections including wooden train track displays, layout tours and modular layouts.

Your second option is the Castle Farms Garden Railroad Grand Opening. This event is scheduled for July 12. It will be located at Castle Farms, which can be found at 5052 M-66 North, Charlevoix, Michigan. This event will run from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The Grand Opening celebration will be free, however, other times admission will be about $6 per person. This is a great place to get ideas for your own train table plans and layouts.

Your third option is Greenberg’s Train and Toy Show. It is scheduled for July 12 through the 13. It will be held at the Pittsburgh ExpoMart, which can be found at 105 Mall Blvd, Monroeville, Pennsylvania. It will be open to the public Saturday and Sunday from ten in the morning until four in the afternoon. Admission is free for kids under 12 and $7 for adults.

Upcoming blogs are going to focus on toy train table plans and projects. Post your ideas below and we may feature your story here. One upcoming project is how to design hot wheels table plans.

The week of the Fourth of July holiday is always a hot week for special events. During this holiday week you will find train events all over the country. Your first option is the Southeast Old Threshers’ Reunion. This event is scheduled from July 1 through the 5. It will be located at the Denton FarmPark, which can be found at 1072 Cranford Road in Denton, North Carolina. The event will run from 8 in the morning until 8 in the evening. The admission fee will be $13 for adults, $6 for kids under 12 and preschool kids get in for free. If you are just interested in a train ride then the price will be $5 for adult, $4 for kids under 12 and free for kids under 2. This is one of the biggest steam and gas machinery shows in the country, and a great place to get ideas for the layout of your toy wooden train sets.

The second event scheduled for the first week of July is the Flying Yankee Open House and Tour. This even is scheduled for July 5, and it will be located at the Hobo Railroad on Main Street, Rte. 112, in Lincoln, New Hampshire. This event will run from 10 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon. The admission is free, but donations are appreciated. At this event you will find the inspiration for your toy train bridges and other pieces. You will also be able to take a tour of the Flying Yankee, which is a Stainless Steel train from the 1930s.

The third event that you can attend next week is the Prince William County Model RR Club Layout Open House. This event is also scheduled for the fifth of July. It will be located at the Quantico VRE Depot, which can be found at 550 Railroad Street in Quantico, Virginia 22134. This event will run from ten in the morning until four in the afternoon. Again the admission is free for this event. At this event you will be able to tour the facility and explore great train layouts.

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