As the cases increased in the Dakota-land (and Minnesota too) the previous Fall, one annual train event did not want to fade away. The Spud Valley Model Show went on as scheduled in October 2020 with the common public wardrobe amendment.
I arrived early and the place was hopping despite the additional face coverings. Many of the same vendors displayed their model trains and hobby wares with one addition from the Twin Cities. Mass gatherings like model train shows in Minnesota pretty much got the kibash, so this one in Fargo was of particular interest to modelers and train enthusiasts. I think it may have been the only show to go on in the 5 state region (ND,MN,SD,IA,WI) since February 2020. A lot of the shows cancelled like Granite City down in St. Cloud, that Upper Midwest show at Century College in the Twin Cities, and the Trains at Christmas Show in Sioux Falls.
So what did I see? Let's take a look.
A Marx set. Seems like a double switcher set. K-line acquired the molding of those switcher sometime after Marx' demised then produced a lot of S2 switchers. They still fetch a good amount but I would be more keen to buy them between 40 to 60 dollars. I have yet to track the K-line one down.
A mix of Lionel Post War and MPC era engines. There was a considerable amount of Lionel this year. I scored some boxed Lionel accessories from MPC era inexpensively- 2 signals, some lights, and a banjo crossing signal.
A box of miscellaneous Marx items.
Toy tractors and construction equipment. I bought handful of tow tractors inexpensively plus an Ertl model of an International Harvester stationary engine.
Donald Duck train toy.
A well travelled HO Train layout. This modular layout visits lots of places each year- libraries, malls, Dalton Steam Thresher's Reunion- but I suspect this was the only time it got out in the last year.
The Greater Sioux Falls Model Train show apparently did go on a few weeks ago at the end of March. I recall Granite City had a date for May 2021 but it looks like that one was cancelled with potential November event on the horizon. Upper Midwest still not going but the big Twin City Model Railroad Museum's event at the State Fair has a date out in July 2021.
So train shows a coming.
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