San Ramon Train Show

A couple of Sundays ago, March 22, 2015, Frank, Alex, and I went to a model train show. It was held in a grand ballroom of the San Ramon Marriott Hotel. The outdoor setting just adjacent to the hotel was quite pretty. We came upon this surprise water feature when circling around the wrong parking lot. If you have to be somewhat lost, this was a pleasurable place to be.

With the carpeted floors and the chandeliers, the grand ballroom venue had quite a different feel from other train shows. Tables were of a uniform size and each was draped in a dignified black cloth. Here is a view from one end to the other with Frank about midway in the light blue shirt directly under the closest chandelier on the left.

One of the first items that caught me eye when we entered the show was this Lionel train set from the late 1950's. In 1957 Lionel had the inspiration that trains sets could be for girls, too. It is debatable whether this was an early foray in the interest of in gender equality or, less altruistically, a fiscal venture to expand the market. The set was produced in pastels that were thought to appeal to girls such as Robin's Egg Blue, Buttercup Yellow, Pink, Lavender, and Sky Blue. This set  has mint green box car, too. The idea that girls, like boys, might want realistic looking trains, either did not occur to the manufacturer, or was dismissed as an unlikely preference of girls. 

In any event, the set was a miserable failure in the sales arena. It is reputed that some dealers even resorted to painting the sets in hopes of being able to sell them. But now they are considered a rarity. The $2600 price posted on this set is not at all unreasonable among collectors. I read at one site that in 2004 an original 1957 girls edition set sold at auction for $16,000. This set was in neither Frank's price range nor (fortunately) interest range. We do have two granddaughter, but I mean... really?

Another rarity at this show appealed a lot to Alex. We encountered two very friendly dogs that Alex got to pet and accept kisses from. One was a dachshund...

... and one was a black lab.

Alex and I chilled by spending a bit of time in the hotel lobby people watching while munching on a snack of chips and M&Ms. Frank made some purchases he was happy with – but not $2600 worth! After the show we fit in two quick games of bowling, a Sunday staple for Alex. All-in-all, we had a good, leisurely time that day.