This year was my second year attending the Amherst Railway Society’s Railroad Hobby Show in West Springfield, Mass. and it sure was a great time. After being blown away by the sheer size of the show in 2024, I was ready to experience it again this year, and take it all in. Whether it’s your first time to the show or you’ve been a dozen times, each year brings something new and exciting. So join me as I recount 5 things I loved about Amherst.
Have you attended the show? What are your favorite things about it? Be sure to leave them in the comments below!
The people
Without a doubt one of my favorite parts of this hobby is the people and community behind it, which makes shows like this all the better. I’m able to see friends that I haven’t seen in a long time, as well as make new friends. Case in point — I was able to meet up with two friends of mine, Dylan and Ryan, from the Black River & Western RR. We first met each other at Michigan Tech University’s Rail and Intermodal Transportation Camp back in 2014. Though we’ve kept in touch over the years, we haven’t been able to meet up again until now, a decade later.
People will always be my number one answer when asked about my favorite thing at any show or convention.
The announcements
If you’re looking for new announcements, Amherst is the place to be. Most companies will typically make their first big announcements of the year at the show, and this year was no different. Kicking it off was Lionel announcing its new HO scale 2-8-4 Berkshire featuring ESU LokSound and Pennsylvania RR G38 and G38B hoppers.
ScaleTrains announced SD9 and SD10 diesel locomotives, and Broadway Limited announced even more Berkshires. This is just a taste of everything that was announced, you can find even more in the upcoming May 2025 issue of MR. For all new product announcements, check out Trains.com.
The sneak peeks
Every now and then a manufacturer will give the audience a sneak peek at an upcoming project. That could be Broadway Limited showcasing a brass-hybrid steam locomotive with all of the brasswork exposed, or Atlas displaying the very first 3-D printed samples of its new CF7. At this year’s Amherst show, Rapido Trains gave us the first look at a 3-D printed sample of a Chicago Transit Authority 3200-series subway car. These cars haven’t been announced yet by the company, but it seems like interest in the model by showgoers was high. I know I’m crossing my fingers that an announcement comes soon!
The (real) trains
Since I make the trek out to West Springfield for the models, I typically leave my camera at home — however, that might change next year. The show certainly isn’t in a train desert; in fact, CSX’s West Springfield Yard is just a few blocks away. Even leaving the Walmart parking lot, we were greeted by a CSX manifest led by an AC4400CW in YN2 paint. In addition to CSX’s Berkshire Subdivision and West Springfield Yard, Springfield is served by Amtrak’s Valley Flyer, Vermonter, Northeast Regional, and Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited, along with Amtrak and CTrail’s Hartford Line. The Pioneer Valley RR also operates nearby.
The surprises
On the way to pick me up for our road trip, my friend Michael mentioned that he stopped at a Loves Travel Stop and saw that there were 1:87.1 CAT vehicles inside. Obviously we had to find some for me on our way to the show. Sure enough, one of the first stations we stopped at had a full display of them. Sure, you can find these Diecast Masters vehicles elsewhere, and there were even some at the show. But it’s just different (and fun in my opinion) when you can buy quality vehicles for your layout in a place where you would never expect!
1:87 is great if you model H0. There are those of us who model at 1:160. You know, N scale?