Railroad Hobby Show — Amherst Railway Society

The Railroad Hobby Show is sponsored by the Amherst Railway Society, which describes it as the largest railroad-themed trade show in America. The show fills four buildings on the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds in West Springfield and covers model railroads, railroad art and photography, railroad history and preservation, tourist railroads, railroad artifacts, and books and videos.

According to the organizer, the event features operating model railroads, railroad historical and preservation societies, travel agencies, and railroad art, photography, videos and books. Major railroad publications and model railroad manufacturers attend, and many use the show to introduce new products. Clinics are offered at the show by manufacturers, exhibitors and experts, according to the organizer.

The show began in the 1960s as a small "Bring & Buy" railroad swap meet on the University of Massachusetts campus and moved to the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds in 1982, when university space was unavailable. It is not the Big E agricultural fair: the organizer notes that the two are different shows held on the same fairgrounds. The Amherst Railway Society uses proceeds from the show to support railroad preservation and restoration projects.

Operating model railroads, exhibitors and dealers, railroad art, photography, books and videos, and clinics, spread over several buildings of the fairgrounds. The organizer also keeps a quiet room for visitors who find the crowd overwhelming.

Better Living Center and the adjacent buildings of the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds (the home of the Big E), 1305 Memorial Avenue, West Springfield, Massachusetts. For GPS the organizer gives 875 Memorial Avenue to reach Gate 9. Parking on the fairgrounds is charged per day. Tickets are sold on the grounds starting one hour before the show opens each day; advance tickets, good for one day or for two, are sold online and exchanged for a bracelet at the gate. Children 15 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Groups arriving by chartered coach can have special parking and tickets ready by calling the show office ahead. Visitors arriving by train get off at Springfield Union Station (Amtrak and the CTrail Hartford Line).