Great Train Expo In Denver This Weekend

Due to a glitch, I just found out that the events calendar was missing a very important date. I fixed the glitch, but just in case you missed it, here's the announcement:

The Great Train Expo will be in Denver, Colorado this weekend. One of the larger train shows in the Rocky Mountain region, the expo will have vendors selling all things rail related, especially model railroads, as well as modular clubs in scales G, O, HO, N and Z, all showing their latest builds and acquisitions. Combine it with a trip to Caboose Hobbies, and you've got a high chance of getting what you're looking for.

The Expo will be held this Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the National Western Stock Show complex near the mousetrap, I-70 and I-25 just northwest of downtown Denver (Get directions).


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Tickets at the door are $7.00, and kids under 12 are free.

Here are some Featured Tips:

• The National Western site has several maps, one of which (PDF) details the location
• Admission is good for both days
• A few amusements and at least one soft drink vendor is available, so bringing a little extra cash will be helpful
• On the PDF map,
• The Great Train Expo is usually in the Hall of Education on the main level
• Parking just across the street in lot A will likely be $5 per vehicle. It is possible to find street parking, but you will be walking for some distance
• Lot A is unpaved rock with dirt, although it does have handicapped parking and the curbs are ramped
• Enter the first set of doors from the south (from lot A, they'll be to your left) marked Will Call and purchase tickets at the windows to your right as you enter
• Although food of some sort (popcorn?) likely will be available inside the venue, grabbing lunch before you enter the expo would be wise. Google Maps has a list of restaurants in the area. If you feel like a burrito, I'd recommend Denver's own Chipotle. There aren't many near the Expo, but they're awesome, fresh, filling, and definitely worth the trip!
• If you go Saturday, the Forney Museum of Transportation has their relatively new facility just on the other side of the Denver Coliseum at 4303 Brighton Boulevard. While it's not exclusively trains, Forney has UP 4005, one of the eight preserved Union Pacific Big Boy 4-8-8-4 coal-fired steam locomotives, the world's largest. It's now indoors to make preservation much easier and keep the engine accessible year round. Railcars like the Rio Grande dining car Pikes Peak, a caboose, and a rotary snowplow round out the modest collection. They're open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM. Visit the Forney museum site for rates and more information.
• As mentioned above, Caboose Hobbies is a great compliment to the show. It's a regional-sized model railroad store with a very knowledgeable staff and extensive stock including brass consignment. Giving the store 30 minutes isn't nearly enough time! 

Looking forward to seeing you there!