Brick Model Railroader and PennLUG Travel to the 2018 World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour Show in Monroeville PA

PennLUG, and Brick Model Railroader visited the World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour’s first stop of 2018 this past weekend in Monroeville, just outside of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Both myself and Glenn Holland were filling dual roles supporting our club, PennLUG’s, LEGO® train layout, and representing BMR at it’s first show in 2018.

Ma&Pa no.43 waits in Red Lion for a passenger train to clear the line.

The World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour is about promoting the hobby of model railroading. Sponsored by the Hobby Manufacturer’s Association – Model Railroad Division and by the World’s Greatest Hobby Program, the show is intended to introduce the general public to model railroading in an entertaining, lively and family-friendly atmosphere. The hobby of model railroading has a unique ability to bring the family together in activities that teach many skills. Model railroad skills span from carpentry to artistry, from electrical engineering to historical research. Model railroading is truly the World’s Greatest Hobby.

Lehigh Valley box cab switcher no.100 slips past a wartime Union Pacific train moment.

January 6th and 7th was the tour’s first stop of 2018, taking over the Monroeville Convention Center just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The show hosted 11 operating train layouts, as well as many model train manufactures such as Broadway Limited Imports, Scale Trains, Bowser, Lionel, MTH, Kato, and more.

Being in Pittsburgh territory, PennLUG made sure that the local train history was well represented with several Pittsburgh and Lake Erie RR models, as well as plenty of Pennsylvania RR locomotives and rolling stock.

This was PennLUG’s first show of 2018. And despite getting a late start on organizing for the event, we put together a very well presented train layout. Our LEGO layout was possibly the biggest of any of the model train layouts at the show, and a pretty big hit with the public. We even had a few of the guys from the model train manufacturers at the show coming by to see our work. When guys from Bachmann, and Kato are impressed by your LEGO train layout, you can’t help but smile.

A Norfolk & Western duo, A class and a Y6b, are being serviced in the yard before going out a coal drag.

I really proud of my club and the layout we showed at this event. A lot of hard work and a little bit of anxiety were well worth the payoff. Everyone involved enjoyed the show, talking to people about our models, and just having fun running trains. Hopefully the WGH show makes another stop in Pennsylvania next year. You can be sure we will be there if they do.

Photos from the show can be found here.

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmcfg6dh

And Glenn Holland put together an excellent video blog from the show detailing everything from loading the trailer to tearing down. Check it out.