Railshow 2022 pulls into Idaho Falls this weekend
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IDAHO FALLS — The Eagle Rock Railroad Historical Society has a treat in store this weekend for model railroad enthusiasts. Railshow is back at the Idaho Falls Rec Center this Saturday and Sunday after a two-year absence.
Railshow is a two-day celebration of model railroading, featuring model train displays, vendors selling anything anyone interested in the hobby could need, door prizes and more.
“We’ve been doing this show almost every year since 1989,” ERRHS spokesman David Shaw told EastIdahoNews.com. “It started out very, very small in a warehouse, and we moved from there to the Country Club Mall and did shows there for a while. And then we finally got a good deal at the Rec Center and moved into the basement of the Rec Center in 1998.”
Since then, Railshow has grown into a popular draw for exhibitors, vendors, and model railroad fans from all over the West. The show features trains of all different scales and sizes, from trains large enough to ride on to trains you can barely see.
“We don’t have a hobby store in town anymore, so people in Idaho Falls really look forward to the railroad show,” said Shaw. “They get a chance to look at new stuff and old stuff and buy it without having to drive to Salt Lake or Boise.”
One highlight sure to delight people who come out to Railshow will be the displays by two LEGO railroading groups. With the massive popularity of LEGOs, it gives Railshow attractions that will appeal to people beyond the typical model railroading fanbase.
“LEGOs go in as many directions as railroading can,” Shaw said. “You can be into anything. You can be into ‘Star Wars’ or dinosaurs and play with LEGOs. And you can be into trains and play with LEGOs.”
Whatever kind of railroading you decide to participate in, be it LEGO or otherwise, there is a myriad of aspects to the hobby that will appeal to everyone from technicians to artists.
“Dave likes to say railroading is a hobby of a thousand hobbies,” said ERRHS spokesman Doug Atwood. “Everything from basic electronics and electricity to the engineering that goes into building your benchwork. What I tend to enjoy more is the creative side of doing your scenery work and being able to exercise those artistic muscles deciding where you want to put trees or how you want this hillside to look?”
Events like Railshow and organizations like the Eagle Rock Railroad Historical Society give railroaders a chance to meet like-minded people who excel at all different aspects of the hobby and learn new skills.
“Not everybody is going to be good at all those elements of model railroading,” Atwood said. “One of the benefits of belonging to an organization like the ERRHS or any other model railroad club is that you can find people who are good at those other elements who can help you and teach you. We teach each other all the time: new methods, new techniques of how to do things.”
Whether you’re new to model railroading or you’re a veteran, Railshow can be a perfect venue to establish connections, pick up new ideas or skills and grad cool gear for your collection. It’s also a great place to admire the model train mastery of others, which could spark your desire to get into the hobby or expand your model railroading empire.
Railshow 2022 chugs into the Idaho Falls Rec Center this Saturday, Oct. 8 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is $4 per person. People who bring in two cans of food, which will be donated to the Idaho Falls Food Bank, can get in for $3.00. Kids 10 years old and under are free.
Click here if you’d like more information on the Eagle Rock Railroad Historical Society or if you’d like to join the group.
