SO what’s the story?
Where dates announced?
The location is Timmonium (sp?), and that is a suburb of Baltimore? I think somebody said it was a Fair Grounds, can that be described better by someone from the area?
It might be as soon as , less than 360 days. So we got to get planning. 
Timonium would be proper and I would say the grounds are a little hilly but still fair. Might could also be held in the Cow Palace there but your take on that may vary (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
The MD state fairgrounds should be a fine venue for ECLSTS. Timonium is north of I695, the Baltimore beltway, by a few miles, right off I 83, very easy to get to. It is NOT in Baltimore. About 45 minutes south of York, PA. Like the Expo Center, it has a racetrack, and multiple buildings for various public events, and was originally used for a lot of livestock and agricultural events. These include at least 5 train shows yearly, the GSMTS which has many hundreds of tables and layouts, and is of course an all scales show. The grounds are also immediately adjacent to the light rail line. The area is heavily developed with stores, restaurants, hotels and the like. I would assume that ECLSTS would be held in the “Cow Palace” which is the largest venue there, comprising 3 rooms, not unlike the York show.
Hope to see you all there next year.
Jerry
The best answer I could get was that the person they had to sign the contract with was on vacation until this past Monday. Date: I dunno.
There are 3 good sized rooms that the GSMTS uses, much larger than York. Their website shows THEIR OFFICIAL HOTEL as the Holiday Inn Express. I have not checked it out, as we never stayed overnight. Maybe Cliffy could visit and give us a review and see if they have a Susquehanna Room.
Well, there IS a Holiday Inn Express in Hunt Valley - about 10 minutes from the Fairgrounds. They have the McCormick room on the ground floor; They claim it’s 24’ x 24’ (576 square feet) and if set up in a “Reception Style” it can accomodate 100 people. I guess we will have to wait and see…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)
Wow. They seemed confused. Earlier they state “750 + sq ft meeting room with AV services all std supplies, Banquet room, catered meals, Banquest menus or Bring our own preapproved meal. Social , corporate, family, bridal, government event venue. Call Sales dept.” And “Largest Room Capacity:75”
So, they DO have a room and it has some amount of square feet; it can hold some number of folks in some capacity… YMMV.(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
So what does GSMTS stand for?
Guessing, I came up with the GREAT SOCIETY OF MODEL TRAIN SUPPORTERS?
Maybe - GREAT SMOKEY MOUNTAIN TRAIN SHOW?
GREAT STEAM MODEL TRAIN SHOW?
GARY’s STEAM MODEL’s and TRAIN SHOW?
GONNA SMOKE MY TRAINS SHOW?
Any other ideas?
Ric Golding said:
So what does GSMTS stand for?
Guessing, I came up with the GREAT SOCIETY OF MODEL TRAIN SUPPORTERS?
Maybe - GREAT SMOKEY MOUNTAIN TRAIN SHOW?
GREAT STEAM MODEL TRAIN SHOW?
GARY’s STEAM MODEL’s and TRAIN SHOW?
GONNA SMOKE MY TRAINS SHOW?
Any other ideas?
Try Great Scale Model Train Show…
Andy Clarke said:
Ric Golding said:
So what does GSMTS stand for?
Guessing, I came up with the GREAT SOCIETY OF MODEL TRAIN SUPPORTERS?
Maybe - GREAT SMOKEY MOUNTAIN TRAIN SHOW?
GREAT STEAM MODEL TRAIN SHOW?
GARY’s STEAM MODEL’s and TRAIN SHOW?
GONNA SMOKE MY TRAINS SHOW?
Any other ideas?
Try Great Scale Model Train Show…
Girl Scouts mean tough stuff!
Google is your friend Ric
Yup, I was told we wuz gonna be in da Cow Palace. Welp, at shouldnt be too bad for some ah us. Some ah us growed up on a farm. Some ah us growed up widt cuntry folk, and den dare is Rooster.
Never to soon to plan, I hope to make it next year, just gotta remember to keep my wallet at home, or win the lotto by then hahaha
Great Scale Model Train Show = it was right on the tip of my tongue.
Biggest downside to HI Express is no restaurant or bar unless there is one close by (as in walking distance). Yes they do offer a free breakfast and their cinnamon rolls are good but no other eats. We did HI Express once in York and their meeting room was claustrophobic. I would rather pay more for a spot with more amenities. Maybe I’m lazy but I don’t like to go wandering around in a strange (to me) area looking for a place to get a nice dinner and needing to limit myself to what I can consume alcohol wise and not risk getting a DUI on the way back to my hotel !
The Fairgrounds web page lists 8 hotels nearby
http://www.marylandstatefair.com/general-info/restaurants-hotels
and Google maps lists 14 near the fairgrounds
Choices, choices…
I agree its nice to walk or be rolled back to your room after being over served. Can one of you local guys spy out the room at the Show hotel, just to see how large it is, in comparison to the Sesquahanna Room?
How about a restaurant or sports bar with a conference room walking distance to the Show hotel? I know this is asking a lot, but consider that you are doing for the good of the cause.
It looks like the HI Express is up the road a few miles. However there’s a HI near the fairgrounds with a bar and restaurant. It also appears that there is a Chilies within walking distance.
Funny, half the site for the ECTS / ECLSTS is “East Coast Train Show” and the other half is “East Coast Large Scale Train Show”…
they only have eclsts.com not ects.com (ects.com is Emerald Coast Title Service).
I wonder how much longer the LS will stay in the web site…
Greg
OK, since I am going to the train show at Timonium on Saturday 6 April, I have contacted the nearby Holiday Inn and asked about a room for our Friday night social (drag and brag) event on what I assume is Friday 27 March, 2020, the date is not critical at this time.
They, of course will be happy to work with us. So I have an appointment to visit the hotel on Saturday afternoon after I leave the show to scope it out.
Will report back after that takes place.
Regards
Jerry
GO JERRY! You da man. I appreciate your efforts.
Doc, I was doing the same thing and wondering about restarants in the area on Google Earth. Looks liek a nice area.
Greg, My thoughts also. Other scales may creep in or the Large Scale may be added to another show. What we’ve witnessed at York in the first part of this Century was truly unique and should be remembered and celebrated. What comes in the future should be embraced. Its all good!
