Facility

Hara Arena is one of the Dayton area's premier show and exhibit facilities. The Dayton Train Show occupies both the East Exhibit Hall and the Ballarena, totaling over 59,000 square feet of show space. Plenty of free parking is adjacent to the building. In addition, the Food Court is open and we use additional space for the Boy Scout Merit Badge program. A map and directions are available HERE. All areas are handicap accessible.

Dates & Times

The Dayton Train Show will be on November 1 and 2, 2008. Doors will be open 11 am to 5 pm on Saturday and 11 am to 4 pm on Sunday.

Dealers

Over 300 tables are available on the dealer floor. This area is brightly lit and laid out with double-wide aisles to make it possible to browse and shop without crowding. Access to dealers is easy even at the busiest times of the day. Our participating dealers come from all over the eastern US and make available a wide variety of mechandise, including both model and toy trains and railroad memorabilia. Vendors providing custom modeling services, such as painting and decals are in attendance. There is an abundant variety of parts and tools.

Layouts & Demonstrations

The Ballarena will feature a large number of operating layouts in a wide variety of scales, from the tiniest "Z" scale to the glorious large-scale garden layouts. A number of groups from around the country combine to build a huge N-Trak modular layout. In addition there will be demonstrations by some of the best modelers in the nation. They will be displaying their skills and will be available for questions and advice. For a little hands-on experience, the Crossroads Railroad Club sponsors a "Build-a-Car" clinic. There is something for everyone here. Layout photographs from our show appear on websites from as far away as Australia!

Boy Scout Merit Badge Class

A BSA Railroading Merit Badge Class is conducted each day of the show. This class is sponsored by Division 3 with support from local dealers and show vendors, and is offered at no cost to the participants. Advance reservations are required, as the classes are very popular and fill quickly, with a waiting list for any cancellations. Click HERE for additional information and a copy of the flyer in .pdf form.

Drawings & Prizes

Each paid admission includes an entry for the hourly door-prize drawings. Prizes include a wide variety of items provided by local dealers and show vendors. Members of Division 3 build a layout annually which is raffled off at the show. These layouts are complete with scenery, buildings, a locomotive and cars, and can be seen in operation at the show. The raffle layout is small enough to be portable (will fit in a mini van) and storeable. They are also designed to be expandable, so they can serve as the core of a larger display.