North East Ohio Large Scale Train Show Rebrands, Relocates & Expands

     The North East Ohio Large Scale Train Show, an event we have all loved and enjoyed for the past four years, is undergoing significant and exciting changes! Starting in 2025, the show will be rebranded and will move from its long-time venue at the SCOPE Center in Warren, Ohio.

A New Name Reflecting Broader Horizons

     The decision to rename the event to the Great Lakes Large Scale Train Expo reflects the organizers’ ambition to attract a wider audience from across the Great Lakes region and beyond. This rebranding aims to highlight the event’s growing significance and its appeal to large scale train hobbyists and enthusiasts beyond Northeast Ohio.

A New Venue for Enhanced Experience

     The move to the Metroplex Expo Center located at 1620 Motor Inn Dr, Girard, OH 44420 is driven by the need for a larger, more accessible venue. The Metroplex Expo Center offers more space, better facilities, and improved accessibility, ensuring a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for exhibitors and attendees alike. This new location is expected to accommodate more vendors, larger displays, and a greater number of visitors for years to come.

Continuing to Build on a Tradition of Excellence

      Despite these changes, the core of the event remains the same. The Great Lakes Large Scale Train Expo will continue to feature a wide array of G gauge model trains and accessories that have made the show a must see for large scale enthusiasts. Attendees can look forward to engaging with fellow hobbyists, discovering new products, and enjoying the camaraderie that has always been a hallmark of the event.

Gauging Our Enthusiasm

     The scope of our event is expanding beyond G gauge to cater to a broader spectrum of train enthusiasts. This expansion is two fold and aims to enhance the event's appeal and exposure. The one thing we all have seen being a part of the G gauge hobby is all scale shows tend to not have a wide variety of large scale items. So, in deciding to expand beyond G gauge we didn’t want to go down the road of adding the smaller scales that already enjoy mass exposure and appeal. We decided to go bigger and share the love with our bigger brethren all the way up to 7.5” gauge ride on trains. We believe the larger scales will complement ours well as we don’t see either overtaking the other and we’ve come to find there’s a good number of people that live in both realms. We hope as we grow through the years we can make a truly unique and amazing event that highlights Large Scale Trains across the board.

More Positive Changes

     In our four year history the show has been a one day event, we’ve decided to break from that and extend the show to a two-day expo. This expansion allows for a more relaxed and comprehensive experience, giving visitors ample time to explore the expanded show which now includes operating club displays, clinics/workshops (including some hands-on clinics and activities for kids), and allows everyone to engage more without feeling rushed. Additionally, the extended schedule allows for more opportunities for networking and community building among train enthusiasts, fostering a richer and more immersive environment for everyone involved.

Looking Ahead to 2025 and beyond

     The first Great Lakes Large Scale Train Expo is scheduled for Friday May 9 and Saturday May 10, 2025 from 10am to 4pm both days. There will be ample setup time on Thursday May 8 for the bulk of our exhibitors/vendors. Should more time be needed for setup arrangements can be made to begin setting up on Wednesday May 7. We, the organizers, are committed to maintaining the high standards everyone has come to expect while embracing the opportunities that come with a new name and location. With that said we invite all of our past and future vendors/exhibitors to check out our new website, ask us any questions they may have and start filling out their application requests for the 2025 show.

So please, check out www.greatlakestrainexpo.com by clicking below.

A Special Thanks To Our Sponsors

     We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Riverside Railroad Club and 4 Track RR for their generous sponsorship of the Great Lakes Large Scale Train Expo. Without their support we wouldn't be able to put together an event such as this that brings together enthusiasts and experts from across the region to celebrate our shared passion for large-scale trains. Thank you for your unwavering commitment towards making this expo a resounding success!