Easley Train Show

OMG, quite a showing in Easley, SC.  Views from middle facing each way:

Several nice layouts from less than N (T/Z?) to full steam G and larger!

Hoped to find reefer ice door and caboose ladder; no luck.  Also looking for pre-1956 box cars; some success:

C&O red car is 1948, C&O REA car is 1936, and Rock Island car is 1918 rebuilt 1947.  That works.  In order to get a "discount" vendor offered two pre-1956 vehicles for more money but reduced prices:

!950 Buick and 1955 REA truck (maybe to go with  REA box car!).

Found some figures that might be useful.  Improvement available for Blacktop Crossing diversity with picnic table group -- maybe not prototypical for 1956, but usual today at Ebenezer Grill.  "People Talking" looked appropriate for 1950's but not sure where best on layout, yet.

Made the mistake of asking a vendor for pre-1956 Southern locomotive and showed my possible candidates list.  No luck with him, but he pointed across the aisle.  Show nuff, there was a Southern diesel obtained by the Railway in 1953 or so.  DCC, sound, the whole 9 yards.  Probably paid too much, but now have a Fairbanks-Morse H16-44 road switcher to go with the SW and F3.  That should be a complete roster for a tiny layout.