2018 Fall York OGR Forum Member Dinner At Quaker Steak and Lube

200? Is that real? 

Real as can be....that number at first struck me as kinda high. After thinking about "200"....Id say Alan is darn close...perhaps a bit conservative.  The OGR Forumites are also populating larger areas of Q S &L YEAR AFTER YEAR.

Yep...a couple of hundred over several hours.  QSL can't handle that many folks at one time so it seems that folks come in from right after the meet to a couple of hours after.  As a matter of fact, it gets so busy that most of the time there is no room for the OGR staff by the time we get there (they won't reserve space) so we end up eating at other places depending who wants what kind of food to eat.  When Friday's was there, we could get more folks in the place and the OGR staff would filter around and visit with everyone.  We have not been able to do that for two or three years....

One of the highlights of every York Meet!

-Greg

Only going for one day this time so I will miss QS&L. But I'll be thinking of everybody. Have a great time.

Dave

I missed this last October because I was a little tired out. Will be there this time around. See you all there.

I wanted to try last year, but I added Thursday at the last minute, so I was staying in Strasburg. Decided to make that trip early. 

 Still, with that many people, and not knowing anyone, it sounds a bit intimidating. Staying in York this year, so I’ll see how I feel. Certainly don’t want to sit in my room eating Royal Farms again. 

Chris, the object of the exercise it to meet people at the gathering.

Scrambler81 posted:

I wanted to try last year, but I added Thursday at the last minute, so I was staying in Strasburg. Decided to make that trip early. 

 Still, with that many people, and not knowing anyone, it sounds a bit intimidating. Staying in York this year, so I’ll see how I feel. Certainly don’t want to sit in my room eating Royal Farms again. 

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Chris, the object of the exercise it to meet people at the gathering.

Don't be intimidated by "Gunrunner" in John's forum handle.  As long as you buy one of his Super-Chuffers he'll be nice to you!

Seriously though.   I was like you my first trip to York - didn't know a soul.   As some are aware, I have OCD and take medicine so the fact I have it is pretty much transparent to everyone unless you already know.   My point is new situations which I have no control over are not my favorite types of situations to be in.   Situations exactly like the forum breakfast Thursday at Round the Clock diner, the OGR dinner Thursday night, or any of the open houses for which public invitations are given in a forum post or announcement.   

The hardest part of meeting new people - finding common ground, is already taken care of.  We all are into toy trains which provides numerous topics for conversation beyond the ritual name, place of residence, etc.   In fact, you'll find the majority of conversations are about anything but trains once folks get to know each other.   

By all means, please come out to the breakfast and the dinner on Thursday's if you are able.   There is a thread started by Peter Condro (Putnam Division) on the York Forum which lists the particulars on the breakfast.  At either event, if there are no empty tables just ask to sit at any open seat (some get saved for friends arriving late) and introduce yourself.   If there is an open table, then folks will be asking you if empty seats are taken before long.   The rest will take care of itself.

For the dinner - once folks are done eating we generally start to move around in order to talk to as many folks as we can to catch up.  By no means is it a "static" dinner event - more like a banquet/reception atmosphere.   

I will have my York badge on at both events.   Please feel free to seek me out and introduce yourself - I'd be glad to meet you and introduce you to others.  If you continue to attend York and these events you'll know plenty of folks before you know it. 

-Greg

A major part of the York experience for me is meeting friends, old and new.  Some people from far away I only see at York, and I never fail to meet people I've never met before, and perhaps corresponded with.  I even meet new people that I've done work for by mail but never met in person.  You really can't go wrong attending these events.

Sure it sounds like a mob scene but each table sits 6 to 8 people so it's less intimidating than it seems.  Some years we don't get to sit with friends so we make new ones!   

Maybe I can ask Rich about the automatic stoker, and if it isn't as useful as it was supposed to be(this is at Steamtown where I took this picture)?

Scrambler81 posted:

I wanted to try last year, but I added Thursday at the last minute, so I was staying in Strasburg. Decided to make that trip early. 

 Still, with that many people, and not knowing anyone, it sounds a bit intimidating. Staying in York this year, so I’ll see how I feel. Certainly don’t want to sit in my room eating Royal Farms again. 

Chris....please join us and please don't feel intimidated....the more the merrier. It's always a blast and in my opinion, makes the "York experience" better.

Join us for breakfast, Thursday AM, too.

Peter

Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

Maybe I can ask Rich about the automatic stoker, and if it isn't as useful as it was supposed to be(this is at Steamtown where I took this picture)?

Rich won't be at this meet as he and Linda have retired and are traveling...but who knows, habits are hard to break...LOL!

Well, that's a good thing he's traveling around. I sort of figured he may not be there this time around, but at least I did get the chance to meet him last year(and got that look from him when I mentioned Auto-stoker). That was pretty funny, and I think Jim said Otto Stoker invented or maybe I did. It did give him a bit of a laugh I think.

How's a Bram Stoker work?  

Farmer_Bill posted:

How's a Bram Stoker work?  

It sucks the blood out of the coal!

It's a great get together with great people

Alex

I would love to come to one of these YORK shows but too far away and too expensive at this time in my life.  Have fun everyone.

Brian is coming in from California, about the same distance.

To: All:

For me, this is one of the many highpoints of coming to Eastern Division TCA Meet. Old and New Friends in one location, the fellowship of all of the membership in one location. Who could ask for more or a better time and place to rub elbows with all of us on the OGR Forum.

Oh, and of course, the Food.

Scrambler81 posted:

I wanted to try last year, but I added Thursday at the last minute, so I was staying in Strasburg. Decided to make that trip early. 

 Still, with that many people, and not knowing anyone, it sounds a bit intimidating. Staying in York this year, so I’ll see how I feel. Certainly don’t want to sit in my room eating Royal Farms again. 

You'll find plenty of good company there. Even if you don't have any forum friends now, you will certainly have some before the evening is over. I can pretty much guarantee that.

Look me up. I'll be there at some point,

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Brian is coming in from California, about the same distance.

Wild Iron Horses couldn't keep me away!!  Friends, old and new, the food and the oodles and oodles of trains all in one place together is an event not to be missed!  It's a magnificent multi-day party!!  Can't wait to see everyone.

Looking forward to seeing you as well!

-Greg

Hey guys just canceled my reservations for the Best Western Westgate in directly next door so I know there's a room open now.  my reservations were from Thursday through Saturday if anybody's interested

Without starting new blog is there a grandstand meeting on Friday?

Don, you are correct for asking....Ed....what's up?

Peter

What time does this start again? I thought someone said we all trudge in different times(which is bound to be the given), but I can't remember where.

10 pm...just kidding.  Early birds start arriving around 5:30 and folks continue to arrive throughout the evening with the bulk between the 6:30 - 7:30 time frame.   

-Greg 

Okay, just hope I don't fall asleep, I don't want to be late(10PM would be late, lol).

Which day is it?

Ralph M posted:

Which day is it?

Now!

Seriously, it is this evening.

I made it. I got the only table with one chair, lol. I guess they ran out of seats as all other tables are full.

Sounds like you got there right after I left. I was at a single seat table in the corner.

View at 9pm. What?

I am sad to report I will not be able to be there, I will be in Lancaster PA. at that time but yet I still cannot attend, The wifey insist I go to a BORING time at the design center that the builder uses for our new home, at Bishop Woods across the river not far from 3 mile island... I digress,  however when the house is completed it will only be 20 minutes to YORK!  You will be able to recognize me,  I will be the guy with the nice green glow. 

Scrambler81 posted:

Sounds like you got there right after I left. I was at a single seat table in the corner.

I guess so. I made my way around with Peter(Putnam Division) after I finished off my second Guinness and was working on finishing my chocolate milkshake. Got to chat with quite a few of the fellows. I know tomorrow I will make my way over to the member halls and see stuff that I usually don't see(that could be anything of course, but Standard gauge, lots of old, old stuff and maybe some hidden Vision Line stuff that doesn't make its way out in any of the other halls because the owners are waiting for the right people). See what comes naturally. I will stop back over in the Orange Hall in the morning because that is usually where I wind up finding something that either I may have missed, or something that just popped out. Just the right sort of stuff that needs to be found.

Orioles!  Redskins, O the humanity!  I am gonna have to bring the boys from South Philly up there and have a talk. 

Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

I made it. I got the only table with one chair, lol. I guess they ran out of seats as all other tables are full.

Dave.    There was a guy sitting there by himself right before you that we dragged over to our table.  was going to do the same but you were enjoying that milk shake too much