2024 National Meet Replacement?

What we could use is a once a year eastern "national" O-scale show.  This would be a bigger version of, for example, somehow combining Al Judy's June O narrow show and Rich Yoder's Strasburg show at a bigger location with more tables and layout space.  If the TCA York show can be successful 2 times a year, maybe there is enough interest for this larger O 2-rail show once per year.

....... combining Al Judy's June O narrow show and Rich Yoder's Strasburg show at a bigger location with more tables and layout space.

And Al's All O Scale Meet in April....but the issue remains a viable venue....if a merger were even possible. There are 5 O scale meets in PA from April through Oct.

We have O Scale West, and the Chicago March Meet. The obvious missing piece is a large size East Coast show.  Put it somewhere central (PA, MD, NJ, VA, WVA,, NC) in a mid size town/city. Get a venue and let folks stay and eat where they want/like, can afford. The only locked in cost is the show venue.

ECI

I suggested eastern PA, for access to DC, MD, DE, NJ , NYC and parts of NY, some CT.  If possible, my idea would be Allentown or close by.  This area is generally accessed by 80 to 33, 78, PA turnpike.

John,  You are correct on the easy access to Allentown.  Might be a good fit. I'm not sure what kind of facilities are available or what in the way of 2 rail. I think there is a 3 rail event called "First Frost".

ECI

......my idea would be Allentown or close by.

East Penn meet was in Allentown this year again. Maybe talking to them to get a feel for everything would be useful?

Harrisburg might also be a reasonable location.

The NASG folks are gathering there 7/25-29, 2023: https://www.nasg.org/Convention/index.php

Allentown area may have easier access for North South visitors.  The Allentown fairgrounds has a show twice a year.  The fairgrounds is too large for what I might imagine a 2-rail meet to be.

So is anyone volunteering?

@John Hutnick posted:

What we could use is a once a year eastern "national" O-scale show.  This would be a bigger version of, for example, somehow combining Al Judy's June O narrow show and Rich Yoder's Strasburg show at a bigger location with more tables and layout space.  If the TCA York show can be successful 2 times a year, maybe there is enough interest for this larger O 2-rail show once per year.

That brings us back to the unresolved issues of space and financial liability which have killed off the National, at least for now.  If somebody can solve the riddle, we can head that direction.  In the meantime, what I'm proposing would not create any financial liability and would not require any attendance or hotel usage minimums.

@Brad Kowal posted:

That brings us back to the unresolved issues of space and financial liability which have killed off the National, at least for now.  If somebody can solve the riddle, we can head that direction.  In the meantime, what I'm proposing would not create any financial liability and would not require any attendance or hotel usage minimums.

Might want to ask the S gauge guys how they are managing to pull off a convention this year.  Maybe they have an answer to your riddle?

Not interested in anything east of Chicago.

@rdunniii posted:

Not interested in anything east of Chicago.

Awwwwwwwwwww John!

@mwb posted:

Might want to ask the S gauge guys how they are managing to pull off a convention this year.  Maybe they have an answer to your riddle?

If someone else is interested in running a conventional type of National O Scale Meet, they'll have my support.  For reasons discussed ad nauseum  I personally do not care to be involved.  Someday when I'm retired, I may reconsider.

@Brad Kowal posted:

If someone else is interested in running a conventional type of National O Scale Meet, they'll have my support.  For reasons discussed ad nauseum  I personally do not care to be involved.  Someday when I'm retired, I may reconsider.

It was a general suggestion to query the S gauge guys how they are managing to pull off a convention this year, not specifically to you. Clearly there are other groups doing conventions; narrow gauge guys pull it off every year, too.  Just an observation that tapping in to the experiences of others might be useful.

Retiring might help or not -- that frequent note from recent retirees that they are busier post retirement seem to have substance.