0 days to October York, PA. week. PETER READ THIS.

So far, far, away! Over three months!

A lot of us train people  like to make their plans early.

I just tried to register for the show, but it appears the site is down?

Will try again and a few.

Getting closer.

Yes it is!  

Peter

@colorado hirailer posted:

So far, far, away! Over three months!

@eddie g posted:

A lot of us train people  like to make their plans early.

Over 2 months away, but rooms are hard to come by, at least at the better places.

Many of us can remember the days when you needed to book a year in advance.

Sent an email to the person in charge of the camp sites, 4 weeks ago, still no reply.
Luckly, I have a reservation at a local campground near by.

I've been patiently waiting since right after the last meet ended.

Just made the LCCA booth registration on Wednesday. We will be in the Orange hall KK-6. See you there.

We will have lots of new convention product available.

GG1GUYY

Just received my badges for myself and my wife, can't wait, the best social event of the year!

I received my badge several weeks ago. But I doubt I will be able to attend. We are returning from vacation the weekend  before the meet. Too quick a turnaround to travel from NC to PA. So I will consider my registration a donation to keep the meet going. Have a great time everyone!

Getting closer and I can taste those pumpkin pecan pancakes at the Round-the-Clock Diner!

Peter

Just booked my hotel and ordered my badge.  Been 2 years since I attended last due to life events getting in the way and am really looking forward to this year's October meet!

-Greg

Hopefully my excitement builds.  Right now it's just meh.

So i have never been to York is this a good place to find Tinplate Old and New ?  How are the prices ?

"I am just a Tinplate Man in a Cast and Plastic World"

@Michael Roth posted:

So i have never been to York is this a good place to find Tinplate Old and New ?  How are the prices ?

"I am just a Tinplate Man in a Cast and Plastic World"

Most definitely!  Prices can be all over the place but there are always deals to be had.

-Greg

@Mallard4468 posted:

Over 2 months away, but rooms are hard to come by, at least at the better places.

Many of us can remember the days when you needed to book a year in advance.

I just booked a room yesterday at the La Quinta - same lot as the Quaker Steak and Lube.  I thought I had selected the wrong date but nope, 10/17 and 10/18 were available.

-Greg

@Greg Houser posted:

I just booked a room yesterday at the La Quinta - same lot as the Quaker Steak and Lube.  I thought I had selected the wrong date but nope, 10/17 and 10/18 were available.

-Greg

Good find.  Must have been some cancellations.  Look for me at breakfast at LQ - I'll be the gray haired guy wearing a train T-shirt.

@Mallard4468 posted:

Good find.  Must have been some cancellations.  Look for me at breakfast at LQ - I'll be the gray haired guy wearing a train T-shirt.

That got an audible chuckle out me!  Since we're such a young crowd you'll be the only one with gray hair, right?

-Greg

Excitement is building!   We (family) we're in Harrisburg this past weekend for a coaster enthusiast event at Hershey Park.   Seeing the highway signs for I83 south to York got my countdown clock clicking.   

Hotel FYI:

My wife and I are staying at the Home 2 Suites in York on Thursday and Friday.  (Booked 6+ months ago)    I just checked for current availability.   Thursday is available, but Friday is sold out.

Expedia has a lot of rooms left

@Greg Houser posted:

That got an audible chuckle out me!  Since we're such a young crowd you'll be the only one with gray hair, right?

-Greg

That and the train shirt!  Glad you got a laugh.

Don't know if you've stayed at LQ before, but there will be lots of TCA folks at breakfast.  Some folks even wear their meet badges.  I can reliably spot the train people even without the badges.  I often wonder what the non-train folks at the hotel are thinking when they see all of us old folks.

While stopping for food before seeing the Big Boy in Watseka IL, the girl at the counter saw my Milwaukee Road shirt and asked if I was there to see the train.  I asked her how she guessed... 

@Ohio Jeff posted:

Expedia has a lot of rooms left

Read the reviews and choose wisely - especially at the lower end (under around $120/night), there's usually a good reason why a place is available. 

You pretty much get what you pay for in a hotel room. Has anyone stayed at the the red caboose Inn out by Strasburg. Taking 10 yr old grandson with me. Are the rooms decent?  Clean?  Fairly comfortable? If anyone has stayed there would appreciate your opinion.

I did see that Sleep inn North had some rooms left for $160 a night. Stayed there last fall and was clean and comfortable

@Ohio Jeff posted:

You pretty much get what you pay for in a hotel room. Has anyone stayed at the the red caboose Inn out by Strasburg. Taking 10 yr old grandson with me. Are the rooms decent?  Clean?  Fairly comfortable? If anyone has stayed there would appreciate your opinion.

I did see that Sleep inn North had some rooms left for $160 a night. Stayed there last fall and was clean and comfortable

I haven't been to the Red Caboose Motel in ~20 yrs.  At that time is was not a good experience but I've read in years past that they renovated the rooms since I stayed.    I wouldn't recommend staying there the nights you're attending York as it's ~1 hr 15 min away before you factor in the traffic. 

@Mallard4468 posted:

That and the train shirt!  Glad you got a laugh.

Don't know if you've stayed at LQ before, but there will be lots of TCA folks at breakfast.  Some folks even wear their meet badges.  I can reliably spot the train people even without the badges.  I often wonder what the non-train folks at the hotel are thinking when they see all of us old folks.

While stopping for food before seeing the Big Boy in Watseka IL, the girl at the counter saw my Milwaukee Road shirt and asked if I was there to see the train.  I asked her how she guessed... 

Yes, I've always stayed there since it opened save for the 1 year they had a water main break the day of York and I was one of the folks who had their room flooded.  Talk about a surprise upon arrival.   I like being able to walk from the Quaker Steak and Lube gathering to my hotel as I don't get hammered but after social drinking for a few hours I'm over the .08 limit.    Let's just say that closing the place post-pandemic doesn't mean what it used too prior to the pandemic.

-Greg

@Ohio Jeff posted:

You pretty much get what you pay for in a hotel room. Has anyone stayed at the the red caboose Inn out by Strasburg. Taking 10 yr old grandson with me. Are the rooms decent?  Clean?  Fairly comfortable? If anyone has stayed there would appreciate your opinion.

I did see that Sleep inn North had some rooms left for $160 a night. Stayed there last fall and was clean and comfortable

I checked out one of their rooms a couple of years ago, as I was at the TCA museum and they had an open house.  Seemed clean and well-kept, but it was a demo.  A bit tight, but they're squeezing beds, chairs, desk, and a bathroom into a caboose.  The property changed hands a few years ago.  I've eaten there a few times recently (good food) and spoke with one of the owners - they seem to be very enthusiastic and focused on improving it.  Seems like it would be a neat place to share with a 10 year old.  That said, @Greg Houser's warning about traffic is spot on.  What should be a 30-45 minute drive between Lancaster and York has taken me as much as 2 hours if it's raining.  Don't even think about getting on US30 between 3 and 7pm.

During each York week, I visit the various train attractions in Strasburg.  I now make sure that I start heading back to York no later than 2:30pm.

I used to occasionally stay in Lancaster (maybe 10 years ago) - rooms there used to be much less expensive than York, but that's no longer the case.  Back then, the drive to York in the morning was reasonable.

Thanks for the info guys. Was out in strasburg  with the wife last fall, so understand the drive. Thinking the drive might be worth for the ten yr. old

Got my badge 😀. Just have to fill it in now !

The bad traffic in York is on U.S. 30 from Hills Road (1 mile east of I-83) to Carlisle Rd (turnoff for the fairgrounds).  It takes 20 - 30 minutes to get from the fairgrounds to Hills Rd.  But you travel the speed limit to the end of the limited access section of U. S. 30 east of Lancaster.

Can’t wait! Flights are booked and my 12 year old son and I will be there! We are both super excited for the trip!

My son, brother-in-law, and I will be attending York for THE FIRST TIME this October!  We are very excited.  I always told my son that we couldn't go because I was a school teacher and I couldn't get the time off in the fall.  I told him once I retired, we could go.  Well, I retired, and he told me we could go !  Looking forward to it!

@Gerhardt posted:

Can’t wait! Flights are booked and my 12 year old son and I will be there! We are both super excited for the trip!

I hope that your return flight will be on a bigger plane.

@dennish posted:

My son, brother-in-law, and I will be attending York for THE FIRST TIME this October!  We are very excited.  I always told my son that we couldn't go because I was a school teacher and I couldn't get the time off in the fall.  I told him once I retired, we could go.  Well, I retired, and he told me we could go !  Looking forward to it!

Dennis

If you and your travel companions will be in York the morning of Thursday, Oct 17, you are all invited to join the pre-York breakfast at the Round-the-Clock Diner. It’s a great place to meet fellow Forum members and York attendees…….

l typically start the announcement thread about 3 weeks before.

Peter

I'm getting excited.  This will be the first time I am spending the entire week in York -- Monday through Saturday.  May not get to all the bandits on Monday, as it depends on what time we hit the road.

Andy

@Putnam Division Peter, I am pulling the camper and we are planning on camping right at the fairgrounds - Something about my son not having to carry his purchases too far !  I have been reading about the pre-York breakfast for years and looked forward to attending at some point.  I have watched the tally go up each York and was jealous of those who could go.  We are trying to get the most out of the experience and I suspect we will attend the breakfast at the Round-the-Clock Diner.  I will confirm this in your post later.

Greg,

I guess if you get hammered at QSL on Thursday night, will you forget your morning coffee on your car roof?
I cancelled my La Quinta room yesterday and you might have gotten it. There is a slight up charge there securing my ex-room!
We are staying at Candlewood Suites on the east side of York. 1 bedroom suite with kitchen for $149 a night. Going out on Thursday am and staying till Saturday early afternoon.
I will see you sometime at York.
Ted (almost without his coffee left on the car roof) !!

Eddie g,

Are you hitchhiking to York or is your daughter driving you once again?
Regards from your friend,

Ted

Dennis,

First timer at York?
1. Comfortable walking shoes

2. Lots of cash and/or credit card with a zero balance.
3. If you see something you want to buy and the price is good, BUY IT THEN! It probably will be sold or you will forget where you saw it unless you wrote down the hall with aisle/table number.
4. Enjoy the camaderie with all the folks there. GREAT TIME WITH MANY TRAIN FOLKS FROM THE COUNTRY and further points.

@Ted Bertiger posted:

Dennis,

First timer at York?
1. Comfortable walking shoes

2. Lots of cash and/or credit card with a zero balance.
3. If you see something you want to buy and the price is good, BUY IT THEN! It probably will be sold or you will forget where you saw it unless you wrote down the hall with aisle/table number.
4. Enjoy the camaderie with all the folks there. GREAT TIME WITH MANY TRAIN FOLKS FROM THE COUNTRY and further points.

Great tips!

#3 - buy it when you see it - can't stress that enough!

Shower daily, wear clean clothes, and step outside to fart.

Re credit cards vs. cash - keep in mind that prices are sometimes lower for cash.  Not as prevalent as it used to be, but always ask if there's a better deal for using cash.

Re comaraderie, look for meetings/dinners for groups that focus on your interests - Marx, paper, Ives, social media, etc., along with open houses at local clubs.  Other than paying for your own dinner, they're free.  I'm biased, but the SGMA meeting and layout (black hall) is my favorite.