A question concerning the York train show

You can pickup your badge at the silver hall when you get to the show, I think it's around $20, but it may have increased a few bucks.  That's all you need to do the whole show since you're a TCA member.

Go to the TCA website. Read Clem's York primer. It will answer a lot of questions.

To get into the show. Since you are a TCA member, Bring your membership card. go to the York fairgrounds. registration is between the blue and silver hall. show them your member card. pay them the entry fee. You will get a badge. the badge will let you into all the halls. there is no physical ticket.

To add to what was said above, you will also want to read through the meet notice and print out the fairgrounds maps to take with you -- they make navigating the fairgrounds easier until you get familiar with the layout.  You may also want to poke around the EDTCA's web site for their FAQ's and other potential useful stuff.

When you register to get your badge, you will also want to get the York badge holder at the same time (only $3).  The badge has to be visible to the door monitors and security guards to get into the halls.

Andy

You should be able to walk, at least 3 miles a day.  A lot to see, several buildings.   Relatively good leg, and cardio health, is important. IMO, Mike CT.   Best wishes, your trip to York.     ???? I believe there is motorized assistance, check with the York fair ground.

Your question has been answered. My advice as always. Wear good walking shoes, you need comfort, not fashion. If you expect to buy, take lots o cash. Dealers will take CCs but member tables expect cash or check.

If your plans have you arriving on Wednesday, registration is usually open from 1PM-4 in the Silver Hall. Beat the rush.

Pete

Take Norton’s advise and arrive for Wednesday to get your badge and not have to wait on Thursday or Friday am crowd to register.
If you do come to York, suggest to stay at least overnight to take it all in for 2 days. A LOT TO SEE!!

@Ted Bertiger posted:

Take Norton’s advise and arrive for Wednesday to get your badge and not have to wait on Thursday or Friday am crowd to register.
If you do come to York, suggest to stay at least overnight to take it all in for 2 days. A LOT TO SEE!!

^^^ THIS!  One day is not enough, especially if it's your first time.

Lots of good tips from York veterans above.  In addition, rule #1 of attending York is if you see something you want at a price you're willing to pay, buy it right away.  If you "think about it" or plan to come back later, either you'll forget where you saw it or it will have been purchased by someone else.

Try to attend some of the sub-group meetings that fit your interests - Ives, paper, Marx, SGMA, social media, etc. and meet some new friends.

York was a wonderful experience for my wife a I.  It was expensive in dollars but rewarding in experience and finding things you did not know you were looking for.  That explains the expensive in dollars.

This will be my first year attending as a member. Last year I was a guest. I already pre registered and received my badge. I Just want something clarified...since I'm a member, and already paid for my admission/badge, then I can attend all 3 days, correct?

@Stinky1 posted:

This will be my first year attending as a member. Last year I was a guest. I already pre registered and received my badge. I Just want something clarified...since I'm a member, and already paid for my admission/badge, then I can attend all 3 days, correct?

Of course, you paid and are a full fledged member.

https://www.easterntca.com/Sit...eet_Notice_Final.pdf

@Stinky1 posted:

This will be my first year attending as a member. Last year I was a guest. I already pre registered and received my badge. I Just want something clarified...since I'm a member, and already paid for my admission/badge, then I can attend all 3 days, correct?

You can also attend the various social events that happen during the week, stop by the Quaker Steak on Thursday and Hobnob with all the OGR folks.

i'm not a member of the TCA. Would i be able to attend Fri & Sat to all the halls. Can i go as a guest? even though i dont know anyone that is a member.

@Ohio Jeff posted:

i'm not a member of the TCA. Would i be able to attend Fri & Sat to all the halls. Can i go as a guest? even though i dont know anyone that is a member.

No, you'd need to attend as the guest of an active member to gain entry to all of the halls. The TCA member would have to apply for your guest pass.

@PRRick posted:

No, you'd need to attend as the guest of an active member to gain entry to all of the halls. The TCA member would have to apply for your guest pass.

That rule was modified a few years ago. If you have never been to York you can show up and visit every hall. Members at the registration tables act as your sponsor. This is a one time deal. Next time you have become a member of TCA to attend all the halls.

Pete

Is there a fee?   

@Ohio Jeff posted:

Is there a fee?   

Of course. Its not free to anyone.

Pete

@Ohio Jeff posted:

Is there a fee?   

To help you out, please read this official form.

https://www.easterntca.com/Sit...eet_Notice_Final.pdf

Thanks everyone. Guess you have to be with a member

@Ohio Jeff posted:

Thanks everyone. Guess you have to be with a member

I've gone to the April one for several years without being a member.  Go to the orange hall, pay the entrance fee as a non member at the ticket booth to the left of the entrance.  You can only go into the "non member halls" like the Orange hall, which has different companies there, and the hall with the club layouts which is fantastic.

The member halls are for individual members only.  I've enjoyed attending the Orange Hall and layouts and even as a non member you are helping out TCA with the entrance fee revenue and supporting the vendors with additional sales.  I've "contributed" every year

Check out "Clem's Primer" as suggested on this thread - has all the info one could ever need about the show.

@Ohio Jeff posted:

Thanks everyone. Guess you have to be with a member

This from a Eastern Division Officer. Show up and get in.

“TCA has a cheaper “trial” membership, which you could get in the silver hall registration area, plus $25 for all halls all three days.”

@Norton posted:

That rule was modified a few years ago. If you have never been to York you can show up and visit every hall. Members at the registration tables act as your sponsor. This is a one time deal. Next time you have become a member of TCA to attend all the halls.

Pete

Thanks for the correction.

That's a good move on their part IMO. I went once as a guest and joined after that. Attending York in person was enough to convince me to join TCA.

@Stinky1 posted:

This will be my first year attending as a member. Last year I was a guest.

Hats off to whoever brought you as a guest. This is how we grow TCA. Enjoy the meet.

@Ohio Jeff posted:

Thanks everyone. Guess you have to be with a member

If you don't know anyone who can sign you in as a guest, just go to the registration desk in Silver Hall with your ID and the $25 entry fee  and ask to be signed in as a guest.  It is very easy, and the EDTCA people are very nice.  You can decide later whether you want to join to be able to come back again.  You can also just go to the Orange Hall on Friday and/or Saturday and pay the cheaper "public" entry fee ($10) that gets you into Orange, Purple and Black Halls (Purple may have some dealers this time, but for the past few Yorks, Purple and Black have only had layouts), but by doing that, you would be missing more than half the meet.  This past Spring, there were 1422 tables full of trains and related stuff for sale in just the member halls (for comparison, Orange Hall had 1000-1100 tables).

The registration desk in Silver Hall is open before the meet opens at Noon on Thursday, so if you can get there early to get registered, you can maximize your time hunting the halls.  Registration desk hours are:

Wed.   9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thurs. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Fri.      9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sat.     9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Andy

Attending for the first time and very excited about it.  I did find it somewhat confusing on how to register, however I am registered as a guest + my wife.  Can‘t wait.  

Should I be receiving a badge or a ticket online or snail mail?

Thanks

I believe that you will have to pick up your badges at the silver hall on Wednesday or Thursday. It is open at 9am.

If your doctor allows it, bring Aleve.  As indicated earlier, there is a lot of walking.

you can register on-line as a guest. its 25 plus 3 for a spouse.  and you pick up badge there. its on their site. not the easiest to find.

He's already a TCA member. He doesn't have to register as a guest.

Hello All,  I made it to the show and picked up my badge.  The shear volume of stuff for sale was overwhelming.  Thanks for all your input. Much appreciated. My only dismay was that I was expecting to see more layouts and trains running.  Live & Learn I suppose!  

Stan.

@1956Stan posted:

My only dismay was that I was expecting to see more layouts and trains running.  Live & Learn I suppose!  

I had the same expectation. I'm new and other than 1 Greenberg show, I haven't yet attended other shows/events. I was expecting to see more layouts and more elaborate layouts. The setup in the Black hall was terrific and the others were rather basic, which isn't a criticism but an observation. I was hoping to see some examples of scenery work I was going to undertake, but the layouts I saw were lighter in scenery, which I guess is understandable having to make it portable.

@David_NJ posted:

I had the same expectation. I'm new and other than 1 Greenberg show, I haven't yet attended other shows/events. I was expecting to see more layouts and more elaborate layouts. The setup in the Black hall was terrific and the others were rather basic, which isn't a criticism but an observation. I was hoping to see some examples of scenery work I was going to undertake, but the layouts I saw were lighter in scenery, which I guess is understandable having to make it portable.

As a York 1st timer, I agree with you and add , some scenery “how-to” clinics from someone like Woodland Scenics would be welcomed and might stimulate on-the-spot sales as well.  A YouTube video is helpful but a live demo would be better.

Rich

@1956Stan posted:

My only dismay was that I was expecting to see more layouts and trains running.  Live & Learn I suppose!

Even 15 years ago when I started going (and when it was much busier) they only had one or two layouts in the Black Hall and just the Lionel, MTH, and Atlas display layouts.  The old-timers often point out that York is a train meet and not a train show (the terms are pretty much used interchangeably any more), with the idea being that a meet focuses on buying, selling, and social gatherings, while a train show has an entertainment aspect.  My modular club has done York in the past, and we do a number of train shows, and at train shows you see a good percentage of people who only come to see the layouts and do not buy anything.

York is a difficult event for modular clubs from a logistics POV, especially if the club is from outside of the general area -- you need to have enough members that can commit to four days and the associated expenses (hotels, food, etc.), and then the members have to have the discipline to show up at the layout for their shifts to allow everyone the opportunity to get out and shop.  Also, the EDTCA is not as financially accommodating to the clubs as train shows can be, and this is not just based on our experience, as we have heard the same from several other clubs.  One of our younger members would like to do York again (he wasn't there the last time), but with four of our most active members being table-holders, we doubt we could get enough of our other members to commit to coming out.

Andy

Andy Hummell posted:

"The old-timers often point out that York is a train meet and not a train show (the terms are pretty much used interchangeably any more), with the idea being that a meet focuses on buying, selling, and social gatherings, while a train show has an entertainment aspect."

Andy is correct! I have been trying hard to get folks to understand and accept the respective definitions for some 15 years now. MEETS are primarily focused on selling/buying/trading. SHOWS may have some of that as well, but with more of an emphasis on layouts (and a good many shows have no buy/sell component at all).

Thanks for the feedback I shall pay closer attention to the definition of „Show or Meet“. I would have sworn it was being called a Show though!   Appreciate the clarity.   Meet is Buy and Sell,  Show is just that,  Show off the trains!  The English language is not the most clear in distinctions.    All Aboard!  

Stan

@David_NJ posted:

I had the same expectation. I'm new and other than 1 Greenberg show, I haven't yet attended other shows/events. I was expecting to see more layouts and more elaborate layouts. The setup in the Black hall was terrific and the others were rather basic, which isn't a criticism but an observation. I was hoping to see some examples of scenery work I was going to undertake, but the layouts I saw were lighter in scenery, which I guess is understandable having to make it portable.

Come to the Syracuse, NY State Fairgrounds in two weeks if you want to attend a show. Lots of layouts, some with first rate scenery. Same for the Big E in Springfield, Mass. in January.

Pete

Which event is in Syracuse in 2 weeks? Thanks!

@rdg_fan posted:

Which event is in Syracuse in 2 weeks? Thanks!

https://nysfairgrounds.ny.gov/...ate-model-train-fair

@Allan Miller posted:

Andy Hummell posted:

"The old-timers often point out that York is a train meet and not a train show (the terms are pretty much used interchangeably any more), with the idea being that a meet focuses on buying, selling, and social gatherings, while a train show has an entertainment aspect."

Andy is correct! I have been trying hard to get folks to understand and accept the respective definitions for some 15 years now. MEETS are primarily focused on selling/buying/trading. SHOWS may have some of that as well, but with more of an emphasis on layouts (and a good many shows have no buy/sell component at all).

Even ED can't get it straight - look at the first page of the meet notice...  https://www.easterntca.com/Sit...mber_meet_notice.pdf.  It reads "York train show... member meet notice".