Bandit meets

Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday at the Best Western & the Holiday Inn & confrence center from about 8AM to 3PM. There are others. Someone else can fill you in on those. I know there is one at the firehouse behind the fairgrounds on W. Market street.

Most are a waste of time. Save your money for Thursday and Friday at the show. 

Back in the day (late 80s and early 90s), the bandit meets ranked as one of my favorite York-related events.  They were packed (multiple locations) and a whole lot of fun, not to mention great exercise.

Today, the few that remain are mere shells of their former selves.  I don't even bother getting to the area a couple of days early anymore.

David is a bit harsh. While they may not be what they once were I did manage to fill my York wish list at the the Billy Budd meet the day before last Octobers York. The prices were better than the same items I saw at the Silver and Blue halls.

The firestation has a lot of American Flyer stuff I didn't see at York as well

They are worth visiting if you are in the area, I don't know if I would come a day early just to see them

David, He asked where the meets were, not your opinion.

Eddie I like your style.

Rob, they are all worth checking out. You never know what you will find, even at the smallest of them (Billy Budd). The weather has a major effect on the outdoor meets. If its raining you won't find many sellers so it pays to check the forecast. FWIW the firehall near the fairgrounds is 99% Flyer.

Pete

Another one I don't think is mentioned above is the other firehall east of the York Walmart, but I can't say I've made any goldstrikes there.  Sadly, Allen is right, and

I spend less time at them.   Economy, eBAY, a drying up of available material...I dunno?

The "Billy Budd" is the one I most notice...seems like few tables inside anymore, and

none out side.

Hey Eddie, it is still a free country, I can give my opinion and in the last couple of years I attended them, it was a very big waste of time----in my opinion!!

stopped going to bandit meets about 12 years ago

Allan, many years ago, those shows were the best.  I would put the last good ones back about 12 years.  Deals were so great, many guys spent all the cash and went home before TCA.  I am still very happy with the extra day at the Fairgrounds.  Back 67 York shows ago, the show opened at 0800.  I stayed in Lancaster back then and that was a rough time on rt-30.

I fully agree, my friend!  I recall a number of times when I spent most all of my allotted budget at the bandit meets, with little left over for the actual York Meet.  I never left early, of course, but did have a much lighter wallet when I walked the halls at the fairgrounds.

Rob:

I see that your question generated a lot of interesting responses regarding the changes in the quality of the bandit meets over time, but the answer to your question of “when” is in Clem’s Primer on page 35.      

HTH,

Bill

If they were so popular what caused the demise of the bandit meets?

The Thursday opening at the fairground's. But let me say this, They are coming back slow but sure..Still for me they are worth going too.

Thanks Eddie.  Are any of them open Thursday morning.  I really don't want to pay for extra lodging since I've already booked Thursday & Friday nights.

To the best of my knowledge:  No!

Thanks Allan, that's what I figured.

I recall the bandit meets being worthwhile a few years later than Marty, but then again, I don't have a collection as extensive as his and "filling in" was needed. I prefer modern era trains.

If you are going to the bandit meets, to the best of my knowledge anything still there closes by about 3 on Wednesday so the dealers can prepare for Thursday. I do know that there are meets on Tuesday and a very good friend tells me that they are there on Monday also.

I am also told that there is "trading" particularly in pre-war on Sunday. I suspect it is at the Holiday Inn, but don't know. So to a certain extent, the value of the bandit shows depends upon what era you're interested in.

Gerry

Are any of the bandit meets worth going to for someone interested primarily in modern scale stuff (Atlas Master Line, Lionel Standard O, MTH Premier, Weaver)?

Andy

Not really.  You'll find more variety of those products at the York Meet.

Thanks Allan.  Even so, I think I still will have to take the extra day off some time and hit the bandit meets just for grins and giggles.  After all, a day with trains is never a wasted day.

Andy

I think I can make a bandit meet or two wednesday afternoon. Thanks for all the input.

Rob

Andy:

Good point!  As others have pointed out, those meets are much smaller than they used to be, however they are still decent-sized train shows for someone who has never been to one. 

But if you are not local, attending those meets on Tuesday, the best day for those meets, requires at least 1 and likely 2 extra days of lodging and meal expenses plus rental car expenses for some of us.

Bill 

By 3pm on Wednesday they are over. And Yes the bandit meets a better for pre & post war collectors and operators. Not a lot of new stuff.

On a sunny day the Holidome alone can be bigger than 90% of the train shows you are likely to attend. Its a matter of perspective. If its cold and rainy the vendor count will be pretty sparce.

Pete