Did the Eastern Division change York soon enough?

Dennis LaGrua posted:

.... Here are my suggestions .....

...... HO is still the largest selling segment of the model train market. I dislike them but these enthusiasts do spend money and will help attendance. .....

If I'm disliked by the older gentlemen at York .... I won't go. Ever. No hard feelings.

All my friends .... late 20's and early 30's ..... think I'm kinda strange for playing with these expensive O scale Lionel and Atlas trains, anyway.

I'm constantly amazed by the grouchiness of many of the folks in this hobby and on this forum. Maybe model trains are not for the new generations?

Even though Dennis is normally guilty of stoking this TCA York fire in any way he can, I'm thinking he probably meant he disliked HO scale trains, not necessarily the people who buy them.

Matt01 posted:

Dennis LaGrua posted:

.... Here are my suggestions .....

...... HO is still the largest selling segment of the model train market. I dislike them but these enthusiasts do spend money and will help attendance. .....

If I'm disliked by the older gentlemen at York .... I won't go. Ever. No hard feelings.

All my friends .... late 20's and early 30's ..... think I'm kinda strange for playing with these expensive O scale Lionel and Atlas trains, anyway.

Sounds normal to me. It was the same way when I was younger. Some things don't change.

I'm constantly amazed by the grouchiness of many of the folks in this hobby and on this forum. Maybe model trains are not for the new generations?

Also sounds normal.
Model trains are for everybody and anybody.
But you cannot make someone like them. Someday the folks who worry about "growing the hobby" may realize this.

Matt01 posted:

I'm constantly amazed by the grouchiness of many of the folks in this hobby and on this forum.

nn

via GIPHY

What?  You want to play with model trains?  You think this is some kind of hobby or something???  

Matt01,

be mindful of the fact that people who are glued to their PC,  blogging on the internet and this forum, probably represent less than 0.01% of the O/S gauge hobby.  Most of the people in the hobby and at York are actually very nice, fun to talk with, and fun to do business with.  You are going to find grumpy hateful people everywhere you go.  

So, by all means you should go to the York show at least once or twice.  I would categorize the York show as an experience instead of a train show.  I personally like to do all the shows from Monday to Saturday.  I've been to a lot of train shows and never seen one that could get within 10% of a comparison to York.  Probably less than half the people on this thread are TCA members, and probably only half of them are Eastern Division members.  So a lot of people squawking about something they have no control over or membership in. 

be mindful of the fact that people who are glued to their PC,  blogging on the internet and this forum, probably represent less than 0.01% of the O/S gauge hobby. 

The TCA and Eastern Division need to remember this too.

"All my friends .... late 20's and early 30's ..... think I'm kinda strange for playing with these expensive O scale Lionel and Atlas trains, anyway."

Same for me too........but now, many who thought that way are scrambling to acquire an engaging hobby as the key to health in retirement......they marvel and delight at the layout (home or modular) and I am constantly asked for advice on Starter sets, for when the grandkids come over........

....and, by all means, come to York if you can......99% of the people are great.....As in life, there are that <1% we could all do without, and being treated poorly from such peopelwill likely have nothing to do with your age...

Peter

Matt01 posted:

Dennis LaGrua posted:

.... Here are my suggestions .....

...... HO is still the largest selling segment of the model train market. I dislike them but these enthusiasts do spend money and will help attendance. .....

If I'm disliked by the older gentlemen at York .... I won't go. Ever. No hard feelings.

All my friends .... late 20's and early 30's ..... think I'm kinda strange for playing with these expensive O scale Lionel and Atlas trains, anyway.

I'm constantly amazed by the grouchiness of many of the folks in this hobby and on this forum. Maybe model trains are not for the new generations?

I never have hard words about any model railroader and like all the folks in the model train hobby. Everyone is always welcome to stop in and see my layout work. The basis of my comment was made as a suggestion to help York attendance by making the unused hall a place for HO equipment and hobbyists.  HO equipment is not my cup of tea (better wording) but there are many hobbyists who model in this gauge.  Simple suggestion; more table sales and more attendance may help the York event and O gauge die hard's need not worry,  the HO guys could have their own party in the brown hall.

As for the original question "Did the Eastern Division change the York Meet soon enough?  That's a hard question to answer but the opportunity for attendance to increase is certainly there. IMO, it will take a few cycles of shows for those that wish to attend an open meet find out and show up. A large billboard on Rt 30 might help and they are not outrageously expensive for non-profit associations.  I would also suggest that the ED give out flyers and sell tickets to the York event at the TCA Museum all year long.  Flyers on the windshield of those in the TCA parking lot maybe? The museum is a summer/fall attraction that the general public can attend. As for myself I will most likely be back this fall. I guess after all the talking I have done on the subject, the ED and the dealers there deserve some of my money!!!!

The annual Eastern States Exposition show (also known as Springfield, Ma, or Amherst Railway Society) is coming up in a couple of weeks.
It is a great public show, with attendance that dwarfs that of York.
Weather permitting, I attend every year, and have been for well over twenty years.

That written, I would hate to see York turn into a show like that.

I hope that York never turns in to a Big E. Right now I am on my way to Key West on the Silver meteor.

Hope and Change. Wonder if it will work this time.