Documenting the York Experience

Several vendors had packed up and split, and a few others were starting to pack up when we left at 5:30.

quote:

The diligence in checking badges isn't the issue but rather the decorum or manner in which it's done. No matter how crowded an entrance area might be or how inexperienced someone might be at checking badges, that is still not an excuse or free pass for badge checkers, be they volunteer or paid,  to be curt,  rude  or physically accost a patron.  Afterall they represent the TCA and might for a newcomer to York offer the first impression of organizers of that event.

People, including "door checkers" often respond in kind to how they are treated. Even if you were the perfect gentleman, perhaps the person who tried to go through the door without displaying their badge a moment before was unpleasant.

I was at the show Thursday, and Friday, I did not run into any unpleasant "door checkers".

The two main topics on this thread are "left lane tickets" issued by a Penn. Cop... And badge checking! Really?? Come on people.. this was started by Nick for all the right reasons....let's talk about the "fun" stuff of York. 

I had a fantastic Friday. The weather was absolutely perfect, deals all around, and a much larger crowd. Golden Gate Depot was the biggest wallet burner for me this trip. Vince's Trains in the Orange Hall had a brand new 5-car Southern Pacific Daylight 21" set, and he gave me dealer pricing on it. Lots of other odds and ends, will post more about those when I get everything organized.

Thursdays at Fridays was a blast. So good to speak in person with so many people that up to that point had only been words on a screen. I had such a good time I was one of the last ones to leave. Alan, Alex, Dennis, Ed, Jim, John, Marty, and anyone else I missed, thanks so much for a great time!

Some funny points - the Orange Hall was producing some very strange smells this meet. In the rear of the building near the manufacturer exhibits I kept getting the smell of horse manure, anyone else notice that? And then in the front of the building the crab cakes stand was pretty funky lol. I was also surprised I hadn't encountered any smelly people yet, then I got absolutely carpet bombed in the Purple Hall. This was beyond crop dusting, I thought I was going to suffocate 

Joking aside, in the end I walked away with tired legs, an empty wallet, and a full trunk. What a wonderful experience this has been with all of you, and many more to come I'm sure!

More photos (right-click and open in a new window for full-size):

Got parked out in the boonies this time around:

Full parking lot:

Goodie for you, Jim!  Just dandy.  Thanks for sharing.

I had a pretty good time today. Got there at 9 and didn't leave til 6. Got a great deal on a 1776 set from Barrys Trains in the Purple hall, didn't plan on buying anything big on my Graile list but after looking at it a few times and walking around the Blue hall I headed back and they still had it so I pulled the trigger on it, it also had an American Glory set included with it!. Didn't have the same luck on my Tropicana train acquisitions, found the Seaboard SD9 and a caboose but only 1 Tropicana reefer which surprised me because there common as dirt on Ebay so I figured there'd be a number of them at York. Also my hunt for several Lionel buildings turned up zilch. 

My only real complaint?:

Anyone else noticed a good number of sellers that seem to be parting out postwar and prewar steamers and tenders separately? I found what seemed to be great deals on 2025s or 1666s or 224s but they didn't include a tender but could be had for like $20 less than the locomotive, a 675 in EX condition for $85 is a great deal til you find out the tender is an extra $65, now it's just a normal price nothing special, kind of disheartening. Why not just match them up and sell the set like they originally came? It's not like they had extra tenders or locomotives, they all had mates but they didn't come as a set.

Yeah I know sometimes someone needs a tender for an engine they have or vise versa but that's not really the norm, most of us usually get both. I just never noticed it before at train shows mostly on Ebay.

Hopefully tomorrow when I bring my grandson he'll have better luck with his wish list, he's on a B&O kick this year.

Jerry

Well, I've just spent a very happy half-hour reading through this entire thread. Contained within there are tales of joy and tales of woe, excitement and drama, humour and satire. All in all a great read with which to start my morning. My thanks to everyone who contributed. 

I only wish that I could have also been there to participate.

Nick's tale about falling foul of the law, and his comparison to Florida driving practices, reminded me of the story about the elderly gentleman in Florida who was driving home from visiting his LHS. As he was traveling along the interstate he received a 'phone call from his wife warning him to be careful, as she had just heard that some idiot was driving the wrong way on that particular road. He replied, 'One idiot? They are all driving the wrong way!' 

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A couple items of interest....  Let's cover the bad stuff first (if not interested, skip to the good stuff, then)

Cranky, old sellers

What percentage of sellers were "cranky old sellers"? 80 percent? 50 percent? 10 percent? 1 percent?

The show must be filled with mean door guards and cranky, old sellers. Why bother to go?

Got what I wanted except for one item. I hadn't wanted much on this trip. Naturally, I also got a couple of things that weren't on the list to begin with.

Mike R told me that I would be spending a lot of money with him the beginning of the year. Looking forward to it.

I did, as a matter of fact. On the other hand, some dealers will include a "lesser value" tender than the one that origionally came with the engine...so do your homework.

Nick,

Many states have a "keep right, except to pass" motor vehicle regulation. It is typically not enforced, but when you have out-of-state license plates, it's a great revenue generator. It's funny too, because PA drivers are notorious for camping in the left lane.

I had my own run-in with weird PA laws on the way here. Got pulled over and a $54 citation for driving in the left lane. Apparently here that's a passing-only lane??? The Florida highways must be the wild west if this load of cr@p is the norm....////// 

Its also law in NJ....  be careful on the turnpike...

I think Mike needs to check with the accounting department.  We typically pay for stuff when it ships -- not when it's catalog'd.  Unless he was referring to all the stuff that's still gotta ship from the last two years' worth of catalogs!!!  

David

Forgot to mention that I stopped at the LCCA's table in the Orange Hall, and Sal G was doing the honors when I walked by.  What a great guy!

Finally got a chance to see the Texas Special mint car with diamond load (since I missed the April 2013 York).  Only need one word...  WOW!!!  

Well, perhaps more than one word.  I'll never look at mint cars the same way again.  And I have lots of them.  The illuminated diamond load is a game-changer for sure.  

Once all the dust settles with the Texas Special items being delivered later this year or early next, I can't imagine Lionel not doing another production run (or two) in a couple of road names with the illuminated diamond load now that the tooling is done.  It'd be worth every penny.

I was also hoping to see the Goliath in person, but rumor had it the LCCA folks couldn't recruit enough guys to haul it around!!!  Sounds like that's gonna be one hefty "brute" to bring inside when the UPS truck delivers it along with the matching showroom cars.  

Definitely a great time to be in the hobby with all this terrific variety of product being delivered!  

David

York lunch.....Friday about 1300 hrs:

Doesn't really look that bad, does it?

Peter

Come and visit Indiana and try to buy any kind of package alcohol in any store on a Sunday.  (Actually, that might be an appropriate time-warp back to the 1950s when Lionel was in its' prime.) 

I did not see the familiar camping trailer that is painted in Lionel colors that is usually parked where all of the drives intersect near the concession stand.  Anyone know what happened to it?

Food on the Fairgrounds is uniformly unappetizing --- except, of course, the pumpkin funnel cakes.  LOL!

What's all that red stuff all over it?  Did you cut yourself?

 As a West-coaster, I have to tell you that this has been the best reporting of the year... Thank You!

Nobody and I mean nobody puts ketchup on a hot dog. Ugh!!

My dad and I drove from Illinois for our first York visit.  Next time we will fly.  Tolls Indiana $16, Ohio $20.25, and Penn $21... one way lol.  I would say 60% of the roads/turnpikes where under construction and left you at 50-60mph with state troopers lurking everywhere.  Gotta love 5 mile construction zones with not a single yellow vest in site.

We probably spent around 2k between us on a few rolling stock and mostly scenery.  Some very good deals on diecast, figures, and structures.  Could have easily spent more!  I finally got my reissue 497 coal loader that will be repainted/customized for our operating layout. 

Overall a good time, minus the drive.  Prices, compared to chicagoland prices, where much cheaper minus shipping and tax.  People where for the most part nice, but had a few folks who where pushy.  I will say this, I could probably count on one hand the amount of younger folks I seen, me being one of them.  Hope in 20 years this is still alive and running!

Nick did you make it to Cesar's (Fatboy) place to see his layout?

All I can say is, I had the best York that I have ever had. Attendance was up for sure, no doubt in my mind. The weather was the best it has been in years. need I say more. I got everything that I was looking for including the T3 Electric.

Unfortunately I did not get the opportunity. Was at the show until about 6 on Thursday, then took some time to freshen up in the hotel, and then ended up having such a great time at the Fridays party it was 10:30 before I knew it. Went back to the hotel and practically passed out soon as I hit the bed.

But now I know, so next time I will be sure to make the time!

My first York was amazing!

I missed certain events since I didn't know the meeting was in the basement while I was on the main floor! LOL

I budgeted for two items and got them both: One of Patrick's Track Cleaning Cars and yes I know I will have to turn the sounds switch off, a Hot Box Reefer!

Overall had a great time, phone was messed up for some reason, have to have it looked at by Verizon. Overall left early on Friday as I was beat, left right after the Grandstand OGR put on.

Plus all day was worrying about one of my dogs, Corky a Female beagle was hurt after her older beagle Dakota and the young Mini-Dachshund Sookie finally caught the Gopher Tuesday before we left for York.

After surgery on her ear, our friend who is a vet tech, and our dog sitter said to go anyway and she would keep us advised. Well Friday she removes the bandages and one head shake and it started bleeding again. She got it re-bandaged and contacted her boss the vet. Appointment scheduled for first thing Monday so when the bandages come off again, if the would starts bleeding, she goes back in to surgery and will have the would cauterized. Didn't find this out til I got back to the B & B in Marysville, so we headed out first thing Sat Morn.

BTW if you want a great Bed and Breakfast, right y the Rockville Bridge, check out the Bridgeview B & B. Keith the Owner ( a Model Train Guy!) and Barbara were both Great!

Overall, hoping to make April but daughter having her first delivery of twins! about then, so if anything I will come solo and only for a shorter time. Next Oct may be a bust but depends on if work schedules our annual meeting the same week!

Eddie

How could it be the best one yet I wasn't there!!

Pete

Only person I know that put ketchup on a Hot dog was Oscar Madison

David

The LCCA guys are the best bunch you will ever meet.  They know what camaraderie is all about.

PS- If you drove the right way you wouldn't get tickets  Stop crying

I don't know the person who owns it, but noted it's absence as well.

I'll occasionally do a small strip of ketchup along with a small strip of mustard at home.  I'd have to agree Peter may have overdone it, but since I'm a crab cake fan, I've never tried the hot dogs that I can recall.  If it had the consistency of a belt, then he may not have enough ketchup!   (this post made in jest and  not intended to slander the various hot dog vendors at the York Train Meet)

-Dave

quote:

Nobody and I mean nobody puts ketchup on a hot dog. Ugh!!

Ketchup on hot dogs is very popular in this region. While I prefer spicy mustard (don't really care for yellow mustard), even some members of my family prefer ketchup.

I've even seen people put mayo on them.

I used to like the Barbeque beef sandwiches (currently in the corner where the white and red halls meet), but something was different about them this time. Years ago, they were in a different spot, and actually cooked the meat on site. Those were the best!

We had a great drive down and back. In past years we've hit heavy rain, heavy fog, snow, and traffic jams due to construction.
This trip was smooth sailing going down, and just a bit of a slowdown around Scranton, PA coming back. We even had an easy drive through Harrisburg, Pa, which is often a painful drive.

We were there for the opening on Thursday, and departed on Friday at noon.

Saw some friends, purchased a couple of items for my collection, and a few more items for tinkering.

I thought the folks on Thursday were generally older, while the crowds on Friday had a lot more younger people.

Was it crowded?

There definitely were times when the isles were congested in the member halls, even with almost everybody following the direction arrows, and being polite with their cell phones.

At one point I left the blue hall due to the congestion (went back later).

I chatted with a number of tableholders. Most were very pleasant, and also willing to dicker. I did not run into any of the reported grumps (or nasty door people).

In some states, putting ketchup on hot dogs is illegal, and you can get a hefty prison sentence for even mentioning putting mayo on those things.  

Everything's regional!

Growing up on LI, when I went away to school in upstate NY, it was a shock to me to find they put mustard on hamburgers in the fast food places.  Myself and every other kid from LI wondered what was going on with that. 

I learned to live with it, much easier/quicker than asking them to make one without mustard.

-Dave

Try Piccalilli with fries. (A popular choice in France & Holland.) It is truly scrumptious. 

In Lancaster county got to go for the bratwurst [ not hot dogs  ]

I would really like to see Cesar's layout as well. We got to Fridays about 6pm, and the next thing we knew, it was almost 11pm. Didn't realize all that time went by just hanging out with the fellas.

French fries and tartar sauce is pretty good too.

Jerry

This is certainly an informative and mostly enjoyable post to read. Great hearing so many folks came away from York feeling happy and fulfilled this time around. Thanks to all of you for posting your positive experiences.

i took my 12 year old son Wyatt to the York meet on Saturday. We got there at 9:00, he had saved some money and it was burning a hole in his pocket. We shopped, took in the impressive Lionel presentation, then got back to shopping. He settled on a Boston and Maine F-3 ABA set from Williams by Bachman, and was very pleased. We spent the rest of our time looking for a B&M caboose to go with the set, we covered every aisle and every hall and came up with nothing. The hunt was fun though! And a good York Meet experience for Wyatt. I found a new Weaver B&M cabeese on Fleabay for him when I got home.

I wore a pedometer that day, I checked it on the way home and we walked 12,500 steps, or over 6 miles at the York Meet.

I dont know how I got my aching 49 year old body out of the rack this morning at 6:30, but I did, and I ran in a 5k Race for the Cure race at 8:00 that I had signed up for.

Miracles do happen.

I went thurs and fri and the weather was nice, not too crowded, and some great prices on stuff.  I saw 2  lionel 213 lift bridges for 250.00 for example,  great price.  Didn't see a lot of cash trading back and forth but I'm not an accountant watching every transaction.  Honestly I don't know how these guys that sell stuff make any money based in what I see sell And the costs of travel and the tables.  But I hope they keep doing it because it just the greatest meet and always enjoyable.  I always find something I'm looking for.