HOW BOUT AN "OVER" VIEW OF YORK

As you say it probably can't (or won't) be done, but sounds interesting to me. I would like to see it as I will probably never make it to a York meet. I'd also like to see it within the halls, but that is probably impossible to do. 

It is NOT impossible to do inside the halls, actually very easy to do because of the very high ceilings in all the buildings. I just don't think it will be done.

Very novel idea. For someone who has not gone before, a view at low altitude of the exterior of the buildings would give them a real time perspective of the Fairgrounds. This would apply to interior views as well.

 

No need to duck here. 

Well, it'll give folks a target to demonstrate their post-war and PWC rocket-firing flatcars on...

 

Rusty

Still photos are allowed, but no video

Interesting idea.

 

Somebody (can't remember which forum member) did a fantastic job of documenting, in photos, the York Meet either this past April or October 2013. He posted quite a few photos and recall that folks who never had attended responded that they felt like they finally got to see "what it's all about."

Both Nick and I posted pics. I got the "Very First" legal York pic posted title. Having been standing inside the back door when the "Cameras Allowed" announcement was made and then frantically posting

 

Anyway I will be taking my camera back there again this year for more pics

I always thought that the Eastern Division should partner with a video production outfit like OGR or TM to produce a TCA/York documentary.

 

They could cover the history of the TCA and the York Meet and include a hall tour (they could briefly film the member halls empty just prior to the meet opening to avoid "privacy" issues).  Overhead shots of the interiors of the dealer halls could be filmed just prior to the meet opening (for safety reasons).

 

They could also include behind-the-scenes stuff on the effort involved in making York happen, and interviews with TCA "old-timers."

 

Such a documentary could then be used by the TCA for promotional purposes - they could sell it at the museum, run it twice a year on RFD-TV as part of the "I Love Toy Trains" programming cycle, play it at the museum, give out copies in press/media packages, sell it at York as a souvenir, etc.

 

I know that I would buy a copy of a program like this.

 

Andy

Chris, I remember now! Good stuff.

Well like I said, the old heads will fight it, but it's the 21st Century. If they want it to continue to grow (or at least not shrink any further) they need to market it more, with new innovative technology. If you have ever seen one of these videos of a model train event, it gives a VERY COOL perspective, even if you're not a model train type of person.   

 

I'm not trying to start a debate on the rules of York, or what is allowed, used to be, or should be. An overhead video is not going to steal any top secret trade secrets as some people think exist. Look at how many people follow "Eric's Trains" and "The Black Diamond Railway", and not just here at OGR.

 

York is the biggest and badest of them all.... so get it out there, show it off in a new, exciting way that will generate interest. I mean how many people use Google Earth... Railfans all over the place are using those camera equipped flying objects to capture a different view of trains.

 

There is NOT 1 reason why this couldn't be done if the York folks really WANTED to do it    

This is just a small example of a smaller show that shows the possibilities of new ways to promote the York event.

 

If you don't think that's just a little bit cool......well, bust out your Polaroid and 8mm movie camera

Neat!!!

 

....and if you don't think the technology is here today and in the same price range as a good digital SLR camera, just search Amazon for "camera drone".

 

Jim

 

I should have said impossible because of the rules and regulations set for the train show at York, didn't really mean it was physically impossible.

I think it's a marvelous idea.  It would be a great promotional tool for the Meet.  But I wonder if it would actually increase TCA membership. I'm sure it would help, but how much if most people heavily into trains who are local may already know about it and already attend.  Just wondering.

 

It definately would be a neat perspective.

This also sounds like a good idea to me. I think it would be a good promotion for the TCA. They could even put it on their youtube channel with the other videos from the York meets. Sounds like a good promotional effort for the TCA and the hobby to me.

Could encourage folks to join and increase membership.

 

Another question to anyone, if they now allow cameras and pictures to be taken, what do they have against videos?

I would not be concerned about the TCA making a promotional video, but I just don't see a video of the York train meet enticing anybody into the hobby. What would it show? To someone who wasn't already interested in trains, it would just be table after table of stuff.

Same ole, same ole...

There's the old head attitude I mentioned................  Do you ever post anything besides sarcasim and complaints?

 

 

I didn't not say it would be strictly a promotional video. In general, people are much more excited about watching a layout video where trains are running versus a bunch of still photographs. 

 

If all the halls were shown, then all the layouts would be seen as well. For those that were unable to attend, they could see what was what and who was where this time.

 

Table after table of stuff..... well layout after layout is just a bunch of trains running around with or without scenery, and people still buy and watch the dvds when they come out  

This could be a fantastic sales tool for the TCA. I agree that we need to get with the times and use every tool possible to promote our hobby and the TCA.

Hi Doug,

 

That was a cool video, nice to see everything from a birds eye view

 

 

Thanks,

Alex

Especially in Orange Hall, this would be real neat. Just don't crash it. That could get expensive.

 

Gilly

 

Could someone explain to me as to why cameras were banned from York for all those years? I sort of stumbled on to this thread after posting my own about cameras at York.

Because back in the olden days when the TCA Eastern Division was first formed one of the prevalent beliefs of the day was that if you took someones picture you were stealing their soul so they banned photography.

Might not be true but it's as good as any reason they did give.

 

Jerry

The best way to experience York is to just go.  I do like some of your ideas.

Well unfortunately Marty, many people are unable to go for various reasons, and an overhead view is NOT a replacement for going. It merely offers a different perspective, and if it were on YouTube, everyone would watch it, whether they went to York or not.

It just doesn't matter anymore so don't ask. It caused enough discontent and complaining over the yeara its not worth dwelling on

 

Besides my soul collecting jar is full

 

Purely stubbornness and hard-headedness kept the ban going "for all those years".  But the reluctance to allow photography was supposedly rooted in the collector mentality, where collectors viewed photography of the toy trains as paramount to inviting theft of "their valuables".   

 

A somewhat-related variation on that theme was along the lines that photography would allow non-members to see what should only have been seen by members attending the meet, as if it was all some type of exclusive, secret society whose collectables needed maximum protection.  Talk about living in the dark ages.

 

Frankly, I never had any interest whatsoever photographing toy trains in the member halls.  After all, it's just "stuff" sitting on tables.  However, as various displays in the dealer halls introduced more of a "trade show" element to what was formerly just a big train meet, that's where allowing photography became beneficial.  I always thought the dealer layouts, modular club layouts, and new stuff unveiled at vendor booths were the kinds of things most folks wanted to photograph for their own personal enjoyment -- not to mention the promotional benefit for the hobby at large, whose membership demographics are undeniably lacking in the teen and young adult segments of the market. 

 

David