My First York

Glad you had fun!

Andy

Dave,

I was going to post a topic entitled just the same as yours.  I didn't get that far after posting on the what did you buy at York topics.  Excellent photographs!!  I didn't meet all those folks, but most of them!  I was really glad to meet you and then run into you a few more times.  It was fun, two newbies, comparing notes and answering each other's questions.  Your experience was similar to mine!!

I too was nervous about going.  I hated to ask my wife about going for an overnight trip, because after 33 years of marriage, this was the first time I went away on an overnight trip that wasn't work related, and I had no choice.  She thought I deserved it after the year we have spent with my parents' poor health, and caring for her mother and my aunt.

I asked a local guy, Andy Hummell, for advice on where to stay.  I have gotten to know him and the crew visiting the Pittsburgh Independent Hi Railers layout at various venues in the Pittsburgh area over the years.  Andy said some of them were going down, and I could room with them.  Andy was a great host.  Peter @Putnam Division is a great guy!  I ran into him at least a half dozen times.  I saw him at the OGR breakfast, supper, meeting, and a few other times.  I felt like I was one of his River Ciry 3 Railers crew.  

I wish I could have met Alan Arnold.  I met all the other OGR staff, but Alan was a busy fellow, and I just missed him twice.  Harry Henning III is someone I have already gotten to know, and I ran into him several times.  I had a great chat with Steve Nelson aka Mr Muffin.  I also was glad to talk a few minutes with Mike Wolf.  I thanked him for his advice and for all he has done for the hobby.  I had a good talk with Derrek Thomas of Notch 6.  I appreciate his podcasts and mentioned how one of my sons-in-law has gotten into podcasting in a subject I know little about.  I could go on and on.

I wish I could have stayed for Saturday, but had to get back home for our youngest daughter's concert with the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh.  This is her 3rd year singing with them, and she hopes to make music her career.  Leaving York wasn't the end though.  I stopped for supper and a rest room break at the Sidling Hill rest stop on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  As I was getting up to throw out my garbage, and in walks Neal @PRRMiddleDivision who I know from the Pittsburgh area and had seen two or three times at York.

In conclusion, I could go on naming names of so many people, but I will just say I appreciate meeting every person from the Forum!!  Those I didn't see, I wish I had.  Yes, I hope to be able to go back in the spring as well.  Dr. Jack (Jack Earley) from the Pittsburgh Ind. HiRailers said it best; Now I will be going back for the next 30 Yorks!  

I'm glad both of you had a great time and hope you can make it to many more!

-Greg

Last Spring was my first York and I too was completely blown away. It was the best train day ever. Weather was beautiful, and I got to meet all of the people at OGR. Found everything I was looking for, and so much more. Can't wait to do it again.

Dave and Mark......thank you for your kind words. York is about trains, yes.....but, it is also about the relationships we have made over the years. That's what keeps me coming back.  I hope both of you can make it a regular or semi-regular experience. Seeing and talking to someone in person always trumps cyberspace.

One of the "finds and acquisitions" I always make at York is not that that rare train  car, engine or accessory.....it's a new way of looking at a layout issue, a new idea for a scene from one of the layouts, a new way to detail or paint a structure,  a fix for a problem I'm having with a repair. These are the things I also find  very useful and rewarding.

Lastly, if either or both of you were responsible for the nice weather.....a hearty thank you!

Remember....April is just around the corner............

Peter

Greg Houser posted:

I'm glad both of you had a great time and hope you can make it to many more!

-Greg

Thank you Greg!

JDFonz posted:

Last Spring was my first York and I too was completely blown away. It was the best train day ever. Weather was beautiful, and I got to meet all of the people at OGR. Found everything I was looking for, and so much more. Can't wait to do it again.

I'm glad you had a great First Trip to York too last spring!

Putnam Division posted:

Dave and Mark......thank you for your kind words. York is about trains, yes.....but, it is also about the relationships we have made over the years. That's what keeps me coming back.  I hope both of you can make it a regular or semi-regular experience. Seeing and talking to someone in person always trumps cyberspace.

One of the "finds and acquisitions" I always make at York is not that that rare train  car, engine or accessory.....it's a new way of looking at a layout issue, a new idea for a scene from one of the layouts, a new way to detail or paint a structure,  a fix for a problem I'm having with a repair. These are the things I also find  very useful and rewarding.

Lastly, if either or both of you were responsible for the nice weather.....a hearty thank you!

Remember....April is just around the corner............

Peter

Peter,

I agree with you, the best part was meeting so many great people in person and getting new ideas for my layout, running trains, and my general approach to the hobby!  Having been a "loan wolf" in the hobby since I first started when I was 10 or 12 until I found my first train related email list In the very late '90s, I have tried to move from being that shy kid to that of an encourager.  I really enjoyed meeting some of our younger members and watching the children who were mesmerized by the club layouts and active dealer displays.

I do hope to become a fairly regular participant at York.

Mark, 

it was nice meeting you at the OGR Forum. It is nice to meet in person all the forum members that have given help, comments etc on forum posts.  Glad you had a good time & look forward to seeing you at future York TCA meets.

Craig,

I was happy meeting you as well!  It is great to meet in person someone I have communicated with here!  I'm looking forward to going back to York again!

Dave and Mark,

Now you know what people mean when they say York is an experience like no other. I'm glad you had a good time and hope to meet you in April. 

John

John,

Thank you!  Yes, now I know!  I do hope to meet you next time!!

One thing I am great at is putting thoughts into words. I think I had told Peter that I will be thinking, and my hands start typing but the brain is way far ahead. And Peter is so right, not just the finds, or lack of finding what you were looking for, but the people. As I said above, if it wasn't for the great members on here talking about going to York, I probably wouldn't have gone. I remember Peter giving me that great advice on the forum some time ago about spray painting the roadbed a gravel color. I was thinking to myself no way. I even emailed Steve from Ross and he said the same thing, "any color you want it to be will work, as long as it is foam safe". Well, I finally got that courage to paint them(took 2 cans of spray paint) and was very happy with the results. I still have to get some legs and mounting brackets and I can proceed with the rest of it. I hope to post some pictures next month. Thanks again for a great time.

Mark, It was nice meeting you and I'm glad you came running up to me to introduce yourself!  I usually miss saying hi to a lot of people at York as I'm always running around in a daze!

MIKATT1 posted:

Mark, It was nice meeting you and I'm glad you came running up to me to introduce yourself!  I usually miss saying hi to a lot of people at York as I'm always running around in a daze!

Dave,

You're welcome.  I'm glad I did see you, and said hello.

Very easy to run around in a daze. Some of the best times was my sitting down, and not because I was tired. An old fellow, much older than myself was sitting at the buffet table all by himself on Friday. My co-worker and I joined him and we started talking, I explained that it was our first York, and I was finding some of the things on my short list, as well as some of the things not on my list(got very lucky over at Henning's area). He told us that he had been looking for some old gearing(I forget if he said to what exactly, but he found some of what he was looking for), and that it was good to find that. After a bit we bid farewells and he was on his way while we finished eating. Another person popped over and asked if he could sit to which I said sure, go right ahead. He asked where we were from and I said Jersey, he said Massachusetts. It was his first York too. I had told him that we had gone to shows(not York of course) like Somerset(which is not a big show, think very small bathroom, JK), and Edison. Edison is of course the bigger show than Somerset, but you still find good stuff. He asked if we had ever been to Amherst, which we said no to. We talked a bit longer and went on our way as we finished eating and wanted to get to the OGR Forum Meeting. Always good to run into someone and just shoot the breeze as it were.

I'll be going next year in April (hopefully) with my dad for the first time

Nicholas, I hope to meet you and your dad there for your first York, and my second!!!  

Mark and Dave,

You were pre-warned in advance about York in its small size! Told both of you that you will be blown away by its size. And I think it was larger some years ago.

Ted

You are right, Ted!  It is the largest meet or show I have ever seen.  I have seen the attendance stats for the last few years which prove your point!  Thank you 

Hey Ted, my train dealer Tony gave me a great warning. He said think of several Wal-Mart building, just filled with everything to do with trains. I replied, "That is a lot". He said you will be blown away. I am going to have to make sure I plan slightly better, and get days secured for April and October. October for work is always inventory, which I got extremely lucky this year because they didn't plan it ahead of schedule. I do know York dates are already set for next year and I think April 2019 if I recall seeing on the site about a month ago. See what comes. 

Great stories guys.  Thanks for sharing your show with us.  I have 75 York shows under by belt and they keep getting better.  My first York took only two hours to do it all.  It keeps getting better.  Glad you enjoyed.

Marty

Thank you, Marty!  Two hours.  You are the first person I have heard mention anything relating to the size of the meet back in the early days.  While I understand the York meet isn't quite as big as a few years ago, you give perspective on how it is huge compared to 75 meets ago!

Thanks Marty, was my pleasure to share. It is always good to talk about the good things that make anyone's life all that much more enjoyable. This was technically my first vacation since my trip out to Yellowstone in 2010(I think it was). I have always had time off that I took, but this was the biggie.

Mark Boyce posted:

  While I understand the York meet isn't quite as big as a few years ago

Although some will disagree, my own feeling is that York SEEMED more well-attended before Thursday was added to the mix. Back then, you could barely walk the aisles in some of the halls, since you only had one full day (Saturday was always a "pack-up early" affair). Also popular is: Thursday killed the Bandit "flea market type" sales. IMO, fewer dealers/tables over the years resulted in fewer people wanting to pay for extra night lodging to attend them.

Yes, I've been going to York on and off since the mid-1980s, and yes, I used to drive the 4-hour 'round trip to attend a day of Bandit shows. (Notice I did not say Bandit "Meet", since it is open to the public).

Great York report! Thanks guys!

Joe Hohmann posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

  While I understand the York meet isn't quite as big as a few years ago

Although some will disagree, my own feeling is that York SEEMED more well-attended before Thursday was added to the mix. Back then, you could barely walk the aisles in some of the halls, since you only had one full day (Saturday was always a "pack-up early" affair). Also popular is: Thursday killed the Bandit "flea market type" sales. IMO, fewer dealers/tables over the years resulted in fewer people wanting to pay for extra night lodging to attend them.

Yes, I've been going to York on and off since the mid-1980s, and yes, I used to drive the 4-hour 'round trip to attend a day of Bandit shows. (Notice I did not say Bandit "Meet", since it is open to the public).

Joe,

You are not the first that observed a difference once Thursday was added.  Those I talked to last week who came early for bandit shows said there was a lot there, but not as much as in the past.  Thank you for your input for this newcomer!

I don't think anything will damper my spirit of this whole experience. I got to see some great stuff I haven't seen before(lots of prewar stuff), stuff I have dreamed about(VL 700E Hudson, VL Challenger, 3 of 700E, 2 of Challenger all at the same table), and even the 2-10-10-2 Mallet. I think though the thing that really made me smile other than meeting everyone was seeing a Blue Comet(that great old prewar engine) for $3,700 I think it was. I was amazed. Got to love being amazed.

Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

I don't think anything will damper my spirit of this whole experience.

Can you imagine a thread in the future titled "Do you miss the York Meet?". Hopefully, not in my lifetime.

Joe Hohmann posted:

Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

I don't think anything will damper my spirit of this whole experience.

Can you imagine a thread in the future titled "Do you miss the York Meet?". Hopefully, not in my lifetime.

Dang! Don't even joke about that, I just went to my first. 

My only complaint had nothing to do with the meet. My back just had no interest in all that walking. Made it tough to really concentrate on things, but I did my best and toured each hall at least twice. 

Dave and Mark,

Great to hear you both had such a great time for your inaugural York experience!  We can definitely relate.    But these stories never get old.  Love to hear them.

Joe Hohmann posted:

Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

I don't think anything will damper my spirit of this whole experience.

Can you imagine a thread in the future titled "Do you miss the York Meet?". Hopefully, not in my lifetime.

Somehow I don't see that title ever coming into being. There will always be some smoke coming from the engine, just needs to be stoked is all. 

Rocky Mountaineer posted:

Dave and Mark,

Great to hear you both had such a great time for your inaugural York experience!  We can definitely relate.    But these stories never get old.  Love to hear them.

I am sure at some point in my life I will be relating, "You know, this here was my first purchase at my first York. And this one, well, I got that three steps from my first purchase. And this one was just a step......." and then someone says, "You tell us that each year and add whatever you just bought this time around"