Pictures of the bandit show at the Holiday Inn.

That's a LOT of photos - Thanks Eddie.

Having only been to York twice (first time it rained all weekend) I've not see the bandit meets. This one looks 'alive and well'

 

 

Thank you eddie for posting all the photos.

I attended the bandit meet at the Holiday Inn even before joining the TCA

Wow lots of pictures.. Very nice thanks for posting.. makes me wish I was there..

Eddie,

 

Has this picked back up in popularity?  Everyone kept saying this was dead over the years (or dying) but your photos tell a different story.  BigRail

Eddie,

What day did you take these pictures, I was told that these meets were dead, I use to go to this meets 10 years ago, never needed to attend the York meet I got all the trains I wanted there at some really great prices at that time.

Thanks For Posting These Pictures

Fred

Eddie thank you for posting all the pictures.

I took these pictures on Tuesday. Almost every spot was taken.The inside pictures were of the show in the ballroom at the Holiday Inn also taken on Tuesday.

Looks like a decent enough turnout but not nearly enough to make me spend the additional nights and hotel costs to attend. This seems like the type of thing that only the people who do the whole "York Week" would attend. Perhaps that's one of the reasons they've been on the decline? Less people willing or able to spend that many days in York?

Eddie:

 

I love your enthusiasm, my friend, and I certainly appreciate the photos you took over at the Holidome.  Does look like decent participation this time (can't really tell without an aerial view, so you'll need an airplane in April), but you must admit that the Best Western, Billy Bud (gone forever, I believe), and the several other bandit meets are experiencing their death throes. 

 

Nice to see that they have some tables set-up outside the Holidome so one can rest one's bones while dining on the fine repast from the snack bar.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing you in April, the Good Lord willing.

I have to agree with Barry's assessment. The Holidome was good but Best Western was nearly non existent. However its still worth checking all of them out as you never know what you might come across. A friend found one of these for 35 bucks at Billy Budd. Similar deals could be found at all of the venues if you looked hard enough.

 

Pete

Carl,

 

Yes, the bandit meets are, unfortunately, becoming all but extinct. Hopefully, the main event at the Fairgrounds will persist into the future.

Ah, yes, I remember that little hike from the mall very well!  Made it many times.  Those were the days when the bandit meets were all going strong, especially the Holidome and now-defunct Billy Budd.  It was a fun adventure, and a lot of money (and trains) changed hands even before the York Meet opened.  Part of the reason, I suppose, that meet officials thought it best to help diminish those off-site events.

I've never been to a bandit meet so I don't know how busy they used to be but what I take from the pictures is a lot of train guys with pretty full table, don't see too many people browsing /shopping. Kind of unusual that they're not more crowded unless it just happened to work out that way for the photographer.

I guess a lot of people just don't take off the whole week to make an adventure of York just a couple of days and they use that for the main event.

 

Jerry

If one thing has helped kill off some of the bandit meets, it's the way society has increasingly been geared for work. Not everyone is willing or able to take of that amount of time. 1 or 2 days away for me and I end up with a weeks worth of catch up. 

Yes, the 'bandit' meets without question aren't what they used to be, though the whole hobby isn't, but I know my father & I still find them worthwhile for us as a dealer. As I believe someone mentioned, people just don't have the time or money to take time off of work during the week for such events like they used to. We do the Holiday Inn and this year was better than in the past several meets. I'm sure the gorgeous weather played a big part of that. My prediction is before long there will be just one pre-fairgrounds meet, the sole survivor, there at the Holiday Inn. With the TCA loosening up on the reigns (rules) for their meets, it makes it easier and more attractive for the general public to attend, though the big jump in annual fee may cancel some of that theory out.
The show at the fairgrounds is holding up well as it should. There is nothing like it. I have yet to be disappointed. Though, as many have noticed and discussed, the average age there keeps going up every year. We need to increase the effort to get the younger group more interested in the hobby. Promote the nostalgic aspects of the hobby which is actually a popular and 'in' thing but just need to steer them more towards old toy trains in lieu of old radios, guns, tools and the like.
OK, just my $.02 or 3 or 4.

I fully agree that for many people work requirements transcend the ability to spend a full week--or even several days--at the York Meet.  That is probably particularly true for younger folks in the hobby who are (fortunately) in the workforce. 

You guys are leaving off the part about the ten mile walk uphill, though the swamp, in a raging blizzard while carrying 200 lbs of trains in each hand.

 

And Jerry, The Holidome alone is still probably bigger than 80% of the local meets you will find and one of the few venues you will find the mint or near mint collector quality items in large numbers. None of the Bandits are good for finding new trains at 50% off what dealers are selling them for but on occasion they are there too.

 

Pete

Roger that.  I don't know what folks imagined the past but things looked pretty busy this October. 

Last year I hit the weds show at the Hoilday Inn and actually picked up about 90% of my (short) York list. They are definitely a nice addition to the main show. These pictures look like there was far more there than I saw the previous year.  

 

 

Not sure why these shows came into existence and people don't just al sell at the main show, but I hope they continue.

Chris, Some of those dealers at the Holiday Inn parking lot are not TCA members. They do the Mon, Tues & Wed thing and go home.

Eddie

 

Saw you briefly in front of the Orange hall on Thursday before the meet opened.  Wanted to say hi but got distracted.  Hopefully in April.

That couldn't have been Eddie, must have been a doppelganger. (I mean it was the Orange Hall man!)

Sorry to hear the bandits are slowly fading away except maybe the holidome.  I used to go to York form the West Coast twice a year but age and health are keeping me home now.  To me the bandits added a lot more excitement to the York experience but haven't been since they went to a Thursday opening at the Fairground.  I'm sure there is no shortage of trains over there.

 

Ray

Eddie, 

 

The Holiday Inn meet looked like a good time.   Glad to hear that you had a great York trip.

 

Maybe some members just don't like seeing all those orange boxes. 

 

 

 

Actually, if the average age keeps going up, the ability to spend time at the show should increase. Perhaps it's other factors such as (1) having enough trains, (2) developing other interests, (3) tight money, etc.

 

I spend York differently than I did years ago. Years ago it was a hunt for what I wanted because I couldn't get it anywhere else and the bandit shows were important to that. Now it's spending time with friends and if I get something, that's nice.

 

Remember, you do NOT have to be a TCA member to be involved with a bandit show. 

The average age definitely will be going up.  That's pretty much an irreversible trend.

 

But I doubt that you'll see all that many of us "seasoned citizens" spending more time at York than we already do.  Financial and health considerations would be chief among the reasons why, but there are other valid reasons as well.  Truth is, I expect that many or most, after being retired for a while, will elect to make York a once-a-year trip.

quote:

Truth is, I expect that many or most, after being retired for a while, will elect to make York a once-a-year trip.

 

Some folks actually run out of things to buy.

And then there is the realization that one's family is going to have to deal with all those trains someday.

BURFLE, Let's meet in April. What's the big deal?

Good morning!

While I have read a little bit about the "bandit meets", I would like to ask the location of the Holiday that this takes place. I might try to get to this next year in April or October. Especially if I can persuade my wife to attend the meet again! (This was the first time she attended and she could not believe how much was there!) I will be hoping for the whole week off for one of the meets.

Thanks for the photos, Eddie.

 

Maybe you already have

Holiday Inn York

Great pictures.  The real story is the show is now back to about 50 percent of what it was 12-14 years ago.  Back in the golden days, the hotel side rooms were full as well as all the walking areas near the front desk.  MTH set up in the golden days.  Inside the big room last week were the same guys with the same trains they have displayed in past years.  It was cool to see a few more people setting up outside.  

 

Back in the past the only way a person could get into the parking lot was to show a room key.  I remember parking a good distance away from the show.

Thanks for posting pictures.  It helps me understand the bandits better.  York could benefit from the publicity of photos being shared on the internet too.  

 

Sorry this is all foreign to me:  When are the bandit shows?  Before or after the official York?  Where else are they held besides Holiday Inn?  What is 'Billy Budd'?  Who are the people selling at the bandit sales?  Are they dealers selling off inventory they didn't sell at the official York?  Or 'used train salesmen' selling off estate collections and other stuff they buy and sell?  The bandit inventory looks old, how are the prices compared to other sources like ebay?

Clem's York primer may answer some of those questions:

 

http://tcaetrain.org/2d-articl..._Primer_Oct_2013.pdf

Thank you Nick.

 

I never saw any of the bandit shows.  I am surprised that one show was that big!

Rob

The bandit shows are before York. They are on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday.

Wow....The big New York Central herald in that one picture really got my attention.

 

Bob