Scenic Express Moving!?....So the email said

York is not as big a deal as it used to be.

The bulk of the business - any business - is online now, not at York.

Probably getting away from PAs taxman.

@MartyE posted:

Probably getting away from PAs taxman.

...or closer to Colorado's natural splendor.

@Rich Melvin posted:

York is not as big a deal as it used to be.

The bulk of the business - any business - is online now, not at York.

Rich

As true as your statements are, It will be sad if Scenic Express does disappear from the York meet. I do purchase from them online and via phone-in, BUT I for one like a whole lot of others have made significant purchases on-site from Jim Elster over the years and cant remember a York where I did not purchase. Hoping he continues the York appearances

The times, they are a changin'

@L.I.TRAIN posted:

Rich

As true as your statements are, It will be sad if Scenic Express does disappear from the York meet. I do purchase from them online and via phone-in, BUT I for one like a whole lot of others have made significant purchases on-site from Jim Elster over the years and cant remember a York where I did not purchase. Hoping he continues the York appearances

Thanks, Steve, for picking up on my reference to York in the original post.

I'm well aware of the change in retail business strategies over the past 25 years, or so.   IMHO, York, the eastern division of the TCA meet, has become somewhat 'hobby-centric' to the genre of model railroading participating in this forum.   Orange Hall and its vast displays by manufacturers, distributors, some of the largest retailers, et alia, has always been a must-see for all of us.   But, yes, the times are changing.   And it's somewhat disconcerting to us when we can no longer look forward to seeing some of the stalwarts...like MTH.

I suppose that, after they move, Scenic Express might yet have some representation at the York meets.  But, I dunno...Woodland Scenics, based in Missouri, to my knowledge has never participated in a York meet.  Lord knows when I worked for our LHS and was asked to  participate in some midwest trade shows that I would needle the WS folks for not having representation, clinics, etc. at York.  To no avail, obviously.  "Cost prohibitive" was the general response.  I get that.  An 800 mile, multi-day business trip for personnel, displays, retail stock, etc., etc., blah, blah, is not a walk in the park.

But Colorado is about another 800 miles farther.  Does that bode well for continued York participation for a vendor like Scenic Express?? 

Of course providing on-line shopping is essential for many/most businesses nowadays.  Changes in location tend to precipitate changes in shipping costs.  Any argument about the trajectory of shipping costs of late?

So, yes, in some respects "York is not as big a deal as it used to be".   These changes...inevitable, so they say...are still painful, if only for a while.   Should Orange Hall someday become a bunch of 'Zoom booths', I'll be done, for sure.

Ah, well, time for a pour...and trip to the basement.  A happy place.

KD

@dkdkrd posted:

But, I dunno...Woodland Scenics, based in Missouri, to my knowledge has never participated in a York meet.   I would needle the WS folks for not having representation, clinics, etc. at York.  To no avail, obviously.  "Cost prohibitive" was the general response.  I get that.  An 800 mile, multi-day business trip for personnel, displays, retail stock, etc., etc., blah, blah, is not a walk in the park.

KD

Woodland Scenics comes to Milwaukee every year for Trainfest and they do live demonstrations and have a very professional booth and team there presenting. It’s an all scale show with huge attendance so they are spending their money wisely.

@bigtruckpete posted:

Woodland Scenics comes to Milwaukee every year for Trainfest and they do live demonstrations and have a very professional booth and team there presenting. It’s an all scale show with huge attendance so they are spending their money wisely.

Milwaukee is also about 500 miles closer than York for Woodland Scenics.

Rusty

W.S. also comes to the Amherst Train Show at the Big E in Springfield, Massachusetts with a large and very professional display - so distance would not appear to be a substantial motivating factor.

@Richie C. posted:

W.S. also comes to the Amherst Train Show at the Big E in Springfield, Massachusetts with a large and very professional display - so distance would not appear to be a substantial motivating factor.

Indeed, I started scenery on my layout last summer and was hoping to see them at the next Springfield show to stock up on stuff.

@Richie C. posted:

W.S. also comes to the Amherst Train Show at the Big E in Springfield, Massachusetts with a large and very professional display - so distance would not appear to be a substantial motivating factor.

Whoa!....And that coupled with typically the worst month (January) for travel from the midwest to northeast!! 

Wife and I attended the Amherst show twice (we're in eastern Michigan), but that was many moons ago.  Seems odd to say so, but we were less constrained for this sort of road travel back then than now.  Then, too, we were less 'invested' in the York-a-mania end of the hobby.  There was so much to see at Amherst, I'm afraid Woodland Scenics was not among the most memorable booths visited...my bad.  But, speaking of road travel at that time of the year, I do recall we cancelled a couple subsequent trips to Amherst solely because the weather forecast was not at all inviting for the 650 mile trip!

We also attended Train Fest in Milwaukee for a couple of years...requested by the boss (LHS).  I do recall WS being there, but as Rusty said, it was closer for them, and, conveniently, in Walthers' (major distributor for the hobby and WS) back yard.

Ah, well, we wish Scenic Express safe travels and pleasant changes in their business and personal lives with this move.

KD

Not being political, but with climate change and Boston quickly becoming the Miami of the Northeast, the weather and driving for last 3-4 Big E shows I've attended (sans 2020) has been very cooperative with not much snow, if at all. Obviously, coming from the mid-west, you're likely to encounter much more difficult driving conditions along the way.

Hopefully, my driving experience will continue this coming January and I also wish SE good luck in their new digs, even though my shipping costs may go up.

As Rich Melvin said times they are changing. As far as I’ve been told Model Building Services and Brennan’s Ballast will no longer be attending. With MTH downsizing the next York should be different.

I live in Alamosa, Colorado, which is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Delta, Colorado, where Scenic Express is moving to. My daughter is buying a house in Delta, so when I go to see her I can also stop in at Scenic Express. Hopefully, they will have a showroom where a person can go in and shop.