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When I lived in SE PA I attended several times.  Since moving to NC, I've only made it to York once. 

 

Spring is a tough time to get to York...too many things going on to get ready for Summer.  October would be better.

 

There's a few other NC folks who have posted that they are not going.  Maybe we could carpool to York in October?  If you are interested, please contact me.

 

Of course, we'll have to limit our purchases so we can get back home with everything....or rent a truck.

Originally Posted by johnstrains:

I'm a late scratch, but will still be having fun this week. Heading out Thursday morning for New Orleans for the 2015 Jazz & Heritage Festival.

 

http://www.nojazzfest.com/

 

Had already registered for York months ago but this opportunity came up.

 

I'll be there in October.  

Hmmmm..  Jazz Fest?  If I could get away I just might hit Jazz Fest rather than York. It's been quite a few years since I've been there. We used to attend the first ones that started in Armstrong Park. Quint Davis certainly started something!  The band I used to manage broke up and the lead guitarist formed a new group named 'Woodenhead' and they actually played almost all of them after they moved to the Fairgrounds...

 

It's one of the best music venues in the country. ..and did I mention the food?

I will probably not attend York this year or ever again. Last year I mailed back my TCA membership card and severed my membership that lasted for 35 years. The dues are rising faster than I believe that they should be but my disenchantment on how TCA is excluding families and not focusing on the next generation of hobbyists is my main reason for leaving.

Face it, most of us here are in our 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's so why are TCA meets not built to include children, families and the public?  Is the intent to just let the York meet fade away?

If York keeps going like this, in 10 years, they better have a large supply of wheelchairs, crutches, canes and walkers on hand, that is if there is any attendance at all.

My solution is to turn York into a train meet/carnival for families complete with rides, balloons, cotton candy, large uniformed figures and illustrate how trains can be family fun. Wouldn't it be nice if we all did something for the next generation before we go to our rest?

Originally Posted by jim sutter:

 There's nothing like it. For me the best times were in the 70's, 80's and the 90's.

Same exact thing can be said for about everything. And it's not that those old shows were fantastically better.....but drastically DIFFERENT.....shows were different, times were different.

 

Every Oct from 1984 until about 2013 I attended the biggest plastic model car show and swap meet. It was in Toledo at the Mudhens stadium. For years I could take $1000 and be out of cash in minutes. (remember plastic in the 1980's was a $5-20 item) and covering the 3 big buildings took 2 days at least. Today the show cover about the floor of a basketball gym. Things have changed. No need to travel hundreds of miles to see what's new or what's rare someone is parting with. 

 

Real cars shows too. I did that for a while. Shows are still big.....but different!!  The chance to get together and see each others cars and family was a big deal. Now we share all that painlessly on the net.....almost no time or cost compared to packing up a collector car and traveling for 3 days. 

 

I am glad I was there for what we call the good old days. Younger folks will know nothing of our 'good old days' and not miss or care about them. 

I'm going!  Figured I might as well thread bomb the "Who's not going" thread as the folks who don't go usually thread bomb the "Who's going" and all other thread where people are excited about going.

 

Some folks here have good reasons.  Nothing wrong with that.  Then you have the few that look for any bully pulpit to preach their dislike of all things TCA and York.

Originally Posted by Bob Severin:

I actually went to York a couple of times.  Once was for a auto parts show and once was for work.  Never been to the train show, and probably won't ever be able to either.  But, I don't think I'll be missed.

I had not thought about that, Bob.  I too have been through York a few times on business, etc, but never to the train show.  Not to be offensive, but I really never thought about going back to York based on my business trips there, and as I said earlier, basically the Internet has such a big, continuous-running trains show going that it seems unnecessary now.  So I doubt I will ever go.

 

Still, maybe you should go.  I hear they have a deficiency of good, model-train-related poetry.  I think you could help!

Last edited by Lee Willis

I think the biggest issue I see with a lot of people who don't go because trains are readily available on the internet miss a big point of the meet...friends and fellowship.

 

If my only reason to go was to buy trains I would have stopped going years ago.  I go because of all the friends I have made in this hobby.  The trains are secondary.  At least for me. 

 

Lee I hope you change your mind and at least come once as a guest.  I would love to meet you and many of the other members who I have had the pleasure of meeting virtually.

Originally Posted by MartyE:

I think the biggest issue I see with a lot of people who don't go because trains are readily available on the internet miss a big point of the meet...friends and fellowship.

 

If my only reason to go was to buy trains I would have stopped going years ago.  I go because of all the friends I have made in this hobby.  The trains are secondary.  At least for me. 

 

Lee I hope you change your mind and at least come once as a guest.  I would love to meet you and many of the other members who I have had the pleasure of meeting virtually.

I agree, Marty, and if I ever go it will be just to meet everyone.In fact I will leave my checkbook at home (as Patrick's Trains can attest, I have run through my monthy train budget all the way to November by now).  

 

 And I wont' have to go as a guest if I do, because I've been a TCA member for some time - good organization in spite of being forced to do some things differnt than they did in the past.  I am proud to support them and I attend all their local shows here. 

 

I'd love to meet you and others, too.  York helps in one way: this time, three folks who are heading to York stopped by while making the trip.  I met Bill Sellars (Ogaugenut on this forum) who I had never met, yesterday afternoon.  So York even helps me!

 

If you are ever in central NC, we'd love to have you stop by.




quote:
 I too have been through York a few times on business, etc, but never to the train show.




 

One time, I was able to combine the York show with a business trip. The stars aligned, and I had to be in Falls Church, Virginia the Monday following the York Train show. My wife took time from work, and she vacationed while I took a class.

Originally Posted by c.sam:
Originally Posted by johnstrains:

I'm a late scratch, but will still be having fun this week. Heading out Thursday morning for New Orleans for the 2015 Jazz & Heritage Festival.

 

http://www.nojazzfest.com/

 

Had already registered for York months ago but this opportunity came up.

 

I'll be there in October.  

Hmmmm..  Jazz Fest?  If I could get away I just might hit Jazz Fest rather than York. It's been quite a few years since I've been there. We used to attend the first ones that started in Armstrong Park. Quint Davis certainly started something!  The band I used to manage broke up and the lead guitarist formed a new group named 'Woodenhead' and they actually played almost all of them after they moved to the Fairgrounds...

 

It's one of the best music venues in the country. ..and did I mention the food?

c.sam,

I'm really looking forward to it. This is my first Jazz Fest but have spent lots of time in The Big Easy through the years. Have some family there and my last college-age kid goes to school there.

 

Forecast is looking tropical.  

Originally Posted by Richard Cuozzo:
Originally Posted by rtr12:
Originally Posted by Gary Graves:

It's a train show, right? What's so special about York?

It's not just a train show, it's a really BIG train show.

 

I have not been, maybe others will describe it in detail.

You have to experience it, to believe it.

 

Richie

Someday I will have to make a trip to see it. We have fun, moderate sized shows in my neck of the woods, but I could go for something magnificent. 

Originally Posted by Dennis LaGrua:

I will probably not attend York this year or ever again. Last year I mailed back my TCA membership card and severed my membership that lasted for 35 years. The dues are rising faster than I believe that they should be but my disenchantment on how TCA is excluding families and not focusing on the next generation of hobbyists is my main reason for leaving.

Face it, most of us here are in our 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's so why are TCA meets not built to include children, families and the public?  Is the intent to just let the York meet fade away?

If York keeps going like this, in 10 years, they better have a large supply of wheelchairs, crutches, canes and walkers on hand, that is if there is any attendance at all.

My solution is to turn York into a train meet/carnival for families complete with rides, balloons, cotton candy, large uniformed figures and illustrate how trains can be family fun. Wouldn't it be nice if we all did something for the next generation before we go to our rest?

As has been pointed out there are numerous other carnival like atmosphere so called train shows which cater to young children and families that take place throughout the U.S.  These obviously introduce a good number of people to the hobby.  Two closed train meets a year by the Eastern Division is not going to be the death of the hobby.  I am going for my fourteenth time despite some nagging medical issues but life is far too short so I'm keeping the pedal to the medal for as long as I can.  I  don't agree with every policy decision that the TCA makes but I know full well you can't please all of the people all of the time so I am a very proud member of the TCA and plan to be so hopefully for a long time to come.

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