TCA National Convention in Atlanta

The convention is entirely different.  It starts on Sunday and for the most part consists of tours, layout tours and social events.  The trading pits usually open on Friday and then again on Saturday morning.  The trading pits are usually equivalent to a fairly large swap meet but nothing at all like York.  Not to say there isn't stuff to find and buy; just don't be disappointed if it doesn't cover three or four buildings like York.  I have been to a few of them both as an attendee and a Division (Ozark) President and always enjoyed them.

If you see a tour you really want to go on, sign up quickly as there will be limited numbers for the various tours and some go fast.

Dick

Kirk,

My wife and I attended last years convention in Sacramento.

We both felt it was one of the best vacations we ever had.

The tours, layout visits and social events were great. Unfortunately

we won't be able to attend this years convention.

The conventions are more a social event than a trading event.  We attended the 1990 Atlanta convention which was at the Westin Peachtree Plaza.  We had a great time.  Since then we have attended many TCA conventions, the most recent one being in Baltimore.  The convention hotel is in an excellent spot.  There is a large shopping center a few blocks away which has a number of stores and restaurants.  You should not be land locked if you are without a car.

Over the years, we have made many wonderful friendships as a result of attending conventions.

As was previously mentioned, do not expect the trading halls to resemble those at York.  The tables are generally occupied by members from the area.  If there is a large dealer in the area they may be there as well.  I know that OgaugeRR had a table at the Baltimore convention.

As the old commercial said "Try it, you'll like it".

See you all in Atlanta.

My job used to send me to some places chosen for conventions.  Location, location,

location.  Through the Atlanta airport and often to Sacramento were two of them. In Atlanta,with a car, you can get to Savannah, a lot of Civil War history, and tiptoe

among the sleepy and well-fed alligators in the Okefenokee Swamp. I never did get to Andersonville, the infamous Civil War prison camp. I have used TCA conventions in Phoenix and Burlington, VT. to revisit areas not seen in a while, Arizona and New England.  I also attend other train conventions, and ones attended are based on the same premise.  Recently attended the Narrow Gauge Convention in North Carolina, with a chance to see again and ride the  Tweetsie, etc., not to mention, to walk through the famous furniture outlets in Hickory.  But the Phoenix convention where it was 100 degrees for a week...

(I went NE to Colorado and Durango during the week..cooler, to return for the show) makes me think of where I would live if I won the lottery..Colorado in the summer, Arizona in the winter....and I think these Conventions should be held on those kinds of dates..southern state locations in the winter, northern in the summer  (how about

Alaska??).  Plenty of RR history there. And are there chapters/divisions of TCA in

Canada?  Alberta and Calgary are great places.  Quite a while since I was there but they still had then those famous big red grain elevators along the tracks, and I had a good time looking for and photographing  those, not to mention exploring the Canadian Rockies, during the Calgary Stampede.  If you like history, sightseeing...do your homework on any new city you have not visited.  Atlanta has the Underground, and the General from the Great Locomotive Chase is up the road near Marietta, Stone Mountain Park, and Civil War history...Kennesaw Mtn., etc., all around it. 

Just think of the new attendance record a convention would get if a convention was held in Orlando over the Thanksgiving-New Year's period. Sure would beat being home shoveling snow...

I'll be there.  Just look for the guy with the METCA logo on his shirt.

Stu