The old Gold Hall

George,

I am not home right now so will get back to you this evening. I have keep my York badges since I started going in 2000. I will check when I get home to see when the Eastern Division switched from the Gold to Orange hall. I believe the annex was called the Yellow hall, but not sure.

I would guess Oct. 2003 based on this information:

http://www.yorkexpo.com/toy_arena.html

Although I got a couple of good deals in the Gold Hall and its little annex, I do not miss it one bit.  Extremely tight space with poor lighting, no heat and often leaking roof that left puddles to be jumped and some dealers to use protective tarps.

The grandstand was the yellow hall and the building behind it was the gold hall.

I thought the grandstand was called the yellow hall. What a maze that place was!

The Yellow Hall was the space under the grandstand (spent a number of years there during the York Meets)--loved every minute of it.   The Gold Hall is the building at one end of the grandstand.  Lionel and MTH had tents/displays outside the opposite end of the grandstand for several years.

I loved the Yellow hall. You could hardly walk thru it when the meet opened.

I remember the annex.  Right-o-Way had their layout in there a couple of times.  Nice layout.  I think it was 20' x 40' if I'm not mistaken.

Rick

It seems like a long, long time ago.  It was a very different time, with a very different feel (and smell) to the place.  I enjoyed those buildings despite their shortcomings.

I remember the Lionel & MTH tents at near end of the grandstand (towards the middle of the fairgrounds).  There were always huge stacks of chicken coops nearby.  The annex (Gold Hall) was at the far end of the grandstand, as Allan pointed out.

And of course, the air was filled with those dueling announcements straight out of the film Airplane  ("No, the white zone is for parking...").

Thanks folks, I appreciate everyone's remembrances.

George

I bought a lot of great stuff in the Yellow Hall, but I don't miss how dirty and crowded it was.  What I do miss is the open pit barbecues they use to have on the Fairgrounds!  And the sign that use to hang in the Purple Hall that read "All rabbits must be checked" always gave me a chuckle.

I remember when they roasted a Pig.

I remember that last April York the gold hall was used the temperature that Friday went into the 90's The hall was a steam bath. However back then there was a surplus of train items and the dealer tables were piled much higher than todays swap meets.

Every York Meet I've attended has been a great one, but my #1 meets and most fond memories are with the meets held in the early 90s when the hobby was growing by leaps and bounds and when this were very different from what they are today. 

I especially miss the crowded and decidedly uncomfortable Yellow Hall, the MTH and Lionel tents, Neil Young with his huge Jumbotron screen and his super-cool RV, bandit meets that were jam-packed in the days before the meet, the wonderful AOL cookout outside the Yellow Hall along with the super door prizes provided by the manufacturers, and so much more. 

Nothing now or in the future will ever compare to that overall experience in my book of treasured York Meet memories.

Me too, Allan, me too.....

Yellow Hall was a maze but, what fun!!

CC

Allan, You got it right...this time

Those were great meets. The yellow hall jammed pack with trains and my wallet being emptied faster then ever. The tents outside demonstrating the new fangled  dcs and much more

Remember  right inside the door when MTH had the mfg. fixing the trains at the show across from his spot. 

I also remember Mort Mann in the yellow hall showing off his first scale 3 rail diesel in brass, it was beautiful and I wanted it. SF warbonnet and I believe the $795.00 price tag, what a nice man he was. 

ROW taking a deposit for the new FT's  and never delivering them and never returning my money!   What a nice man he was, NOT!!!

so many great memories, I miss those days.

Dave

The yellow hall was the big hall.  The gold hall was the small hall on the end.  The yellow hall was the first hall I ever walked into at my first York.  That was 66 Yorks ago.  I purchased a Williams Trainmaster from a young kid named Mike who was selling Williams trains.

Over the years, I have been still buying trains from that former young kid named Mike.  Today he is 53 years old.  Time marches on.

Yes, that young fellow grew up to be quite a butt-kicker in this hobby, didn't he?    It has been fun watching him over the years. 

This is my 62nd York and I to liked the days of the old Halls and Packed Flea Markets. Went to York from Tues to Sat. Now I go at the most Thurs and Fri. Never on Sat any more.

Sometimes Just Fri.  I Hate the 12 noon Start time on Thurs.

The 12 noon start time on Thurs was to Kill the Flea Markets and it did and that is when York was not the same for me.

Maybe if it started at 9am on Thurs it would be better. I remember when it started at 8am.

It absolutely would be better for most all involved, including the manufacturers and dealers.  With set-up already permitted on Wed., most dealers and such pretty much stand around with hands in pockets before that noon opening.  At least that is the case in the Orange Hall where I hang out.  

Even a 10 a.m. opening would be far better than noon.  Those days for sellers are very long no matter what the times, so a couple or three more hours would make little difference from the perspective of most.

A 9 AM start time might be better for some, but not so much for others.

Some of us Eastern Division members have a six hour drive to get to the show. By starting at noon, we can leave at a reasonable time on thursday morning and get there in time for the show's opening.

While probably the most popular hall for folks participating on this board, the York train meet isn't all about the commerical dealers who can set up on Wednesday.

Folks tend to focus on the show starting at noon on thursday. But there was another major change made to the show. When the Eastern Division added thursday, they also eliminated the shotgun start. For thos unfamilar with the term, under a shotgun start, the tableholders were not allowed to set up their tables before the doors opened. They could only drop off their closed boxes. When the show opened everybody rushed in at the same time, tableholders and sellers. The buyers could see the tableholders goods as they unpacked. Tableholders couldn't sneek a glace at what other tableholders had for sale.

The practice (shotgun start) did create some minor chaos, but it also added a great deal to the excitement of the show.

Personally, I like the relaxed atmosphere of the meet on thursdays at noon. Some of my buddies miss the shotgun start.

No starting time will ever be ideal for everyone...that's a given.  But overall, and seeing the throngs of people who are left standing and milling around the fairgrounds on Thursday morning with their hands in their pockets, a noon start time is sure not something I would have implemented.  But, hey, it's the Eastern Division's event and, as we all know, they have never been terribly "progressive" when it comes to changes and adaptations.

The Thursday Noon start isn't all bad. Shop for 5 hours and go to dinner, Friday, shop for another 5 hours and then go home. This splits up the walking which isn't bad as I get older.

Nope. The noon start isn't bad. I guess everyone has their opinion. It's all perspective. 

And Allan and I remember the yellow hall very differently. 

The noon start allows many people with tables to leave Thursday morning and still be able to set up on time. For many a 3 day 2 night trip instead of a Wednesday night arrival.

All the posts about York being a social event as well as a train meet one would think socializing would be taking place,instead of milling about. When the show is open socializing should stop and business begins. 

York is for members of the TCA Eastern Division and manufactures are guests. Manufactures should not be slamming there host by saying they are not terribly "progressive".

That's not slamming, Jim.  That's just expressing an opinion, and one that has been supported by history.

And be careful about downplaying the role of the "manufacturers."  Without them, the meet would very likely wither and eventually die.

I enjoy and look forward to the York Meets as much as the next fellow, and my perspectives have been formed over time and in the role of both a seller at certain meets and as a member/participant at other times.

quote:

And be careful about downplaying the role of the "manufacturers."  Without them, the meet would very likely wither and eventually die.

Were all the dealers to pull out of the show, the meet would probably get somewhat smaller, but would be unlikely to wither and die. As the prices of newly made trains continue to spiral upwards, and the product becomes less and less serviceable, or even less available, folks interest in older trains in those "other" halls will grow.

While there are plenty of TCA members who don't even bother to visit the dealer halls, I doubt many of them are looking to drive the dealers away from the show. I always visit the Orange Hall, and often make a  significant portion of my purchases there.

Perhaps, C.W., but I'll put money on my prediction.  "Die" was likely too strong a word to use, but I'll sure stick with "wither." 

So... is OGRR thinking about pulling out of the Eastern Division meet because it doesn't start until noon?

I too would like to see a 9 am or 10 am opening on Thursday.  

I drive from South Carolina and Thursday morning is spent walking around waiting for the meet to open.

When did I downplay the role of manufacturers? All I said is that they are guests of the Eastern Division. 

If the manufacturers went away and no one is saying they want them too, nothing would change.  A lack of Dealers certainly would. Maybe, that would be better as they would not be competing with members for show dollars.

Does anybody remember the York meets, when in those halls when it was like a sauna because of the unusually warm weather and I remember the poor service people for MTH, they were wilting trying in those days to service trains under the big grandstand at the meet. God bless the Orange hall!Still treasure my catalog signed under the Lionel tent signed by Dick Kughn, Neil Young and Lenny Dean sitting together. And the noon start doesnt bother me I can get over it as they say and socialize with a lot of great people in the hobby and like everything else in life the meet will evolve and reinvent itself to sustain itself as a great train meet, as I always like to call it-Railroad retreat week!

Nope!  We all enjoy the York Meet.  We particularly enjoy the opportunity to meet with so many subscribers, advertisers, forum members, and new folks who may eventually become part of one or more of those categories.

I try, fairly often, to chide the Eastern Div. into implementing some changes that I feel, professionally and personally, would enhance the meet (hours, photos, cell phone use, etc.), but it's their event and I fully respect their right to conduct it as they care to.

I know this has nothing to do with the gold hall, but I have said on here many times, I wish the meet would open on Thursday at 9AM. You sit around doing nothing from 9-12

It doesn't matter to me what time it opens, what days they're open or whether or not I can use a camera or cell phone.  With all the cool trains to see and buy, and all the great people I get to talk with and break bread with, I just have a magnificent time!!

But I'll still take the Orange Hall over the Yellow/Grandstand Hall anytime!

im with jim c on this one.  i could leave home at 5am thurs. and be at york at 11:00-11:30. it saves the extra expense of 1 night for room/meals. bottom line is not everyone will be happy with the opening time no matter when it is. i think the thurs 12:00 start is here to stay.-jim

When it opened at 9 am on Fri and there was no Thurs. Many time I left home at 3 am and was there by 9 am. I here more people wishing it opened at 9 am on Thurs than 12 noon.  Like I said before The Thurs 12 noon start was to KILL the Flea Markets.

quote:

When it opened at 9 am on Fri and there was no Thurs. Many time I left home at 3 am and was there by 9 am. I here more people wishing it opened at 9 am on Thurs than 12 noon.  Like I said before The Thurs 12 noon start was to KILL the Flea Markets

I believe you are correct about the reason for adding Thursday.

I have friends who would leave around 2:00 or 3:00 AM to get there for 9:00 Friday morning too. But we are all getting older, and night vision diminishes as we age (according to my eye doctor). If the show was moved to Thursday at 9:00, I'd either drive down on Wednesday, or skip the show.

Whatever the reason, I like Thursday being added. The crowds on Friday used to be a real pain, since most everyone came that day. I'm also fine with the noon opening. My 71 year-old legs are tired enough after 6 hours of walking.

WRONG. York is for all TCA members and the ED controls it. Many TCA members have no vote in how it is run. We are only permitted to attend the function because we are TCA members. If the non-ED members didn't attend, York would have a major problem. I'm certainly not suggesting that, but we do have the right to voice our opinion. BTW, far fewer consumers equals a much smaller show and no one wants that

And I don't think all of the criticisms come from non-ED members. My guess is that a lot of them are from ED members. But as a group, they seem incapable of changing much.

Gerry