There are many avenues one must travel down to understand the value of the TCA. I'll try a simple list, and I am sure I won't hit all the points.
Primarily, the main value is a permanent train museum with NATIONAL roots that show case trains from their infancy (circa 1900 and earlier) to the present. The concentration is on O gauge, although new displays showcase American Flyer and G gauge. This marvelous collection has just undergone a major restructuring and has new layouts, with ALL of the work performed by TCA volunteers. TCA does not pay anyone except perhaps a cleaning staff to maintain the displays.
2.) A phenomenal research library, where one can find factoids not available elsewhere about their trains, advertisements, billboards and other ephemera. I believe one of the few paid TCA employees is a librarian who is there to help you research your trains or train related material in addition to maintaining the library.
3.) A very fine full color publication dedicated to informing members of current events in the train world through excellent articles on the history of sometimes very obscure trains published 4 times a year. I believe you can opt out of receiving a mailed issue.
4.) A set of standards that protect individual purchases made at TCA sponsored train meets. These protections are mainly protection against fraud, restoration with 3rd party parts, and repaints, especially rare color combinations. Just a few topics of a broader purchase protection, largely self-policied by those valuing their memberships.
5.) A annual National Train meet with a little bit for every attendee, be they train people, or non interested spouse people. These meets are awesome, and it is hard to attend one without coming away with new friends that you found that live in your own back yard.
6.) The OPTION to receive a membership listing, where one can search for local trains operators/collectors with similar interests.
7.) Whether you use it or not, a buy and sell forum with the above mentioned protections built in.
8.) At times and at conventions, special rolling stock and the occasional locomotive.
9.) Occasional publication of train books that would not be published by a mainstream publisher. Refer to their excellent guide to pre-war trains for one example.
10.) Typically a special gift for convention antendees from cars through rolling stock and cast iron trains.
11.) There is more value to the TCA simply due to its existance as an organizations helping members with train related matters, and train manufacturers gauge what their potential market shares might be in a variety of ways. The membership is a great spoke in the marketing wheel for the train manufacturers.
The TCA does not host the York train meets, the Eastern Division of the TCA does that.
For all you complainers, spend a year as a TCA staffer or officer, then tell us of their inefficiency and mismanagement. It seems the wheel that squeaks the loudest is the one who does the least at ALL things, such as volunteering for Church, Boy Scouts, Soccer Dad's, Little League Coaches, Day Camp Leaders, School Field Trip Docents, Handicaped Children Sporting Events and on and on ad nauseum.
$50 annual dues for the value is undeniably a bargain when one measures it to the fullest against any similar organization.
I pay more than $50 for a radio speciality publication that provides no value other than the publication. Time to stop, smell the roses, and count your blessings.
So this is for all the "small" people out there, and also to help the "big" ones understand more about their club.
