Was York REALLY worth it??

I have not gone the last couple of years.  But,as soon as you get close to York you can actually smell the trains and stuff.  That makes it worthwhile to me.

Norm

As always had a great York

For me it's just a wonderful time to get away and hang out with train buddy's for a couple of days

As time goes on---at the risk of sounding a little corny---I really feel blessed to still be enjoying the York meet

Also

Spent more at this York than I have in a long time

Got some great stuff 

Joe S

I thought York was terrific this year. Been going on and off when I can for the past 10 years or so. I'm usually a fairly controlled person from an emotional standpoint but during my first York I was immediately in sensory overload. O gauge trains and people who love them as far as the eye can see!

This past York was my favorite since my first one. I thought most everyone seemed to be in a good mood. The dealers in the Orange Hall and Brown Halls and the members selling things in the other halls were very friendly and pleasant. This isn't always easy after standing on concrete for 2 days. Most everyone was willing to deal by knocking a little off their asking prices. Those who couldn't " do better" had fair pricing anyway so I bought a lot of things I didn't know I wanted or needed. Overall the variety of trains for sale and the pricing, at least for the newer stuff that I'm interesed in, was excellent.

Best of all I got to see some friends and meet some Forum members. Saw Marty Fitzhenry and Dotty which is always a pleasure for me. Marty intoduced me to George  (GGG ) and I got to thank him in person for helping me with some electronics. Saw Passenger Train Collector and Elizabeth and introduced myself to them. I wanted to thank them for always having such positive and encouraging comments on the Forum. Also met Barry Broskowitz and thanked him for his helpful book and all the free info he gives to us all on the Forum.

Aussteve gave a wonderful summary of his York experience and suggestions on how to enjoy the show. In my opinion, the 99% good about the York Show makes it very easy to ignore 1% of it that might be slightly annoying. I think York adds immeasurably to the enjoyment of our hobby. And, for what it's worth, I think this Forum does too.

John,Jr, if you get a chance to go I think the odds are that you would have a wonderful time.

Ed Kazarian

I joined TCA in 2002 and missed only a few Meets.  Not every one has been the greatest but each and every one has been better than working.   

Actually have not bought or sold many trains the past few years, rather I go for the social aspects and the side trips (sightseeing).

Worth it? York was well worth it for me , and I didn't even attend/have a booth at this Meet. (Huh?!)

Yup. Two real good customers, who had been looking for me at this meet in the Orange Hall, called me at home this week to inquire about my absence. When I showed them, via e-mail, what I had crafted so far for next April's TCA Meet, between the two of them, they bought all I had prepared,to date! So, technically, I didn't even have to leave the house to have a well-worth-it York experience! And talk about low overhead!

Now, folks, that is a York very, very well worth it, from my perspective!

I am a happy model trainman.

FrankM.

P.S. Of course, I did miss interacting with everybody, which is every bit as much of the fun, naturally, as having a fat wad in my pocket by Meet's end on Saturday,

It was always worth it for me but I haven't made it for a few years now.  I still miss it.

.....

Dennis

Average time for my trip is 9 hours. The anticipation as I get closer is like nothing else in  the world. I tell all my train friends you must go to York at least once in your lifetime. 

Like anything it is what you make of it.

pete

This was my first trip to York. As I posted elsewhere, on Thursday, I drove three hours there, spent three hours in the Orange Hall, and then three hours home. Was it worth it??? I don't think I'd ever do the 3-3-3 again, but I'll definitely get a room and spread things over Thursday/Friday. I went in with a floor plan of the vendors I wanted to visit and still missed some. Would have liked to see some of the layouts, but only got to see the one in the Orange Hall (sorry... can't remember the name). IMHO, York is like life - it is what you make of it. Not sure I'll ever become a twice a year attendee, but I'll probably make an effort for one of the two every year or so. York, to me, is the land of possibilities and, as I am just starting to build my first layout, the possibilities are endless.

Went to my first York in April of 86 as a guest...I have missed 7 meets in the last 29 years. Some of my best ones where between 1992 and 1995 when I was a owner operator for a chemical transport company in Jersey City.One of our stops was Greens Dairy (Crowley Foods) one of there ice cream plants was on Highland Ave basically right on the fairgrounds property... it closed sometime in early 96 then the property was sold to the fairgrounds and the plant was razed. Greens had 3 plants in York so sometimes I was lucky enough if the dispatch was right to get a all expense paid trip to the meet ! The load paid $458.00 plus $38.00 in tolls.

I would sometimes back then spend 3 times that much and come home with the bunk of my tractor filled with postwar Lionel !

A few things have changed in the last 29 years but the one thing I do miss is the Friday night auction ...I can point to a lot of things in my collection that came from there...plus it was good for a lot of laughs ! (and sometimes fights)

Well York is well worth the trip if you have never been there before.

 My self I go as vender & manufacture of parts and paints ect.

 have been going for years and have seen changes through the years. most good.

 I like meeting all the people that come to see us. but still enjoy seeing all the others venders,manufactures and customer's that are there most are friends that I have made through the years.  It's great getting to sit at dinners twice a year and catching up.

 weather you drive 12 hours or two hours it's worth the trip.

 just don't miss out on a fun time very enjoyable.

I always anticipated the biggest best York would be the one immediately following buying the house that would have the train room. I dreamed of handing a list/cash to my train buddies. It would require all of us to carry it all back home.

So, we bought the house a couple of months ago. There has been no time to plan the layout, so I iced those plans. A family wedding was planned that I needed to be at by Friday afternoon. I moved all the train stuff to the new place and realized I have too much stuff already so I either need to sell some or we bought too small of a home. haha

I still went to York with a car load of stuff to sell and my 4 yo son. Just us for the first time. We managed to setup stuff to sell in the blue hall, see all the layouts, tailgated in the lot and got around to most of the halls. (yes, I left early but I left my stuff for sale - sadly nothing more sold after I left). Sales were good on Thursday/early Friday. I only bought two items. A sign for the new bathroom (common Great western railway "keep the bathroom clean" and some cork road bed). What a boring first York after the new house purchase. Really a pathetic shopping adventure.

Was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My 4yo boy hasn't missed a York since he was conceived. He was just about 5 weeks old for his first. Could have used a stroller then, haha. He doesn't need it now which is great. He keeps his hands off the tables and walks most of the time.

My plan is to get a ton of stuff done around the new and old houses. Happy wife is a happy life. I was successful so far in the land grab for the layout. Need to sell a bunch of stuff and come up with a design by March. April York could shape up to be the greatest York.

I guess to answer this you have to know why you are going...

To buy trains.  Yes but after a while you get enough.

To meet friends.  Definitely.

To me York is a vacation day or two where I meet old and new friends, see trains up close that I've only seen in pictures or heard about. This fall show was one of the best weather wise and a chance to see new products in person that may not be out for a year or so and talk to manufactures about up and coming new items as the VL GG-1, 911 SD60e's and track and electronics items available as needed for building a layout.  If you get a chance visit York at least once, it's a lifetime experience.

Jack    

York, like anything is what you make of it.  If you go solely for the trains it most likely isn't worth it after one or a few trips.  When you factor in travel costs you aren't really getting a bargain.  However, for many items, York is the only place you'll find them.

Myself, like most folks, continue to go to York as to us it's a social event to see fellow hobbyists twice a year and meet others in the hobby.  From that perspective you can't put a price on York.    Personally, I really dislike the Greenburg shows and refuse to go to them anymore, but if someone I know posts "let's meet for breakfast, lunch, etc" I can't jump in the car fast enough and going to the show becomes worthwhile.  

Plus, you never know what you'll find!

For some Yorks I can only go for one day.   When this happens I always go on Thursday.  My day looks something like this:

5:30 am - wake up (and shower!)

6:15 am - leave for York (2 hr drive)

8:15 am - meet a group of friends for breakfast

9:45 am - usually when breakfast ends - go to a bandit meet, the TCA or PA Railroad Museum, or gather in the lobby of the Orange Hall to hang-out.  Really depends on my mood.  Every other year at least once I will forgo breakfast and just go to the museums - I always meet folks on their way to York.

12:30 pm - I'm at York regardless and take a bathroom break so I'm ready to hit the halls after the National Anthem.

5:45 pm - leave the fairgrounds and head to the OGR Dinner.   I'll hang there until 9:00 or 10:00 and then head home.

11:00 pm - midnight---arrive home, tired yet feeling it's only been a few hours since I left.

No matter how much the next day at work drags, going to York is ALWAYS worth it!! 

--Greg

Yeah....11:30....don't know what the heck I was thinking! 

--Greg

I have been trying to go back to York for several years. Either my wife or myself have had health issues so it's just been a Dream.  Every time I have been to York, it was like being in a Large Toy Store, with Everything One could ever imagine in Trainland America....

Hopefully In April 2016!!!  Great Thread, Great Dreams....

you guys quoting " it's like a two day vacation" and it IS, hit the nail on the head...and even better, for me anyway, is walking the 3rd or 4rth hall on thurday afternoon then realizing you can do it ALL OVER AGAIN on friday.

your peeps will be there. familiar faces will be seen. and more unusual stuff will be seen.

now who will forget that literal pile of junkers on a whole table or two in the blue hall ( I think). rflmao on that one....amid  pristine displays of carefully set up trains for sale sits a pile of junkers and parts that was probably thrown there by the owners!

As I posted on another thread, this was my best York in years.  I set one big target --the Lionel 2226W tender and found one at a reasonable price in the first ten minutes.  I had also been looking for the Minitoy Public Service trolley (to go with my Rapid Transit version) at a reasonable price and condition for years, and sure enough I found it. Next came a Bing C/W electric outline loco from the late 1920s, a Karl Bub station, a Kibri HO station to go on my Dublo layout,an O scale Mexico City plastic trolley bus from the 1960s, and finally an amazing KTM suburban commuter car with pantograph imported by Ken Kidder and customized by someone in SEPTA colors for a very reasonable price..  

I kept a list of friends I saw and it totaled over 20, some of whom I hadn't made contact with in many years.

But it's not easy driving 8+ hours over the road (wife doesn't drive on the expressways) and I'm not getting any younger.  So hopefully I'll make a few more

trips.

Attached are a couple of photos of the Bing, Bub, and Kibri.

lewrail

Interesting question........ For me it sure was! This time I had an attack plan with built in rest/water breaks and I had a great time meet tons of neat people and crossed many things off my list.

For me, I think I would make the trip from Massachusetts every other year. I don't stay near the Fairgrounds. I like to stay in Enola near the Rockville Bridge and get in some serious railfanning.

If you can, try and get to at least one!

This was my 50th York in a row. York isn't as big as it was 25 years ago, attendance is down, but the product selection is so much better. 

Though I'd had my tickets for months, missing York due to surgery wasn't as disheartening and depressing as I'd feared since it freed funds for unanticipated items I couldn't have otherwise purchased but am extremely pleased to have added to my collection!

Tis true that when one door closes another opens elsewhere.

Anyway you look at it, the York event is a costly proposition. You must spring for lodging, food, transportation, entrance fees/membership and incidentals. Even for those that live in neighboring states, the outlay is a minimum of $500. To recover the savings that you might get at the meet to cover this expense, you would need to spend massively.

The wide variety of merchandise displayed at York provides an idea of the new products in the O gauge market and the hard to find stuff occasionally shows up.

For ourselves, the meet while enjoyable, has offered us the opportunity to make and meet up with friends from all over. For this we thank OGR for their great forum and for the York dinner get-togethers. This alone has made the event worthwhile.

Mr. Dennis LaGrua,

I just finished reading your post. I must admit that I was shocked. Not one time did I read anything degrading TCA or the York experience. For this I would like to congratulate you and say, Thank you!

I always find the York shows to be a great time regadless of what I buy or don't buy. I like seeing the different manufacturers at the show and talking to them about their products and meeting up with old friends as well. I have been going to the TCA meets at York since 1998 and will continue to do so in the future and I have promised myself that I will make it to the Tursday night get together at York.

Always worth it for me!!  I love being around all those folks who just plain love trains!

Sometimes I don't spend much money at all and sometimes I spend a lot ( at least for me ) and I always enjoy the experience of York!

My advice is go to York!