York april 2015 observation

I always wished I brought a flashlight to the brown hall.

I said it in a previous post that it's time for the Brown Hall to go.  Consolidate it into either the Purple or Orange halls.

Unless there is an influx of new dealers coming to York, I would say that it is only a matter of time before Brown is phased out and the dealers there moved to Orange and Purple.

Andy

This was my first York meet. While I was amazed how big it was I was somewhat disappointed. Other than Korber Models I saw only three other non-dealers selling kits. One was a large Walthers HO kit display, one a gentleman was selling building fronts and the last one another non-dealer was selling assembled kits and a few scratch-built (beautifully made).
Is this normal for York or did I just hit an off year for kits and structures.
Joe

Back in the day when the Yellow hall was open, the Purple hall had some high end action.  That was after the chicken cages were removed.

Marty, I will never forget the smell of the old Purple Hall on a hot day!

Peter

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall very many building "kits" available for "O", besides building fronts/sides from Ameritowne and a few others. Years ago, some houses were available. I think the "hot item" now are the Ready-Built offerings from Woodland Scenics in O,HO,and N. I think these "ready-builts" are available as kits, but I don't remember seeing them at train shows.

I think the brown hall this time around only had 4 dealers in it.   They should consolidate and move them to the purple hall.

Last Fall I didn't even bother to go into the brown hall.

I imagine plans are already well underway to move the remaining Brown Hall dealers to better accommodations. I know one former Purple Hall dealer (close friend) is now in the Orange Hall, so my guess is that as space opens up, Brown Hall dealers will be offered an opportunity to move to the Purple Hall (first) and perhaps even to the Orange Hall as space continues to open up in all halls.

The times they are a changin', folks, and we all just need to adjust and accept.

Joe,

Many of us have lamented the relatively small numbers and variety of O Gauge building kits. Our HO friends have a wide array of items at their disposal.

Such is life in the O gauge world.  If you want a building that isn't on everyone else's layout, you pretty much have to scratch build it.

George

They should reopen the Green Hall.  That was always a fun spot.   

Kindred opiner, here...

I have been counseled by a couple of our (LHS) O2R customers that what we seek will more likely be found at the larger O2R meets/shows....Indianapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, etc..  I'm a bit chagrined to say that I've never been to one of those events....but this could be the year!! 

I've also talked directly with Branchline (Laser Art) and Bar Mills about attending York.  For the expense/time/market segment...in comparison to other (mainly HO) shows...it's not feasible.   In fairness, though, Bar Mills O gauge products were well represented, beautifully displayed at the Scenic Express booth.  Altoona and Mt. Albert kits were also available at a dealer booth in Orange Hall.  And we must not forget that OGR and their fine Ameritowne line of buildings was certainly well presented/available!!

As I mentioned in another thread, River Leaf Models (excellent laser cut buildings) shared the Korber booth, something that I thought was a really neat, class act on the part of Rich.  Cooperatively providing space for what one might have even considered somewhat of a 'competitor' was a class-act summa cum laude, .....IMHO, of course.

Frankly, I've always been a bit puzzled by the lack of folks marketing structures of simpler, less costly materials....like cardstock.  There are excellent products out there, and the whole concept is not unlike the old Skyline buildings of 65 years ago.  And how long has it been since a new O scale Plasticville building was added to the line??....and why not????? (I need to pull Bachmann's chain on this in October).  The PV line is more demanded by O/S modelers than HO, per our (LHS) sales of the products.

Something to ruminate about, I guess....

KD

KD, I also frequent the 2R Scale shoes.  I went to the O Scale National in Towson,MD back in 2010 and now hit the Strasburg, PA shows religiously.  They are excellent sources for things you just won't find at the 3 rail shows.

George

Change the word COULD to be SHOULD. i never miss a Chicago or Cleveland show and attend some of the Indy meets (depending upon date held). While the Sunset/ Golden Gate display at York is two tables I have four tables at Chicago and usually three at Cleveland.

No parking problem for your RV at Cleveland. Contact the Chicago show promoter about parking there. Your wife and you will not regret going to these shows. Compared to what you see at York, these will make you not want to miss any in the future.

Rheil:  are you referring to the monthly Great Midwest Train Show held in Wheaton, IL?  I have never been to one, but thinking of going.  i would love to attend York, but it's a 1,000 mile road trip (one way) for me, as Wheaton is only 300 miles.  Thanks.

No. I am referring to what is called the March Meet - a 2 rail show held in mid March in Lombard, IL - a Chicago suburb. I believe the show date for 2016 is the first weekend in April. Google the website for March Meet.

Yep, I always enjoyed the crap games and cock fighting in the back of the green hall...or maybe that was a different show...

Lets be honest, no offense to the unfortunate vendors in the brown hall, but it was dark and frankly depressing! 

Bob...

Thanks...belatedly...for the tip!  Yep, we have a new RV since April York...would love to give it a workout.  Daisy & Millie are eager to travel, too!

You wouldn't happen to know if the Indianapolis show site can accommodate an RV...for parking, only...no hook-ups req'd??  If not, we'll check with the sponsor/show site folks.

I think we'll make a real effort to do Indy this year.   The show schedule looks do-able at this stage.  But, Chicago next April?...not likely.  Easter-to-Florida-to- York...that's what will consume that 2016 month....LWATCDR!...and the remaining snow-on-the-ground is less than 6 feet!!!!.

(sigh)

KD/DK/M&D

I see others have looked for structure kits at York.  I have found and brought home

some from there in the past, but not the last two times.  I have LONG attended many

two rail shows..Chicago, Cleveland, Indy, once in NE Pa.,  for just that reason, but recent ones have been kind of thin in structures, and I found none at the Strasburg O  Scale show, which immediately preceded this last York week.

Whether we like it or not the audience is aging and the hobby is contracting. That is what the hobby needs to react to. Last Oct I noticed more space was not occupied even at the purple hall. Expect unoccupied space to increase every year and I'll tell you why. Since the ED TCA meet is the only closed meet in the country of any hobby, this stubborn posture can only mean smaller attendance and lower sales for the vendors. The AACA, the largest car collector club in the world invites everyone to its show in Hershey, the car shows at Carlisle are open to all car clubs and to the public. Some of these shows attract 100,000 people and are still thriving. 

I was a TCA member for 35 years and this will be my final York until such time that the meet becomes open to everyone. Its just plain ignorant business sense continuing a closed meet policy. You limit potential attendees, hurt your vendors (that bear a tremendous expense to be there), and put the meet on a path to eventual obsolescence.  When someone shows up at the gate with admission money, smart business people say, "come right in".

IMO, to move forward, the TCA has to think of reasons why it should, not reasons why it shouldn't. If the former is set in stone, the outcome is inevitable; less attendees, less vendors and a much smaller show.

Dennis, Same ol, same ol with you. I like it just the way it is. If you don't like it, don't renew your membership. Nothing personal.   

Remember that the Eastern Division sets the rules for the York Meet, not TCA, so don't blame the  TCA.

Bill

Resurrecting a thread that's been dormant for 4 months means one of two things....

BULL. There are a number of dues-paying organizations that have closed conventions and "trade shows". However, one that I'm a member of allows the paying public in on the last day of the dealer/sale session.

Oh wait...that's what York does! Public can pay to join/enter at the gate.

Joe,

Public can pay to join/enter at the gate.

Really? Since when?

Since the first meet after the 2 signature rule went away.

Pay dues(join), pay meet registration(enter), and you are in.

Of course, once you pay your dues you are a member.

You could essentially do this before the signature rule went away, too.  Finding people at York to sign peoples' applications was not difficult (according to a number of people I've spoken to).  This is part of the reason that the signature rule went away.  It was no longer serving a purpose.

Andy

Pffft!  The NTS, which is a show that runs annually with the NMRA convention, which is both open to the public and it all scales, was much smaller this year than it was in 2011 at the Sacramento convention.

Guys,

Joe,

Public can pay to join/enter at the gate.

Really? Since when?

Since the first meet after the 2 signature rule went away.

 

Pay dues(join), pay meet registration(enter), and you are in.

That's complete nonsense.

The implication in the statement was that the public could attend on the last day of the meet. That just isn't true.

Once you join, you're no longer "the public" - you're then a member. And you'd have to pay the $50 or so annual dues, as well as the full-rate fee for the meet itself.

The York meet is, indeed, members only. Period.

Then you need to learn to quote more effectively. (Period!)

The part you quoted is true.  (as is my response). (Period!)

The part you did not quote is apparently what you are taking issue with.  (Period!)

(see how annoying and pompous that comes off as now? )

whatever the warts, is there anywhere better than york for the overall o gauge experience

jerry

Nope!

(see how annoying and pompous that comes off as now?

Yes, you are.

Basically, what we've determined here is that York is public, it just costs a lot and you get a free TCA membership as well.

Yes, and "costs a lot" is a great primer for understanding this hobby.

No point in worrying about the York Meet. Just plan to attend at every opportunity and enjoy it as it is. It truly is the world's greatest (and largest) toy train meet, so take advantage of that unique experience.

About the only thing you can be certain of is that the meet will continue to progressively shrink in size over the years to come. That's pretty much a guarantee no matter what the Eastern Div. does or fails to do. Opening it to the public wouldn't make a bit of difference, aside from a slight upward tick the first time that option is made available. It's all in the demographics, folks, as I've stated probably a hundred times before over the past decade or so.

I go every time just so I can have first-hand knowledge of what all the complaints are about.  

I don't know what it costs a dealer/mfr. to attend York, and I do know that few O scale

structure kit makers do.  I also know it costs about $100 to register to attend the Narrow Gauge Convention, (dunno what it costs as a mfr. or dealer, but that can't be cheap, either) and a lot of those same O scale kit builders attend it, who do not

attend York.  "Narrow gauge" is only a portion of the O scale interest.  Of course,

Indy had very few O scale structure kits last week.