I find it interesting how many of you are saying "Get with it...draw in the public...entertain wives and families...etc". All I can say is, think twice about what effect it will have on the 10-12 thousand "money spenders" now showing up. If I arrived to find that I can't find a place to park, or the aisles clogged with strollers, or kids running around with no parental control, you won't be seeing me at York any more (nor on the TCA membership roles).
Someone only needs to look at the LCCA and the enthusiasm and drive they have at recruiting and keeping members.
So the TCA should start commissioning limited edition instant collectables?
I sometimes wonder why its OK for the LCCA to make members only offerings, but the Eastern Division is criticized for having a private train meet.
C W Burfle posted:Someone only needs to look at the LCCA and the enthusiasm and drive they have at recruiting and keeping members.
So the TCA should start commissioning limited edition instant collectables?
I sometimes wonder why its OK for the LCCA to make members only offerings, but the Eastern Division is criticized for having a private train meet.
Wow you got that from that? No that isn't what I said. The LCCA leadership is very active at recruiting beyond the member only offerings. They actively recruit members at events. They have an enthusiastic leadership. They encourage their membership to be active and recruit. But hey if you're happy with not actively seeking members for the TCA then more power to you. You could always have a carnival instead. Send in the clowns.
Again though lately the TCA has been much better at communication so I can only hope they only get better. The EDTCA does and outstanding job at putting on the York meet!
MartyE posted:You could always have a carnival instead. Send in the clowns.
Wow you got that from that? No that isn't what I said. The LCCA leadership is very active at recruiting beyond the member only offerings. They actively recruit members at events. They have an enthusiastic leadership.
I took a look at both the LCCA and TCA home pages. I have to say that the LCCA home page is far superior to the TCA one.
The LCCA home page is much more attractive with graphics, and a big "Membership Benefits" button that is almost impossible to miss.
IMHO, the TCA home page has too much text, and the Membership Benefits button is buried under "Join the TCA".
I think the whole web page needs to be reviewed by a professional web designer and given a fresh look.
I agree that the LCCA has a much more active recruitment program (which includes the aforementioned web site) that the TCA would do well to emulate.
TCA shows that are open to the public should have manned information tables with membership applications and recent issues of the TCA magazine.
The TCA could also do more to encourage members to develop more local activities. But I think getting that done is largely up to the members living in those areas.
I am an Eastern Division member, living in the Capital District of New York. In the thirty plus years I've been a member, to my knowledge there has never been a local TCA event. I think that is largely because there were already several public train meets, and at least one local club to cover social aspects. Early on I floated the idea of running a bus down to the York show, but was met with an overall negative response.
On the other hand, the recently formed "Upstate Chapter" of the Eastern Division (which does not include the Capital District) seems to be doing a number of train shows, and is running busses down to York. So some TCA folks are doing something positive that might result in more exposure for the TCA and new members.
Most of the public shows in my area have an information table. I think it would be helpful if National TCA would develop a membership recruitment flyer (not a membership application). If a flyer existed, I'd be willing to put some out and talk to people who were interested.
Dennis LaGrua posted:C W Burfle posted:
At the large auto shows you will find, Bingo, Fireworks, Arts & Crafts tents, Woman's accessories, Live Music, Kids Shows and Activities (jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, clowns) and other entertainment. These shows are very successful and the attendance blows away what ED York draws.
You cannot compare attendance numbers from car shows to train shows. Although, the hobbies are somewhat similar with both being transportation related they are still apples and oranges. There are many, many more people involved in the auto hobby than the train hobby which is why the numbers are higher at auto shows than car shows.
MartyE posted:It's very simple. York must change or better yet evolve if it wants to remain as is. While I think carnivals and a "ladies section" is a bit off base there are things to make it a better meet. The EDTCA is working at some of these changes already. I suspect they're looking for other ways to attract folks to York.
But one has to ask, isn't a bigger concern attracting people to the TCA? The TCA leadership has improved their communication in the last year or so and have done a much better job of being noticed. I say a lot of this now lays squarely on the shoulders of the membership and the vendors who want York to be what it was a few years ago. Someone only needs to look at the LCCA and the enthusiasm and drive they have at recruiting and keeping members.
We could go on and on about carnivals, concerts, flea markets and, dolls but if the core train interest isn't there then York will go away as we know it. That isn't York's problem...that's our problem.
Well said Marty.
"I like Chief Bob's idea: And if you truly believe in your heart of hearts that it is worth saving no matter what configuration it becomes, by all means, SUPPORT IT! "
Me too. I totally agree with Chief Bob! I will be supporting the York Event AND THE TCA!
MartyE posted:Allan Miller posted:MartyE posted:Or maybe it goes back to what it was. A members only meet without all the manufacturers and vendors.
That would be a bit more problematic due to the fact that such a significant percentage of today's active O gauge community is involved with products produced since the late 1980s or so AND tends to be involved with doing something with these products (such as building layouts, operating the trains, etc...a good thing). These folks want hands-on exposure to what is available, and by and large are not terribly interested in what was made decades ago.
I don't think you understand what I am saying. Let it go back to being a regional meet. Maybe that's where it wants to be and not some grand show. The local Fort Pitt TCA show doesn't have Lionel and MTH there. Maybe it wants to become that again.
Well, that would save me some money.
I wouldn't have to leave California for that.
I don't think you understand what I am saying. Let it go back to being a regional meet. Maybe that's where it wants to be and not some grand show. The local Fort Pitt TCA show doesn't have Lionel and MTH there. Maybe it wants to become that again.
The Eastern Division show was rather large when the dealers were under the grandstand. People came from all over the country then too. Didn't Lionel and MTH start out at York in tents? I forget the year.
Regardless, the dealer halls will be open to the public on Friday and Saturday at the next show. But some people don't think that is enough. Now they want the Eastern Division to put on a circus to draw people in.
Can't we just wait and see what happens?
C W Burfle posted:Regardless, the dealer halls will be open to the public on Friday and Saturday at the next show. But some people don't think that is enough. Now they want the Eastern Division to put on a circus to draw people in.
Can't we just wait and see what happens?
I agree with you. I think the EDTCA is doing what it needs to for now. Maybe more is needed but we need to see how this plays out. I suspect many of the bigger vendors and manufacturers wanted more.
When I started going to York Lionel and MTH were in the Yellow Hall underneath the grandstand. I think they added tents because there wasn't much room in the Yellow Hall. I remember one year MTH had a nice layout in a tent just outside the Yellow Hall. They still had their regular booth inside the Yellow Hall.
J Daddy posted:I was reading the TCA quarterly and it appeared there were allot of new members this year.
I was one of those new members!!! I will be back in April with a few friends. 
I have nothing more to say. We'll just wait for April to come.
