I have my reservations made with La Quinta for three nights. Did not make them directly with the hotel. La Quinta (direct) room rates were higher and they had, on their website at least, a pre-payment required, no refund/no cancellation policy posted (that may have changed by now; I have not checked recently). Anyhow, made my reservation via Booking.com
Looks like we'll have a nice crowd of friendly faces at the La Quinta this coming York! 
-Greg
@gunrunnerjohn posted:I have the hotel reservations, and I reserved some time with my car for transportation for the grueling two hour drive to York.
Gunrunnerjohn,
I'll get to enjoy a 1.5 to 2 hr drive after we arrive at BWI (Baltimore) airport. A direct flight is available, where MDT (Harrisburg) requires a connecting flight. Cheaper too, also paying for 3 tickets.
When I stop to say Hi at your booth, I'll see if my 12 yr old train buddy can untie your shoes while were talking... 
Jim
So far, our group plans on staying at a Tru by Hilton located right where I-30 and I-83 intersect. It looked to be a fairly new hotel so hopefully, we won't have a bad time. For flights, we plan on taking an early flight through Southwest, change flights in Dallas (As we say in northern Texas, if you want to go to heaven you have to go through Dallas), and then arrive at the Baltimore/D.C. airport. From there drive north to York on the 21st and do the reverse on the 23rd.
@Jim Sandman posted:When I stop to say Hi at your booth, I'll see if my 12 yr old train buddy can untie your shoes while were talking...
I'll be sure to keep a lookout for that little problem! 
I booked two nights at Wingate by Wyndham on booking.com.
Planning to be there for sure
@Greg Houser posted:Looks like we'll have a nice crowd of friendly faces at the La Quinta this coming York!
-Greg
Greg,
You'll be drinking at nightime and having breakfast with the President! See my signature. You will have the honors as well as others to be in my company! Lol!
Good choice for those staying there. Nice place plus an indoor pool. Really looking forward to the social aspect of York.
Ted
Shrewsbury Hampton Inn........it will be interesting if the “regulars” will still be booking there......
Peter
@Putnam Division posted:Shrewsbury Hampton Inn........it will be interesting if the “regulars” will still be booking there......
Peter
Ah yes! The southern approach to York!
@Mark Boyce posted:I booked two nights at Wingate by Wyndham on booking.com.
See you there Mark, that's where I'm booked.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:See you there Mark, that's where I'm booked.
👍🏻👍🏻
I will be at the York Meet along with my buddies Rich and Stan from East Coast Enterprises. I will be making the 4 1/2 hour drive from CT very early Wednesday morning to help them set up the booth in the Orange Hall. Will be staying at the Town Place Suites until Saturday. Have to use those Marriott points.
Looking forward to seeing all of you there!
Pat
@Mark Boyce posted:I booked two nights at Wingate by Wyndham on booking.com.
Only TWO??? 
@Mallard4468 posted:Only TWO???
I hear my conscience telling me I made a mistake again. 😄
@Mark Boyce posted:I hear my conscience telling me I made a mistake again. 😄
I like to think of myself as more of an enabler rather than a conscience.
Seriously... You've mentioned some challenges getting around - get there a day early, maybe catch the end of the bandit meet if you can arrive before noon on Wednesday. Get a good night's sleep to be ready for Thursday. Staying Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights will allow you to move through the meet at your leisure, and not have to rush back home. Also, IIRC if you sign up for Wyndham's loyalty program (free), there's an additional discount for stays of 3 or more nights. I've found that the AARP discount usually gets the best rate.
BTW, the Wyndham Garden is an excellent choice - you can meet other train folks in the bar and at breakfast. I'm waffling - I have reservations at both LQ and WG - WG is about $20 more per night. Obviously going to cancel one of them. We travel 550 miles each way, so we're staying Tuesday thru Friday nights.
Mallard, you have excellent points! My only two times there, I drove home after a Friday at York. In the effort to save money, that is probably dumb in this case. The trip takes me about 5 hours with stops included in that. Why not reserve the extra night, and I can cancel one just as easily as I can cancel the whole trip if need be?
Enabler is a good term for your words. In effect the discussion back and forth helps those involved make the best decisions whether it is building a layout or planning a trip to a show.
My grueling two hour drive is no problem on Thursday morning, I usually get going around 6:00AM so I can catch the breakfast at the Round-the-Clock diner.
I am glad to see the excitement building around the October York show this year. I know that many of you have been going for many years and you all have your chosen places.
For the last few years since we have been attending, my wife, daughter, and I have been staying in Intercourse, PA at a great Best Western. We usually attend the show on Friday, head to the hotel that evening, and then go back for a few hours on Saturday. We all enjoy the show, we get to visit the shops around Strasburg, and my daughter gets pool time at the hotel each night. It works for us, and the drive back and forth those couple days isn’t bad.
I hope you all enjoy the show.
@Ted Bertiger posted:Greg,
You'll be drinking at nightime and having breakfast with the President! See my signature. You will have the honors as well as others to be in my company! Lol!
Good choice for those staying there. Nice place plus an indoor pool. Really looking forward to the social aspect of York.
Ted
Sounds perfect as I love going first class!
The drinking part is why I always stay at the La Quinta (and the Best Western prior to it opening) - so I don't have to worry about driving after the Forum gathering Thursday night! It's also why I never got to a Legacy Group Users meeting on Friday morning - the opening bell was early enough! 
-Greg
Could someone provide a good link to online register for the October 2021 York? Thank you!
This link https://www.yorkregistration.org/ opens up to:
October 21-23, 2021 York Meet Registration
Eastern Division TCA
Online registration for the next meet will be available starting around December 5.
Stay safe and we look forward to seeing you in October.
@Madockawando posted:Could someone provide a good link to online register for the October 2021 York? Thank you!
This link https://www.yorkregistration.org/ opens up to:
October 21-23, 2021 York Meet Registration
Eastern Division TCAOnline registration for the next meet will be available starting around December 5.
Stay safe and we look forward to seeing you in October.
I had the same problem, but online registration does not open until July 15, 2021.
@Trainmaster04 posted:I had the same problem, but online registration does not open until July 15, 2021.
That is correct: JULY 15 for online registration.
@Trainmaster04 posted:I had the same problem, but online registration does not open until July 15, 2021.
Well that explains it! Thank you! I’m glad I didn’t miss it. Looking at Clem’s primer I noticed that York registrations have been declining for years from a high of 14,325 in April 2007 to 8,447 in April 2019. One can certainly hope that absence makes the heart grow fonder and that now people will flock back to York. I would not be surprised to see those numbers rises significantly for October 2021!
Is this true? “Free entry to the October York Meet for all TCA members”. That was a text that I received.
I haven't been to York in over ten years. Is it still a there day show? Thurs, Fri, Sat
I calculated that it's more cost effective to fly than drive from Chicago. Is Harrisburg the closest airport?
Any recommendations about arriving early for hotel swaps (do they still exist)
Any recommendations on lodging?
@Windy City posted:I haven't been to York in over ten years. Is it still a there day show? Thurs, Fri, Sat
I calculated that it's more cost effective to fly than drive from Chicago. Is Harrisburg the closest airport?
Any recommendations about arriving early for hotel swaps (do they still exist)
Any recommendations on lodging?
Lots of lodging suggestions and bandit meet info above. Of course, we don't know if or how things will be different this time.
When calculating the cost, be sure to include the cost of shipping stuff back home (along with the risk of breakage). Harrisburg is closest, but depending on airline and flight times, BWI might be an option.
I drive from central Indiana (550 miles each way) - 180 miles south of Chicago - it's a long trip, but there are several train shops to stop at, and Horseshoe Curve isn't far out of the way.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:My grueling two hour drive is no problem on Thursday morning, I usually get going around 6:00AM so I can catch the breakfast at the Round-the-Clock diner.
......and in October, they have pumpkin pancakes on the menu.......
Peter
Yes Peter, the start of a bulk up of at least two pounds of excess eating for the weekend.
‘I kid myself and think I can work it off with the extra walking.
Cannot wait.
Jerry
@Windy City posted:I haven't been to York in over ten years. Is it still a there day show? Thurs, Fri, Sat
I calculated that it's more cost effective to fly than drive from Chicago. Is Harrisburg the closest airport?
Any recommendations about arriving early for hotel swaps (do they still exist)
Any recommendations on lodging?
The October Meet is three days.
Pat
@Mallard4468 posted:Lots of lodging suggestions and bandit meet info above. Of course, we don't know if or how things will be different this time.
When calculating the cost, be sure to include the cost of shipping stuff back home (along with the risk of breakage). Harrisburg is closest, but depending on airline and flight times, BWI might be an option.
I drive from central Indiana (550 miles each way) - 180 miles south of Chicago - it's a long trip, but there are several train shops to stop at, and Horseshoe Curve isn't far out of the way.
You could make a whole week of it with all the great places to stop.
@Putnam Division posted:......and in October, they have pumpkin pancakes on the menu.......
Peter
Hmm... Still on the fence with pumpkin pancakes, maybe I'll give them a shot this time.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Hmm... Still on the fence with pumpkin pancakes, maybe I'll give them a shot this time.
That’s what I thought too, John! However we know Peter is the king of pancakes, so maybe he is on to something.
@Mark Boyce posted:You could make a whole week of it with all the great places to stop.
I don't know if it is open yet, but the Harley Davidson factory tour in York is a fun visit, even if you don't ride.
I just made my reservation at an AirBnb home for two nights.Looking forward to seeing everybody that I have not seen since the last York show in October 2019.
@WaynePa posted:Is this true? “Free entry to the October York Meet for all TCA members”. That was a text that I received.
No
I'm going to try and make Saturday, just started a new job and don't want to be "that guy" who asks off for time right out the gate. Still it will be good to get back to doing normal things again and seeing a few familiar faces.
Jerry
@baltimoretrainworks posted:I'm going to try and make Saturday, just started a new job and don't want to be "that guy" who asks off for time right out the gate. Still it will be good to get back to doing normal things again and seeing a few familiar faces.
Jerry
Explain its a Hobby Religious thing. Lots of folks Religiously make the trek to York every year...
or maybe it's a medial therapeutic.
Jim
This will be my 43rd York, missing 3 for the pandemic and 6 because of work. Most of the dealers in the Blue Hall beat me by a mile in years attending. It's a 2 hr 15 minute drive in the morning from Virginia. I usually wind up going to Eagles Nest after the show and then make the return in 4 hours never solving the bad evening traffic in Maryland. The show has definitely gotten less crowded since I first attended in '95 and the silly no-camera, no walkie-talkie rules have been relaxed. In the old days I would drop my wife off at the mall or Value City or she would take the TCA "Ladies Bus" to the Lancaster Outlets. Well, the malls and Value City are long gone and outlets now exist elsewhere all over the country. The show is always a great experience to meet up with friends and dealers who I've known for a long, long time. Oh, by the way, you can also buy some train stuff there!
@Jim Sandman posted:Explain its a Hobby Religious thing. Lots of folks Religiously make the trek to York every year...
or maybe it's a medial therapeutic.
Jim
I have often thought of York as "The Mecca" for O Gauge trains.
