York "Firehouse" show

When I visited the Reliance Fire Hall this past fall it was about 75% S gauge.

It's 70% American Flyer (S and HO) but enough other things to make it worth your while if you're not an S scaler.

@Pocono Jack posted:

When I visited the Reliance Fire Hall this past fall it was about 75% S gauge.

@cbq9911a posted:

It's 70% American Flyer (S and HO) but enough other things to make it worth your while if you're not an S scaler.

Agree.

Peter

IIRC, the fire house show has some hours that overlap with the York meet - you can't be in two places at the same time.  Last time I was there, the foot traffic was very light.  At the last couple of York meets, I've noticed a lot more Flyer for sale in all of the halls, and prices seemed softer (except for the usual folks in Red who want top dollar for the same items at every meet).   

Hard to say which way is better - setting up at a lightly-attended show where buyers are looking for Flyer or at the busier main meet.

The 'Firehouse" show appears to be the three days before the regular Eastern Division Meet but at the same time as the Eastern Division "Pre-Show".

I was going to register for the 'Pre-Show" but they require a Pennsylvania tax ID.  I've tried at least a dozen times to register for the tax ID using my name, my wife's name, different physical addresses (I have two) and different e-mail addresses.  For some reason the Pennsylvania Tax Department just won't let me register to secure a tax ID.  I've even turned off my pop-up blockers so I have no idea as to why I can't register and the Penn Tax Department is of no help.

I thought that maybe it would be just as well to go to the Fire house show to sell off my Flyer collection but it sounds like that show, even though a lot of Flyer, isn't well attended anymore.  I'm assuming that is because of the ED Pre-Show.

I guess I'll just have to take the collection to the regular York show and hope for the best.  It's a lot to get rid of in what is basically one full day and two half days.  I've tried selling the collection to one of the big dealers but I've only been offered about twenty cents on the dollar and I estimate I can do fifty to sixty cents on the dollar at a show and still cover all my costs.

@lionelflyer posted:

I thought that maybe it would be just as well to go to the Fire house show to sell off my Flyer collection but it sounds like that show, even though a lot of Flyer, isn't well attended anymore.  I'm assuming that is because of the ED Pre-Show.

There is very little Flyer at the TCA Pre-Show, so I don't think that it has had any effect on attendance at the fire hall show.  Anyone coming to York early and looking for Flyer *will* be going to the fire hall.  A new seller there could attract more attention than the long-term sellers, especially if his items are priced to sell.

I'd suggest calling the manager of the fire hall show and getting an idea of real attendance for that show.  His contact info is in Clem's Primer, page 17.

Andy

@Andy Hummell posted:

There is very little Flyer at the TCA Pre-Show, so I don't think that it has had any effect on attendance at the fire hall show.  Anyone coming to York early and looking for Flyer *will* be going to the fire hall.  A new seller there could attract more attention than the long-term sellers, especially if his items are priced to sell.

I'd suggest calling the manager of the fire hall show and getting an idea of real attendance for that show.  His contact info is in Clem's Primer, page 17.

Andy

Excellent point about being a new seller at the firehouse - I think that the reduced attendance might be a result of seeing the same old stuff from the same sellers.  (I think it might be primarily one seller.)

@lionelflyer posted:

...I guess I'll just have to take the collection to the regular York show and hope for the best.  It's a lot to get rid of in what is basically one full day and two half days.  I've tried selling the collection to one of the big dealers but I've only been offered about twenty cents on the dollar and I estimate I can do fifty to sixty cents on the dollar at a show and still cover all my costs.

If your stuff is priced to sell, it probably will.  A couple of years ago, there was a guy in blue or silver who had Flyer that was priced to move, and people couldn't hand him their money fast enough.  Wishing you the best of luck.