York Highs and Lows.

Totally enjoyed the entire show, but the DCS dinner, Thursday at Tuesday's and the LUG breakfast were the highlights for me.

 

In particular, thank you Marty and Barry.

 

Gerry

Highs

 

Got almost everything I had on my list.

Wife was with me and she had a great time

Friday weather fantastic

Hotel overbooked and sold my room so they paid for my room at another nicer hotel still in York.

 

Lows

Nothing major when you consider the big picture of life but if I had to nitpick:

 

Not getting to come in for Thursday like I get to in April

Traffic on the way home Friday night.  Regular time 5 1/2 hour drive took close to 8 because of accident and construction.

 

 

Agree with you Marty I was surprised that Lionel did not promote LCS and I pad app at the booth, considering the components are hitting the market. Maybe its because JON Z was not present or.... considering that brand M as well as B were advertising their technology advances. Lionel seemed to focus on the Lionchief product line.

Re Thursday attendance / Purple Hall - Attendance in other halls didn't seem much different than the last few meets.  As far as the purple hall goes - have you checked out the vendors that were there?  Sadly, Just Trains is a shadow of its' former self since Kirk died - probably only about half the normal stock, and fewer bargains ($10 off of $1000 engines!).  Other vendors in that hall had grossly overpriced stuff - the Erector Set folks were asking $300 for the Lionel baseball engines w/o box, but the entire boxed set could be had for well under $150 from several dealers in Orange.  Another vendor had the Lionel 1988 Hiawatha tinplate priced at $1200!  I tried to get some information from the video camera guy in the corner, but the person manning the booth didn't know anything.  With vendors like that, it's no wonder that people weren't spending much time in that hall.  

 

Always enjoy visiting the train club in Red Lion to see their progress and buy my losing raffle tickets.

HIGHS ---- cool, cloudy, rainy weather (I live in the desert  ), meeting people face to face that I talk online with all the time. Being able to see merchandise in person instead of just a picture online, or in a catalog.

 

LOWS --  time flies by, I live too far away to load up a car and take all this stuff home, I live so far away, it cost so much to make this trip.

Highs:

• My round of golf at Honey Run CC on Friday afternoon
• The weather
• Getting to talk to several of my favorite vendors
• Dropping off my C&O M1 for a PS-2 upgrade with the JDS Ltd "Special Treatment". It will be cool. Look for a debut video of the Chessie w/ RC3R @ the Science Museum of Richmond in November!
• Learning that the Golden Gate Depot N&W Powhatan Arrow cars are shipping in 2015. Now I can preorder!

Lows:

• Not finding most of the items on my York wish list
• A blown deal on some cars
• Never enough $$$
• Walking away from an engine I want @ Vince's Trains. I just didn't budget for it this year.

Too many highs to note them all but here goes.... We missed the major rain at set up...we were lucky enough to have extra footage...I had wonderful help in the form of Jim, Peg, Jessica, and Vinny...sales overall were very good... Throughly enjoyed seeing so many repeat customers as well as many new ones...and number one is seeing old friends including but not limited to Dave,Jim,Marty,Dotty,Brian,Lynlie,Gus,Gail,Len,Ruth,Jeff,Frank,Fred, and it can just go on and on.......I do have one lowlight...... Yep it took hours and hours to pack and get out Saturday....... All in all just a terrific week!!!!   Thank you to all and can't wait for April!!

Highs:

Seeing all my friends from around the country, drinking and dining with them.

Oh yes, buying some trains-really got some good deals.

Drinking a lot of rum watching the Jets game.

Lows:

Watching the JETS/Patriots game on Thursday night and seeing them lose it in the final 4 seconds. And having to bow down to Marty Fitzhenry with his victorious Pats on Friday. Good to see Marty and Dottie!!!

Wish I had more cash to buy more trains.

My only lows:

Not being able to spend more time in Orange Hall (too busy in Blue).  Passing up a used car I liked in Blue Hall on Thursday only to come back later and find it gone (you would think that I would have learned this lesson by now ).

 

My highs:

Finding the car I let get away at JusTrains on Friday, brand new and only $9 more than the used one I let get away.  Finding a couple of Atlas reefers I've been hunting for for years at great prices on Friday.  And best of all, finally getting my brother to come to York.

 

Andy

My Low - Couldn't attend.

 

My High - I'll be there in April.

There were no lows. I went through the Purple hall in about 5 minutes.

Highs. Spending quality time with all my train friends dinner lunch ect. 

Seeing some of my friends I haven't seen over the winter. 

Got some cool stuff including a brand new McCoy trolley from 1988 TCA convention. 

Seeing Ted a little hung over in the silver hall from drinking too much rum loosing to the Patriots!!

 

Lows.  Down pours on Wendsday but I'll still take a bad day at York than a good day at work anytime! 

A couple days at York, how could there be any lows. 

 

Had more fun than a person should.

This York meet was pretty good.  Got to hang out with friends and relax, discuss both toy and real trains and meet some new friends.  Stayed all 3 days this year which I haven't done in a while.  Saturday morning at York is a great time to speak with the "movers and shakers" of the hobby and share ideas and thoughts. 

Lows - It's a 700+ mile drive for me so I didn't go. Missed the camaraderie.

 

Highs - Still have green stuff in my wallet! 

Highs

 

-- Driving out "blind" on Wed. night without a hotel room and finding one at The Best Western.  (It was smoking, but even that worked out, as the smell wasn't noticeable.)

-- Conducting 5 transactions from this Buy/Sell Forum in person before the doors even opened Thursday.  Instead of an impersonal transaction, it was an opportunity to socialize

-- Finding a spot to sit down at the very first table at Ruby Tuesday's (and what a table it was!)

-- Meeting some new Forumites face-to-face for the first time (thanks Rocky Mountaineer, Captain John, PTBarnum, Corsair, Gilly, Tony D., David Case, and anyone else I've temporarily overlooked!)

-- The Buffalo Mac and Cheese bowl at the Quaker Steak & Lube (the "old" TGIF site).

-- Making "one last 15 minute pass" before I had to leave early Friday and finding two engines that I had somehow overlooked.

-- Stopping for "takeout" at The Allentown Farmer's Market on the drive home.  Pretzel Wraps and doughnuts...does it get any better?  LOL

 

Lows

 

The driving rain Wed. night made the trip about 45-50 minutes longer than usual.  But per the above, it was well worth it!  

Good morning 

 

Lows

My mood, just really not into it this time.

 

Highs

Everyone I met

More of the big trees from scenic express, darn things are habit forming.

Remembered to buy more Gargraves track, 

 

Highs:

 

Getting there in time for opening on Thursday, and getting back on the highway by noon on Saturday, as planned.

 

Finding a few goodies for each of my hordes, er, collections.

 

Having people fake interest on my M10005 conversion at the Marx Show and Tell.

 

Meeting with friends at the Plasticville Collectors Association.

 

Enjoying a pumpkin funnel cake.

 

Bringing a loop of Fastrack and a transformer and playing with my new toys on the bed at the hotel.

 

Soaking in the hot tub at the hotel after walking God knows how many miles through the halls.

 

Lows:

 

Catching grief for using a Lionel transformer to demo my M10005 at the MARX Show and Tell  

 

Forgetting the item I was going to show off at the Plasticville Collectors Association.

 

Forgetting to give a friend an item I brought for him, despite seeing him 3 or 4 times during the meet.

 

Not being able to get to Tuesdays (due to the Marx show)

 

Another great show by the Eastern Div. TCA! Thank you much!

 

J White

 

 

Absolutely only highs. Best York show ever for me. I can say that as I was able to come home with two of the toughest K-Line passenger sets that I have been on the hunt for.

 

The people were great and as far as the weather, it was really no issue.

 Since I sell in the Orange hall, I don't get a chance to walk around the other halls. I do get to see a lot of folks I know if they happen to visit the booth I work at. 

Traffic was a bit lower then April

I didn't meet too many people at the OGR dinner. I was on a tight schedule, and couldn't get a waitress to take my order, so I had to leave without eating. I'll try again next time.

Don

Highs

 

Having David Pressland autograph my copy of "The Art of the Tin Toy."  Thank you David.

 

Attending with a new member (24 years old) - his first York.

 

Ives wide gauge prices are becoming a little more reasonable if you are willing to do a little work on the sets.

 

Lows 

 

Really can't think of anything...

 

Dave

 

Highs:

 

• The York Experience. Will definitely be headed back again.
• Finding a Lionel Legacy N&W Y3 2-8-8-2 at a fantastic price, well below the best I had seen pre-show.  This engine was one of three items I actively searched for.
• Finding two 6-car MTH Premier N&W 4-Bay Hopper sets at a great price to go with the Y3.
• Finding lots of other great deals on rolling stock.
• Finding a great deal on a Lionel Legacy RF-16 Sharknose New York Central A-A set.
• Finding the Weaver Uncle Sam's Coffee Boxcar and Pickwick's Ale Boxcar. These were the other two items I actively searched for.  Found Pickwick's on Thursday but let my Dad buy it as he wanted one as well.  But then found another one on Friday afternoon.
• Seeing the prototypes for the upcoming models, which makes me want to place some pre-orders.

 

Lows:

• So much to see, too little time.
• Not meeting as many people as I would have liked, but there is always next time.
• The people staying in the hotel room above us walking/running around like a thundering herd of elephants.
• The 9-hour drive.  The drive wasn't all that bad.  But it's still not much fun to be in a vehicle for that long.
• Seeing the prototypes for the upcoming models, which makes me want to place some pre-orders.

All in all an awesome experience.

 

 

Hi Marty and all you lucky folks that got to attend YORK. I get a high out of hearing about the Fun and Finds, and I plan to attend in April 2015. There would be no Low's, as seeing all the people and of course, The Trains,mould be Fun Fun Fun. This is a great post.

Picking up 3 things on my list.

Thursday @ Tuesday's.

Just meeting and schmoozing with everyone.

Confirmation that the VL BB is still on track for 12/14.

Coming back with money in my pocket (a rarity).

Coming back with no room in my car.

 

Lows

No kosher bar-b-que on Thursday,

The "Gold" PE Berk.

Highs:

1.Getting a nice New Haven passenger set from Trains & Things to go behind my New Haven FL-9.

2. Trains & Things-Great Guys

3. Scott Mann and him getting me a part I need for my FL-9. Nice man

4. A seller in the Red Hall giving my son a freight car for nothing, it was his first York at 9 years old.

 

Low:

Gryzboski Trains-the brother of Joe, I think, that was across the aisle from Joe and his son. My son asked him a question and he snapped at him with a "what" when asked a question...That family needs to know how to smile and be friendly.

High: Sold Out. Completely. It was a wonderful feeling having only empty display cases in my booth by 11:30am on Saturday.

 

A "Low"would be the paucity of folks walking around and buying, it seemed to me, overall, even in the Orange Hall. I can remember when the line waiting to gain admittance, at the playing of the National Anthem, first-thing on Thursdays, was 12 across the threshold and at least 20 rows far into the parking lot; also, parking this time seemed more relaxed/available, from my perspective, but my limited view from my seat at my booth in the Orange Hall does not speak for the whole Meet, of course, or does it? Even the dealers/vendors seemed far less frenetic about off-loading and on-loading their wares.

FrankM.

Layout Refinements

HIGHS  

 

1. Finding many of the items on my want list including the Williams Missouri Pacific F-7, a nice Bing country station, a Lionel Rock Island caboose, a bunch of figures and parts,

and a Lionel 671 locomotive.

2. The DCS dinner where my wife was able to plan a great trip with Cora Broskowitz for Friday.  Thanks Marty and Dotty for the invite.

3.  Quality chats with over a dozen old and new friends

4.  Enjoying a great meal with friends at Bel Paisa (sp?)

5.  Enjoying the great weather on Friday (See comments on rain below)

 

LOWS

 

1.  Dreadful rainy weather driving from Boston to York on Wednesday

2.  Waiting for the show to open on Noon Thursday.  Wonder if there is any chance

     that the opening could be moved forward to say 10:30AM.

3.  Remembering old friends whom I saw at York for many years and are no longer with      us

4.  Not finding 6 items on my wish list

 

Lew Schneider

Lows....lousy weather until Friday, and I found absolutely nothing and did not spend a

dime....did not bother to stay over Saturday as found nothing to go back for, very unusual..found the Purple Hall barren, also..

Highs...Got through all the halls in record time Thursday and Friday (only one tour) and left without the usual second Friday tour...

Highs

Running into friends on Thursday

Thursday at Tuesdays

Finding some small items I needed for my layout

Talking to the manufactures about their new products

 

Lows:

Only having time to see York on Thursday afternoon

 

Was there any new offerings from the Manufacturers..???

Loco's? New Cars? New Structures? Anything?

Lows: Shortened hours were annoying. Didn't get much time to hit the dealer halls after the member halls closed.

Highs: I got to see friends, especially Anna Manson.

Yes... that caught me off guard too.   I needed to do a double-take when I heard the announcement that dealer halls were closing at 6:30PM Thursday afternoon instead of 7PM.  I suppose they updated the new hours in the York flyer that we received in the mail, but it just didn't register with me.  

 

For some reason, that flyer never seems all that well-formatted, and all kinds of good information are scattered about here and there.  So I'll admit to not giving it a good read-through anymore.  My bad... but the flyer could certainly use a good redesign!  

 

David

Highs:

MTH IVES 3236 (Proto 2) new in box from Sidetrack Hobbies for $199.00

Lionel's Western Union starter set on display looked great.

Seeing great friends around the halls and at Ruby Tuesdays

Bachman's new Bluetooth train system

 

Lows;

The lighting at Ruby Tuesdays is very dim. That makes it feel later than it is and cuts down on the social interaction. Everything wrapped up at 9:00 (quite early compared with TGI Fridays) Locolawyer got their at 9:30 and everyone was gone already.

 

My son Joshua only had $110.00 on him and he wanted a new Lionel Chief plus engine. Well that is not going to happen for $110.00. I walked around the halls with him another 2 1/2 hours trying to find something that he wanted and could afford.

 

No layout in Black Hall

 

Empty spaces and wider aisles.

 

Scott Smith

I think you've found a new topic to cause dissension in the ranks!

 

Jerry

Highs:

 

--Saw and spent time with lots of friends...old and new.

--Spent little $...a Bachmann On30 Whitcomb Center Cab was my sole purchase.

 

Lows:

 

--Too many long-time and dear friends not there.

--Eddie G. did not introduce me to his new puppy.