York: the “I had a good time” thread

Thanks for the update Craig, sounds like you had a great time. It's nice to read about the positive experience!

Sean007 posted:

Thanks for the update Craig, sounds like you had a great time. It's nice to read about the positive experience!

Ditto here.  How was the crab cake Craig?

I think he said it was "good"...paragraph 6, line 6. 

Mark in Oregon

Thanks for the   POSITIVE   thread.  I had a great time, as usual, at York on Friday.  Been going twice each year since 1990.  Always good to see friends, the various train vendors.  Missed Lionel, Atlas O, but still had a great time.  TCA Eastern does a great job and deserves a lot of credit for continuing the spring/fall meet.  

Overall I feel there are more POSITIVE thinking attendees than the ones that always have something to complain about, legit or not.

Looking forward to October!😀

Very good Craig, I only stayed for thursday can left noon on friday.  However it was good talking to the people I do business with this is the only place I get to meet the people behind the product.  Nice to see Mr Muffins cruising the halls and having a good time. Throughly enjoy visiting and talking with the vendors. They always seem eager to know how their product was working out for me. Vendors  seemed more relaxed this time. Wound up buying a few items I was thinking about and ordering one from next catalogue.  Had a good time meeting my friends and people I only see at York.

Thank you TCA Eastern Div.

Clem 

I 2nd that train-emotion,sorry I didn't get to yak at you at the sgma,was getting over type a flu so wasn't up to game on,but did see people to talk to etc,,,,it was nice,i left around 1p no rain till 80miles out of Pittsburgh,worst storm ever,,,,but the train cargo was safe,,,terry

wild mary posted:

Sean007 posted:

Thanks for the update Craig, sounds like you had a great time. It's nice to read about the positive experience!

Ditto here.  How was the crab cake Craig?

Nick,

The crab cake was pretty good, first time I had one there. I will get one again.

Strummer posted:

I think he said it was "good"...paragraph 6, line 6. 

Mark in Oregon

When you're from Baltimore and talking crab cakes there are many levels of "good".

I too had a great time as usual.  Ended up spending a lot, but got stuff I like.   I have seen that suv as well over the years.  

wild mary posted:

Strummer posted:

I think he said it was "good"...paragraph 6, line 6. 

Mark in Oregon

When you're from Baltimore and talking crab cakes there are many levels of "good".

Nick,

This would be a Phillips Crab House level of “good”

thanks for posting this Craig!!!  I didn't go and when I read one other LONG post where over 1/2 of the posts were negative, I thought to myself "looks like I didn't miss much".  DANG IT - your post has me missing it now.  Darn you. :-)

- walt

The Meca of train trips.  Just a fantastic time. We are now headed to the pennsy curve 

walt rapp posted:

thanks for posting this Craig!!!  I didn't go and when I read one other LONG post where over 1/2 of the posts were negative, I thought to myself "looks like I didn't miss much".  DANG IT - your post has me missing it now.  Darn you. :-)

- walt

Walt,

See you in October?

I had a great time.  Nice break from work - I USE the vacation time that I EARNED!  (Schedule the time off in advance and get it approved, and if the boss tries to change it, say "sorry, already have reservations".)

Talked to lots of folks, visited the Red Lion train club, had some good food.  Saw some stuff I'd never seen before.  Oh, and picked up a few bargains.

Saw some empty tables, but a lot of that is due to age and illness - we're all going to be there someday.

Still worth it!

pennsy484 posted:

I too had a great time as usual.  Ended up spending a lot, but got stuff I like.   I have seen that suv as well over the years.  

Some York’s, I see a bunch of stuff I have been looking for, and spend more than usual, others time I buy almost nothing. It balances out. And when you hit a drought, it not that there was nothing to buy, there is always a ton to buy, but just not things that YOU want.

Craignor posted:

pennsy484 posted:

I too had a great time as usual.  Ended up spending a lot, but got stuff I like.   I have seen that suv as well over the years.  

Some York’s, I see a bunch of stuff I have been looking for, and spend more than usual, others time I buy almost nothing. It balances out. And when you hit a drought, it not that there was nothing to buy, there is always a ton to buy, but just not things that YOU want.

Yes! I was saying that exact thing yesterday.  Either way I have fun, either feel good getting cool stuff, or feel good saving some money. 😂 

I went with Trainpop, and we had a good time. 

Saw lots of familiar faces, good to see friends!

Parking lots were full, but the halls weren’t that crowded. Found what I went buy in the first 30 minutes, then enjoyed the day. Didn’t miss any of the absent active vendors. Always do miss the ones no longer around, Ma & Pa Jct, VInce’s, Loco Louie, Jds Ltd.

Barry was there, because everyone was remembering and talking about him!

Jim M Sr posted:

Barry was there, everyone way remembering and talking about him!

Andy Edelman, of MTH, gave a very nice tribute to Barry at the OGR Forum Meeting on Friday. Not many of us in this hobby or elsewhere are irreplaceable, but it sure will be darn near impossible to replace Barry's full depth of knowledge about the DCS system AND his willingness to share what he knew.

Any train show is good!    And if you spend a day or two railfanning on the way there and back, it is even better.

Goofing around with Bob's cart (he just had a hip-job done). Trying out my best Geezer imitation....

Left to right are RC3R members Russell, (yours truly), Bob, and Peter2.

It was another great York for me  spent money and had a great time with my OGR family!!! York is not dead its evolving  just like the rest of life and trust me I know dead when I see it!😉 See you in October now to the RR to do something modeling!!!!😊

Way to go Craig, All the nonsense from the sourpusses on this forum - Im grateful you posted your great experience at the meet. our happiness is up to each one of us.   At the last minute I had to bail from attending but I'm ready for October. Looking forward to SGMA meeting for the first time.  

My two buddies and I had a blast! The crowds were lighter but buying seemed brisk. For the first time, many vendors dropped their prices offering great deals. The three of us bought a bunch of stuff. For us, it's about getting away for a few days, joking around, drinking, eating out and getting the chance to buy some train stuff. We went and we had fun.....and we will continue to do it.

I talked with the gentleman who owns that SUV in October during the Wednesday TCA Museum open house at the restaurant at the Red Caboose motel.  I just commented as he was walking in that I thought it was one of the best paint jobs of that style I've seen.  He was kind enough to stop and chat for a few minutes and also showed me some photos of his home layout, which he has suspended from the ceiling.  It was quite a nice job too.  The truck I think he said was a Honda, but the only place the manufacturer name  or logo remains is on the steering wheel center.  The only badging on the exterior is PRR .

As to the meet, it definitely seems to be less people buying (not just my observation, other member sellers I talked to also), but I don't bring a lot to sell to begin with(just a single table), so I can't complain too much.  There are some items that will still sit no matter how much you lower the price these days.

I did buy a few things, so I consider it a good meet for me even with the low sales.  Picked up some items at the TCA Museum tent sale, and then some rolling stock pieces, as well as a last minute purchase of an ERR AC commander and Electric Railsounds kit for a project.

Oh, and a crab cake yesterday. .  I'm not from crab cake country , but I've enjoyed them a lot over the years.  I used to get one every day, but it's harder with a table.  I don't think they generally are open long enough before the meet opens on Thursday to grab one before manning the table.  I got away a little yesterday while a friends wife sat at my table.  Today I stayed closer to my hall and just had some chicken tenders.

If we are counting, I think this was my 45th consecutive York.  (not as a table holder though, only been doing that for about 4-5 years)

-Dave

Okay, so this is my first post to this forum. I am a “newbie” to the O gauge world but have had many years of exposure to HO model trains from my dad who was a member of a major club in N.J. and with whom I went on various Iron Horse Rambles when I was much younger. Decided to get in to O gauge with “both feet” early in 2018 and have been enjoying every minute of it. My wife and I went to our first York show as a “ general public” last spring and had a terrific time. We joined the TCA last summer and have been to both the fall 2018 York show and we just got back from Spring York. My wife enjoys the trains as much as I do as well as the many train related items that pop up at York. Can’t say enough good things about the people that make this show possible for the rest of us to just drive to York and go in and enjoy ourselves. We have met many nice people at York and got to meet GRJ at the Hennings Train booth. Had a nice conversation with Todd Architectural Models- super nice people! Talked to the folks at Mianni benchworks about my bench order-all so nice; got great service at Ross Custom Switches. As streamliner fans we have found a lot of neat items at York that I have not seen anywhere else. As a new person to this scene, I have found the York meets to be the best O gauge show out there. Was it disappointing to not see several major manufacturers there? No, not really- there was a ton of other stuff to see. We made a full “run through” of all the halls on Thursday afternoon and then made a slower, more thorough trip through all the halls on Friday. Definitely looking forward to the Fall meet.

Another York gone by since I snapped my 26 consecutive years attending York streak last October missing it then for health issues, it was great to attend once again. Whatever the "negative nancies" say about York, say what you want. Still the best toy train meet to attend. Social aspect, train buying, having drinks and dinners with friends, It is great to unwind there twice a year for 3 days each time.

Thank you EDTCA for putting on another York show.

Arrived back in Central Virginia about an hour ago.....another great York......I was 30, just a kid, when I started going in 1983  (I’ve only missed twice since). York has changed over the years, but it is as fun as ever.......including this one.

When the Forum started in 2000 many of us were solitary modelers. Now, many of us connect with our social media train friends twice a year. As we do, we are surrounded by more trains than you can imagine.

I am fortunate to be able to go. I am fortunate to have a wife who understands and supports my train addiction. In addition, it’s great to shed my professional self for a few days, and  just be, Peter......

I got there Wednesday night rose early on Thursday and headed for the Round-the -Clock Diner.... all I do is make the reservation. The event is made special by the attendees. Join us in October and see......

Then I enjoyed catching up with friends in the Orange Hall Lobby.

Walking the hall is always great.......I don’t need to buy another train......but, I did look around to see if there was “something that I didn’t realize, that I needed”. 

Dinner at Quaker Steak on Thursday night was also a fun event.......though as I get older, I don’t stay out as late.

Friday morning was breakfast at the Hampton Inn with the regular Shrewsbury guests.....Scott, Josh & Al Z.

Started the Friday fun at the informal Frank Ellison group meeting in the Orange Hall with other fellow DOEs (disciples of Ellison).

Walked the halls and just chatted with people  ( I’ll chat with anyone ), but I did meet some new people.

It also was great that 5 other River City 3 Railer members were at York as well as many other Richmond area members of the Virginia Train Collectors......you bump into someone you know very frequently.

The Forum Meeting was at 2PM and after that I just walked around and visited until the Halls closed. Our Friday evening dinner group has grown.......and it looks like we’re going to have to switch to a place where we can make a reservation.....we had to split up into 2 tables. Great time, great conversation, and many laughs.....

Saturday morning, I had a great breakfast chat with Dennis & Sandy Brennan. You really get to appreciate all the work vendors do to bring us their product. Then I went to the Eastern Division business meeting. I an in awe of all the hard work the Eastern Division does to make York Run so smoothly.....my hat is off to the York Meet committee......well done!

I walked around and settled on some MTH Wolverine cars( after conversing with my son by phone)......then, sadly, it was time to go.

No need to worry, we will “stay connected” electronically, and October will be here before I know it.

Thanks to all those who made “York week” a blast!

Peter

As always, I had a great time at York!  I've been going since fall of 2010 and have only missed 3.

Upon arrival on Friday I met up with Allan Miller so I could purchase a K Line Shay which he posted on the FS section of OGR Forum.  I LOVE this locomotive!  It runs like a clock!   Allan and I had a nice chat too.   Thanks Allan! 

I came home with lots of goodies including the new Lionel radio tower ... thanks to Eric Seigal's review in OGR magazine!  Also bought scenery items at Scenic Express ( always fun to catch up with Jim ) , several figures from a vender in the Blue Hall as well as odds and ends from other vendors.  

Just love looking around, talking with folks, catching up with folks I know, and soaking up the great energy in the halls!   The York experience is a gift to all of us!  My hat is off to the Eastern Division for ALL of their hard work involved to pull off this great event twice annually.  I greatly appreciate their efforts! 

One of these years, I'm going to make an entire 3 day event out of York and really do it up right !

I had a great time!  Touched base with a lot of friends, hit the bandit meets Wednesday, visited a train shop inside an antique mall in Hanover, sold a lot of stuff (nearly half of what I brought), found some treasures , and had a lot of good food and drink.

Andy

I was there like 2 years ago and had a good time, but things now prevent me in going again ( wife had a stroke and I have to tend to her some times ) I think it's a great way to meet with guys you talk to all the time on the forums. To me it was more about meeting other people I talk to all the time than all the stuff, but I did buy a set of B&M GP9's with TMCC new in box. 

rtraincollector posted:

I was there like 2 years ago and had a good time, but things now prevent me in going again ( wife had a stroke and I have to tend to her some times ) I think it's a great way to meet with guys you talk to all the time on the forums. To me it was more about meeting other people I talk to all the time than all the stuff, but I did buy a set of B&M GP9's with TMCC new in box. 

Bill.......that's great about the B&M GP-9 set. I saw it and thought "some New England RR fan is going to jump at this!"  Glad you got it. You almost never see that set. 

Peter

I pretty much concur that this a good York.  I thought the crowd was very light on Thursday, but friday was well attended. I had a "public person"help me choose ANOTHER K Line smoking caboose....both looked kool, but this was a frugal York so just one came home to meet Mrs Redjimmy (lol)  This person used to be an EDTCA member, but just bought a days' pass.  We had a new friend join our group of "ne'r do wells"...and of course he experienced York sensory overload.  KUDOS to EDTCA AGAIN!

Craig, great post. I still don't get how come some people give the doom and gloom about everything with the hobby and York(other recent posts). I saw a post the other day and declined putting my positivity into a negative thread(as I had tried to post positive things on another such post). I will quote what is said there though, "you get out of it what you put into it".

I myself couldn't make this April's York, but it doesn't give me doom and gloom. I'm happy to see great posts like this one about the positive experiences going on. I've only been to two of the October York's but they were awesome in my opinion. Regardless of home much I buy or don't buy, talking with our fellow forum members is really what excites me. I had a blast last October talking to Gunner Runner John for about a half hour or 45 minutes. It always great to see good things pop up.

York is 80% social activities and 20% buying and/or selling for me.  If it weren't for the great train friends, old and new, I would probably skip it.  I doubt the social aspect of York will change in my lifetime, so I'll keep going as long as I'm able.  I look forward to meeting a few people I've never met in person, as well as connecting with old friends.  I don't know of any other venue that would be better for that than York.

I'll be back in October.

Another great York. I have never had a bad York.

We even dodged the rain during the meet, just had to contend with it for the evening.  A big plus is I got to drive down and back in nice weather.

I have been coming to York Meets since 2002. I have only missed a couple due to conflicts with business trips and I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. While attendance has declined somewhat over the years, that has not detracted in any way from my experience. I enjoy everything about the York Meets - the building anticipation and excitement before each Meet, preparing my list of items to purchase, helping my colleagues Rich Roman and Stan Wisniewski from East Coast Enterprises set up their booth in the Orange Hall on Wednesday, walking the dealer and member halls on Thursday and Friday, negotiating with dealers and members to get a better price, meeting with old colleagues and building some new friendships, looking at the operating layouts, and picking up items I have purchased in advance from dealers who are kind enough to bring them to York, thereby saving me delivery costs and the anxiety about potential damage in transit. I am always totally relaxed and on a high throughout each York Meet and somewhat melancholy when the Meet ends.

I found this particular Meet to be excellent. The weather was better than usual for an April Meet. While a couple of the manufacturers were not there, virtually all of the top dealers were. The dealer halls were busy and in speaking to a few of the dealers, the consistent response was that sales were brisk. The member halls were also very busy when I visited them. There were plenty of great deals at this Meet. There always are at York Meets. You just had to search them out. I was able to find and purchase everything on my list. I also purchased some items I had no intention of purchasing, like a PRR Lantern from the lantern guy in the Blue Hall.

There was also some great news for me and possibly for some of you. I have a Proto-3 PRR J1 that has had an issue for several years with a tether that keeps disconnecting. I have had some really bad experiences with it like the time it disconnected in the middle of the longest tunnel on my layout. It had been back to MTH several times but the issue kept recurring. Jason from MTH communicated to me on Friday that MTH recently developed a part to hold the tethers on their steam engines together for both their 6 and 10 pin connectors. That totally made my day!

Already looking forward to October!

Pat 

dk122trains posted:

It was another great York for me  spent money and had a great time with my OGR family!!! York is not dead its evolving  just like the rest of life and trust me I know dead when I see it!😉 See you in October now to the RR to do something modeling!!!!😊

Don, it was nice talking to you.

Don

York meet was a good show for me.  Sold some tables and sold out of out detail parts kits that we brought. Plus have quite a few people planning on ordering in the next few weeks. Overall, less attendance, but I still didn't have time to relax in the booth either Thursday or Friday. Time flew by, and had a great time giving out shirts to all my customers who stopped by including new customers who purchased tables. Saturday wasn't a bust for us either but slow as normal in the Orange hall. Thanks to all who came by our booth!