I had a good experience. I ran into several friends whom I had not seen in quite some time. It was good to catch up them. I also talked with numerous dealers about my future projects. Priming the pump, so to speak. I made several purchases including 3 K-Line cars and a Legacy control system, all at excellent prices. So even with several of the major manufacturers and dealers missing, I still had a good time.
Chris
LVHR
Its great to see a healthy positive posting about the Spring York meet. I have always liked the Spring meets and when EDTCA introduced the Thursday afternoon segment of the meet I fully embraced it. I always enjoy walking through the halls at a leisurely pace and looking things over closely. It also provides an opportunity to speak at length with the vendors in the member halls and to get a feel for the meet through their eyes. I thought the crowd on Thursday afternoon was about the same as it was last year and the year before and the year before that. I thought the crowd on Friday was very sizeable and witnessed a lot of buying going on to include myself. I spoke with several vendors at length and they all said they were doing a lot of selling. All told for the two days I was there I did about 10 hours worth of walking through the halls and around the fair ground and loved every minute and step of it. I hated to leave. There are many who desire the twice a year York meets to continue and I'm one of them. As Admiral David Farragaut (sic) once said, **** the torpedoes (naysayers) full speed ahead.
I had a great time on Thursday and found everything I wanted along with somethings I really didn't need but couldn't pass up. I was only able to stay until noon on Friday. It is always great to meet new forum members at dinner on Thursday along with good conversation and updates with the members I have dinner with every York. Yes, Thursday was lighter then usual but I did enjoy talking with TCA members. The lighter crowd makes for better conversation. Lionel & Atlas were not missed by me since I go to buy. If they sold merchandise at York , I might think different, but their retailers do that and they would be missed. I am one that doesn't need to see new stuff since I can see it in the catalogue or on line. I like buying used trains that are in good condition. This is what needs to be seen before purchase and you can certainly do that at York. Looking forward to October York.
York Show was good again this spring. I've been setting up and selling off my collection now for several years and the traffic was good, as I had a fairly consistent number of buyers through all the days actually. Did more sales on Friday against Thursday, which is expected and typical of the number of attendees coming between those days. But my Saturday sales were the best ever over the past decade of sitting there and watching the clock on Saturday.
I'm thankful for the buyers and I hope my deals are high on their "finds" list.
As always, I had a great time too. I don't have to buy anything and I can still have a good time. I am just amazed by all of the trains, bridges, structures, etc. available all in one place - York. I met a lot of people this year too.
Just remember -
a bad day at York,
beats a good day at work!
Charlie
Craig,
Thanks for starting this post and sharing the experience at York. I missed this one due to a college decide visit, but will be at the next one. I knew it would be a great time for those who attended.
Those of you who know me and ran into me know I had a great time!! Only bad thing was that it had to end and I had to drive home. 
Room is already booked for October.
-Greg
It’s great to hear of fun, friends, great fellowship, and all do to the love of toy trains. I plan on being at York in October, and seeing all the new releases, and Simply the hustle and bustle of folks having the times of their lives. It’s a great hobby, and it’s fun to share ideas and needs and simply be with folks that love toy trains. Great thread, Happy Railroading
Our first visit, and we had a fantastic time. Highlights were-
Watching my wife rummaging through boxes under tables for some elusive Plasticville parts. Along with all the random windows, doors & chimneys we needed, she managed to find enough add-a-floor pieces to make our Pville apartment house a five story high rise!
The smiles and absolute look of joy on all the faces of bored wives, when they realized there was a three month old sleeping baby girl in our little backpack carrier.
Finding everything on our list (and plenty that wasn’t) within only a few hours on Thursday.
Thanks to all involved. We left the property both mentally saturated, and completely satisfied.
Tom (and Amber)
Made it there on Friday, it was worth the drive for me. Enjoyed the day taking my time going table to booth looking at trains and train stuff! Too much to see for one day though. Got to catch up with friends and found some great deals that I unfortunately had to pass on this time around. I will definitely be at the October York for Thursday and Friday!
York to me is more of a social event. There are times when I happen to be looking for specific items and there are times when I see something that I can use on my layout.
The less crowded Orange and Purple Halls made for easier access with my rented power scooter. I spent a lot of time talking with vendors and friends. This was the first time that I ever had the chance to talk to Lou Palumbo for more than a few minutes. In addition parking near the Orange Hall was surprisingly easier than last October for sure.
I bought another Miller Engineering sign, some videos from TM Books and Videos and some additional classic cars for my car show scene on my layout.
The Thursday Night OGR Dinner at Quaker Steak was a fun event as usual and I was able to take and post pictures of the people who were there that evening. So all in all I had another good time at York.
I'm pretty sure that the October Meet will be much more hectic and crowded than this April Meet.
Steve Tapper
York was great. Came on the charter buses from Long Island with a bunch of guys that make the trip every 6 months. Spent money, more than I should have. I spoke with Mike Wolfe of MTH and thanked him for his continued support of the York meet. Can't wait for the October meet !!! Lenny J
Steve Tapper,
where are the OGR pics posted?
Side Rod
I had an outstanding time at April York.
No place I would rather have been ... and there were trains, too!
Putnam Division posted: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 see it often on the bay but they normally want close to $500 for it.
This was my first York Meet and I had a great time!! Really enjoyed talking with all the sellers in both the dealer and member halls. What a great bunch of guys. The members that I was able to meet and talk with were friendly and very helpful in answering all my "newbie" questions. Thanks guys. Appreciate it. I didn't find my 2014 BN GP35 B unit, but I found everything else I was after - esp in the superO items. So many cool booths and wonderful layouts. I thought that there were a lot of great bargins throughout all the halls and I found the vast majority of sellers reasonable and willing to deal. To all those involved in putting this meet on and to all the dealers and members who lug all their stuff to & from the meet; thank you very much. I had a fantastic 3 days thanks to you. See you in October. No complaints here - well - ok - maybe a foot massage vendor would be a great addition.
Side Rod posted:Steve Tapper,
where are the OGR pics posted?
Side Rod
They should be found under Photos of the Thursday Night OGR Dinner, Side Rod. You can probably link onto it through Recent Posts.
Steve
Craig - thanks for starting this thread. the York meets are one of the highlights of my whole year. Since getting into the SGMA (Standard Gauge Modular Association), getting on this Forum, and making trains, I have made a bunch of great friends (including you), and so I really look forward to York and never have a bad time.
I meet people there that I've known for over 45 years (Mark P - were high school friends).
Went to the OGR breakfast - always meet new folks and a few I've met on line. I need to get up even earlier!
SGMA breakfast on Friday - over 40 people came out, many awesome builders that make their own unique trains - about 20 pieces on display, you never know what will show up. Clem Clement started this with his home maders.
Dinners with Clem's 'Fun Crowd', another with old friends.
Picking up parts from great guys like Joe Mania, Harry Hennings, Dallas Hunsicker and others, always a good conversation at each booth. Even chatting with Mike Wolf about standard gauge production post 'Lionel Corporation' labeling - he was very honest about where the market is.
Grabbed a couple of bargains, one was pre-arranged for pickup.
I had a super time. So sad it's over, but plenty to do back home! Gonna be a long time till Fall York!
Jim
steve tapper posted:Side Rod posted:Steve Tapper,
where are the OGR pics posted?
Side Rod
They should be found under Photos of the Thursday Night OGR Dinner, Side Rod. You can probably link onto it through Recent Posts.
Steve
Here is the post(hopefully this works)
Thanks Dave, it worked!
SideRod
No problem, I help out when I can. I just wish I could have made it this April. Well, October will be coming, 611 will be at Strasburg, so things will be crazy then. Already planning things, just need to check a few things out to get set for then.
I had a great time as always at York this time. Bought a 1956 Lionel set in all the boxes and a new venture, an American Flyer set with all boxes. Also bought a few other things haha. One oddity occurred. I always laugh that I have had the same parking spot for the last 28 years . See many of the same people there also . Parked there Thursday and on Friday I was told there is no parking there. I told him I was there Thursday as well as about 8 cars in a row. He said move it you shouldn't be here. When I asked what changed , all he said was look, I deal with all kinds of people, who want their way, move it. ( he was a TCA guy I recognize from the museum) I moved and after about 30 minutes, sure enough, there were 8 cars lined up parked there. hahaha Maybe he had a bad piece of bacon at breakfast haha. I am going to inquire from a York grounds keeper if you can park there now or not. It is between the Purple hall and the Silver/Blue hall not in the camper spots . Like I said , no explanation after 28 yrs hahahaha. It sure DIDN'T ruin my fun!!! Just strange. hahaha
Craig
THANKS for posting this, I HAD A GREAT TIME !!!!
Glad to see so many posts about how much fun they had at York this year. I've been on the forum for just over three years now and have been reading all of the build up to, and postmortems and reviews of York each Spring and Fall and wondering if I should bother to go.
I'm sure that some folks will not be happy no matter what is said or done about the bi-annual Train pilgrimage but I always see lots of smiling faces in the pictures posted.
Suffice it to say that I do hope to attend sooner rather than later and would have a great time I'm sure.
Bob
Bob, you'll get there. If your like the rest of us, you'll have a great time, meet some of us other like minded train enthusiasts (aka nuts), and see some things you want or need, and see some things you never thought you'd see. Last year, Peter (aka Putnam Division) saw I think it was a 1954 set sealed(I don't remember the number) for $30,000. I myself have seen VL Hudson's, the 2-10-10-2 VL loco, and a few others I didn't think I'd see. I really am going to have to get off the fence for an old Marx Commodore Vanderbilt set. I see them every time I go, and all I do is look at them. I have an old engine my uncle gave me in okay condition, and I think I need to grab one of those ones I always see.
I've never been to a bad train show, especially York. This April I couldn't go on Friday or Saturday but on Thursday I had a great time with my dad and uncle. I bought a Z transformer for $65 and some super O switches in the red hall. In the white hall I got an American Flyer hopper and combine heavy weight car (in red) for $70 all together. In the silver hall I found a 2065 hudson with the feedwater heater and the Santa Fe style tender for $110. In the blue hall I found something I have been looking for for a while. A Norfolk and Western caboose with steam era lettering for $55. I also got an AF right hand switch for $5. Then we made our way over to the purple hall and I got some more Super O stuff and then in the Orange hall which I could not see all of I got a drinking glass from an old friend.
All in all it was a great day and can't wait for the next show.
Cody - please contact me, Email is in my profile. Re. Super "o"
I had a great time last week. This was my eighth consecutive time as a vendor in the Orange Hall and I am very glad I have entered into the O Scale modelmaking world. Although I came home with more inventory than I wanted to, both Thursday and Friday were record-breaking days for me for overall orders. I believe that our new Paterson Silk Mill and Pickwick Hotel were met positively and we will continue to develop shadowbox and building models based upon historic significance, my interest in their stories and/or the ability to create multiple variations outside of the real thing. Case in point, the Laurel Rex Fire Station will follow the D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Co. project in our York Historic Building Series for this coming October. I stumbled upon the station four Yorks ago while desperately seeking window glazing material that was found at a great little art supply shop on the same block. With our experience on the Paterson Silk Mill project under our belt, I believe that were ready to tackle YORK-2, albeit without the animal crackers.
Thank you very much to Peter for including me in Thursday's diner breakfast and Friday night's dinner out and for my "regular" customers for stopping by to shake and howdy.
You are welcome, Doug.......I think we are going to need to go to a place on Friday evening that takes reservations....it will make dinner go easier.
Peter
Just like how the yellow Sun gives Superman his super powers, being around all the trains at York has the same effect on me. When I hung that TCA badge holder around my neck and was ready to walk those aisles, it was such a shot of adrenaline! I am just now coming back to earth from attending the "Vortex of Fantasy" that is the York Meet. I felt like I didn't need the airplane to get me there! It's sooo much fun meeting up with friends with a common interest. And thanks to the internet Forums, what started as just obscure name handles on the computer turned into acquaintances, then into friends and now you all feel like family.
I had not planned on acquiring much this trip as I gear up to begin the layout process. I really, really, really tried not to buy much. But once the train voices began to talk to me, I couldn't help it. My bounty was much less than usual, but the voices always win out. Too many trains and accessories everywhere!! What's a young guy like me to do?!
The fun started as soon as I landed at BWI Airport Wednesday afternoon. I accepted a gracious invitation from Craig (Craignor) to stop by his home for dinner with he and his lovely wife Beth and to run trains into the evening. It was so great to see them, I sure do miss being part of the Northern Central HiRailers.
The rest of the week was an endless party seeing all the trains, layouts, many meals with friends, including our Friday night gathering at Cheddars. We now need a bigger table! I even snuck away Friday for lunch at Latucca's for one of the best cheesesteaks I ever had! A York tradition. After getting our badges for October I left Saturday afternoon to visit my daughter in Philly for dinner. It was so good to see her, and her cat Ivy finally after three years came out of hiding and let me pet her.
I'd say that for me, the York Meet is 100% social and 100% buying! (I don't set limits for myself)
But the York Meet is not over yet!! My packages arrived yesterday afternoon that I shipped from the lobby of the Silver / Blue Halls!!
The countdown to October is on !!
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