First I want to say I am a York fanatic. I love the whole experience from the opening National Anthem, to the search for items, the OGR get-togethers, the one on one demonstration of products, the availability of products. York is an event unlike anything else anywhere.
Starting at the next meet we have it open to the public. If this last week has shown anything it has shown the meet had to change.
1)The aisles were much wider in Orange and Purple Halls. That means the dealers are disappearing. I don't know why many dealers decided to not come was it due to personal reasons, economic reasons or are they no longer in business?
2)The crowds were much thinner in Orange and Purple Halls. The member hall's traffic seems to hold their own.
3)At one time it was rare to see earlier than modern era trains in the dealer halls. Yes you had a couple of dealers that had some items but it was predominately new modern trains and train items. That is no longer the case. For the first time I saw lots of second hand trains in Orange Hall. Is this because the dealers are slowing down and not ordering as much from Lionel and MTH or have the dealers been over-loaded with items they are buying from estates? Are they saving their newer trains for the Spring Meet with fresh buyers entering the halls in April.
4)Did dealers and TCA members alike decide to wait until the Spring to show-up due to all the changes?
5)Was the move to add the public soon enough to save the York Meet or is it already too late? Is this a reflection of the decline of the hobby in general, the new normal?
The York meet is is about to change forever. The product mix is going to be different. More than likely we are going to see more low end starter sets for sale for these new consumers. With the public will we see more HO and even N scale for sale? Will the Eastern Division reach out to HO manufacturers and dealers to come to this Brave New World?
What do the rest of you think?
Scott Smith