My first York. I really liked the meet, I am a rookie to the hobby (2 years).
Observations:
1. Everybody I met was really nice. I felt like I was among "friends" all with a common interest. There were a few exceptions- I thought that some of the "rock stars" of the hobby in Orange were NOT as nice, even though I talked with them early on Thursday, and they should not have been jaded at that early point!!
On the plus side, I was impressed that Ryan Kunkle seemed to be so enthusiastic about Lionel's product line as he ran trains in their display. He should be- he IS "product" at Lionel- but it would be easy for him to be "jaded". In fact all the "Lionel people" were seemingly enjoying the work.
2. Given the shrinking numbers of the "collector" nature of the hobby- I don't see how anybody could expect to be successful at a big show if they maintained high prices. People are interested in RUNNING trains, not shelving them as an investment for their retirement- those days are over. Prices were all over the place, from really low prices to over-priced. Example- I saw nice C&O Lionel N2 "Switchers" from $60 (low) to $ 200.
3. I expected near 100% "seniors"- and I saw quite a few teens, and kids w/ parents (vs. with their grandparents). THAT is good for the hobby.
4. The meet is great for the smaller manufacturer with specialty products, like O-Scale roller coasters, custom buildings etc. These people need a place to meet lots of serious enthusiasts- the "web" is so crowded that even online is not adequate IMO. If I had something really "niche" in nature- I would never miss the York opportunity.
Likewise, as a hobbyist, that is what I would be going there FOR- I can buy widely-available stuff at ANY local show, and at good prices, but I would never get local opportunities to see the really specialized stuff.
