sxe60 posted:I joined TCA almost 25 years ago when I first got back into trains and it was a great help in providing contacts, vendors, and how to info. But so has OGR and I've been a subscriber since then, also. I dropped TCA membership several years ago as it no longer seemed relevant with so much info available online. Train shows, like train stores, are pretty much a thing of the past as it's so easy to sit at home and find just about anything you may want on the net.
The attitude that TCA is just about "getting stuff" is hollow and shortsighted. As the perceived convenience of going online leads people to hole up in our own basements, we lose our humanity. I strongly believe that everyone who enjoys a hobby should care enough about their fellow human beings to join and participate in an organization which promotes that hobby - whether it's TCA, one of the other national groups, or a local club.
If I look at the cost of attending York, I could certainly buy more trains by staying home, but I can't put a price on what I've learned and experienced.
