Last time I was at York was when I was young and collecting trains for the first time. It was in the very late 1980s or maybe 1990 or 1991. I am sure a lot as changed since then. My recollections of York were trains collectors selling old trains to other train collectors, and, of course, dealers in old trains selling trains to train collectors. I do not remember any corporate booths or manufacturers selling during this time although I could be wrong. If they were there, they did not have a strong presence.
Although I have absolutely no insight as the current status, problems, situations at York, I am involved with large scale events for my other hobbies as well as in my professional life.
MOST LARGE SCALE EVENTS-REGARDLESS OF TYPE OR PURPOSE-ARE STRUGGLING OR HAVE DIED.
Generally speaking, large scale events began going downhill in about 2015. From 2015 through the beginning of the Covid years, events of all nature began to become dramatically reduced in terms of size and participation. For many events, they were simply no longer needed at all or no longer needed in their former size or capacity that they once filled. Many folded even before Covid. The advent of Covid buried others that were existing on life support.
Now please note, I did not say ALL events. I said MANY. Other events chugged along and still exist and/or still struggle to exist. A select few have found a new path and experienced solid growth. Some events have continued to remain strong by default-meaning the smaller events in that industry or hobby have perished and the bigger events no longer have as much competition. Some have just survived due to dumb luck, geographical location, large cash infusions, etc.
Events survive because of evolution and because of talented event organizers who have the knack of knowing where there is need and how to fill it successfully. Events organizers need to evolve themselves, or their events will never grow or continue to live. Sometimes the evolution is created, sometimes it is forced, sometimes it just happens on its own.
Maybe in the case of York it reverts back to train collectors doing business with other train collectors and this could create a snowball affect where collectors once again travel to York in huge quantities from all over the country or world. That is the York I remember in the late 1980s. I would come with a large group from Los Angeles and I remember the Harrisburg airport being overrun by train collectors from all over the world trying to carry large boxes onto airplanes as "carry on luggage". I have heard from some of the very few train collectors I currently know that they no longer go to York because "it is all new trains that you can buy online, not enough old stuff to make a long trip worthwhile". I don't know if that is true or not. I do know that some of the vintage car events I am involved that kept a "back to the basics" approach are still doing OK, have survived, and in many cases even grown.
I am sure that the York five years from now-or ten years from now-will be very different than it is today, but who knows what that will mean?
Anyway, just my 1 cent worth.......
To those who are going to York, Happy Hunting and enjoy spending time with your hobby and friends.
