Good to know that "retired people . . . have more money to spend. . . ." I'm not so sure that is necessarily true anymore, if it ever was. But aside from that, a good number of retired people who have been in the hobby for a reasonably long time have pretty much already acquired most or all of the trains they have sought or can use or even house. Many have already recognized the finite limits of our time on this planet, and determined that it is to their advantage to enjoy and make use of what they have rather than see relatives give it all away a couple of weeks after the hobbyist is planted.
Allan,
The above statement is very true to me these days. I have bought enough trains in the past 30 years that I do NOT need anymore. I have enough to run and to enjoy. Besides, being a retiree, I need to make the $ last and buying a $1700 engine these days makes no sense as the end of the paragraph is quite true as well.
I can't begin to tell you how many folks I talk to who tell me they come to York now almost exclusively for the social experience it provides, and how many tell me they are cutting back to one time a year simply because it is becoming cost prohibitive due to increased real-world expenses such as health care costs and a myriad of other things that are not matched by increases in pensions or Social Security.
Allan,
York has become a social event for me. I enjoy going twice a year to see my friends from around the country and oh yeah... I might buy a train, etc.... I missed this past York (1st time in 26 years) due to illness (shingles) and not the ones that the yellow hall needs. I missed all my friends. Did I need to see Lionel with their new offerings? No. I f they are not attending in April, it is purely a financial decision. York is a HUGE O gauge show. You never know what you will find there.
P.S. Rich Melvin, I hear ED will let you park the motorhome next to the yellow hall so you can be the first one in at noon on Thursday. 
