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York Count Down....

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M Mallard4468OGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@Scott In Texas posted:

Registered last week for my first York. Air and hotel booked too.  Spend time daily trying to plan each day, but I know it will all go out the window once I step through the hall doors.

Another suggestion is to read comments on the forum regarding places to stay.  Hopefully, your hotel reservation can be changed if you find a better option.  @eddie g is right about the Wyndham; it's a great location, full of train folks, with a decent on-site restaurant/bar, but it can be pricey.   

Scott In TexasScott In TexasOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@Mallard4468 posted:

Another suggestion is to read comments on the forum regarding places to stay.  Hopefully, your hotel reservation can be changed if you find a better option.  @eddie g is right about the Wyndham; it's a great location, full of train folks, with a decent on-site restaurant/bar, but it can be pricey.   

Thanks for the suggestion, but I am pretty much locked into a Marriott brand hotel, as I have points to stay for free, thanks to business travels.  😁 Currently planning to stay at Four Points.  The more I save on accommodations, the more I have to spend on trains!!!

M Mallard4468OGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@Scott In Texas posted:

Thanks for the suggestion, but I am pretty much locked into a Marriott brand hotel, as I have points to stay for free, thanks to business travels.  😁 Currently planning to stay at Four Points.  The more I save on accommodations, the more I have to spend on trains!!!

That's a good choice, as is going with your preferred loyalty program.   

There are a handful of places to avoid, and Four Points isn't one of them.  It's also very convenient to the legendary Round the Clock diner.

TraindieselTraindieselOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

We're all set!!  After a one Meet hiatus because of a wedding this past October we are BACK!!  Lynley and I have our reservations for our flight, two hotels, and car rental for the York Meet and beyond.

We're flying into Philly this time instead of Baltimore since our post York Meet activities will be in the Philadelphia area.  Going to visit with my youngest Daughter, as usual, but this will be a special trip.  She is carrying our ninth Grandchild, a boy!  Also going to get together with some family we haven't seen since we moved.  It'll be a nearly two week long party!!  Can't wait for all the trains and the food!! (It's always about the food!)

Look out, Dealers and sellers!  Hope you have some juicy gems waiting!  

Putnam DivisionPutnam DivisionOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@Traindiesel posted:

We're all set!!  After a one Meet hiatus because of a wedding this past October we are BACK!!  Lynley and I have our reservations for our flight, two hotels, and car rental for the York Meet and beyond.

We're flying into Philly this time instead of Baltimore since our post York Meet activities will be in the Philadelphia area.  Going to visit with my youngest Daughter, as usual, but this will be a special trip.  She is carrying our ninth Grandchild, a boy!  Also going to get together with some family we haven't seen since we moved.  It'll be a nearly two week long party!!  Can't wait for all the trains and the food!! (It's always about the food!)

Look out, Dealers and sellers!  Hope you have some juicy gems waiting!  

It will be good seeing you and Lynley, Brian……….the dealers and sellers will also be happy, too!

Peter

M Mallard4468OGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@yellowtruck75 posted:

This will be my first time attending the TCA York train show.  Do I need to be a member of the TVA to attend?  If so what do I need to do to join?  

will I be able to find much just attending Saturday or is it pretty picked over by then?

You can get full access by asking to be a guest of the Eastern Division (or a friend who is a member) - you can do that once.  You can get access to dealer halls only with general public admission, but that will mean missing a lot of good stuff.  Or you can join TCA at the meet (I think that a 6-month trial membership is available if you're not sure), and get into every York from now until eternity.

Saturday is very sparsely attended - if that's your only opportunity, be sure to get there before the meet opens at 9am.

Andy HummellAndy HummellOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@yellowtruck75 posted:

This will be my first time attending the TCA York train show.  Do I need to be a member of the TVA to attend?  If so what do I need to do to join?  

will I be able to find much just attending Saturday or is it pretty picked over by then?

Just go to the registration desk in Silver Hall and they will help you sign in as a guest (one time only full access) or to join the TCA.  If you think you can make the next York, too, you can even pre-register for it (and get the badge for it on the spot) if you join the TCA.  You can see the fairgrounds map HERE.  It is a good idea to have a copy of the map with you to help navigate the first few times at York so you don't miss anything.  You may also want to consider buying a TCA badge holder at the registration desk if you don't already have one.

If you can only go Saturday, it is best to plan ahead a little.  There are still plenty of trains to be had, and sometimes you can get better deals on a Saturday, and you won't have to fight the crowds.  The plan should be based on what you are looking  to buy.  On Saturdays, the halls open at 9am (be there early to get registered as quickly as possible so you don't lose valuable meet time).  The member halls close at 2pm, but a lot of the vendors there start packing up at noon.  The dealer hall (Orange) closes at 3pm, but vendors start packing before the official closing time.  If you are looking for brand-new, recent-manufactured items, manufacturer displays, and cottage-industry items, Orange Hall is the place you want to concentrate your searching.  If you are looking for older production from all eras (including modern), bargains, and the unique and unusual, then the member halls are the place to be hunting.

If I were going Saturday only and was just looking to experience the most of the meet, I would hit the halls in this order: Blue, Silver, Red, White, Purple (to see the layout(s)), Yellow (underneath the grandstands if open and being used - I don't think it is being used this York), and Orange.

Andy

Last edited by Andy Hummell
M Mallard4468OGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@Andy Hummell posted:

Just go to the registration desk in Silver Hall and they will help you sign in as a guest (one time only full access) or to join the TCA.  If you think you can make the next York, too, you can even pre-register for it (and get the badge for it on the spot) if you join the TCA.  You can see the fairgrounds map HERE.  It is a good idea to have a copy of the map with you to help navigate the first few times at York so you don't miss anything.  You may also want to consider buying a TCA badge holder at the registration desk if you don't already have one.

If you can only go Saturday, it is best to plan ahead a little.  There are still plenty of trains to be had, and sometimes you can get better deals on a Saturday, and you won't have to fight the crowds.  The plan should be based on what you are looking  to buy.  On Saturdays, the halls open at 9am (be there early to get registered as quickly as possible so you don't lose valuable meet time).  The member halls close at 2pm, but a lot of the vendors there start packing up at noon.  The dealer hall (Orange) closes at 3pm, but vendors start packing before the official closing time.  If you are looking for brand-new, recent-manufactured items, manufacturer displays, and cottage-industry items, Orange Hall is the place you want to concentrate your searching.  If you are looking for older production from all eras (including modern), bargains, and the unique and unusual, then the member halls are the place to be hunting.

If I were going Saturday only and was just looking to experience the most of the meet, I would hit the halls in this order: Blue, Silver, Red White, Purple (to see the layout(s)), Yellow (underneath the grandstands if open and being used - I don't think it is being used this York), and Orange.

Andy

Nailed it.  You should be a tour guide for York.

Andy HummellAndy HummellOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@yellowtruck75 posted:

If I buy a membership would my wife and two boys (5 & 8) need to have memberships to attend York?  Do I need to buy tickets to the show ahead of time or can I get them at the gate?

If you are a member, your wife and children (under 18) do NOT have to be members.  You will still have to register them when you register for the meet (wife is additional $3, and children are free), as badges have to be printed for all.  Once you get your TCA membership number, go to the link in my post above (where the map is), and go to the bottom of the page to find the link to register online.  There is a "convenience" fee associated with this method, but you get your badges mailed to you if you get it done soon enough, otherwise the badges will be waiting for you in the registration area of the Silver Hall.  If you don't want to do this online, you can just register in person at the Silver Hall (will need ID and your TCA membership number) and they will print the badges on the spot.  Once you have your badges, you can just walk into any of the halls (as long as your badges are clearly visible, otherwise you will be stopped at the door and asked to show your badges).  If you do get your badges mailed to you, don't forget them -- there is a $5 per badge fee to reprint them (happened to me once).

Be sure to check out Clem's Primer for more info (a new version is published a week or so before the meet, but most info doesn't change much).  And since you will be there Friday and Saturday, they have an ice cream social in the Orange Hall promenade after the hall closes at 6:30 (might not serve the ice cream until closer to 7), and on Saturday they have coffee and doughnuts (also in Orange Hall promenade) starting around 7:30am. Both are free.

Andy

Last edited by Andy Hummell
eddie geddie gOGR Forum Member

yellowtruck75, I live in Maine. 535 miles from York. I have missed 4 shows(meets) over the last 46 years. That means that I have driven both ways over 80 times. It's the greatest show(meet) in the world. You live right around the corner. You should join TCA. It's a bargain believe me. You need to go to the registration desk in the silver hall at around 11am on Thursday or 8:30 am on Friday if you can't come on Thursday, and Join. You will be glad that you did it.

NOT LionelLLCNOT LionelLLCOGR Forum Member
@eddie g posted:

PRRick, Where did you hear that?

  Somethiong new to me.

Eddie,

Here's the TCA dues structure.  Discounts for multi-year renewal.  Discounts for paper-free renewal.  It's actually only $38 a year for a 5 year all-electronic membership.

Stu

                             1 Year   3 Years   5 Years
Standard Paper $50.00  $145.00  $240.00
Paper-Free        $40.00   $115.00  $190.00

Andy HummellAndy HummellOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@yellowtruck75 posted:

Got my TCA membership paid for.  Do they send me cards to present at the show?

They will mail you a card, but you don't absolutely need to present it at the show.  Once you are assigned a number, they can look it up at the registration desk, but having the card or just knowing the number will speed up registration if you are registering at the show.  I assume they will email you your number with instructions on how to log into the TCA web site's members-only section.  And, as PRRick mentioned, once logged in, you can print a copy of the membership card in case the Post Office loses the card (it is a postcard).  The PO lost my card for most of last year and I never bothered to re-print it (they delivered it a week after I paid my dues for *this year*, so I will have to wait to see how long it takes then to deliver this year's card ).

Speaking of member numbers, when at York, at the back of the registration area in Silver Hall, there is a posted list of door prize drawing winners, listed by name and membership number.  The list is sometimes posted in the lobbies of the other halls, but is easily missed.  The door prizes are nothing to write home about (they consist of donated items), but as it is pick of table (also in the back of the registration area -- see one of the volunteers to claim if a winner), you may sometimes find something of use.  I won the door prize once, and my prize was an O/HO scale tree -- just a single tree, but it will eventually get used.

Andy

Last edited by Andy Hummell
Putnam DivisionPutnam DivisionOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@Ted Bertiger posted:

I heard from the little birdie that the purple hall will be closed and the layouts will be moved to the black and white halls.
I am guessing the white hall vendors will be there or they are being moved to red, silver and blue halls.

Anyone else have any hall information change for April?
Still York is ‘the show’ to attend!

As one of the groups that is displaying layouts in the Purple Hall......I asked the ED leadership if I could provide this information.

The Purple Hall will be open. There are 4 groups displaying there, the River City 3 Railers being one of the groups. There will be 5 layouts in the Purple Hall (We are bringing two. One is 12x15 and the other is 6x15).

The Black Hall will be open and one huge layout will be in there.

The White Hall will be open as usual with tables.

As we get closer to York, I will have more specifics about the layouts.

Peter

Richizzle07Richizzle07OGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBER

This weekend I’ll be prepping my Wishlist for York along with the odds and ends I need to get for the rebuild.

I have my notebook from the 2 previous Yorks with little notes on certain dealer locations for specific items so I’ll be using it for reference again. Each hall gets two pages each York for note taking and it’s worked out pretty good so far. I’ve actually been able to locate items I decided to go back for, that is the items that didn’t disappear yet.

The suspense is building!!!

IR irish rifleOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@Putnam Division posted:

As one of the groups that is displaying layouts in the Purple Hall......I asked the ED leadership if I could provide this information.

The Purple Hall will be open. There are 4 groups displaying there, the River City 3 Railers being one of the groups. There will be 5 layouts in the Purple Hall (We are bringing two. One is 12x15 and the other is 6x15).

The Black Hall will be open and one huge layout will be in there.

The White Hall will be open as usual with tables.

As we get closer to York, I will have more specifics about the layouts.

Peter

Peter:

Thanks for responding to this immediately. As we all know, rumors can spread quickly on this board. No knock on Ted, who is a great guy, and I'm sure was just reporting what he heard.

Pat

Putnam DivisionPutnam DivisionOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@Tall J posted:

Woo hoo! Super excited for my first York this year! I started putting my "list" together, which is pretty small, but I'll keep an eye out for some of the bigger items that are always on it.

Are there any OGR Forum meet ups still happening?

Next week (3 weeks before), I will announce a OGR Forum breakfast at the Round-the-Clock Diner. The Round-the-Clock Diner is just off the I-83 Route 30 exit.

The breakfast is before the York opening bell on Thursday, April 20th at 0715.......it usually lasts about two hours. Anywhere from 30-50 attend.......they (the Diner) save a whole area for us.

This is a common place to eat before York and a group of us for years would regularly meet there. About 10 years ago, I started to announce it, formally inviting Forum members (and any York attendee) so that faces and  online names could be put together. It's a great place for York 1st timers to meet other like-minded train people.

On Thursday evening there is an OGR Forum get together at Quaker Steak and Lube (further west on Rye 30, closer to the Fairgrounds). All are welcome.

On Friday AM, many of the same people meet up at Round-the-Clock, though it's much more "on the fly".

A lot of people clear out Friday afternoon........however, a group of us who stay go to the Olive Garden at 7PM.....not a gourmet place, but they will accept reservations. At the Fairgrounds, the Eastern Division does provide ice cream Sundaes (I will admit that I have never stuck around for them, preferring dinner with the group)

Saturday AM is coffee and donuts provided by the Eastern Divsion prior to the 0800-0845 ED business meeting.

If you have questions, email me.

Peter

Andy HummellAndy HummellOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@Mallard4468 posted:

I think they're available at the TCA sales table.  If not, ask at the registration desk.  $2 or $3 IIRC.

Correct - they are definitely available at the registration desk in Silver Hall, and in the past, they have also been available at the TCA tables in Orange Hall for $3.

I have to get a new one myself this York as I have worn out my original TCA badge holder.  I also use it to hold my club name badge at train shows we do and give the TCA some free advertising at the same time.  It has caused quite a few conversations and questions about York to be initiated with me over the years.

Andy

Andy HummellAndy HummellOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

Two weeks from today, my travel companion and I will be hitting the road with a trailer full of goodies to sell (we both sell in Blue Hall), and the hopes to find a bunch of goodies to bring back from the Bandit Meets and the "Big Y Meet" itself!    We spend the night in Gettysburg (much cheaper than York) and get up early on Wednesday to meet more of our club members for breakfast at Round the Clock and head off to the Bandit meets and whatever fun we plan for the rest of the day (we usually head off to hobby shops or club open houses, even sometimes venturing as far away as Nicholas Smith Trains).  These next two weeks are going to just creep by...

Andy

Greg HouserGreg HouserOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBERMEMORIAL SUPPORTER

I'll be getting into town Thursday afternoon with enough time to check-in to the hotel and head over to Quaker Steak and Lube for dinner so no trains for me until Friday, but I'm really looking forward to it!  I haven't done much with the trains since Christmas by design due to taking care of my parents, work, and home improvements so I'm really looking forward to York to kick off my summer season of trains!

Everyone travel safe!

-Greg

Andy HummellAndy HummellOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@PRRMP54 posted:

Last year, I went to a hobby show (not trains) in Gettysburg but stayed in Chambersburg as it was a lot cheaper the Gettysburg facility.

Prices depend on what events are in town.  For York week, Gettysburg rooms are close to half the price of those in York.  This trip will be my most inexpensive trip, hotel-wise thanks to me redeeming 2 free nights from 2 different rewards programs.  My half of the hotel bills this time will be $139 total.

Andy

RadioRonRadioRonOGR Forum Member
@Andy Hummell posted:


If I were going Saturday, I would hit the halls in this order: Blue, Silver, Red, White, Purple (to see the layout(s)), Yellow (underneath the grandstands if open and being used - I don't think it is being used this York), and Orange.

Andy

Goes to show how everyone's opinion differs.   I always put the ORANGE Hall at the top of my list because its not my priority to go through all of stuff private sellers have on their tables in the other halls. 

M Mallard4468OGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@PRRMP54 posted:

Last year, I went to a hobby show (not trains) in Gettysburg but stayed in Chambersburg as it was a lot cheaper the Gettysburg facility.

@Andy Hummell posted:

Prices depend on what events are in town.  For York week, Gettysburg rooms are close to half the price of those in York.  This trip will be my most inexpensive trip, hotel-wise thanks to me redeeming 2 free nights from 2 different rewards programs.  My half of the hotel bills this time will be $139 total.

Andy

IMO, weighing the cost and distance when choosing a hotel can be difficult.  For years, I chafed at the high prices in York.  Anymore, I just bite the bullet and stay in York.  Gettysburg is a 45 minute drive (1.5 hour round trip) and Chambersburg is about 1:15 (2.5 hour round trip) each day that one is in the area.  When I'm on traincation, maximizing my time for train-related activities is the main priority - I'm trading money for time and enjoyment.  Also, if I go to one of the dinners in York and enjoy a beverage, a long drive on dark winding roads isn't an inviting prospect.

Putnam DivisionPutnam DivisionOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

We (the modular group) were hard at work today making final adjustments to our new module that turns the 6x11 into a 6x15. We are unveiling this new module at York.

We packed and loaded the 12x15 onto its cart and made plans to load up Saturday the 15th.

The group arrives Wednesday to set up…….I’m coming up early Tuesday for the bandit meets.

Thursday AM Round-the Clock Diner breakfast meeting is a great way to begin the day on Thursday. Come join us if you can.

Please come see our modular layouts in the Purple Hall, Thursday through Saturday. The line up looks great.

Five O and S gauge layouts in the Purple Hall. The Standard gauge group in the Black Hall and the Kids Club O gauge layout in the Orange Hall lobby.

Can’t wait!

The layout roster is on the ED website Home page……..scroll down to the bottom.

http://easterntca.com/

Peter

Andy HummellAndy HummellOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@Mallard4468 posted:

Gettysburg is a 45 minute drive (1.5 hour round trip) and Chambersburg is about 1:15 (2.5 hour round trip) each day that one is in the area.

I agree that staying outside of York during the meet itself is not worth the commute time for a little savings.  We stay in Gettysburg on Tuesday night on our way to York.  We got tired of getting up at 3-4 a.m. and driving straight to the bandit meets on Wednesday mornings.  This way, we have a relaxing drive out, and get a full nights sleep before hitting Round the Clock (beats the fast food breakfasts we had on the drive out when getting up in the middle of the night) and the bandit meets.  Sure, we could drive straight to York Tuesday night, but we wouldn't be saving any time, and we'd rather have the little extra $$$ to spend at the meets.

Andy

Andy HummellAndy HummellOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
@RadioRon posted:

Goes to show how everyone's opinion differs.   I always put the ORANGE Hall at the top of my list because its not my priority to go through all of stuff private sellers have on their tables in the other halls.

Since the OP I was responding to didn't mention his priorities or what his primary search goals were, I chose an order that would allow someone who was originally intending on only attending on Saturday the best chance at seeing the whole meet.  Orange Hall closes an hour later than the other halls, and too many in the member halls pack up early on Saturdays, so to me, it makes sense to start in the member halls, even if only for a quick walk-through, and save Orange for last.

Andy

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