Anatomy of a York Meet

• Did you attend as a TCA member or a guest? - Member.  Well worth it to get access to all halls.
• Are used items priced better than they are on ebay/stout/etc.?  Of course!!
• How well are modern Lionel/MTH/Atlas items represented in the show?  You won't find a better representation anywhere, especially in the dealer halls.
• Do bandit meets present better/different/special deals... or are they just an opportunity for people to sell stuff without having a table in the York meet itself? These are a shell of their formal self.  Some people only sell there so they can attend the meet themselves or they don't want to spend the money and or time to sell at the meet.  Yes, it's possible to only find a rare item there, but there are so many more to be found at the meet it's not worth the extra time and money to attend them, imho.
• Which day presents the best deals? Every day.  Rule of thumb is if you see something you want, buy it because it won't be there when you return.
• Is everything picked-over by the time Saturday comes around? Not necessarily but vendors begin to pack up early.  To me, Saturday is the worse day to attend when the meet is 3 days.
• Does anyone come with a "shopping list" of specific things that you are looking for? Absolutely.  Otherwise you'll be so overwhelmed you'll likely to forget what was on your list.
• How diverse/ wide-ranging are the items that are being sold? - Are they more common items or are they items that are not regularly seen on the second hand market? Diversity is the best you'll find anywhere.  From rare early 1900s items to the latest releases.

@Prr7688 posted:

Now that York is confirmed for this fall, I may take my first trip to the meet. I am not a TCA member, so will be registering as 'guest' to gain access to the non-dealer rooms.

That being said I was hoping to find out a few more details about the meet, please feel free to chime in with your experiences at York!

Some things I am curious about:

• Did you attend as a TCA member or a guest?  Member since Fall 2000
• Are used items priced better than they are on ebay/stout/etc.?  Typically, prices are much better than eBay or auction sites.
• How well are modern Lionel/MTH/Atlas items represented in the show?  Very well, especially in the dealer halls.
• Do bandit meets present better/different/special deals... or are they just an opportunity for people to sell stuff without having a table in the York meet itself?   The latter.  Prior to the era of 3-day York meets, they were pretty big.  At the present, they are a mere shadow of what they once were.  Full disclosure:  I haven't attended many Bandit meets.  Those I did go to did not impress.
• Which day presents the best deals?  That's hard to say.  Rule of thumb:  if you see something you want, buy it.  May not be there later.
• Is everything picked-over by the time Saturday comes around?  There is a distinct chance of that happening, especially if you are looking for something new or novel or scarce.  On the other hand, there is always plenty of "shlock" on hand. 
• Does anyone come with a "shopping list" of specific things that you are looking for?  I always try to have a shopping list, but there have been times when I wasn't looking for anything specific.  The York atmosphere is worth it.
• How diverse/ wide-ranging are the items that are being sold? - Are they more common items or are they items that are not regularly seen on the second hand market?  You never know what you are going to see at York, especially in the member halls.  I've seen cereal toys from my childhood, all sorts of things.

Best,

George

@Prr7688 posted:

Now that York is confirmed for this fall, I may take my first trip to the meet. I am not a TCA member, so will be registering as 'guest' to gain access to the non-dealer rooms.  By registering as a guest, I assume you mean you will have another TCA member list you as a "guest" on their application to attend the meet.  That is the only way a "guest" can attend.  You can only attend York once as a "guest". 

That being said I was hoping to find out a few more details about the meet, please feel free to chime in with your experiences at York!

Some things I am curious about:

• Did you attend as a TCA member or a guest?  Member (see above)
• Are used items priced better than they are on ebay/stout/etc.?  It is difficult to say for certain, as it really depends on the item, the condition, and how badly the seller wants to unload something.  In general prices should be better, as one is not paying buyer's premiums and seller is not paying auctioneer costs.
• How well are modern Lionel/MTH/Atlas items represented in the show?  Modern items are represented well, with many of the dealers in the Orange Hall representing retail dealers of new trains.
• Do bandit meets present better/different/special deals... or are they just an opportunity for people to sell stuff without having a table in the York meet itself?  Many of the bandit meet dealers have tables at the meet itself.  The bandit meets typically have a mix of items that are purchased by dealers for resale (often at the main meet) as well as items that are snapped up by collectors for their own collections.
• Which day presents the best deals?  That is tough to say, as there can be deals found every day.  It all depends what one is searching for and what is available.
• Is everything picked-over by the time Saturday comes around?  There are still lots of things available by the time that Saturday comes around, but it all depends on what items one is looking for. 
• Does anyone come with a "shopping list" of specific things that you are looking for?  People always have lists of specific things they are looking for; however, that does not mean that those items will be found.
• How diverse/ wide-ranging are the items that are being sold? - Are they more common items or are they items that are not regularly seen on the second hand market?  There is always a diverse mix of things available. 

If you are even the least bit curious about the York Meet; have never attended in the past; have the ability to attend in October; and are or will be a TCA member, just go ahead and make plans to be there for one, two, or all three days. You will NOT regret the experience, even if you decide not to return in the future. The TCA Eastern Division's York Train Meet is the largest toy train meet of its type anywhere on the planet. I look forward to being there, and will be wearing my OGR attire. If you are also wearing an OGR shirt, cap, or jacket (available at our web store) and if you will take the time to come up to me to say hello and introduce yourself, you will be "rewarded" for your effort. More about that a bit closer to October, so please don't ask now. It sure would be great to see the halls packed with folks wearing OGR shirts, hats, or jackets!

@Prr7688 posted:

Some things I am curious about:

• Did you attend as a TCA member or a guest?
  • I attended my first York as a guest of a friend. Joined TCA shortly thereafter.
• Are used items priced better than they are on ebay/stout/etc.?
  • In general, yes, if only because you are already there and don't have to pay shipping. Of course, you may be paying for gas, lodging, meals that you would not be if you shopped ebay.
• How well are modern Lionel/MTH/Atlas items represented in the show?
  • Oodles.
• Do bandit meets present better/different/special deals... or are they just an opportunity for people to sell stuff without having a table in the York meet itself?
  • I would say the bandit meets, even today, compare favorably to most train shows, just not to the TCA York show. Would I stay an extra night in a hotel just to go to them? No, but I would happily burn a day getting there and back. The bandit meets do seem to have a higher concentration of really nice postwar and prewar than the main show, and less of the newest stuff.
• Which day presents the best deals?
  • Each day is different. Being there in time for the National Anthem on Thursday gets you first crack at the tables with motivated sellers. Being there late in the afternoon on Friday gives you some leverage as a buyer, since dealers know there will be fewer in attendance on Saturday. I have never attended Saturday, but was always told that you can make a sweet deal then...assuming the thing you want isn't already packed up.
• Is everything picked-over by the time Saturday comes around?
• Does anyone come with a "shopping list" of specific things that you are looking for?
  • Definitely. My first few trips, I wrote everything down that I wanted to be sure to find, but ended up buying lots not on the list
• How diverse/ wide-ranging are the items that are being sold? - Are they more common items or are they items that are not regularly seen on the second hand market?
  • Anything and everything. "Rarity" is a strange concept at York. I remember, one year, I was looking high and low for a particular caboose... modern production, somewhat limited, but certainly not rare. I ended up buying one thru the OGR for-sale forum because I couldn't find one at York. Another year, I decided I needed a certain club boxcar, according to Greenberg's super rare and impossible to locate. I saw four of them in one day, and purchased one for a very, very reasonable price. Truthfully, I think it is impossible to handicap the likelihood of seeing something: it has to do with which hall you happen to start in, how good your eyes are, whether or not you remembered that you were supposed to be looking for it at the time you were staring right at the thing... It always ends up being a surprise, and that's one of the best things about the experience.

@Greg Houser posted:

• Did you attend as a TCA member or a guest? - Member.  Well worth it to get access to all halls.
• Are used items priced better than they are on ebay/stout/etc.?  Of course!!
• How well are modern Lionel/MTH/Atlas items represented in the show?  You won't find a better representation anywhere, especially in the dealer halls.
• Do bandit meets present better/different/special deals... or are they just an opportunity for people to sell stuff without having a table in the York meet itself? These are a shell of their formal self.  Some people only sell there so they can attend the meet themselves or they don't want to spend the money and or time to sell at the meet.  Yes, it's possible to only find a rare item there, but there are so many more to be found at the meet it's not worth the extra time and money to attend them, imho.
• Which day presents the best deals? Every day.  Rule of thumb is if you see something you want, buy it because it won't be there when you return.
• Is everything picked-over by the time Saturday comes around? Not necessarily but vendors begin to pack up early.  To me, Saturday is the worse day to attend when the meet is 3 days.
• Does anyone come with a "shopping list" of specific things that you are looking for? Absolutely.  Otherwise you'll be so overwhelmed you'll likely to forget what was on your list.
• How diverse/ wide-ranging are the items that are being sold? - Are they more common items or are they items that are not regularly seen on the second hand market? Diversity is the best you'll find anywhere.  From rare early 1900s items to the latest releases.

I would say that my answers pretty much echo Greg's.

Thank you, Greg! Looking forward to seeing you again in October!    

I have always have attended as a member......other than the last 3 meets that were cancelled, I've only missed twice since April, 1983.....had just joined the TCA the spring of 83......

York or Bust, October 2021.....

Peter

• Did you attend as a TCA member or a guest?

Just paid the money and joined. Its the price of a boxcar.

• Are used items priced better than they are on ebay/stout/etc.

Maybe? People can ask whatever they want. I swear some people just have tables at york to show off what they have, and dont price it according to anything founded in reality.

• How well are modern Lionel/MTH/Atlas items represented in the show?

Well enough to fill your trunk.

• Do bandit meets present better/different/special deals... or are they just an opportunity for people to sell stuff without having a table in the York meet itself?

Never been to one, so I defer.

• Which day presents the best deals?

If its a really good deal, its gone by 12:15 Thursday. Then, after 2pm Friday for the stuff people dont want to take home.

• Is everything picked-over by the time Saturday comes around?

Not everything, but you're definitely dealing with "leftovers" by that point.

• Does anyone come with a "shopping list" of specific things that you are looking for?

Absolutely.  Then throw it out the window the minute the halls open   I usually bring a list for layout supplies and doo dads, not trains. It also pays to have a list or a self-emailed file of things you have, especially if you're looking to find something that completes a set (i.e. you have -1, -2 and -4 so you only need -3).

• How diverse/ wide-ranging are the items that are being sold? - Are they more common items or are they items that are not regularly seen on the second hand market?

You just never know what you're gonna see. Sometimes you feel like you couldnt carry enough money, other times you spend $18. Its part of the allure.

Great answers above - adding a few thoughts...

Bring cash. Money talks. In the dealer halls, many folks will "pay the tax" if you're paying cash.

If you see something you really want and the price is fair, BUY IT NOW!

You will see things you've never seen before.

Shower and wear fresh clothes each day - you'll be surprised at how many people don't.

The bandit meet at the Wyndham is particularly good for finding standard gauge and older tinplate. The meet at the fire station near the SW corner of the fairgrounds has a lot of Flyer, but little else.

@Mallard4468 posted:

Shower and wear fresh clothes each day - you'll be surprised at how many people don't.

@Allan Miller posted:

If you are even the least bit curious about the York Meet; have never attended in the past; have the ability to attend in October; and are or will be a TCA member, just go ahead and make plans to be there for one, two, or all three days. You will NOT regret the experience, even if you decide not to return in the future. The TCA Eastern Division's York Train Meet is the largest toy train meet of its type anywhere on the planet. I look forward to being there, and will be wearing my OGR attire. If you are also wearing an OGR shirt, cap, or jacket (available at our web store) and if you will take the time to come up to me to say hello and introduce yourself, you will be "rewarded" for your effort. More about that a bit closer to October, so please don't ask now. It sure would be great to see the halls packed with folks wearing OGR shirts, hats, or jackets!

Alan

Might be cool if OGR promoted these items on the forum better as well.  I'm sure most folks don't think about this if not looking for them specifically but being presented on the forum may help introduce folks to the OGR fashion line.

@Putnam Division posted:

I would say that my answers pretty much echo Greg's.

Thank you, Greg! Looking forward to seeing you again in October!    

I have always have attended as a member......other than the last 3 meets that were cancelled, I've only missed twice since April, 1983.....had just joined the TCA the spring of 83......

York or Bust, October 2021.....

Peter

I'm looking forward to seeing you as well!

-Greg

@Allan Miller posted:

If you are even the least bit curious about the York Meet; have never attended in the past; have the ability to attend in October; and are or will be a TCA member, just go ahead and make plans to be there for one, two, or all three days. You will NOT regret the experience, even if you decide not to return in the future. The TCA Eastern Division's York Train Meet is the largest toy train meet of its type anywhere on the planet. I look forward to being there, and will be wearing my OGR attire. If you are also wearing an OGR shirt, cap, or jacket (available at our web store) and if you will take the time to come up to me to say hello and introduce yourself, you will be "rewarded" for your effort. More about that a bit closer to October, so please don't ask now. It sure would be great to see the halls packed with folks wearing OGR shirts, hats, or jackets!

My plan is to wear my OGR 50th Anniversary shirt on Friday due to the grandstand meeting. 

-Greg

York is the best Train Meet on the planet.   Just be prepared for sensory overload.  All the trains you could ever hope to see are all in one place.  It's better than sliced bread and crunchy style peanut butter.  You can see them, you can feel them, you can touch them, you can inspect them.  They even have a test track where you can test your purchase.  Having been on both sides of the table, I can tell you that the dealers don't bring stuff there just to take it back home.

Even if you don't buy anything, you will have a blast.  So, saddle up and be prepared to have a ball.

@TrainPop posted:

York is the best Train Meet on the planet.   Just be prepared for sensory overload.  All the trains you could ever hope to see are all in one place.  It's better than sliced bread and crunchy style peanut butter.  You can see them, you can feel them, you can touch them, you can inspect them.  They even have a test track where you can test your purchase.  Having been on both sides of the table, I can tell you that the dealers don't bring stuff there just to take it back home.

Even if you don't buy anything, you will have a blast.  So, saddle up and be prepared to have a ball.

Hope to see you, my friend!

Peter

If you are also wearing an OGR shirt, cap, or jacket (available at our web store) and if you will take the time to come up to me to say hello and introduce yourself, you will be "rewarded" for your effort.

Allan,

Maybe Clyde Coil will show up, come up to you and introduce himself to you! 😁😉😊😁

I've been waiting for York, to see my old train buddy's, mentors, friends, Romans, Countrymen(well, maybe not the last two). As has been stated, if you see it, buy it then and there. Money is a good thing to have, and make sure you have change(ones, fives, tens) to spare as it is easier to give then wait for exact change in most cases. Also, yes, definitely make a list. It is good to have something. In my badge holder I keep note cards that is where my list is, and also a pen(or pencil) to jot down some stuff if need be.

All that is good, but by far the best thing to do is "TALK". Even if you are not really interested in something or it is out of your price range, doesn't mean you can't engage in a conversation. It is always great to chat to people because sometimes you may find they may know where something you are looking for is at. My local store is always one of the first places I visit at York. This is just to see how they are doing, what all they have there, and just chat for a while. At my first York I chatted it up at the Henning's Train Booth and bought a bunch of stuff(before I met GRJ). I think in October 2019, I spent quite a bit of time talking at the OGR Booth, TW Train Worx, Henning's, Lionel, and quite a few others. I even took a great amount of time in the member halls and talked to a few people in there.

One final note, Saturday is good and bad. As Peter stated, people are packing up, you may find something, you may not. Also, some people really unwind Friday night, all people attending. I tried to catch Steve Brenneisen my first York, but I had heard by someone that he had a lot of fun into the early hours of Saturday morning. He is one of the only people that I have not been able to catch at York.

@Greg Houser posted:

I'm looking forward to seeing you as well!

-Greg

My plan is to wear my OGR 50th Anniversary shirt on Friday due to the grandstand meeting. 

-Greg

Good idea.  I will wear mine as well!

There are a few practical tactics to follow:

Bring a bunch of plastic grocery bags (if your state/county still allows them) or a couple of canvas totes. You'd be amazed at how many sellers in the members' halls don't have bags for you to carry your purchases.

I used to say "bring a bunch - like $40 worth  - of singles."  Prices for the little things you see and realize you need are now in the $5 range, so...bring $100 in small bills, along with your allowance.

Remember where you parked. If you buy a few heavy items, go back to your car (keep it locked) and drop off the first round of items you bought.  Then go back into the fray.

There's an ATM (maybe two ? ) on the grounds, in case you blow through the $3000.00 allowance you brought with you. It traditionally runs out of cash early.

Wear old shoes that don't hurt. No one will criticize your old "dad shoes."

Like the other guys mentioned: If you see something you want/need either put a deposit on it and come back to get it later, or pay in full and take it to your car. Don't figure on making a mental note of the hall, aisle and table, and then come back to buy it. It won't be there.

If it's been really sunny, and you want to drink a nice cup of fresh-squeezed lemonade from one of the vendors, and it's been sitting in the sun for a while, opt for a can of soda. I speak from experience.

And finally, no crop dusting, please.

Read Clem's York Primer. On the TCA site. Lots of York Info.

If the only day I could make it to York this year is on the Saturday, would it still make sense to go? It would be my first time attending, so in essence I wouldn't know what I had or was missing.