Get there early.  Saturday is tough, gonna get sore feet if you try and get to see all the halls.  Meet goes from 9AM -2PM.  Might get some good deals?  Lots of the people start packing up early so don't be surprised.  Enjoy the day, if I only had Saturday I would probably spend the time in the dealer halls but that is just me.  Hoping you have a good YORK.

Bleery eyes.  Going only Saturday, I doubt you'll have time to do all that.

Dennis

Get there as early as you can if you're only going on Saturday.  By 12 Noon, the crowds will be thinning out considerably.  The show closes at 2PM, but sellers start packing up shop early -- regardless of the public announcements frowning upon that practice.  And if you drive by the fairgrounds at 4PM, you'll never even know there was a train show there.

David

i would hit the member halls first ,since they will pack up sooner[timewise] than the bigger dealer set ups in the orange hall.i've always found the best best deals in the member halls,since the orange hall people just take unsold inventory back home to their store.....there  are exceptions ,of course.

the 4 times ive been there,it took me about 2 hours to go through all the halls the 1st time, except orange, thats a pretty brisk walk, looking out and avoiding traffic pileups in the rows where you walk.

also ,what david said is pretty much what happens sat.

I'd suggest Blue and Silver first for the PW items and then jump to Orange for your parts and wire.

There is a guy who sells nothing but re-furbished transformers. I'm pretty sure he is in the Red Hall, very close to where you enter. There is a large Plasticville dealer, along the wall on the left side of the Orange Hall.

I always brought a pricing guide with pictures. this  helped prevent things such as a flatcar with the wrong load .Also if I saw a great item I bought it on the first round. These items have a habit of vanishing by the time you get back on a second round..

Bob C.

Only going Saturday. I think I can manage. Thank you for all the help so far.

Joe Hohmann posted:

There is a guy who sells nothing but re-furbished transformers. I'm pretty sure he is in the Red Hall, very close to where you enter. There is a large Plasticville dealer, along the wall on the left side of the Orange Hall.

Harry Lutz?

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

Going Saturday to York. Have to register for the TCA as well as METCA. What should I be prepared for? Looking to find:

1. PW ZW transformer

2. Cheap plasticville buildings

3. PW LV 44 Tonner

4. Spools of wire (As I've since run out)

5. Lionel PW Madison coaches (the least expensive ones I can find)

6. A belt for my lionel coal loader (Not sure which number but it's the rare one with the yellow transformer

7. PW Ice Depot

8. PW crossing gate and highway signal

I'm sure there's more that I'll find along the way...

Sensory overload!

A few hints:

Postwar ZW transformer: Red Hall: middle aisle.  Westside.  yes, Harry Lutz is his name.

Postwar Lehigh Valley 44.  tonner: there should be plenty of them.  When you are considering buying one, check and make sure it's running.

Spools of wire: orange Hall down an aisle from Bachman.  you won't be able to miss them.

Postwar crossing gait and highway signal, there will be lots.

Postwar ice depot: you will have a few to choose from.

Postwar Madison coaches: the ones that will probably be reasonably placed, will also likely be beat up.  Good-looking ones usually carry a premium price.

A belt for your Lionel coal loader: there will be a couple of places for these in the orange and purple halls.

Cheap plasticville buildings: you should find plenty, be patient

Most of all, prepare to be amazed.  If you see me, I'll be wearing a River city three railers baseball cap, please introduce yourself.

Peter

Sore feet...

A BIG SUUUUUUUURPRISE!

Chief Bob (Retired)

I go along with Rich Melvins sore feet comment.

Bob C.

You will experience sensory train overload. Bring cash, and a dozen plastic bags like they give you at the grocery store.   Bring a notepad, or one of them new-fangled electronic note-taking thingies. That will help you remember where you saw the 44-tonner that just might be the right one, until you see the next one. If you see the exact item you want, either put down a deposit to hold it, or grab it, because some other crazed collector will be right there behind you to scoop it up.  Sit occasionally, and be prepared for "train show knees" which can only be experienced, not described. I will try: Imagine...nah...I can't do it...

Bring lots and lots of cash. You can redeposit the left over cash when you get home. 

I've always seen the ATMs on the fairgrounds drained on Thursday and never restocked. Don't depend on them! 

Wear good shoes. I'll repeat - WEAR GOOD SHOES!

Have fun!