Introduction Protocol.

A lot of forum members wear their OGR forum shirt. Just introduce yourself. You can meet many forum members who are attending York at TGI Fridays on Thursday evening right after the show. The address is 1411 Kenneth Road  York, PA 17404. Also there is a forum meeting on Friday at 2 PM in the grandstands.

I usually notice someone or they notice me by the name on their badge but it doesn't happen too often, just too many people spread out over too many days in too many halls. Best bet might be at OGRs booth. I know over at CTT they usually meet up for a group photo at their booth and many of them are also on this site and vice versa. I am planning on wearing my Ravens jersey to York, purple kind of stands out in a crowd!

Jerry

Thanks Bill and Jerry for replies. Good ideas. Hope to run into you there.  

As far as forum members are concerned, your best bet is the gathering at TGI Fridays on Thursday evening.  There will be more forum members there at one time, in an informal social setting, then you'll find just about anywhere else.

A good number also attend the grandstand get-together on Friday afternoon, but from a social "nice to meet you" perspective, the TGI Fridays event is probably the best.  The joint does get packed...OGR forum participants pretty much take over the entire restaurant.

Also drop by our booth in the Orange Hall.  There is always a steady steam of forum members stopping by there.

Thanks Allan. Hope to meet you. Another quick protocol question for forum. Bumping is understandably frowned upon. Sometimes it is many hours after someone posts a reply to a question I post. I want to send a thank you for replying back but then the thread gets bumped to top, people read and it's just a thank you to someone else.  Protocol? 

It is perfectly acceptable to walk up to someone you recognize from the forum and introduce yourself.  It has happened to me on more than one occasion, and York is a social gathering as much as it is a venue for buying and selling.

In addition to the other ways to identify us mentioned above, some of us use "OGR Online Forum" badge holders.

Hope to see you at TGI Fridays on Thursday night!

Andy

Some of us have a OGR pin stuck through our badge holder. Forget trying to find someone by their Forum photo. Most of these guys use 10 year-old ones to appear younger (Chuck updated his, finally). Aside from the get-togethers, the lobby area in the Orange Hall about a half-hour before opening is a good place to meet with others. Many folks are there to have breakfast or coffee, and to meet-up with friends.

My opinion on "bumping"...OK, except for Buy/Sell Forum. The OGR Forum is so active that topics can be off page one after a few hours. A "thank you" is always welcome IMO.

Jeff,

Whenever someone has answered a thread to give advice or more info, etc., a quick thank you is always appreciated. Too often someone goes out of their way to answer a question in detail, never to be acknowledged by the original poster. The courtesy of a reply is always welcomed. If I'm likely to receive several comments regarding something I post, I'll usually wait a bit and reply to all with my thanks in a single post.

Looking forward to meeting you at York.

Jim

Jeff,

Stop by Fridays on Thursday and look me up and I will buy you a beer and say hello.  I usually sit with LocoLawyer, Gerry Morlitz, Dotty Perry, Chris Lonero and  Carl Chancey. LocoLawyer has been known to buy me a beer from time to time.  The only rule is you have to have fun and enjoy yourself.

I don't see how it would hurt to walk up to someone and say, "Hi, I'm Jeff.  Do I know you from the OGR forum?"  But that's just me.  

Thanks to all for the replies!  I'm looking forward to being at York. Marty, I'm hoping to be there to take you up on that beer. Thanks again all....

Just buy me a drink, I will be your friend

A lot of forum members wear their OGR forum shirt.

How do you go about getting one of the OGR forum shirts?   I didn't see it in the store.

Those shirts are no longer available.  Haven't been offered for several years now.

Perhaps something new will be made available in the future, but there are no plans in the offing at the present time.

Absolutely Jeff;  Stop by and say howdy! Best group of people you'll ever meet!

Heck--if you see a name you recognize just say 'hello'! And please stop by Fridays!

--Greg

Everyone you will 'meet at the meet' will be a TCA Member or guest of a member. Keep in mind that less than 1% of York attendees actually participate here. Of course you will want to meet all the big names in the hobby; that's why they are there. It is perfectly alright to start a conversation with anyone, particularly if it is about toy trains. Perhaps the only two topics that will be less than welcome will be politics & the economy. (just like here on the forum ).

(Don't forget to bring your list of questions you want to ask & things you want to learn about. The York meet is invaluable as a learning experience).

Jeff

If you see me just say hello  I am pretty easy to talk to.  I am also pretty easy to find  I am the fat guy with the gray hair.

I'm REALLY easy to find...gray hair, thin body but big gut. I'll be one of the very few wearing a shirt with a button-down collar. Have worn them since the early '60s. Boy, were they hard to find during the 1970s!!!

Yeah, Ben, that'll narrow it down to around 10,000!

I'll be with Chris!

And we'll all be at Fridays, getting fatter!

"I dated your wife in High School" is always a good introduction.

Thanks to all for posts. Looking forward to meeting all of you. 

I resemble that remark!

 

 Bill, I've been meaning to talk to you about that. Any chance you could see if there's an Andrew Lewis High School class ring somewhere around the house???

I'd be happy to meet you at either the Orange Hall or at Thursday at Fridays. After I shake your hand I always return the "pick pocketed " wallet. Lol! I say definitely go to Thursday at Fridays............

Looking forward to meeting you Jeff. Many people get confused, but I'm the big guy in my avatar.

As stated, OGR doesn't offer a shirt anymore. I never had one. I suggested they sell OGR patches, but that went nowhere. I now proudly wear a very neat shirt that Dotty Perry made for me with train emblems. And my badge with my name in an OGR holder.

Gerry

Thursday at Fridays is a great tradition. We are always happy to welcome new TCA train-iacs. To find us: Me, Marty Fitzhenry, Gerry Morlitz, and Carl Chancey, just look for the shirts. Unfortunately Chris Lonero and Locolawyer (Erol Gurcan)can't make it to York this time. I have made quite a few  train shirts for TCA members who want to wear them to Fridays as well as to the show.

Chris Lonero and Gerry Morlitz wearing shirts I  made them.

Here are some of the shirts you'll see there.

Jeff Looking forward to meet you at York, I am a lot of times Policastro's Bodyguard protecting him from his ferocious OGR fan club, you will love York, get the fever!!

Usually, well for the last 10 years, I wear a train bow-tie on Thursday and an OGR shirt on Friday........I am breaking with tradition! I will be wearing my River City 3 Railers Club gear......probably both days.......

i certainly enjoy meeting people at York, Jim.....if you spot me, please introduce yourself.

Peter

I slink up to the bar and ask a purty girl to buy me a Beer!

...and now you understand Don's comment about maybe needing a bodyguard!!!

Jim

Thanks to all again for the welcoming posts...I am noticing a trend that the closer it gets to York time the crazier everyone seems to get. Too funny.  Thanks again 

In response to the many emails I have received:  Train shirts as seen in previous post on this thread are made in America by an American - ME in Massachusetts. I will have some at Vince's Trains in the Orange Hall (JJ), along with a few children's train shirts.

My wife and I will definitely be at TGIF on Thursday.

Are reservations required?

All I have read so far is to go "after the show". More specifically, what time is a good time to be there?

Thx!

Alex

No reservations required.  The socializing really gets started around 7 pm, but many of us get there earlier to eat.  I usually get there between 5-6 pm, and it can get really crowded around 6 pm (you may have a wait for a table).  Some people eat elsewhere and just come later for the drinks and socializing.

Andy

There is a great retro-looking diner just across rt 30 if TGIF's tables are full. Great "comfort food".

Andy, Joe -

That is precisely what I was wondering - how difficult would it be to eat at TGIF, and if there is an alternate close by. I guess we'll try to arrive 'early' at TGIF, but if not early enough, the 'diner just across rt 30' sounds good.

Thx!

Alex

Arriving at TGI Fridays between 5-6pm, I have never had to wait to eat, but there are lots of good places to eat in York, so the choice is pretty much up to the individuals.

I like to eat at Fridays since we practically take over the place for the rest of the evening.

Andy