Must be time for TCA-York PA., York Fair Grounds April 23rd, 24th, and 25th. I received my Tickets (Badges) yesterday, as always, I’ll be in the Blue Hall at Table E-14. Drop by and say hi, talking trains is half the fun of a show.
All should have the Meet Notice, and Badges if pre-registered, by now. If not, go to www.easterntca.org and download the 12 page Meet Notice with the color map of the Fair Grounds. It should answer most questions. That Eastern Division does a great job of making us all welcome.
It’s Members of TCA and Guests ONLY. If you do not belong to TCA, an Application for Membership can be downloaded from the same Web Site. It’s not to late to become an “Applicant” or “Probationary Member” and attend. (everyone who joins is on probation for a year). Based on Pre-Registration, Eastern TCA states on there Web Site they expect 14-15000 attendence.
A person over 18 can come as a Guest once, at that time you should have been given an Application for Membership in TCA and your name is recorded in the computer. Children of Members under 18 are always free and the “One Time Rule” does not apply.
Applicants can always attend. Can you show up, fill out an Aplication for Membership in TCA and sign a check, then Register for the Meet (getting two Signatures at TCA York should be no problem) ??? I don’t know!!!
“General Meet Questions:” A call to Mike Petronella at 732-494-1602 ( Monday through Friday between 10AM to 8PM) or mg72mikepet426@verizon.net should get you an answer.
Unfortunately, I’m over 18 years of age. I know of the “one time rule.” Dad told me last year when I went. I didn’t get an application last year but I just printed it off the website. I know I can get signatures. My dad can sign if that is okay and he has a few train buddies that know me that would sign for me as well.
The “Train Collectors Association” was founded in 1954 in Pennsylvania as a Non-Profit Corporation. Total current Membership is about 30,000. The Association is divided into “Divisions”, each operating there own local Train Shows (some shows are for members only, some open to the public). National operates a “National Convention” once a year in June. www.traincollectors.org
The TCA owns and operates the “National Toy Train Museum” located in Strasburg PA, next to the “Strasburg Steam Railroad”, and across the street from the “State Of Pennsylvania Railroad Museum”. The building was built by TCA as a Museum and looks like a very large Railroad Station. See page 11 of the York Meet Notice.
Eastern Division of TCA runs a huge, 3 day, Train Show at the York PA. Fair Grounds (see map) each April and October. It is Members Only, about 15,000 attend, about 1,200 tables.
You never know who is a Train Collector! Over the years we have had as members a long list of well known people such as the former owner of Lionel Richard P. Kughn, Lionel’s current President Jerry Calabrese, the owner of MTH Mike Wolf, Frank Sinatra, Niel Young, President Ronald Regan, Graham Claytor (Pres. Amtrak), Ward Kimball (Disney), Major General Retired R.C. Davenport, as well as most of the people at CCT.
Advanced Registration for TCA York, April 23-25, must be received by March 23rd to Register at the $12 price and have your badges mailed. After that it’s $20 and you must pick up your badge at the door. Eastern Division states that registration is running ahead of last fall’s meet.
New England TCA will hold its Spring Meet at Marlboro MA High School on March 22nd, 9 to 2, members admitted at 9AM, the public at 10AM. Application for TCA membership will be available to anyone interested. www.netca.org
Bylaws, Train Collectors Association, Article II, Section 2 A
“Applicants for membership must be recommended by two or more Regular Members, such recommendation being evidenced by signatures on the Application. These signatures affirm to all other members the good character of the applicant.”
Section 3 A through I ----- As a new Applicant you will enter 12 months as a Probationary Member. During that time you can attend all shows and act like a Regular Member. In that time your name and division information will be published three time in the Membership Quarterly Newsletter. At the end of 12 months, with no written complaints, the Applicant automaticly becomes a full member.
That’s why we trust each other, we can walk away from our table at a meet without worrying about theft. We can accept checks from a member without fear. We are pledged to deal fairly with each other, at shows, on E-Bay, etc.
Thanks, Don. Seems like what it boils down to is a matter of trust. I was raised that my word is my bond. Period. I guess there’s not enough folks left on the planet who feel the same way anymore. I’ve been in and out of the music rack… er, I mean business for lotta years, and it was a marvelous surprise for me, after I relocated from yankeeland to the great nation of Texas (more than half my life ago), when I realized that a handshake here is almost always as good, or even better, than a signed contract is up North.