So nobody here went to the big show?
It’s next weekend…
It’s actually most of this week…“Bandit meets” Mon-Wed, TCA train meet Thurs-Sat. Joe
I’ll be there, just not as much as I thought.
Jamie
But the discussion has been going on for weeks now elsewhere, and I saw no references on this board. It just looked like noone was excited about the show.
Don, I think there are far less people on this forum within driving distance to York. Joe (2-hour drive)
Would love to go but it’s a long two day drive from here, someday. PLUS the first grandchild will be making an appearance within the next 20 days, not sure my wife would allow us to be that far away from the action, in fact, there’s no point in even bringing it up[;)]
Jon
Gas$$$, lack of $$$ and it’s just getting a bit old to walk around and see over priced junk. I used to go twice a year but now if I’m lucky I’ll go once in the fall. And If I don’t make it, oh well. It has lost it’s luster for me. The drive is just not worth it at this stage in my hobby life.
""Gas$$$, lack of $$$ and it’s just getting a bit old to walk around and see over priced junk. “”
Its my first time and I was excited till I read this ??? Are you saying if I’m looking for new trains for my collection Ebay is better with prices??[?][?][?]
Maybe I shouldn’t be going [?] ( 2hrs.)
Two hour drive? That’s a no brainer–GO!
Jon
Don’t get me wrong…if you never went…go. Judge for yourself. I have been going the last 8 or so years and find less and less to get excited about. There are deals and bargains but I just don’t feel that I need to drive that far to find them. Also I used to stay over night. That would make it worth the drive at least but to turn around the same day for me just is not worth it anymore.
price of gas and distance makes it uneconomical to go now. Like Marty said, old postwar is mostly junk and overpriced and the nice postwar is priced beyond reason. The new modern stuff, sure you can find a blowout maybe, but by the time you add travel expense, motels etc, you can just do better on the discount dealers pre orders.
If you want to get the real excitement of York, look on the OGR forum. Cost of gas? Maybe some people are in the wrong hobby. It’s like saying, “I’d like Santa to come, but I don’t feel like spending the money on milk and cookies to leave him”. Joe
No…Some of us are in a hobby, some of us this hobby is their life. I won’t let this hobby cause me to make stupid decisions. At this point the cost of fuel doesn’t make sense. Don’t tell me I’m in the wrong hobby because economics dictate that I should pass on going. You mention that you want to see real York excitement goto OGR. I agree. Folks there are very excited to go. I used to be that way but priorities and other obligations have made the decision not to go easier.
Wrong Hobby…I don’t think so. But believe or not some folks believe that York, although it must be experienced, is not the mecca that must be traveled to every single year. I have actually been doing more work on my layout and found that to be more satisfying than walking a hallways looking at another man treasures.
Like I said previously… York must be experienced. It is an amazing place. But I have found other interest in model RR that makes it not as important as I too once made it.
Marty,
I agree with your opinions. When I hit a train show, I’m always amazed at what people are asking for postwar junk. And that same exact junk is at every show. You’d think these dealers would get the hint and lower prices so these beaters would sell. And like the Williams ad says, when you factor in the cost of repairs and parts, where’s the bargain?
I don’t travel long distances to shows either. I’m not that big a trainboy. Local shows are enough for me. Maybe I need to get a new hobby too?
Jim
I think 2 other rasons have made York less pleasurable as well. The whole politics of trains over the last few years with the US vs Them mentality that is so prevalent and the over exposure of York. Joe mention the OGR board and I’ll use them as an example… They start talking about it 4 mos out with countdowns and such. The weather is discussed 2 weeks out. By the time you’re ready to go you’re sick of it. I don’t fault anyone for being excited to go. It is a cool place with great possibilities but at the same time don’t fault me or the reasons I don’t go. And beside Santa gets cheese at my house…Ah the power of cheese!
What is the OGR board? Link?
Thanks…[8D]
Go to my website…there is a link there under the Links Page!
I will mis the train smoke smell though. I don’t know why but it always smells good near the MTH booth.
On the OGR forum they are already discussing the fact that the bandit meets at York have gone way down in number of dealers as well as attendees. I think this is due to gas prices mainly and, perhaps, that many folk are getting all the trains they have room for. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that by the time you spend nearly $3.00 per gallon for gas and possibly motel rooms to boot, that you can actually save money on most items just buying it from the discount dealers, especially on preorder. I seem to remember York several years ago drawing 20,000 per show. I remember reading that last Oct it was down to 15,000. It will be interesting to see what it does this time. I attend a couple of shows each year, (all scales) that draw over 18,000 each, so I think York is slipping as the largerst show. Maybe the largest for toy trians but not the largest overall.