Same here, membership to attend York. Been a couple years since I went to York so not sure why I still send in my dues.

Bill

 

York is the main reason I joined the TCA. Since we moved to Florida getting to York isn't easy and I'm considering letting my membership expire.

 

I only joined to go to York. I haven’t been there in years and I drop my membership several years ago I felt no need for it.

 

Same here, for York only, when the time comes I no longer go to York I will drop membership.

Dave

 

Gary, I am not a member of TCA. If I lived in the States I may have joined only to have full access at York. I will go to York as a guest or as a member of the general public. So for me there is really no advantage to being a member of TCA.

Gary.

 

I'm not a member. Just for myself I see no reason to attend York. I am considering joining that operators org. That seems up my alley.

 

The York Meet.

 

To support a good cause. Nver been to York, never will. Don't really need the publications, although I look at them.

A good cause, so I contribute.

 

Lee, folks in our hobby like you and those who want to go to the York Meet are what is keeping it alive.

 

YORK. I only live an hour away so why not join.

 

York for me. Their publications seem to be aimed at collectors of older trains which, any more, I only have a passing interest in.

Pete

 

Forty two years ago when I first learned there was an organization that had folks with similar interest to mine (3 rail toy and scale trains), I was quite excited. I joined the first time I had a chance to attend a meet (in Salisbury, NC) and have enjoyed dozens of local meets as well as about a dozen York meets. I have made some really good friends over the years and seen many of the original founders and members pass on.

I appreciate their insight and the organization they put into place to help further the interest in toy trains and am glad so many before my time invested in it's success.

For less that the cost of a nice meal out for my wife and myself, I can maintain my membership and hopefully help it be around for future generations. I read the publications and enjoy much of the content even though I run mostly newer scale sized equipment.

With the advent of the internet, there is a lot of information about toy trains available for free but much of that information was researched and organized by members of clubs like the TCA and others.

I am glad there ore others such as Lee above who deem their support worthwhile!

Happy railroading,
Don

 

I work in the Orange Hall so I have to be a member. Plus it supports the hobby.

 

The primary reason was to attend York. After joining, I did some research about the TCA, and suddenly realized that a favorite hobby shop near me, many years ago, was owned by a Founding/Charter member, who created the TCA. It was William Krames, along with Edwin Alexander, and other locals, who started the TCA, that we now enjoy, for whatever personal reason. William Krames owned the New Jersey Hobby Center, in Trenton, N.J.., where I would visit every time we would go downtown, in the 1950’s. :smilie_daumenpos:

 

One word: YORK.

If I ever lose interest in attending York (not currently in the plans), my TCA membership will be history.

 

You going in OCT? If so looking forward to meeting you.

 

I joined at least in part to support the hobby. I didn’t even go to York for about 4 years after I joined even though it’s only about 1 1/2 hours from home. But since I’ve gone to York, I’d have to say that is the biggest perk. I like the fact that my dues support the National Museum and free admission is another perk.

 

I originally joined TCA in the 1970s. In those pre-internet days toy trains was something I did alone and I wanted to get more connected to other hobbyists. I could not afford to go to York at the time. When I got paper from them I read it in detail. I strongly disagreed with the grading standards. I thought it was ridiculous that all grading was based on external appearance. Something could have the highest grade and not even work or even have all of its internal parts. The bylaws (at least at that time) required one to use their grading standards. I protested by resigning and sending a letter that I could not agree to use such a poor grading system.
Three decades later, I wanted to go to York so I joined again. So I am in the York only camp, its a long way for me so I don't go often. I still disagree with the grading system, but now I simply refuse to use it. There was a vendor at York that had a sign that he was on the standard committee. I asked him about the standards, and he gave a very lame answer about not knowing the correct sound of early pieces.


I still feel that these standards are a negative influence on the hobby now that they are used by some on eBay. Will resign again when I no longer go to York.


Bill

 

This has been a good thread. Received my York badges the other day. Looking forward to the Show, dinner, 611 and back to the show in that ordered. Look forward to meeting you all.

 

"There are no stupid questions." What is TCA?

 

https://traincollectors.org/

 

When I first joined in the early 1980's it was strictly to go to the York Meet. My cousin introduced me to it by bringing me as a guest. At the time my only experience with train shows was one Greenberg's Show I attended at the old Philadelphia Civiv Center. I had always loved model trains but had no idea shows existed. I was amazed at the Greenberg's Show!

When I went to my first York Meet I was amazed at the size and number of trains, and then they only had a couple of buildings in use. I bought a box load of Super O track for my layout and a Williams Amtrak Metroliner set from a kid named Mike Wolf at the William's booth. I couldn't get enough, I was hooked!!

In the years since, I enjoyed as much of the TCA as I could. Until two years ago I lived a half hour from the TCA Museum in Strasburg and loved visiting and taking my kids and then grandkids to see it. I loved how I could contact local train enthusiasts listed in the TCA Directory and reading their publications. I met a lot of people and made a lot of friends along with the train forums. I couldn't and still can't get enough of trains!!

Now that I'm on the other side of the country, it's a bit more difficult to carve out enough time to get there but I'll do it as long as it's feasible. When I was local I could attend for a day if time was short, but with a plane trip it's gotta be a few days, which I'm not going to complain about!!

I imagine I'll keep my membership as long as I'm physically and mentally able to participate in the hobby. And even then I'll be kicking and screaming to keep playing with trains!!

 

As mentioned by others, the TCA has opened doors for me to other members who live locally. When I first joined TCA. a member called and asked if I would like to join their local group. We visit every other Tuesday in the winter. I haven't been to York in the last few years.

I am with those who support TCA for the positive value they bring to the public about our hobby.

 

I was a TCA member for good number of years...primarily to support the Toy Train Museum in Strasburg, PA - and a place that does a fantastic job of showcasing the history of electric toy trains. If you haven't been there GO and see the wonderful layouts and showcases - members use to be admitted free, probably still are.

I lost interest in the TCA as time went on, however, mainly from the lack of interest in the TCA Quarterly articles. Granted, they do an excellent job of covering pre and post war trains, but these hold little interest to me; and, I felt they should've "got with times" and covered hi-rail topics and modern trains. Without these, there very well may not be a TCA as most people only join to attend the York meet and my hunch is at least half, maybe more of them are going for modern trains.

Once they increased membership dues that I felt was unwarranted, I said enough and let my membership lapse. Due to my never-ending work assignments, I could rarely get to the York meet on opening day let alone Friday- and by Saturday things were dying down and dealers leaving early. I believed then and now it was a strange policy of having the York meet on Thursday and Fridays and not being open to the public. I've heard they changed the latter, which is about time.

 

I joined in the pre-internet era when I was a solo train hobbiest (1983), with a 100 plus hr a week job when I landed in Richmond in 1985. It connected me to people with similar interests.
With limited time off and few train shows ( unlike the 6 previous years living in Baltimore and Philly), I planned my time off around York and got hooked going all the time.
In my early TCA years in Philly, I got hooked on the TCAs mission: I participated in the Atlantic Division modular group where I helped bring a modular train layout to a nursing home or children’s facility (St Chris’, CHOP & the Shriner’s Hospital) each month. Living close, I used to take advantage of the museum regularly.......it also probably helps that I have never lost my interest in PostWar.
At this time, I belong to the TCA because I cherish all the friends the TCA has given me..... and it’s dues are but a small price to pay for them.
Sorry if I rambled.
Peter

 

Pete, York wouldn't be the same without you and your bow tie. Even though I don't go every year (avg one every six) I always run into to say hi.