I attended the TCA Eastern Division York Train Meet on Thursday this week. I like the Thursday show because it starts late enough in the day that I can leave NJ a little and miss the Philadelphia rush hour traffic. But this is to be the last Thursday event date, they are going over to a Friday-Saturday-Sunday in the Fall. I’ll miss the more relaxed Thursday event.

So why does a Proto48’er go to a mostly 3-Rail event. Because there is some 2-Rail at the show. Besides, with the modern 3-rail models there isn’t much difference converting a 2-rail or 3-rail model to Proto48. Most of the time the work is about the same.

This 2-rail Precision Scale C&O Allegheny looked great had a very nice “take-me-home-price” on it. I was tempted but it’s just doesn’t fit my current modeling focus.

There was also a lot of modern freight cars that were very tempting. I walked past this car three or four times saying I don’t need to purchase ’60’s or ’70’s era models, I need to stay focused on 1952. Thankfully someone purchased them and took away my temptation.

There are also many modern Brass offerings that were done in both 3-rail and 2-rail. Sometimes the price of the 3-rail makes converting one to Proto48 a worth while effort.

Now there were some 3-rail offerings for the Reading modeler at the show. I did see a couple of Atlas O 3-rail models in the halls. The MTH Trainmaster also was a nice looking model. Not anything on my radar since finding an older Sunset Trainmaster about a year ago.

There was also some models at the show for the other Anthracite roads. This Sunset 3rd Rail LNE L-1 was very tempting. Priced much better than the 2-rail offerings out there.

The older Williams FA-1’s I’ve seen converted to 2-rail and into very nice models in the past. There was a lot more models from the PC era at the show. I will admit, that is an era that has always pulled at me because it was what I saw when I first started rail fanning. If there had been more ’70’s era models twenty years ago, I might not be focused on modeling in 1952.

One of the things that always surprises me is you never know what you might see on a table.

As an example a USA Trains Gauge 1 PRR GG1.

Or a pair of Teapots.

I am always surprised how much railroadiana shows up on the tables. How about a Leigh Valley Railroad blueprint on the Application of Ajax Hand Brakes from 1932.

This time there were a number of Erector Sets on tables. I remember my Brother’s in a similar box growing up.

Like I said, you never know what may show up on a table.

As the day wound down and the parking lot started to empty out, I remembered how bad traffic on Route 30 can get leaving during rush hour.

So, I headed out on a back road and enjoyed the drive home. Didn’t add to the drive time. But did remove the stress of the Route 30 parking lot/freeway.

York for me is a lot of walking for very few models for a Proto48 modeler. But I keep finding things that make it worth while and keep bringing me back.