The TCA Train Collectors Association in the USA is the equivalent of the TCS in UK only about 30 times larger as you would expect. I have been attending their regular meetings in York Pennsylvania for many years and I attended one of these vast meetings in April 2016 and spent part of my time helping on a large sales table run by a friend of mine who specialises in Eastern European trains. This toy train only event is probably one of the largest in the world with over 12 thousand people buying and selling toy trains in 8 large halls. Prior to the main TCA event there are numerous unofficial train “ boot sales “ taking place in nearby hotel car parks.
Here are a couple of my “bargains” generally picked up towards the end of the show which runs for two and a half days.
An American Flyer Inbound Freight Station also in need of some TLC so a bargain. Typically the US train manufacturers, other than the earlier periods, did not produce many lithographed items, most were just painted however this AF station from 1928 to 1935 is an excellent example of very detailed and effective litho work from the period.
A Lionel Power Station No 436 something that most manufacturers never made, this one had a number of items missing and the owner bought replica parts to renovate it but never got round to it so he was happy to let it go for bargain price.
An Alps Japanese floor train in 0 gauge scale, this in unusually driven via cable operated by a mechanism which when squeezed powers the train along.
While working on the sales table with my friend I noticed a boxed fairly modern Lionel set on a nearby seller's table at $850 I mentioned that seemed high for a modern set and he told me that was just for the empty box ! I thought he was joking until he came by a little later and said it had sold for $850 to a very willing buyer ! We live and learn.
