Pittsburgh area train shops - Which ones not to miss ? ?

[Anonymous]

Ok guys, SpankyBird helped me out a great deal with NE Ohio train shops.

Now I'm planning my own Cannonball run to Pittsburgh's Strip district for some coffee, Beef, Seafood etc. Gotta love Prestogeorge, Benkovitz, Primanti's & of course Church Brew Works.

The important part: Which train/ hobby shops should I Look up while in Pittsburgh ? ? ? Outlying areas? All my years visiting the Burgh, I've not really given much thought to the train shops.

Any recommendations? Postwar Lionel mostly.

Thanks

Fred

[spankybird]

Hi Fred,

When you are in Pittsburg, you should plan on stopping at Carnegie Science Center and see the ‘O’ gauge layout display. I also believe they have a train store there.
http://www.miniaturerailroad.org/csc/cover



This subject came up on the other forum, so here is a link to check out the stores

http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=63160042&f=57660482&m=699108739&r=946107249#946107249

Did you ever make to Cleveland?

tom

[MartyE]

OK here is my recommendations... Iron Horse would be a good start. They have a mix of old and new. AB Charles and Son is more of an all around Hobby Shop but does carry a limited amount of new and some PW. Hobby masters on Smithfeild street used to have a great selection of PW but it seems that the last time I was there things were a bit slim. Most of the other stores I know are Modern and sell mostly new. Here is a link to some local shops and addresses and phone numbers... J&Js has closed so that is no longer an option but I haven't yet removed it from the page yet.

http://www.martye.com/localjunction.htm

I hope this helps.

[spankybird]

Marty, very nicely done. I like your GIF's on your page.

tom

[Anonymous]

Thanks SB & MartyE

I did see the CSC display a few years ago and look forward to seeing it again. I may have to delay my trip until it reopens after maintenance.

SB: I went to the Village Train shop in Perry by way of my brothers house in Geneva.

Pretty nice operation he's got there.

[Kooljock1]

I know it's a bit of a haul, but one of the funnest guys in the business runs The Underground Railroad Shoppe up in New Castle. The store is actually in the basement of a medical center on the right side of the Wilmington Road just North of downtown(dahn-tahn) New Castle.

Great store, terrific layout, you'll laugh your butt off!

Jon [8D]

[spankybird]

I am glad you got there Fred, next time you should make plans on stoping and see our layout.

tom

[Buckeye Riveter]

[:D] [8D] [:D] [8D] [:D] [8D] [:D] [8D] [:D] [8D] [:D]
I really must say that this type of post is what I believe makes forums so great. This is where we can truly share some good information about trains shops. There are some great ones that are hidden away in small towns that don't do much advertising in national publications and are worth a visit. ( Smokestack Hobbies in Lancaster, Ohio is one of those stores.)

Trains.com shop locater service is good, but I wi***hey used an interactive web map for locating shops not only in the specific town, but in general geographic area. For example, if you put into their search box, Columbus, Oh you would miss Jon and Bettty's Trains in Galena, Ohio, another great store and just about 10 miles north of the city. You could find them if you used the advanced search method, but how many of you know which zip code or distances to use. How many of you even know that Galena, Ohio is close to Columbus, Ohio?

Again, it is great we can share this information via this forum. Thank you CTT. [:)][:D][8D][^]

[Anonymous]

Galena is part of OHIO ? When did that happen ? Nobody tells me anything !
Just kidding Buckeye, I agree with all you have stated about the searches and the value of this site. I'm fortunate that I've found this forum and I wish I had rescued the family trains much earlier.

SB: I will definitely do that when I head up north again.

[dk99358]

It's a ways out of Pittsburgh, but Jim's Train Shop in Homer City is a great place. Large layout and great prices. He mostly stocks MTH and has a large supply of Weaver on hand. He will order Lionel and K-Line for you but doesn't stock much from those companies. He also has a bunch of scenery supplies.

Dale

[Anonymous]

I agree on Iron Horse-his focus is O scale. I love that place-he's also an authorised service center.

You missed American Family Hobbycraft-they went out of buisness-but it was no big loss. An friend of mine who does HO had passenger cars on order from him for six months. So my friend went out to a place in Cranberry, PA, and got them in two weeks. I don't know the name of this place, but i've been there. He does more modern O than postwar though.