Hobby shops with layouts?

[Boyd]

How many hobby shops have you seen that have operating layouts? And I mean not just a circle of track with train going round and round.

[Roger Bielen]

 

Memory Station, Watkinsville, GA. Two loops with sidings.

[billbarman]

Willis Hobbies in Mineola Long island Has 2 great layout, one HO/Marklin one and one O scale one. both these layouts look amazing but theres one problem. they never run trains on them! I go there all the time and only 3 times have I seen the traisn acctually running. its a shame if you ask me.

[PhilaKnight]

Nicholis Smith, Broomall Pa. Has 2 one is just the loops of different scales but they also have a Large scale one that nice. Has multiple trains running.

[sir james I]

We probably see more layouts than some store owners would like because certain toy train company(s) require their dealers to have a layout. That layout is taking up valuable merchandise space. But for us fun to see.

[cnw1995]

Woodstock Hobbies in the square of Woodstock, Illinois has a big classic window-display operating layout.

[Train-O]

billbarman,

You're right about Willis Hobbies' layouts being neat and as you mention there's hardly any trains running.  I guess they're more into cars and plains now-a-days.
They only sell new trains and for some reason, not mentioned when asked, they don't have any older Lionel goodies.

They do repairs, but are not an Authorized Lionel Repair Station.  The one down the road, on Jericho Turnpike, from them and Nassau Hobbies are the only two in all of Nassau Co. which are Lionel Authorized.  I don't know about Suffolk Co.

Both Nassau Hobbies and my hometown Trainland have unmentionable circular layouts, of which Trainland's is a little more elaborate.

I hope I'm wrong, but my neighbor and I agree that it seems model trains are in a decline, as the real railroads are, in the Nassau Co. area.

Ralph 

[billbarman]

That is very true. I dont think there are any toy train clubs or groups in Nassau Co. either. I defenetly prefer Nassau hobbies. trainland is great too. sad to see the only hobby store around ehre with a good layout not working.

[krapug1]

 

I guess I'm lucky, I have only been to Willis Hobby once (last year at Christmas time), and the layout was running.  BTW, Willis is a very "corporate" looking store, as it is very clean, organized, and frankly too sanitized for my taste.  When I am in Nassau Co., I'll buy from Traditional Trains in New Hyde Park, a great old school, dusty, train store that sells new and old.

Back to stores with layouts........

Kross Hardware, in West Babylon (western Suffolk County, LI) has a great layout on the 2nd floor, and the owner loves to show off the latest TMCC, and DCS control systems and how to use them.    

You can see a couple pics on their website:   www.krosshardware.com

 

An "Honorable Mention" goes out to Goldsmith's Toy & Hobby Store in Greenport, LI.

Yes they only have an oval layout, BUT it is in a large display window along Main Street in the heart of Greenport Village. Greenport Village is a busy 2nd home owner destination for the NYC crowd and is busy weekends year round.  It is no lie to say that thousands see the Goldsmith's window layout. 

 

Ken  

     

 

 

 

 

   

[POTRZBE]

Purkey's in Sykesville, MD and Engine House Hobbies in Gaithersburg, MD both have well thought out, fun for kids (of whatever age) layouts.

[anjdevil2]

 Train Works in Jax, FL now closed, had N, HO, O & G scales all running.  What a sight for the senses.  Of course, I was partial to O and the TMCC....

Friends don't let friends go HO, right Bob?

[simon1966]

K-10 model trains in Maryville Illinois http://www.k-10smodeltrains.com/default.htm has a 4000 sq ft HO scale layout and then a much smaller, multi loop O scale display layout.  The O scale layout is really more of a show case to demonstrate the different brands and track types.  The HO layout is seriously impressive.

[Anonymous]

The Train Depot - Mt Airy, MD - sceniced ovals O, S, HO
Purkey's Toy Trains - Sykesville, MD - sceniced O - meandering around the front of two store fronts
Cotoctin Mt Trains - Thurmont, MD - don't remember what theirs looks like
Underground Railroad Shop - New Castle, PA - large O scale layout, fully sceniced, multiple trains
Hobby Town, USA - Frederick, MD - O scale, multi-train layout, basic scenery
Iron Horse Hobby Shop - Pittsburgh, PA - O scale, large layout
American Speed Center - Aliquippa, PA - O scale, large layout
Alams Home & Hardware - Aliquippa, PA - O scale, medium sized layout

[mikeberry]

The East *** Depot in Wellesville, NY.

[mikeberry]

Ooops, sorry for the **** out word.  I did not think about the naughty word filter or the word in a bad context, but that is how they spell it.  The hobby store is called "The East Dike (spelled incorrectly) Depot".  They have a small, but nice HO layout and are setting up an 0 scale layout also.

[richhotrain]

What's a Hobby Shop?

Here in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, we no longer have any retailers selling model railroading equipment.  

Rich

[Seayakbill]

Eastside Trains in Kirkland ( Seattle suburb ) has a terrific layout with multiple loops and sidings.

Robbies Hobbies in Columbus, Ohio has a nice layout also

[cnw1995]

I hear you, RIch, but we still have a plethora of hobby stores that explicitly serve the hobby within an hour or hour-and-a-half drive. Then there's the monthly DuPage meet.   This gives me an excuse to drive up to Woodstock - to take a photo of the layout :)

[Major]

In the Baltimore are M.D. Kline has three operating layouts.  The large Scale one is mainly o scale but has loops of S and G scale

[richhotrain]

cnw1995

I hear you, RIch, but we still have a plethora of hobby stores that explicitly serve the hobby within an hour or hour-and-a-half drive. Then there's the monthly DuPage meet.   This gives me an excuse to drive up to Woodstock - to take a photo of the layout :)

cnw1995,

Yeah, you're right, I should work my way up to your neck of the woods, Elmhurst, Addison, and Woodstock, just to name a few.  I am retired, a bum, so what else do I have to do.  LOL

Rich

[Penny Trains]

Other than the odd oval, there's nothing here in north Ohio.  There is a small post-war layout at the Trading Post that used to be visible from the street.  But now with that neighborhood in decline the windows are all barred and blocked so you have to go inside to see it at all and even that's not easy.  The Trading Post is a classic and I'd recommend anybody visiting Cleveland to stop in and see this old style wonderland.  Very Madison Hardware.

There was a Great Train Store at Tower City Center in the 90's that had an awesome G-scale layout.  Tower City was remodeled into a shopping mall in the 80's but originally it was the Cleveland Union Terminal.  Sadly though the GTS has been closed for years.

Another oval of note is in the Music Box store at Grand Pacific Junction in Olmstead Falls just west of Cleveland.  (I bought 2 NIB 1980's K-line Santa Fe Streamliners there for 20 bucks each just a month ago and a B&O On30 bobber caboose for 17 back in June.)  The layout itself is nothing to write home about, but it's location in a 19th century village with an 0-4-0 Vulcan tank loco, bay window caboose and a small depot make it worth mentioning.  It's also adjacent to the CSX 3 track Dearborn line and an average of 100 trains a day pass right next to it.  So what you lose in not having a good layout is replaced by having real trains and real RR artifacts within strolling distance.

I don't think that the hobby is declining, just the hobby shop.  The strongest hobby shops today are the ones with the best online inventory systems backed up by simple ordering procedures and fast shipping.  With the advent of Ebay and sites like it, widows and/or surviving children aren't taking their dad's trains to stores to sell anymore.  They're doing it themselves or they're selling to big auction houses like Trainz and nothing ends up on a display shelf.  The trains either go into an online inventory or straight to Ebay bypassing the display phase which is so important in traditional retailing.  If you don't need to entice customers off the street, you don't need display layouts.  Or even elaborate packaging for that matter.  But, manufacturers like MTH and Lionel continue to provide their retailers with good point of sale packaging and displays because every outlet is important.  I support their support of the small store.  Wal-mart can't get everything!

Becky

[8ntruck]

Bob's Hobby & Collector's Shop in Watervilet. Michigan has a sizeable multi-loop grass mat layout in the front of their store.  Lots of older Lionel goodies in stock too. 

I Love Toy Trains in New Buffalo, Michigan has a lanscaped, multi loop layout with many operating accessories.

There was a store in South Bend or maybe Portage, In. that had a nice layout.  I think it was called The Depot.  I also heard that the store was closing.  I have not been in that area for a couple of years, so this one might be gone now.

The Train Haus in Warrenton, Mo. just off of I-70 has several layouts in N, HO, and O scales. 

[Buckeye Riveter]

One of the  best train stores, hands down is TK Hobby in Bridgeport, Ohio (Bridgeport is due west of Wheeling, WV along I-70 and 2 hours east of Columbus.)  The layout is 240 sq. feet.  When I couldn't find a 185 W brick, they had it.  When I couldn't find O-72 switches, they had them.   They have N, HO, S and O.   They have a few G sets, but that is not their thing.

They say they are the biggest model train store between Pittsburgh and Columbus.  I think they should say they are the biggest train store between Pittsburgh and Indianapolis!!!  There is nothing in Columbus that competes and Train Express in Indianapolis is now more of a warehouse and did not have a layout at my last visit.

This is a video of the th TK layout:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL7x5Uxk9OA

This is a tour of the store:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erDKWp6Hlso

The area around Wheeling has numerous of model trains with Patrick's Hobby in Wheeling and the big layouts at Olgesby Park and the Marx Museum.  For some reason,  the Wheeling area is a hotbed of O Scale.   (Columubus is more HO.)  Patrick's has a layout, too and they carry Williams and the metal bridges.

If you visit TK, you can also visit Cabela's.   It is a great area for a vacation.

[TRAINCAT]

The Train Loft in Winston Salem, NC, and Greensboro Electric Trains in Greensboro NC have operating layouts.

Roger

[Anonymous]

Wanted to post an update. Purkey's Toy Trains no longer operates as a store front. I think they still sell stuf online, but am not sure. Was a sad day when they closed up.

[Juan2L]

There are 2 Hobby World stores in Jax (Authorized Lionel Station).  Both have layouts; One store has a window type display, and the other one has a large layout - about 15 X15 feet.  They also have a nice collection - both post and pre.  That place is like a Candy store for me.  Everytime I walk in there, I have to get something to take home.

Juan