With all the losses in the hobby, espicaly in large scale lately, who do you miss and wish they were still in business and why. This is about thankfullness for thier contribution to the hobby and remembering the good times had. For me it started in my mid teens right after getting my license to drive and a LGB starter set from my aunt and uncle for Christmas.
I miss the original Watt's Train Shop, going back to before thier remodel then closure a few years ago. You entered thru the "sparkle" Christmas shop with its parachute ceiling, all the smells that go with Christmas decorations ect. It totaly set the mood before you even got to the trains. The next room had the big display layout, shelves lined the walls filled with LGB trains, German railway memorbilia decorated the walls and hung from the ceiling. the next room was the main show room with a small "boiler room" where 2-4 ladies were constantly on the phone taking orders. This was pre internet days when mail order and counter sales were the rule. I did lots of looking, most LGB was well beyond my means at that age. I would get the odd piece here and there and visit with Dave Watts. He took in collections of used LGB, so from time to time he would get in something I wanted and could sell it to me at a price that I could afford. Like my first 2119d mogul, she was filthy, track skates wore out, no box. But she ran decent and he said she would clean up good. It was Dave's kindness and the atomsphere of that shop that instilled my love of large scale and LGB in general. That shop was magical for me, even after the remodel and expansion it still retained most of the "magic". Granted the shop is reborn under new owner ship and on a much smaller scale, new location ect. The magic that was Watt's Train Shop is gone. It only lives on and I usually feel it when I get my indoor overhead loop ready for the holidays and when I open up some of my LGB trains that only come out then, the smells of the packing and box bring back memories of the shop.
Second one I want back is the old LGB company, they had thier issues like all businesses but it was a family run business and not a conglomerate that it is today. But I am thankfull that it does live on under new ownership just as Watts lives on in the new Zionsville Train Depot. I put up a toast to all those that have gone, I thank them for thier contribution to the hobby I enjoy and wish them well in their new endevors or retirement. And to those that have passed from this life, I will see you again on the other side. What are your fond memories of shops dealing with large scale that are no more, or companies that are no more. No griping allowed, only fond memories. Mike the Aspie.
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
Bare in mind that of the 23 years in the Army, 12 were spent in Germany. There are two 'shops' that I miss. First is Bahn Haus just off Marion Platz in old town Nurenburg. The isle were one way traffic only. The narrow shopping cart had a built on 6 ft stepladder to reach the top shelf. They carried most everything from Z to G. If they did not have it on the shelf, you stopped at the "catalogue desk". If they had it in their warehouse it would be in store reserved for you in just over an hour. Most everything else was a two day wait. I found it by accident in 1972, and visited often for many years. My 1999 vist found it to be a wedding dress shop.
In 1975 my wife found "Joe's Place" in Denver Colo. Just a two car garage referbished gas station. Joe specialized in HO but could get most anything in the other scales. He would ship any special orders, free for service members.
Both places had superior customer service. Both Heidrek and Heidi (Bhan Haus) called you by name even after a 3 year absence.
My current place is Walter Anderson Nursery in Poway Ca. Their selection may be small (G ONLY) but they will special order most anythin LGB & Pico. By appointment you can bring your trains to run on their 3,000+ feet of outdoor track. One stop shopping for trains, mosses of many types, small growth trees, (I've got some 'cork oak' trees from them that are 12+ years old that are only about 2 feet tall (semi anual trimming). Yes they also sell roses, tomato plants, palm trees, fruit trees.
Tom Trigg
Thank you for sharing. My first set came from some shop in Nurenburg. My uncle's family is from that area and they brought me back my LGB starter set sans transformer on one of thier trips from the states. That is how I found Watts, as they gave me some cash to go get a transformer. It was a Christmas and sometimes tempoary outside as my main focus then was postwar Lionel. I phased it out in my 20's and now mostly have G scale. Hope to see some more folks post. Mike
Back in the '80-s, we had a shop in Neuss and Krefeld that stocked LGB, Maerklin, and Fleischmann. I couldn't speak German, so I couldn't speak to their customer service, but I know they got our family's Duetschmark over four years. Most of the LGB we bough there is still in service 30+ years later!
Now, Ko'olau nursery for plants. Mail order and wishful thinking for trains.
ttrigg My current place is Walter Anderson Nursery in Poway Ca. Their selection may be small (G ONLY) but they will special order most anythin LGB & Pico. By appointment you can bring your trains to run on their 3,000+ feet of outdoor track. One stop shopping for trains, mosses of many types, small growth trees, (I've got some 'cork oak' trees from them that are 12+ years old that are only about 2 feet tall (semi anual trimming). Yes they also sell roses, tomato plants, palm trees, fruit trees.
Thanks for the pointer, will have to stop by sometime, especially since it's only a few (long) blocks west of where I work.
- Erik
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