carl425 riogrande5761 There are other means for people to get social fulfillment - this forum is one very obvious outlet ...and the forum has the added benefit of not allowing me to punch someone in the mouth if I get offended.
riogrande5761 There are other means for people to get social fulfillment - this forum is one very obvious outlet
...and the forum has the added benefit of not allowing me to punch someone in the mouth if I get offended.
And vice versa the other way around.
LINK to SNSR Blog
gmpullman The downfall of modern civilization! Sears_A by Edmund, on Flickr "Our Trade Reaches Around The World!" Cheers, Ed
The downfall of modern civilization!
Sears_A by Edmund, on Flickr
"Our Trade Reaches Around The World!"
Cheers, Ed
Do you define "modern" as 117 years ago? As for the fall of Sears, the current CEO is a recluse who has totally missmanaged Sears and failed to adapt it to modern commerce methods.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Water Level Route Hence the move to more warehouse room. Sadly, model rail shops are not the only businesses having to go this route.
Hence the move to more warehouse room. Sadly, model rail shops are not the only businesses having to go this route.
Mike
Lets see, a forum full of grumpy old men? Nah.... that wouldn't happen would it? Rough neighborhood these train forums!
riogrande5761Lets see, a forum full of grumpy old men? Nah.... that wouldn't happen would it? Rough neighborhood these train forums!
riogrande5761 gmpullman The downfall of modern civilization! Sears_A by Edmund, on Flickr "Our Trade Reaches Around The World!" Cheers, Ed
Eye Candy from 1900!!!
Those wanting a better store to browse through should seriously consider making the drive to English's Model RR Supply in Montoursville, PA. The retail store has moved into what was once part of the Bowser factory, so space is not a concern. They have a very nice inventory and helpful staff. They do have a large mail order operation, but the retail store customers are able to browse the same inventory as the mail order pickers pick from. There are also specific areas of the store that are off limits to internet/mail order picking, as those new(er) products are reserved for walk-in retail customers only. That is specifically to protect the regular customers, so that they do not miss out on new releases.
It's a really nice train store, larger than any of the ones at or near Strasburg, PA, ever was.
Many folks come from north of the US border to shop there, as they are only several minutes east of US 15, a major north-south truck route in PA and NY.
John
riogrande5761Do you define "modern" as 117 years ago?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_history
The "Fall Of Civilization" was a bit of "tongue-in-cheek" commentary, usually predicted when new technologies, such as the steam boat, or electricity or the printing press come along before the masses are generally ready to accept the concepts of such conveniences.
My only point in using the example of the Sears catalog was their pioneering effort in the convenience of "ordering by [choose preference here, telegraph; letter; telephone; telex; internet] and having your merchandise delivered to your door, or the nearest team track.
Sing the Wells Fargo Wagon song from the Music Man...
I have no interest in the goings-on of the CEO of Sears.
Thanks, Ed
gmpullman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_history The "Fall Of Civilization" was a bit of "tongue-in-cheek" commentary
The "Fall Of Civilization" was a bit of "tongue-in-cheek" commentary
Pretty much no other way to take it but I was naughty and had to comment anyway.
[quote], usually predicted when new technologies, such as the steam boat, or electricity or the printing press come along before the masses are generally ready to accept the concepts of such conveniences.
My only point in using the example of the Sears catalog was their pioneering effort
I have no interest in the goings-on of the CEO of Sears. Thanks, Ed
Me neither but i read the news and as long as we are continuing the usual pracitice here of veering quickly off topic, I'm just doing my part to participate in that regard! Don't shoot the messenger!
And the CEO of Sears may not have been able to prevent the fall of Sears, but he sure has accelerated it's demise from what I've read.
I sort of have one foot in the old ph@rt category and the other in the new hi-tech world; my foot in the former waxes a bit nostaglic. My wife and I have continued to shop at Sears, Kmart and other department stores so yeah, it's a little sad to see them all closing down. But since we also do a lot of online shopping, at least we've adapted and will hopefully survive until the next tech revolution and then maybe we'll be like half the people here and have a hard time keeping quiet! :p
riogrande5761And the CEO of Sears may not have been able to prevent the fall of Sears, but he sure has accelerated it's demise from what I've read.
And the same can be said about CSX since a lot of their customers shifted to NS and truckers...
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
riogrande5761My wife and I have continued to shop at Sears, Kmart and other department stores so yeah, it's a little sad to see them all closing down.
I agree with you there, Rio Grande, and speaking of adapting to "new" technologies, I recall in the late '70s the Sears store at our local mall had a catalog ordering center where several kiosks were set up with red, dial-less, telephones connected directly to Chicago. Just like at Klein's, if you didn't see what you needed in the store— pick up the phone, place your order and you could have it delivered to home for the shipping fee or sent to the store (any Sears store IIRC) for free.
Sometimes what we perceive as NEW is really an old idea simply rehashed and made to seem new.
I don't think we really drifted too far off course on this thread... this time anyway.
Regards, Ed
If I had unlimited money and a desire to start a business, model railroading is the LAST industry I'd enter.Can't please these old b*stards at all.
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
PRR8259Those wanting a better store to browse through should seriously consider making the drive to English's Model RR Supply in Montoursville, PA. T
That would be a 7 hour round trip but I've wasted 7 hours in worse ways. It is on the way to the Finger Lakes and I'd like to see the vintage car race in Watkins Glen. Watkins Glen has a series of waterfalls and it ought to be on all your bucket lists.
One could study the Walthers catalog, but with so many things listed as out of stock, you might think those products don't exist. It's nice to see them hanging on a rack and it's even better to see stuff you didn't know was available, that you can use on your layout.
Randy could have been describing my personality. I've been to the new Pro Custom Hobbies in Sykesville MD. It used to be in Baltimore. There were 3 of us, the guy behind the counter, a customer pushing 80 and myself. Turns out we all knew some people from Sevena Park Model RR club. The old guy offered some very good advice for my layout build.
If the store were closer and I was on the other side of 70, I could see it being a routice social stop.
BRAKIEAnd the same can be said about CSX since a lot of their customers shifted to NS and truckers...
Now there's an interesting story. An activist investor twisted the arms of CSX to bring in Hunter Harrison from CP. When he left CP he forfeited, depending on where you read it $70-100 mil of pension benefits and CSX paind that and gave him 1% of the company. And that's for a guy who is not in good health.
He denied being anti-customer but I see they are being sued by a customer.
back to the current topic
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I think LHS's we all knew and loved will someday end up being "Tourist Attractions" of days gone.
rrinker Tom, you must be moving closer to me, or else you drive a lot faster than I do (not likely LOL ). It's an hour and a half for me to get down there, and nearly 6 hours to get out to just above Franklin, so if it only takes you 3 hours to get to Timonium... --Randy
Randy,
I moved to western PA about 2-1/2 years ago - about an hour W of Altoona. I checked Google. It's more like a 3-1/2 hr drive to MB Klein/Timonium for me. If I still lived in OH it would be 2 hrs longer than that.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Another vote for English's Model Railroad shop in Williamsport PA (north central Pennsylvania; very close to north-south US 15 (now I-99) and about 35 minutes from east-west I-80). I stop in a few times a year, while en route elsewhere. The amount of material out on open shelves is quite substantial (more than Klein's, Strasburg, Gilbert's, Trainland and others I've seen in the region). Helpful staff; last time I was there I had a question about refitting an older Bowser product, and the clerk at the checkout sent me to Mr. English's office to talk with him about it. As noted above, it's the retail side of Toy Train Heaven mail order and Bowser manufacturing. Check hours and location on their website.