I'm finally building my layout after being stuck at home for 5 months because of COVID. The reason I've been stuck at home is that my father is High risk due to diabetes. I've literally left the house 9 times in 5 months, so going out to a local train store is a no go.
Does anyone have a local train store with a good online presence? My only must-have is that they have N-Scale stuff since that's what I model. I'd much rather buy from a small store than direct from the manufacturer or a hobby megastore. I figure that I should do my part to help support them during this hard time.
I would use the ones I know, but the store I normally use has 0 online presence. (i can't even find a phone number) If anyone's out in Washington and knows the number, it's the store that's owned by the same guy that used to run Trains, Planes, and Automobiles, I'd love to still buy from him if I can.
Hello,
I'm far from Washington but I have dealt with TJ Trains (Teresa and Joel Prantle) in Pasco (they have a large eBay presence). From what I know it is family run and they do have a brick & mortar store.
I don't do the Facebook thing but they have a presence there, too.
https://www.facebook.com/TJ-Model-Trains-112695635467829/
I believe they have recently purchased some model RR suppliers, Precision Scale for one, and they have been in business for a while.
Good Luck, Ed
For an online store that deals in N-Scale, I use Fifer Hobby they have a good line of items, ship fast and fair prices.
gmpullmanI have dealt with TJ Trains (Teresa and Joel Prantle) in Pasco (they have a large eBay presence). From what I know it is family run and they do have a brick & mortar store.
They are great to deal with!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Hi there,
I model in N scale as well. My two favorites websites that have a great online presence are:
Western Depot (Yuba City, CA). They update their website every day so you have a real good idea what they currently have in stock. They have a good selection of western U.S. railroads (SP, ATSF/BNSF, UP) in N scale. I like to buy my rolling stock from them. Before the Pandemic, I would drive to their shop (60 miles from my home) and just pick it up, so I can't say I ever tried their mail order.
Fifer Hobby: Great website as well, and seems to be updated daily. In addition they have a great selection of N scale structures. They are based in NM but shipped items usually get to me within the week that I ordered them.
These are my favorites. You may want to give them a try.
Happy shopping! Jeff
My go-to places are M.B. Klein in Baltimore and Trainworld in NYC. Both do have brick-and-mortar shops, but I use them exclusively online.
My old LHS where I used to live would order anything from Walthers for me. I would get the sale price and no shipping charges. That was great for getting small stuff where the shipping would have been more than the item.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasley My go-to places are M.B. Klein in Baltimore and Trainworld in NYC. Both do have brick-and-mortar shops, but I use them exclusively online.
Those are also my go tos. They have a huge selection! Unfortunatly MD Klein(modeltrainstuff.com) removed their in person store, and now focuses exclusively on online. Recently, it also seems like theyre experiencing shortages. But their prices are killer!
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/@trainman440
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MisterBeasley My go-to places are M.B. Klein in Baltimore and Trainworld in NYC. Both do have brick-and-mortar shops, but I use them exclusively online. My old LHS where I used to live would order anything from Walthers for me. I would get the sale price and no shipping charges. That was great for getting small stuff where the shipping would have been more than the item.
Now down to the crux of it. It really depends on what you want. If you want the very best price but are very loose on what you want For example, I wanted a steam engine with DCC and sound and did not care what road or number, then Train World is your place. After that for price it can be any number of places with Klein and World being cheaper. But if you want something special, people like Fifer in N scale will do you right along with a host of others. For N scale some of the smaller guys are best but you generaly pay for the service.
rrebell M.B.Klein is only online now, has been for a long time.
M.B.Klein is only online now, has been for a long time.
... about 10 months now. Not really that long yet.
Trainman440 Recently, it also seems like theyre experiencing shortages.
Seems they've always sold out quickly some items. What have you noticed particuarly recently?
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
English's Model RR Supply, Montoursville, PA. You might know them online as Toy Train Heaven, and also as Bowser.
If English's does not have it, and especially if it might be Santa Fe, then contact Mike Flick, at the Train Station in Ohio. He is a national expert on Santa Fe passenger equipment. He used to maintain one each of this or that in Santa Fe motive power in stock. In the East, if it's western or hard to find, he just might still have it.
For discount mail order, once it's sold out at TTH or MBK, contact Hiawatha Hobbies--they are an internet/mail order blowout dealer and always have deals on those items that might be getting scarce or are already gone elsewhere. I generally find their prices are highly competitive and the stuff is truly brand new in box, and not something dragged around to train shows and hogged up by somebody (as can easily happen with Trainworld).
Finally, for all items western, if those others don't have it, I like to order from Western Depot. They seem to always have the western road merchandise in stock, and in quantities that well exceed the Original Whistle Stop! Likewise, if you are looking for PRR, sometimes you can find it on the left coast.
John
Lombard Hobbies in illinois. I use them all the time. They have a great online store and only offer HO and N scale products, nothing else. So theyre my go to. Normally my orders placed before 10am reach my house the next day, but I only live an hour away. And as a bonus they toss in either a pack of fruit snacks or a handy canvas bag. Love their store and the selection. That would be my suggestion. Them or Hiawatha Hobbies in Wisconsin.
TrainLife which is a store operated as a sister company to ExactRail operates an online retail website, and also has a brick and mortar shop in Provo, Utah. The brick and mortar location has Pelle Soeborg's Daneburg Subdivision on display, kind of fun to visit and see a layout that has graced countless magazine covers in person at the store (not to mention I always get a chuckle over some of the temporary additions to the layout such as 3D Printed sharks in the river, a zombie horde display attacking a house over the Halloween season or an ExactRail boxcar with a Bachmann "Troublesome Trucks" face glued on it being pulled by a detailed kitbash of a Rio Grande consolidation locomotive).
Wow, thanks for the great suggestions! I didn't realize that MD Klein was modeltrainstuff, I used to shop their all the time when I lived in Maryland.
I recommend Hiawatha Hobbies here in Wisconsin. I live about 5 minutes away from there and visit quite often. The website is easy to navigate, however, it only has a fraction of their items. I also model N scale an i will tell you now to call them. Just ask if he has it and he will look it up. They easily carry over 20,000 pieces of rolling stock in N scale as well as at least a thousand locomotives. Looking for retired runner packs by micro trains, they have them. Just about every DCC decoder and component you would ever need, and if they don't have it, they will get it for you. They have always been good to me.
Aton I would use the ones I know, but the store I normally use has 0 online presence. (i can't even find a phone number) If anyone's out in Washington and knows the number, it's the store that's owned by the same guy that used to run Trains, Planes, and Automobiles, I'd love to still buy from him if I can.
I am assuming you mean Washington State and not DC. There is Rob's Online Trains in Tacoma. His online presence runs through his ebay store. He has lots of HO and N as well as some lionel O and G scale. I'm not sure Eastside trains in Kirkland has an online presence or not.
There is also a store up near the Canadian border that does online stuff as well but I can for the life of me remember the name. I think is along the lines of Pacific railway systems or something like that. I have never actually shopped with them but I have at both other local shops.
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
Ringo58 Lombard Hobbies in illinois.
Lombard Hobbies in illinois.
This. Fantastic local shop with a good and cheap online store.
An "expensive model collector"