The big model-railroadless hole

[Anonymous]

There was several hobby shops in Parry Sound, but when I got into model railroading about 4 years ago, they all closed within the next year!!!!! A curse or something! So now the nearest hobby shop is about 80 miles away!! [:(][tdn]

[cacole]

The nearest hobby shop to me is nearly 150 miles away, so I have to let UPS, FedEx, or USPS do the driving by purchasing through mail order. Oh, there are a couple of places that are only 70 miles away, but they have bare shelves and are on the verge of bankruptcy, so I don't go to them anymore. I have heard that there is a new Ace Hardware in Tucson, 70 miles away, that sells trains now, but I haven't checked it out yet. If it is any good, it will be the closest possible hobby shop to where I live.

[dand200]

I'm sorry to hear about your plight. I live within 30 minutes of 3 top notch hobby shops. Also from December to March there is some type of train show going on practically every weekend, which is where I do most of my shopping due to the low prices of vendors competing against each other. Modelbahn Ott Hobbies Inc. is great for overseas merchandise. He carries a ton of inventory in stock and does a large mail-order business, http://www.modellbahnott.com/. My favoite though is Lins Junction, http://www.linsjunction.com/ There is a smile, how are you and thank you on every visit. They host free clinics, most of them hands on, in every facet of the hobby from experienced modelers. Paul will stop in the middle of anything he is doing around the store to answer a question and will sit down and walk you through whatever you're having a problem with. The atmosphere is like a home away from home and I like to go in there sometimes just to visit, even though I usually find something that I "need." All modelers should be so lucky to have a store like this near them. One more sight to try is Greenway Products, http://www.greenwayproducts.com/index.shtml I usually buy from them at shows, but they have a great selection of scenic details, especially machine shop stuff.
Again, sorry about your dilema, good luck with whatever route you use for your railroading needs.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by orsonroy
[
Royal sells at full MSRP only, and they're more geared towards wargaming anyway. I go there for tools, glue, paint, and an occasional raid on their Grandt Line and Red Caboose models (I'm the one that bought them out of Westerfield kits, as soon as they put them on the 1/2 off shelf!).

Rail Hobbies is the other hobby shop I'm talking about. It's in the same basic strip mall as Royal (bad location!), around the corner from the Bally's (facing Elixur's side wall). The owner is a great guy and serious ATSF modeler, and is the vice president of the RRVD NMRA. Unfortunately, he doesn't realize that you have to spend money to make money, and so has a small inventory (but larger than Royal). He'll order anything you want, and does discount, but he really can't compete with the internet. The owner basically picked up where the Brass Whistle left off, but in a worse location.

I don't even count HobbyTown in Machesney Park. Theis selection is tiny, and they really only care about R/C and plastic kits. It's a shame we don't have a more vibrant hobby shop in the Rockford area, considering all the big home layouts in the area (100+ and counting!)

LOL, agree on Hobby town and Royal, but never could find Rail, every time i go out there, I just can't find it. he has no signs out and worse, if you look at his website, the hours are horrid.

I miss the old brass whistle, that was a complete store and in a perfect location too.

Jay

[Anonymous]

You guys must all be rich shopping at internet hobbies or caboose hobbies. Here is a place that is more that reasonable and the service is the best. www.hobbycirlce.com.

[Anonymous]

I'm in the same situation - my LHS are between 45 and 50 miles away, nearer 60 miles for the nearest that deals in US-outline equipment. I go over about once a month or so to stock up on kits. I'm looking for a UK-based online store that sells US-outline equipment, not found one yet though.

Here's a couple of websites I've used in the last week or so (and before), both are very reliable and have great customer service.

www.ehattons.com
www.ontracks.co.uk

Both are UK based but worth a look it you're after any UK-outline equipment.

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by NTDN

QUOTE: Originally posted by orsonroy

There are two in Rockford, but one only sells at full MSRP and the other isn't big enough to be able to get many orders filled!

two? hmm...I know of Royal Hobby, sucky place (only thing worth getting from them is paint, as they've got alot of it) and hmm..guess you're meaning Hobby town for the other.

Jay

Royal sells at full MSRP only, and they're more geared towards wargaming anyway. I go there for tools, glue, paint, and an occasional raid on their Grandt Line and Red Caboose models (I'm the one that bought them out of Westerfield kits, as soon as they put them on the 1/2 off shelf!).

Rail Hobbies is the other hobby shop I'm talking about. It's in the same basic strip mall as Royal (bad location!), around the corner from the Bally's (facing Elixur's side wall). The owner is a great guy and serious ATSF modeler, and is the vice president of the RRVD NMRA. Unfortunately, he doesn't realize that you have to spend money to make money, and so has a small inventory (but larger than Royal). He'll order anything you want, and does discount, but he really can't compete with the internet. The owner basically picked up where the Brass Whistle left off, but in a worse location.

I don't even count HobbyTown in Machesney Park. Theis selection is tiny, and they really only care about R/C and plastic kits. It's a shame we don't have a more vibrant hobby shop in the Rockford area, considering all the big home layouts in the area (100+ and counting!)

[Anonymous]

Some of you guys are making me realize how good that I have it here in Indy. I know of at least 8 hobbyshops within a half hour drive. 4 of them are just 5 minutes away.

[easyaces]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cjm89

QUOTE: Originally posted by SimCity4k

Plus we have the museum of Science and Industry!

And there you can find the world's largest BNSF layout..etc...etc

Have'nt been there in ages(even though I'm a chicago native) but have seen that on "Rails Ahead" and read about the new layout in MR. I know Hammond,Valparaiso, Lafayette , Indy, Etc. have some really great Model RR stores within a 30 min. to one hr. drive for me.

[douginut]

Give "www.mostlytrains.com" a try. Roger and Pauline are tops and are really fair as to pricing.
Besides , their "Brick and Mortar" store, The Hobby Stop, in Orem Utah is also within a short walk of 5 fast food places of any preference!

They are worth a trip to Utah alone.

Doug in Utah

[Anonymous]

www.standardhobby.com
is a good one, download the .pdf product list instead of shopping online which doesnt show all the products they carry

www.1stplacehobbies.com
this site has almost everything walthers does at a discounted price...its even based in IL so u might get a shipment quicker then i would take you to drive to the nearest hobby shop!

www.internettrains.com
also a good site

hope this helps
Chris

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SimCity4k

Plus we have the museum of Science and Industry!

And there you can find the world's largest BNSF layout..etc...etc

[Anonymous]

Plus we have the museum of Science and Industry!

[Anonymous]

Chicago has pretty good stores, DHC, Chicagoland Hobby, Hill's Hobbies, some stuff on the north side, etc...each town has its own store pretty much. The one in my town never stocks anything new though.

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cjm89

That is now what my town has become! The nearest hobby shop is now almost 50 miles away[:0], and with the way gas prices are going, that too far to drive! If you have any mail-order hobby shop's websites, please post them here. My town STINKS! no model railroaders at all except me and now no hobby shops in the same region of the state, even. Please hope that some important reason comes along that would pressure me to move to A.Springfield,IL B.Galesburg,IL C. Quincy,IL or D.Litchfield,IL.[:D][;)] just joking.

How about moving over by me in north central Illinois? We've got not one, not two, but THREE LHS! The furthest is about a seven minute drive away, and the closest is one block away. We also have an informal, round-robin group of model railroaders in the area, too. Heck, we've even been know to operate once and awhile. Room for one more -- come on down, er, over!

[Anonymous]

Not to brag but I can think of 6 hobby shops an hour from here and there are more.

[Anonymous]

I live in a town of 13,000 and not a hobby shop for 65 miles. one railroad club and they act as if you need to have anincome of $100,000. plus. I won't have anything to do with them. so don't feel so bad or mad. it could be worse.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by orsonroy

There are two in Rockford, but one only sells at full MSRP and the other isn't big enough to be able to get many orders filled!

two? hmm...I know of Royal Hobby, sucky place (only thing worth getting from them is paint, as they've got alot of it) and hmm..guess you're meaning Hobby town for the other.

Jay

[Anonymous]

It's a 2 hour and 15 minute drive to get to the nearest hobby shop from my place and almost all my model railroader friends are over an hour's drive away. You've got it good.

[orsonroy]

Don't feel bad CJM, I live in northern Illinois, and I have to drive to Elgin or Des Plaines before I can get to a full-stock hobby shop. There are two in Rockford, but one only sells at full MSRP and the other isn't big enough to be able to get many orders filled!

There are good RR hobby shops in Bloomington, Peoria and St Louis, but that's about it in central Illinois. Of course, you can always drive to Elburn and buy direct from Accurail! And Horizon's in Champaign.

[Anonymous]

50 Miles, that's a cake walk! I'm closer to 90 miles to get to a good LHS and to get to a great one I need to go 165 miles. Welcome to the world of Online hobby shops, which I am fairly well acquainted with! I have found dealing with the smaller online stores to be the best. M.B. Klien comes to mind <www.modeltrainstuff.com> IHC is good for the specific stuff they sell. For full service, great inventories, quick delivery, good prices and an intuitive-easy website, I like 1st place hobbies <www.1stplacehobbies.com>. The best inventories: <www.caboosehobbies.com> and of course <www.walthers.com> I have only used internet trains once, and they seemed slow to deliver. I have used many others and I feel most are very good and I like the small guys best.

[Anonymous]

Hmm..can't help you, you're in southwestern Illinois, barely between Springfield and St. Louis, best move a bit more north towards Chicago if ya want good Trains stores.

Jay.

[Anonymous]

Know any rich train lovers who would be interested in starting a train shop here?[(-D][(-D][(-D] AggroJones, how dare you laugh at me. Know any mail-order hobby shops that specialize in the lines James J. Hill owned? (look at signature for em.)

[Anonymous]

Come to SW OH. We have many modelrs as well as a several good LHS's. Here is one I like to use:

www.davistrains.com/

[Anonymous]

www.internethobbies.com
www.firsthobby.com

[Anonymous]

www.trainworld.com
www.manhattantrains.com
www.internettrains.com

[AggroJones]

HaHa! Pick E. Sacramento, CA. We got a few clubs (I belong to none), a great RR museum, several hobby shops (2 really stocked ones), and we hosted Railfair '91 and '99. A warning, it does get really hot here! [:D]

[Anonymous]

that is now what my town has become! The nearest hobby shop is now almost 50 miles away[:0], and with the way gas prices are going, that too far to drive! If you have any mail-order hobby shop's websites, please post them here. My town STINKS! no model railroaders at all except me and no hobby shops in counties that even touch mine. Please hope that some important reason comes along that would pressure me to move to A.Springfield,IL B.Galesburg,IL C. Quincy,IL or D.Litchfield,IL.[:D][;)] just joking.

One note: the nearest hobby shop to me is in Alton, IL (45 miles away from Carrollton)and is named the Green Caboose. OK service, they take a few bucks off the msrp of the products they sell, and they're a dealer for BLI. If only they were just a little closer! say 15-30 miles would satisfy me.