Danged straight! As often as possible: Doc's Caboose, Kansas City, MO. - docscaboose.com The folks there are Doc & Jen Synder, and Tom Teeple. Three of the nicest people you'll find anywhere and both knowledgable and great modelers, modelers to boot. There's nother there occasionally, but I disremember his name (at that age, you know).
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Gary M. Collins gmcrailgNOSPAM@gmail.com
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"Common Sense, Ain't!" -- G. M. Collins
http://fhn.site90.net
I visit mine once a month, just yesterday I bought a TH&B boxcar and a soldering iron.
My Layout Photos- http://s1293.photobucket.com/user/ajwarshal/library/
I don't know if there's still a hobby shop/train store in my immediate area, so getting train supplies usually involves mail order from Toy Train Heaven or a pilgrimage to either Lantz's or English's.
Very often, but I'm lucky to be close to one of the besT - Caboose Hobbies in Denver.
Sean
HO Scale CSX Modeler
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
AntonioFP45 Hobbytown My turn-off about that store is that the sales clerks, at times, seem distant and uninterested in speaking with me when I ask a question or make a friendly comment about trains. Maybe I'm just overreacting as I do enjoy good conversations.
Hobbytown
My turn-off about that store is that the sales clerks, at times, seem distant and uninterested in speaking with me when I ask a question or make a friendly comment about trains. Maybe I'm just overreacting as I do enjoy good conversations.
It's probably because these clerks don't know much about model railroading. I sometimes go to hobbytown if I need paints, tools or sheet styrene. I only go there because it's on my way from work.
Metro Red Line I sort of do. I'm fortunate to have about a dozed model railroad hobby shops within a hour's drive from me here in the Los Angeles area, though some stores are better-stocked than others. I model N scale, and maybe 5 or so of those stores have good and current N scale stock. I have to admit, I buy online when it comes to locos and the latest rolling stock because I HATE paying MSRP, but rely on LHSes when it comes to scenery items, track, scratchbuilding supplies and any item that can't wait for whatever reason. One of my LHSes still has a good stock of a certain brand of intermodal trailers, and even the online hobby shops don't have them, so I gradually take up their entire supply :)
I sort of do. I'm fortunate to have about a dozed model railroad hobby shops within a hour's drive from me here in the Los Angeles area, though some stores are better-stocked than others. I model N scale, and maybe 5 or so of those stores have good and current N scale stock.
I have to admit, I buy online when it comes to locos and the latest rolling stock because I HATE paying MSRP, but rely on LHSes when it comes to scenery items, track, scratchbuilding supplies and any item that can't wait for whatever reason. One of my LHSes still has a good stock of a certain brand of intermodal trailers, and even the online hobby shops don't have them, so I gradually take up their entire supply :)
Metro Red Line
Which stores in the LA area do you find the best deals on engines, rolling stock?
Howabout track, accessories etc.?
Thanks
BBF
Sad to say, the dedicated model railroad stores in my area are gone. There is a Hobby Town in my area that I purchase paint supplies, glues, and styrene from. My turn-off about that store is that the sales clerks, at times, seem distant and uninterested in speaking with me when I ask a question or make a friendly comment about trains. Maybe I'm just overreacting as I do enjoy good conversations.
In the past 3 years my rolling stock and locomotive purchases have been from online. Ebay is my primary source. Even with the risks I've been fortunate in finding what I've wanted: Walthers "old stock" passenger cars (Alclad fodder), Spectrum NH E33, and Busch GMC transit Fishbowl buses. I always look for a 100% Feedback rating. For other items, I like MB Klein (from whom I recently purchased a new GG1) and Dan's Trains. Both reputable businesses.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
While the internet has made it very easy, i still need the interaction with the LHS. Mine has to be the Best in Florida, if they don't have they will help to get or let you know where it can be found.
READT TO ROLL, in south florida.
I have LHS, I still probably buy about 90% of my model trains and related items from them.
Modelling HO Scale with a focus on the West and Midwest USA
Well, we railroaders here in South Jersey are lucky,,,,we actually had a LHS open in the last year and their inventory is growing everytime I go in. Their prices are higher and of course there is tax but I have switched to supporting them as they have had lots of PECO turnouts and such for my needs as I have finished the trackwork on my layout.
They do alot of business off the net but their store is well stocked. Yeah for Yankee Dabbler in south Jersey.
Bart
tstage retsignalmtr Since the nearest hobby shop is 53 miles away and if I drive there with my 20 MPG truck (only vehicle) i'll use over $15 in gas + $1.50 bridge toll, versus $7-$9 shipping and if I buy out of state NO TAX. Really only one way to go. I don't know how it is where you live, retsignalmtr, but here in OH we still have to pay "usage tax" for any and all out-of-state, non-taxed purchases. While not at time of purchase, it gets calculated and included in when filling out OH taxes every year. I do understand about gas though. Thankfully I have a 2008 Civic that's pretty miserly on gas consumption. Tom
retsignalmtr Since the nearest hobby shop is 53 miles away and if I drive there with my 20 MPG truck (only vehicle) i'll use over $15 in gas + $1.50 bridge toll, versus $7-$9 shipping and if I buy out of state NO TAX. Really only one way to go.
Since the nearest hobby shop is 53 miles away and if I drive there with my 20 MPG truck (only vehicle) i'll use over $15 in gas + $1.50 bridge toll, versus $7-$9 shipping and if I buy out of state NO TAX. Really only one way to go.
I don't know how it is where you live, retsignalmtr, but here in OH we still have to pay "usage tax" for any and all out-of-state, non-taxed purchases. While not at time of purchase, it gets calculated and included in when filling out OH taxes every year.
I do understand about gas though. Thankfully I have a 2008 Civic that's pretty miserly on gas consumption.
Tom
The nearest 'local' hobby shop to me is 70 miles away in Tucson, Arizona. Other than trips to the VA Hospital, I only go to Tucson when I have more than one place I need to stop at, and visit the hobby shop on those trips; otherwise, I either wait until I have a list of items to purchase or use an on-line store.
yougottawanta Yes I do. I do because first of ll he pays taxes that benefit the local community. Not some warehouse where they do not give a hoot about us and their only loyalty is to the next chap with a nickel in his pocket. Secondly I like to actually look at , feel , study the product I want to buy, I also hate paying for freight or handling. Lastly I can go to my LHS and they will order the product for me and I can pick it up with out paying freight or handling because he orders it with his bulk orders.
Yes I do. I do because first of ll he pays taxes that benefit the local community. Not some warehouse where they do not give a hoot about us and their only loyalty is to the next chap with a nickel in his pocket. Secondly I like to actually look at , feel , study the product I want to buy, I also hate paying for freight or handling. Lastly I can go to my LHS and they will order the product for me and I can pick it up with out paying freight or handling because he orders it with his bulk orders.
What a dream that would be to walk into a hobby shop that is loaded with new stock every weekend..
Sadly those shops are far and few between and may be nonexistent in some areas.
However,there is hope.
Thousands of the on line shops are real honest to goodness B&M shops and there are several on e-bay too selling their old stock that their walk in customers did not buy..
Think of this.
Guys like me is helping somebody's LHS to stay open by buying their old dusty stock through their web page or e-Bay store...
And that is a win-win for all.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Well there is a pretty good shop here in the Fort. They actualy have 2 stores and one they just moved from a sardine can to nice open type department store. Before you generally had to move stuff out of the way to see what was in the display case but now it is all on shelves. I have not been to the other store since they opoened the new one. The other store still has the sardine thing going but the can size is a lttle bit biger.
As it was said I have most everything I need. And my next big hobby purchase will be at Lowes as I will need wood for the new bench work. And I will drive right by that nice new LHS on my way for wood. Both are within 3 miles of my house.
Modeling a railroad hypothetically set in time.
Hey caboose, don't forget Rodger's Hobby on State St. I stop in there for small things because I drive past on my way home from work.
Here in Central Michigan, we have three really great hobby shops. They are Rider's Hobby Shop in Flint Twp near Flint; Brasseur's Electric Trains, Saginaw, Michigan, and Junction Valley Railroad Hobby Shop in Bridgeport. Junction Valley's shop has year round discount on all of their merchandise. Brasseur's is all model trains and nothing else. Bob the owner also has a few operating layouts in the store, including a Santa Fe Streamline scale #1 passenger train. Bob Brasseur will ship to anywhere in the world.
[quote user="cmrproducts"]
My Local Hobby Shop is only 4 miles from me!
Can't get much better than that - and they discount too!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
hon30critter I try to buy from brick and mortor hobby shops, but the local ones are just far enough away that going there is more costly and much more of a hassle then buying on line. You really have to have a good reason to drive into Toronto these days. The last time I checked, the closest LHS was charging $18.00 for shipping small items less than 100 kms. I can order the same item for the same price from Edmonton, which is 2,500 kms away for $6.00 shipping and save 2-3 hours stuck in traffic to boot. The Edmonton source is a brick and mortor store by the way. I am also keeping an eye out for other Canadian hobby stores where their shipping costs are reasonable, and I do a fair amount of buying from US hobby shops as well. My biggest crime is eBay! Dave
I try to buy from brick and mortor hobby shops, but the local ones are just far enough away that going there is more costly and much more of a hassle then buying on line. You really have to have a good reason to drive into Toronto these days. The last time I checked, the closest LHS was charging $18.00 for shipping small items less than 100 kms. I can order the same item for the same price from Edmonton, which is 2,500 kms away for $6.00 shipping and save 2-3 hours stuck in traffic to boot. The Edmonton source is a brick and mortor store by the way.
I am also keeping an eye out for other Canadian hobby stores where their shipping costs are reasonable, and I do a fair amount of buying from US hobby shops as well. My biggest crime is eBay!
Dave
While there are many hobby stores in Toronto, as far as I am aware there are no more dedicated train stores. There are a few shops in the east end which have train stuff but I don't think they do mail orders. Major stores are in Missasauga (Credit Valley) and Markham (George's); If you are looking for scale trains, there inst much in Toronto. On the other hand, if you are looking for real trains...
Actually there are several mr clubs so I can't say that there isn't much model railroading. Its just that there are very few mr focused retail stores.
Two hobby shops near me. One is about 20 minutes away, and at one time, was probably the best in southern Ontario. While I still visit there regularly, the train section has shrunk down to almost nothing, and very little of what's there is of interest to me.The other is about 5 minutes away, and while it's a small store, they have a good selection of new and used stuff, and will order whatever you need, usually available the following week. Friendly and knowledgeable staff and a good gathering place for local modellers, too.
I have, on occasion, driven to other stores - enough that they could have been considered "local". Buffalo, NY was a regular spot for many years. I also ordered a difficult-to-find car through a southwestern Ontario shop about 85 miles away. They were going to mail it to me, but I opted to drive down to pick it up. Not only did I find more interesting stuff (some of which I purchased) but I also had an enjoyable drive through an area I'd not previously visited.When I visit friends in the States (mostly Ohio and western Pennsylvania), I often drop by English' Model Trains (Bowser). It's, I dunno, 100-150 miles out of my way, but always worth the drive, even just to browse, and always an enjoyable drive, too. I have ordered stuff from them on-line, too, but being in the store is always enjoyable - just like the big, well-stocked stores which used to exist around here.
Wayne
I live close to a great shop, the Original Whistle Stop in Pasadena Ca, but unfortunatly they do not stock much large scale, and nothing of the type of stuff I model, but I do buy alot of scratchbuilding materials and CA adhesives there. I have been switching to Tamiya paints lately which puts me into the local RC shop. I have to go as far as Upland or Ventura for a dedicated scale shop.
Have fun with your trains
Hi guys, yep, I do check in once and a while! It's my outside season, so the layout lights haven't been on in a few weeks, but, the hobby shops I visit are in Dave Nelson territory, Walther's, Hiawatha Hobbies, South Side Trains, Somerfelds, and I visit them all, along with lots of on line buying. Hiawatha Hobbies I visit the most, usually for supplies, and not locos or rolling stock. South Side Trains I visit when I win one of their many on line auctions, I go to pick up and pay, which is a good reason to go and look at what Tom has. Somerfelds is great for the selection on used stuff from estate sales, etc., along with MTH stuff for the grandson's train.
Right now, it's my season for concrete projects, working on our place in northern WI, and fixing and restoring old lawn tractors. Good to be back outside again! It was a l----o----n----g winter!, although I did get lots of projects done on the railroad.
Mike.
My You Tube
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Yes both of them. The one in Monroe I can find eclectic stuff and spurr of the moment stuff, the one in Madison everything else.
I live in the same general area as Karl and Russ (west central Maryland), and go to the same shops. If I were to move away and find myself without a LHS, I'd probably buy online from these same folks. They've been faithful to the hobby and to their customers for years, and I feel that deserves recognition and support. It feels good to be recognized by people who know me and know my modeling interests. For out of production items I check for consignment or used items at these shops, go to the shows (mostly Timonium), or use eBay, simply because that's an area that the LHS probably couldn't serve as well.
It's kind of sad to hear the comments of modelers who have no LHS or who have poor ones. That's why I think we ought to all support these small brick & mortar outfits as much as we can through personal visits or mail order or online shopping. It's also a reason I don't subscribe to MR or Trains. Sometimes buying a magazine is all the excuse I need for visiting the LHS.
Jimmy_Braum I have Legends hobby near me. Not much Kits, but plenty of RTR stuff.
I have Legends hobby near me. Not much Kits, but plenty of RTR stuff.
As for rolling stock it seems that all the hobby shops I go to have mostly RTRs and a skrinking inventory of kits. Although the RTRs are high quality, they are 2 to 3 times the cost of the kits. I would assume there would be a good market for kits especially for people on tighter budgets and people who want lots of rolling stock. I wonder if either the LHS are not in touch with the customers or the majority of the customers have deeper wallets.
P.S. Tommy Gilbert definitely is in touch with his customers
I would love to buy from the LHS, if I had one. When I lived in Colorado, I was in every other week or so and made the pilgrimage to Caboose Hobbies once a quarter. But now, I can't even find balsa wood within 50 miles, much less train related items. The nearest RR hobby shop, which is a two hour drive, has mostly "toy" trains (in the sense of classic 3-rail, not cheap junk), but very little HO or N, mostly trade in items. Very hard to find any recent offerings from Atlas, Walthers, or others.
jim