Train Shops in St. Louis Area– Post Trip Report

[AKKevinT]

Greetings from the Frozen North!

I am going to be traveling into St. Louis Missouri next week and I was wondering if anyone on the forum could suggest or share the name and location of any good hobby shops to visit? Since we really don't have any o-gauge shops in Alaska it would be fun to take a look at a shop or two. One with a nice latout would be a bonus.

For that matter are there any nice public o-gauge display in St. Louis or surrounding area that would be worth visiting?

Thanks for any suggestions that send my way folks!

Best Regards from the Freezer,

Kevin T.

ps it was still snowing in Fairbanks as recently as a couple of days ago, I am deeming this spring the "Inconvenient Spring of 2008" and hope to have an Al type slide show soon! Bring back global warming for a few days– please!  

[lionelsoni]

Well, Kevin, I guess there's no point in asking you where to find train shops in Fairbanks!  I'm going to be there on May 11 and 12 when MHS graduates its 50th class of seniors.

I do want to check out the new depot.  From the Google map it looks like an easy walk from Slaterville if I can get away with crossing the yard.  Otherwise, I think I would have to drive to approach it from the north.  Will I be thwarted if I try to get there along Minnie or Charles Streets? 

[palallin]

Electric Train Outlet--Page Avenue just west of Woodson Road.

Hobby Station--South Lindberg north of I-44, near the UP station.

Shaefer's Hobby--Gravois just east of South Lindberg (a few miles south of Hobby station).  there's another shop on further east of there several miles on Gravois, but I cannot remember the name.

Checkered Flag just west of I-255 (South I-270) on LeMay Ferry.

There's also an O gauge/scale shop on Manchester 'way down East, and the name of that one also eludes me.

[Brutus]

Hey Kevin, close the door okay?  The temp dropped like 50 degrees since last Saturday, LOL

That's about it for O gauge.  There is another store called Marty's Model Railroad and I think they have O gauge, but I haven't managed to get there while they are open yet.  Here is a link that may be useful:

http://www.hobbyshopguideusa.com/missourihobbyshops.htm

Schaeffer's is a good hobby store, but does not have a lot of O gauge.  Electric Trains is all O gauge and they have a lot of stuff.  The Hobby Station in Kirkwood has really about 2 aisles worth of O gauge stuff and it's almost all Lionel.  These are the 3 I usually go to.  They are all MSRP on most items, which is usual.  I have gotten a good deal on gargraves at Electric Trains twice, but wasn't paying attention and paid full price (about $9 plus dollars) a piece once, so I about broke even on the deal -- it was just a few pieces.  They all have nice people working there.  For sheer amount of stuff, Electric Trains would be a must.

We also have a pretty nice train collection you can visit:

http://transportmuseumassociation.org/

I'm not sure about public O gauge displays, sorry.  I currently have most of my stuff in tubs with just a single loop of track to play with while I'm working on the house. 

PS - you have email...

[palallin]

mart'ys!  that's the one down on Gravois, I think.

[Brutus]

Yep,

Marty's Model Railroad 9622 Gravois Rd Affton, Missouri 63123-4345

314-638-8250

Do they have O gauge?

[palallin]

O and S, but not much new production (at least the last time I was there), but they do have postwar, MPC, and even some prewar on the shelves.  Of course, they buy, too.  They had a small selection of Gargraves but I don't remember seeing Atlas track.  As I understand it, they're an old shop and do an old fashioned business.

[AKKevinT]

Jim and Pallallin– Thank you so much for all of the great information and locations. I will be in St. Louis briefly on May 4th and again on May 10th. I think I will be able to squeeze in at least one visit to a couple of the shops you all have suggested. (Jim, I updated the email address in my profile so it should be working.) I am looking forward to getting down to the lower 48 for visit with family and old high school/college friends, play some handball in Columbia and maybe purchase a new touring bicycle.

Most of my time will be spent outside of St. Louis in St. James visiting with family members. What should I expect for weather while I am down there? Anything will better than our current weather– more snow today. We got a couple of inches last night and this morning but it is only in the 30's so the temperatures are fine.

Bob Nelson– are you a MHS graduate? I did not realize this is the 50th graduation for Monroe– congratulation! I will be getting back into Fairbanks late on the 11th (really the am of the 12th). If there is anything I can help you with while you are here in Fairbanks on the 12 let me know. If you email me at [e-mail] I will be happy to reply with a telephone number I can be reached at during the daytime.

The new train station is really very nice. Since it is in the ARR train yard there is always something going on. You should not have to much trouble walking over to the train depot but you cannot cut through the train yard to do it you have to go around. There is a paved walking/bike trail along the Johanson Expressway. To get to the Johanson take Minnie to Illinios to College Road. On college road turn left like you are heading toward the university and you will walk under the Johanson Expressway. On the northside of the underpass is where you will see the walking path, make a left (west) and start hoofing it until you come to the next intersection ot the Johanson and Danby St. Make a left and cros the Johanson and you will find yourself in the driveway of ARR depot. They have very nice HO train display there as well. Would you like for me to find out if you could speak with some of the HO club guys while you are here. I am not sure what hours the display is open for viewing but I will try to find out for you.

There is also a new railroad attraction at AlaskaLand. I have not visited it yet but I believe it is very nice. If I have it right it focuses on the early narrow gauge steam lines that were used around the Tanana Valley during the gold discovery periods. If you get a chance it might be a nice spot to take in as well. There are several other attractions like the restored sternwheeler the Nenana and the Air North Museum. Both are very nice and worth seeing. Here is a website link that has a bunch of links regarding Fairbanks and Alaska:

http://fairbanks-alaska.com/site-index.htm

Thanks again for all the information folks. I will be sure to leave the snow and cold spring weather behind me here in Fairbanks!

Best Regards from the Freezer!

Kevin T. 

 

[palallin]

Kevin,

 

I live just outside St. James.  We're looking at a good chance of rain this Friday with clearing and moderate through the weekend.  But this is Missouri, and the forecast will change six times between now and then and will still be wrong.

[AKKevinT]

I live just outside St. James.  We're looking at a good chance of rain this Friday with clearing and moderate through the weekend.  But this is Missouri, and the forecast will change six times between now and then and will still be wrong.

Palallin thanks for the weather forecast. I will be sure to bring my rain parka and shorts both! That up and down weather you describe is the very reason I decided to head north and west. The winters back there are just to unpredicatable for my liking. I would rather it be cold and stay cold rather than snow one day, rain the next and sunny after that! I am just not tough enough to put up with that many changes.

It is funny that you live close to St. James what a coincidence. Do you live near Rolla or the other direction from St. James? 

 

[Brutus]

Check out local weather here, usually closer than the other channels for STL:

http://www.myfoxstl.com/myfox/pages/Weather/Forecasts?pageId=9.3

Electrictrains does not have hours on a Sunday, but they are open until 2PM on Saturday: http://www.electrictrainoutlet.com/hours_location.cfm

Schaeffers is open on Sunday from 11 AM to 5 PM.

I don't think that the Kirwood Hobby Station is open on Sunday, but you could call? 

Hobby Station

301 S Kirkwood Rd
Kirkwood, MO 63122
3148221927

Map for Hobby Station

I'll send a new email!

[KenEllis]

Take time to visit the Museum of Transportation!

 

http://transportmuseumassociation.org/ 

[palallin]

Most of us Missouri Mules tolerate it fairly well, as I'm sure you know (though we reserve the right to complain about it). 

 

We live between them but closer to St. James, just east of Little Prarie lake.

[dwiemer]

So Kevin is coming to the lower 48?  That explains the big cool down that many have been experiencing around here.  Good to hear from you Kevin.  I miss your reports that made the winter a bit more tolerable in these parts.  Hope you have a good safe trip.

dennis

[Brutus]

Transport museum pics (2 of about 100 I took one day when some cub scouts were visiting): 

[AKKevinT]

Post Missouri Trip Report-

I had a great time while I was in Missouri but the schedule was way over loaded and I accomplished less than half that I set out to do. I was unable to visit any hobby shops while I was outside. I did not shop for a new touring bicycle or visit any wood working shops either! From those the perspectives the trip was a let down.

From the visiting and reconnecting point of view with family & friends the trip was a wild success! I hauled enough frozen red salmon & halibut fillets, smoked red & silver salmon, reindeer pepperoni, and wild Alaska blueberries to put on 4 nights of Alaska bar-B-Q feasting! I think I converted everyone over from farmed salmon to fresh caught wild salmon without much argument. It is a blast getting share some of the Alaska bounty with folks who have never experienced it before.

I sure saw a lot of thunder, lightening, rain, dead possums and St.L Cardinal baseball caps in my travels. I guess my next visit outside will have to have at least one day scheduled for sight seeing and model train chasing!

Over all I still have to give the trip an A+ but when it was all over I would have to agree with the original words of Dorothy Gale in the Wizard of OZ "There's no place like Alaska" (at least that is what she meant to say!)

Best Regards from Alaska!

Kevin T. 

[alexweiihman]

Its ashame hat you had no time to visit any train stores, but the most important this is that despite no trains, it seems you had a good time.