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travel to a model railroad hobby shop

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  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Wayne County Michigan
  • 678 posts
Posted by dale8chevyss on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 5:27 PM
A hobby lobby in town (decent for what I need it for usually) that is 4 miles away; another hobby store about a half hour drive (mediocre but a step up from Hobby Lobby for some things) but the best hobby store I have found is over 90 miles away.  I go there on occassion (NOT just to go to the store, when I am in the area for certain things.)  It's one of those stores that actually know what they are talking about when it comes to trains, which is hard to find these days I have found (about hobby stores).

Modeling the N&W freelanced at the height of their steam era in HO.

 Daniel G.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bettendorf Iowa
  • 2,173 posts
Posted by Driline on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 5:33 PM
 markpierce wrote:

There is a fairly-well equipped train store about two miles from home.  The store discounts almost all items 10% from MSRP.  Also, the owner-operator is an attractive female.

Mark

LOL Big Smile [:D] We have one LHS owner-operator in our area with a nice pair of double D's.

Modeling the Davenport Rock Island & Northwestern 1995 in HO
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: BC, CANADA
  • 1,279 posts
Posted by Pathfinder on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 5:40 PM
 Driline wrote:
 markpierce wrote:

There is a fairly-well equipped train store about two miles from home.  The store discounts almost all items 10% from MSRP.  Also, the owner-operator is an attractive female.

Mark

LOL Big Smile [:D] We have one LHS owner-operator in our area with a nice pair of double D's.

 

Hmm, Double D's  

 

Laugh [(-D]

Keep on Trucking, By Train! Where I Live: BC Hobbies: Model Railroading (HO): CP in the 70's in BC and logging in BC
  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: florida
  • 276 posts
Posted by subman on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 7:28 PM
Cordon , Orlando is the same distance as Ocala but it takes 1/2 hr longer from where I live to get there because I would have to take a 2 lane state road for about 35 miles with a lot of lights. There are several train stores in Orlando but I have never shopped them.The Train Depot & Colonial Photo & Hobby to name a few.

Bob D As long as you surface as many times as you dive you`ll be alive to read these posts.

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Shalimar. Florida
  • 2,622 posts
Posted by Packer on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 8:31 PM

Nothing good local. The only hobby shp in the area has some stuff, but the selection sucks now (mostly bachman train sets or model power stuff, blech). Although for some stuff the price is pretty good. (I could have gotten a Prodigy for 140, or atlas Geeps for 70. The atlas geeps are gone the prodigy still sits their because everyone in the area uses digitrax)

If I go about an hour east I'll get 10% off MSRP (they call it low price Laugh [(-D]), another one has it marked up for about 10% over MSRP (C'mon an athearr blue box kit for 9.50?!?!?!; hoping they drop the price on the P2K GP20 in BN; I'm the only person in the whole panhandle who even buys BN Laugh [(-D])

But it seems everyone is starting to jack up the price on stuff again. (Hoping to get BN F45s when they come out and some BN P2K SD45s or Genesis F9s if I ever find them)

Vincent

Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....

2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Southeast Texas
  • 2,392 posts
Posted by Tracklayer on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 10:56 PM

My favorite train shop "was" the Houston Roundhouse but it recently went out of business due to the owner retiring. It was about 55 miles from my house but always well worth the drive. Now I'll have to deal with Papa Ben's Train Place that is a bit closer but they charge full price and don't cut anybody any slack... Oh well. What do you do.

Tracklayer

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Clinton, MO, US
  • 4,261 posts
Posted by Medina1128 on Thursday, July 3, 2008 9:16 AM
 subman wrote:

What I`d like to know is how far do you have to travel to a discount train store? I have 1 train shop in my area (Spring Hill Fl) I would have to travel 90 miles to Ocala to get any sought of a decent discount (10-20%) on model railroad equipment and supplies. Not even the big stores in Tampa Fl will sell for anything less than what Walthers charges and we all know that Walthers charges list except when they have a sale. Maybee someone could tell me of a LHS that discounts in my area that is not 90 miles away, because the 180 mile round trip cost me $40 in gas thereby negating the train discount in most cases.            

                                                                   Thank you

                                                              Bob D

Bob, I have to travel about 60 miles one way to my favorite railroad hobby shop. I've established a relationship with them, in that, if I need something, I can call them, and they will mail it to me. I trust them enough to give them my debit card information and they process it, and mail it the same day. I suggest that you speak with the store owner to see if that's possible with his store. I'm sure he would appreciate the business, and I bet you'll even refer your model railroader buddies to him. I know I have to all of mine.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bettendorf Iowa
  • 2,173 posts
Posted by Driline on Thursday, July 3, 2008 9:21 AM

 subman wrote:
Cordon , Orlando is the same distance as Ocala but it takes 1/2 hr longer from where I live to get there because I would have to take a 2 lane state road for about 35 miles with a lot of lights. There are several train stores in Orlando but I have never shopped them.The Train Depot & Colonial Photo & Hobby to name a few.

I've been to Colonial Photo and Hobby while on vacation in Florida last year. I don't know that I'd go back. Its kind of an everything hobby store that doesn't specialize in any particular hobby. I thought the stock of HO stuff was insufficient. Prices were MSRP too. I get better deals locally in Iowa with more stock to choose from. But it was a nice detraction from Mickey the Rat. I bought a $3.50 cherries car there.

Modeling the Davenport Rock Island & Northwestern 1995 in HO
  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Elizabeth City, NC
  • 155 posts
Posted by V&AL on Thursday, July 3, 2008 9:38 AM
It's darn near 3 hours to the best hobby shop arround, there's afew 1.5 hours away up in Norfolk/Cheapeak... but IMO they aint worth much...
Virginia and Alleghenny Railroad Texas and Gulf Coast Railroad (The Dixie Road) PACE: Pittsburgh Area Commuter Express Texas Express
  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Pacific Northwest
  • 3,864 posts
Posted by Don Gibson on Thursday, July 3, 2008 11:06 PM

Welcome to the World! No such thing as "Free".

You have to weigh discount vs. looking. testing, feeling, and getting exactly what what you want.

Discouters add 'handling' charges to actual freight. It allows the 'discount to look bigger

The MOST important thing is the Dealers SELECTION. Do they carry brands you want? The 'better' brands carry higher costs, and disounters tend to go with what 'moves'. EVERYONE carries Atlas track. Fewer carry Shinohara or Peco.

RETURNS  alway cost you $$ - Gas or UPS.  LHS do better here. An EXCHANGE always beats a 'Factory Warrantee', since warranties differ and change with the times.

Don Gibson .............. ________ _______ I I__()____||__| ||||| I / I ((|__|----------| | |||||||||| I ______ I // o--O O O O-----o o OO-------OO ###########################

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