There has been a lot of complaining about model railroading being expensive. So, I thought we should have a thread to discuss LHS or websites with the cheapest prices.
Please post where you have found the best deals.
Edit: please tell is the name and location of the hobby shop that you find has great prices.
Often difficult to figure this other than on a "right now" basis. Much depends on who "has" and "who has on sale" when you are ready to order.
At one time I had a number of items to order. Looked over the availability from several sources. It actually worked out cheaper to order from two dealers and pay two shipping charges, than buying from one source. Seems to me I saved nearly $20 on items totaling less than $200.
Just my findings.
Have fun,
Richard
The cheapest prices I have found were at LHS. One in Clarksville, VA (Virginia's only lakeside town) called AtoZ hobbies has helicopters, planes, and RC cars in the front half of the store, and the back half has rolling stock and structures. Has a small selection though. However it is a family run business and the owner is very nice and does ship. Around $15 for Athearn RTR boxcars and gondolas.
The other hobby shop is in Spencer,NC called "Little Choo Choo Shop" (it is listed in MRR), right across from the museum of transportation. The trick is to ride the train at the museum (I highly recommend the cab ride) and you get a 10% discount off your purchase at the store. Huge selection, I highly recommend. I got an Accurail covered hopper for $13.
There is no best answer. For one thing, availability may be more important than price, as the "best" retailer and the "best" e-tailer may be out of something you want, while another may have it.
My LHS is not always the cheapest place to get things, but I'm at the stage where I'm ordering small items, and the shipping costs would be a killer. My LHS will order things for me, and I don't pay shipping. He will give me the sale price, or a 10-15% store discount, whichever costs me less. I ordered a pre-order locomotive last year, and was shocked when he beat the Trainworld price, usually the best, by a substantial amount.
But, for everyday lowest prices, real-time inventory and often items that are sold out at Walthers, I would say Trainworld.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
My LHS closed it's doors in 2009. Since then, my preferred model railroading choices have been:
1. MB Klein. - Reliable with good customer service. The reps answer the phone and reply to email inquiries.
2. EBay. - I've enjoyed some excellent deals by being an alert and patient shopper. As a result, I rarely attend train swap meets. For "the bay" I use the tips that a friend of mine gave me years back:
A. Read the listing(s) thoroughly, especially shipping charges.
B. Read the seller's feedback. No guarantees that there won't be problems, but if a seller has less than a 100% feedback rating, I look for and read all of the "Negative" and "Neutral" responses.
C. DON'T be shy! Ask questions about the item (dents, scratches, performance, broken parts etc).
D. Don't harp on an item that's been bidded up ridiculously high! Unless it's a rare brass piece, an identical item will come along sooner or later.........just be patient! He was right. I waited over a year, but I was happy when I finally won a LL P2K SD9 in the CB&Q "Black Bird" paint scheme. Identical models had previously gone for $100+.
I typically target Life Like (not Walthers) Proto 2000 locomotives "New in the Box" or in good condtion and Walthers older-run passenger cars.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
I use the three most popular on line hobby shops and 6 e-Bay stores(that's also B&M hobby shops) as well as train shows and the use market.
There are still deals to be found on e-Bay at BIN but,you can't rush through 4 or 5 pages..Also check the stores that offer low BIN prices.
Why BIN?
I found auctions usually goes wild in the last minute with ridiculous over the top bidding.
As a example.
I found a very hard to find Bev-Bel/Athearn Berlin Ry 50' boxcar..I put my bid at the going price for this car..In the last 60 seconds the bids came fast and the car sold for just over $32.00-going prices for these cars is $15-18.00.
The happy news is about 10 weeks later I found another Berlin Ry boxcar for $9.99 BIN.I bought that car and three other Bev-Bel/Athearn cars from the same dealer and the combine shipping was $6.95.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
In general MB Klien. For Bachmann Star Hobbies (They do the train show circuit).
Joe Staten Island West
Since getting back into the hobby two years ago I have done a lot of shopping. The lowest prices I have found have been at model train flea markets. Second is Ebay, which also offers the largest "inventory". Highest prices around here are the local hobby shops which tend to sell at manufacturers suggested retail prices.
KyleSpencer,NC called "Little Choo Choo Shop
Russell
csxns Kyle Spencer,NC called "Little Choo Choo Shop This saturday and the next they are haveing a 25 year sale.
Kyle Spencer,NC called "Little Choo Choo Shop
This saturday and the next they are haveing a 25 year sale.
That's only two days, not 25 years!
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
I generally have a list of my immediate needs, then buy when I find a good sale price. Sometimes, even direct from Walthers works when an item is on sale.
Generally, though, I have the best luck at Trainworld and MB Klein. Wholesale Trains (Lentz Hobby Shop) appears to offer good prices, but I have been burned by excessive S&H charges and long delays for "available" items.
I find MB Klein, Trainworld, and Micro-mark have good prices. Who is cheapest varies with who is having a sale on what I want. Absent a sale, MB Klein seems the cheapest. I have had no problems ordering from all 3. For older stuff, train shows are a good bet. Some things are really cheap.
Enjoy
Paul
MisterBeasley There is no best answer. For one thing, availability may be more important than price, as the "best" retailer and the "best" e-tailer may be out of something you want, while another may have it. My LHS is not always the cheapest place to get things, but I'm at the stage where I'm ordering small items, and the shipping costs would be a killer. My LHS will order things for me, and I don't pay shipping. He will give me the sale price, or a 10-15% store discount, whichever costs me less. I ordered a pre-order locomotive last year, and was shocked when he beat the Trainworld price, usually the best, by a substantial amount. But, for everyday lowest prices, real-time inventory and often items that are sold out at Walthers, I would say Trainworld.
What is the name of your LHS and where is it located?