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Hobby Shops In Southern Ontario

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Posted by trolleyboy on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 11:05 PM

Hi Modeller's choice is boxing day only. I had their flyer mailed to me today infact , looks to be some pretty good deals. If your an HO person $99.99 for the newest run of Kato SD40-2's and for the N scalers the new True line RS10's and 18's are also $99.99 instead of the normal $139.99, I noticed a few rolling stock items priced fairly low for boxing day as well.I know the couple that own Trains on Brant and I tend to do most of my shopping either there or at Great Western Model Trains in Brantford where I live.I do make at least one trip a month down to Niagara central in St Catharines as well though ( my home town I visit the family and hit the hobby shop ) they had a good price on the new True Line CNR wood cabooses less than $40 bucks so I couldn't really complain.

Rob

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Posted by mavrick0 on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 8:16 AM

Caso.Sub I've been to otter valley and wasn't really impressed with it.  Now it doesn't help that I'm in n-scale and they have pretty much nothing but even their HO stock is low when you start thinking about the drive out there.

trolleyboy has GWM still set his closing date for the summer.  I know there was talk as he wasn't going to renew his lease at the end of Dec. but last time I was in there talking to the owner he said he had signed another one for another 6 months just wondering if things have changed at all.  If you are going to Niagara I'd check in to this place in Grimsby.

CP5415, didn't know that was the case, so you are saying that if I declare it I won't have to pay any duty, is this the same as no taxes?

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Posted by trolleyboy on Thursday, December 20, 2007 11:18 PM

Hi Mavrick, yes he has set a date Dec 31 2008. The lease he has with VIA can only be broken on the 31st of December so they are going on for another year. I have treid the new store in Grimsby, I like his selection and he's a good guy to deal with.

Rob

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Posted by trolleyboy on Thursday, December 27, 2007 9:02 PM

 So how did everyone make out with the boxing day deals. I did go out to modellers choice and picked up a few of the Proto ONR cars they had on sale for $9.99,it was a mad house in there.

Rob

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Ontario
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Posted by Caso.Sub on Saturday, December 29, 2007 12:29 AM

Went to a few shops, picked up some deals.

CASO

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Posted by betamax on Saturday, December 29, 2007 6:06 AM
Went to Lark Spur Line, spent a lot of money, yet it all fit into one of those CTC "green bags" (the black one that says 'this bag is green'.)

A few kits, some freight cars, a big bag of Branchline wheelsets, some Kadee couplers, and a couple of those Coffman clamps. Everything 20% off.

My savings were then put into the gas tank. The day before the prices spiked 3 cents.
  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Ontario
  • 383 posts
Posted by Caso.Sub on Monday, March 10, 2008 7:28 PM

I heard a story a few days ago. Supposedly Doug's Trains is closing its doors. Has anyone heard anything like this?

CASO

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Posted by trolleyboy on Monday, March 10, 2008 10:37 PM

I have not , but then again I'm not entirely supprised he is a bit of an odd duck. On the upside theer is a new shop in Brantford it's on Hill Ave just off Charing cross, a new husband and wife team so far I like what I've seen. They are called the York and Seven ,lots of higher quality craftman type stuff and DCC components,they seem willing to order anything for you so they should be a good fit in the area.

Rob

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  • From: Ontario
  • 383 posts
Posted by Caso.Sub on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 8:06 AM

Ya I have seen them out to the Paris Show and went to their store. I laughed at him when he told me I should be paying 145 for lok sound decoders. When my local dealer sells them for 120. I wonder how hes gonna survive with Scott (GW). Scott has a lot of loyal guys and thats hard to beat.

 

CASO

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Posted by trolleyboy on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:18 PM

It's hard to say Scott is bound and determined to be gone by the end of the year  with his new job he just hasn't got the time for the store. He's also been suporting the new guy and refrefering over his customers. It's too abd I love Scott's store it's in a perfect spot real trains and the models kills two hobby birds with one stone. If I had the cash I'd buy the store from Scott but alas I don't.I think the new guy will be all right , give him a year or two to learn the ropes and I think it will be all right.

Rob

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  • From: Ontario
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Posted by Caso.Sub on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 1:18 AM

I figure Modellers Choice will kill him. West of Woodstock its Otter Valley and Broughdale country. Those guys will take marketshare to the border. Especially OVR they have been coming on with their specials promotions and such. I don't see how New York and Seven are gonna do much, i heard also he doesn't even need to work and he gets paid. Supposedly some car accident.

CASO

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Posted by trolleyboy on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 3:31 PM

I've not heard that one,still it seems like quite a few of the GW are going in there,hard to say teh shops part and partial with his layout which is all DCC and computer controlled ( way over my head ) but its in that whatever floats your boat catagory I suppose. I haven't treid the Otter Valley and I don't go out to London to Broghdale all that much . I work in Hamilton so Modeller's Choice is a main stop for me other than Scott's, usually I head down the QEW to Niagara Central a couple times a month as well.

Rob

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Posted by betamax on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 5:22 PM
 TA462 wrote:
George's Trains opened up a second store that is just full of only HO and N scale stuff.  Its up in Markham.  I was there in July and thought they had a great selection.  Its also a great place to railfan, its right beside CN's main line. 


I was there in November.

Not impressed. The hours suck, basically 9 to 5 Tuesday to Saturday. The selection wasn't very impressive either. I went there are lunchtime because any other time is not an option, spent about 20 minutes before leaving empty handed.

After my time at the office, there wasn't enough time to run the other guys over to the hotel and then go to George's. By the time I would get there, they'd have locked up and gone home, yet I was only a couple of miles (if that much) from there.

Even some Accurail cars I could assemble in the evenings in the hotel room would have been nice. They really didn't have much, if any of that either.
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Posted by trolleyboy on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 9:20 PM

 betamax wrote:
 TA462 wrote:
George's Trains opened up a second store that is just full of only HO and N scale stuff.  Its up in Markham.  I was there in July and thought they had a great selection.  Its also a great place to railfan, its right beside CN's main line. 


I was there in November.

Not impressed. The hours suck, basically 9 to 5 Tuesday to Saturday. The selection wasn't very impressive either. I went there are lunchtime because any other time is not an option, spent about 20 minutes before leaving empty handed.

After my time at the office, there wasn't enough time to run the other guys over to the hotel and then go to George's. By the time I would get there, they'd have locked up and gone home, yet I was only a couple of miles (if that much) from there.

Even some Accurail cars I could assemble in the evenings in the hotel room would have been nice. They really didn't have much, if any of that either.

 I was wondering is this "new" store for Georges the old Railview Hobby shop. It was a good shop at one point lots of craftsman type stuff and it was all Canadian prototype.

Rob

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  • From: Paris Junction
  • 247 posts
Posted by 1train1 on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 10:09 PM
 Caso.Sub wrote:

I heard a story a few days ago. Supposedly Doug's Trains is closing its doors. Has anyone heard anything like this?

CASO

Has anyone confirmed this ? It's a good little store and easier to get to than Broughdale (which I think is a little overpriced ). Anyone feel like emailing Doug to confirm if and when ?

Paris Junction Mile 30.73 Dundas Sub Paris, Ontario http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/ppuser/3728/cat/500
  • Member since
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  • From: Ontario
  • 383 posts
Posted by Caso.Sub on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 11:58 PM

"Good little store"

 

I don't agree with that sentiment. As mentioned above, Railview was a great store for great things. When I was downtown working in Toronto for meetings, I would go to Railview. Those hours also create a disaster. I would have to send me assistant to get my trains. I don't think the company policy applies to picking up trains. haha Or does it!!

CASO

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