ModelRailroader.com Reader Poll – January 29, 2004

[rambo1]

I buy most things at shows , georges trains and creditvalley railway in the Toronto Ontario area. rambo1........

[Anonymous]

I usually do most of my purchasing at model train shows because of the bargains that I find. & with such a wide variety of merchandise. But.....on the other hand , I do try to stop by the LHS & purchase some of my stock also , Because the way I see it , With out the "LHS" you would not probably see much at the shows .

[Anonymous]

[:D][:D] Although i am not currently modeling i do purchase my reading materal at the local shops. But due to the scale and gauge of what i model when the mood strikes i order direct from the manufacter when possible or Caboose Hobbies despite there better than you attitude they still know there stuff. On3 Washington State

[alpreston]

Really a toss-up between the LHS and mail-order. I get magazines, paint, glue, and what parts I can from the LHS, but most of the kits I want are not available there due to limited availability and/or low demand - the proprietor himself suggested I'd be better off mail ordering certain items, as it costs him too much in shipping, brokerage, etc., on single items or small quantities from the small manufacturers that produce them for him to sell them at a reasonable price.

[Anonymous]

I prefer to buy my equipment at local hobby shops because I like to see what I am buying. The two locals: Longs Drug and Train Quest, both offer nice discounts. For parts and uncommon items I use mail order, like Terminal HS or Caboose Hobbies. I feel for the hobby to survive, we must use the local hobby shop, for this is the only contact our hobby has with the general public, other than the occasional show. I feel if the local hobby shop should close its doors, the hobby will dwindle, also.

[Anonymous]

I live in Wyoming. Mail Order is the about the only option if you need anything more than Atlas Snap Track, and Athearn kits. (Sadly We can't even get those anymore.)

[Anonymous]

My purchases are split. I model 1900 era in HO and LHS carry nothing in the way of rolling stock kits or locos from this era. I like some of the older structure kits, too, which they also don't carry. Walthers' Terminal Hobbies via mail is my choice for current production. I now order from them online. I usually make a couple of train shows per year. And I have made two purchases of rare older items on eBay. I do get scenery items & some scratchbuilding stuff like styrene, wood, and paint at LHS, when they have them.

[Anonymous]

Have not found a Local hobby store, so I end up driving an hour to get to one.

[Anonymous]

Modeling Cp Lyndonvile Division Vt interchance with Mec and B&M
Buy most of my Ho materiel from online retailer,mail order,E-Bay.Can beat those prices
Occasionnationaly I'll buy from Hobby Shops where I can get the small added details

Choochoopete

[Wdlgln005]

Don't have a good LHS here. Go to bookstore to find some mags/books. Have to wait 1 year for GATS show. Sales tax too high for major purchase, so off to mail/internet order. I may stop on vacation to visit shop in lower tax state.

[alrose]

Living in England its a long way across the pond to the USA so I shop online at Caboose Hobbies. They are very helpful and give a great service and lots of advice. I belong to a model railroad club and we have a fictional layout based in Colorado called "Pine Bluffs" If you would like to see what we are up to log on to www.pine bluffs.co.uk

[Anonymous]

LHS first. That's were I bought my 4-8-2, then train shows are always good, too (got a 0-6-0 from one). But then Ebay is alright, just watch out for the shipping charges!

[Anonymous]

Because I live in A small town The closest hobby shop is 100 mls. away so I have too order most of my stuff by mail order[sigh]. But when at all possable I buy local. If you want to call 100mls. local.[:(]

[bluepuma]

Have bought items from LHS, but since I'm in N scale, and he's behind the curve in Atlas and Kato, and seldom has more than 2 of the Micro Trains new releases, I order or preorder from N Scale Supply in Denver or Rio Grande Hobbies, or another suppler. that has SP, did order from the trainshops OL and Walthers Hobby direect. Bought some old stuff from LHS, and LL from another in A/B sets. have bought buildings, and plan to buy other supplies for layout local. The big problem with LHS is they just don't have what I want. That was a problem all along the way since 1970, I first bough OL from ehobbies about 3 years ago. I used to buy from Hobby Circle, but they changed hands, and my last order months ago was my final order. Not happy.

MT and Atlas is my best Rolling stock, ConCor hasn't made me happy with lack of weight and sticking truck rotation.

I have a lot of locos, have bought good and bad, the Katos are my favorites, LL my second.

[Bob Hayes]

There is no LHS in my neck of the woods, and since I drive to southern California about 4 time a year, I buy most of what I need from two shops down there, or at shows. I recently made the mistake of buying on line from a dealer in Denver who didn't post his shipping charges at the time of ordering, but I won't be doing that again..

[Anonymous]

Living in a rural area, my nearest LHS is a five hour round trip away, so I don't get there as often as we'd both like (they love to see me and my open wallet coming LOL!) so a majority of my buying is mail order, simply by necessity. But everybody gets a taste during the year, be it the LHS, mail order, shows, on-line, or that addiction known as eBay haha!

[Anonymous]

The nearest hobby shop is 250 kms away from us so we don't get there very often. I only buy the basics like track. I save my purchases of rolling stock and locomotives for vacation time - it makes vacations a little more fun and I like the touchy-feely bit as well.

[kurtwamser]

I have found shows for the common items, or unique that have been discontinued and
someone is looking to move, but they will not replace the LHS for many items for detailing.

[Anonymous]

WHILE I PURCHASE MANY OF THE ITEMS I BUY FROM MAIL ORDER (STD HBY SUP) DAY TO DAY I PURCHASE MORE ITEMS AT MY LOCAL HOBBBY SHOP. I DON'T NEED TO SEE WHAT FLEX TRACK AND CORK ROADBED LOOK LIKE BEFORE I BUY THEM AND PECO SWITCHES ALL LOOK THE SAME AFTER THEY'RE OUT OF THE BOX. I'VE GOTTEN SOME REALLY GOOD DEALS FROM MAIL ORDER AND FROM MY LOCAL SHOP SO I GUESS I AM FEARLESS WHEN IT COMES TO 40- 60% OFF! GREG

[Anonymous]

My main LHS is about 60 miles from me he has trains only. The nearest HS is about 30 miles away on interstate all the way. i go twice as far becaused the first guy has it all and will order & ship anything not in stock.
I have bought from mail order houses and have had good luck.
If we don't support the LHS I fear we will have no more "good" stuff it will be all mass market toy stuff. I wonder if Athern's new owner will support the LHS? roumor has it they may go direct, or cut out the LHS.

[piinob]

I buy things from the local shop very regularly, howevr, if a show is in town I will usually buy a lot. I get things at the shows that my shop doesn't stock, or know about. I occasionally mail order, but when I do it is a big order. So I guess I buy equally from all three.

[Anonymous]

We have a railway supply store about 30 minutes from us which is where my wife and I get most all of our
railroad and painting supplies, I do occasionally order online. I have had no experience with e-bay yet.
I do go to the GATS show in Spokane every year usually acquire some hard to find items.

Keep a rollin !

Jscoville

[88gta350]

I order from Walther's usually, but do it online, so I guess that counts as an online retailer. The only good LHS's around here aren't so local. MOst of them around here only deal in one major scale, and it isn't mine, or they carry only a very limited selection of stuff. Maybe there's a niche market I can fill.... doubt my wife would let me open my own shop though.....

Dave

[Gunneral]

LHS, and at times an online retailer if the price is below the LHS when the budget is tight!

[Anonymous]

I live in the boonies. Everything comes pony express either from hobby shops, mail order, or EBAY.

[Anonymous]

I shop at our local hobby store about 50% of the time, the rest I find some great deals on eBay for used HO structures, etc..


RailEze - Grover Beach, California

[Anonymous]

I buy most of my supplies and equipment from my local hobby shop, althought they aren't really "local". I live in rural Florida and must travel to Ocala or Jacksonville (about 90 minute drive) or Orlando (3 hours) to find a hobby shop.
I've bought a couple special items from e-bay.
Bought my first G-Gauge set from mail order. Price was way less than LHSs here.

[Anonymous]

wow what a great question, the support of the local hobby shop is a good market share of the votes , out here in pittsburgh i have several shops to deal with some real close to home others accross da burg , in general i seem to purchase items evenly thoughout the shops , one hobby shop got all the bells and whistles , along with other exacting detail items. which is nice to get youre hands on and look over the scratch building material , to be able to pick an choose what materials i want to use on the project im on. How ever if i know what items i need or run out of a certian item i can vist the local shop order it thru him have in about a week ,and even a dollar or so cheaper, the local shop just dont stock the lil stuff , Then there is the show sales at the convention center , theres about 3 or 4 venders who i like to deal; with one has a great selection of new up to date assortment of rolling stock, the other fellow always seems to have a nice selection of building kits at fair prices an well displayed, im not digging thru crates under the table, the 3rd vendor is well versed in locomotives an road names.....again fair priced.....as i write this i realize i like to see touch and feel what im buying and not every dealer has the TOTAL PACKAGE OF PRODUCTS IN ONE HOUSE , understandable overhead costs are incredable....but each seems to have notch in the model railroad supply market.....as for mail order i use that to for all the stuff i saw at the hobbyshops or train shows , i normally collect a wish list and submit a large order were the shipping cost is minimized, and the wonderful sales tax can be avoided......hey we all like to bend the rules a little this is america....for the $5.00 of tax saved ill spend it on a imex delivery truck or package of street lamps.......kinda like a reagan-nomics thing

[Anonymous]

We no longer have a local Hobby store. Nearest store 50 miles away, that is why I buy most thing over the internet.

[Anonymous]

i get most of my equipment from my LHS, but from now on, any athearn products that i want, i get them on ebay, i am not buying any athearn products direct after the HORIZON takeover of athearn products. i don't trust this new "regime". tim geddes made a mistake!! i usually get the big ticket items at the great scale train show in timonium, md. you get real good deals there! thank you mr. zane!! everyone must support their LHS!!!!! they need us. all of my friends say the same thing, and are also boycotting newer athearn runs. hate to do it, if a hobby company with a great rep for all these years, suddenly falls to greedmongers, i want nothing to do with it directly.