Greetings, All - I'm going to be in the Charleston, S.C. area in April and was wondering if there are any decent (emphasis in MRR ), hobby shops worth checking out there. Usually, I can get the wife to allow me to purchase far more on vacation than I would be able to at home. Thanks for the help.
Jimmy
ROUTE ROCK!
I will watch for other posts here which may reveal something I do not know, but you are entering a portion of the country with a real paucity of model train stores. I went down to Charleston to visit a shop in NORTH CHARLESTON that used to advertise in the back of MR and it was likely the worst model train store I had ever been in. Shelves of things were covered in dust - the only time they had been touched was to put a new increased price sticker on things when the new catalog pricings went up. And then the proprieter was a fellow who wanted to come and stand about four inches away from me, but the problem was that he hadn't bathed for the summer. Grim. I also went down there this past summer (Charleston is a little over two hours drive for me) to a model train show and there was only one vendor of quality scale kits in a gymnasium of Lionel and "Plasticville". (Not indended as a criticism of the Lionel folks but just a statement of what appeared to be popular there.)
I have heard some good things about Bull Street Station down in Savannah, but I have not been there.
For railfan photography, you may be able to catch some street running when they come down to switch the ship terminal there just above the market building, but caution is recommended if you head up into North Charleston.
Charleston is a wonderful city; truely a world-class city and one of the most beautiful cities I know. It should be great in April with all of the flowers. Have some "shrimp 'n grits"! My favorite for that fancy dinner is Magnolia's on E. Bay Street. Spoil the Mrs. there and then remind her when you get to a decent train store.
Bill
I use to be stationed down in Sumter SC and lived in Columbia. Made many trips down I-26 to Charleston in my time. If you have any DCC related needs, be sure to drop in on a shop called Charleston Digital Trains. Almost as good as Tony's up in Vermont. Other than that though, the entire state (not just Charleston) really doesn't have any great train stores.