I find complaints about drive time to be, in some cases, ridiculous: we do the things we find to be important. Excepting those who may have a health issue such that they cannot travel, others of us drive long distances routinely for kid's sports, music lessons, and yes, to visit train stores.
PRR8259I find complaints about drive time to be, in some cases, ridiculous:
Looks like you've shortened this alot since I first read it, about 5 minutes ago!
I guess I'm sort of lucky, being about 40 miles from the metro-Milwaukee / Waukesha area, here in SE. WI.
It's about 32 miles to my go-to shop, Hiawatha Hobbies, who carries everything, in all scales, along with R/C and even doll houses, and about 42 miles from Walthers Terminal Hobby Shop.
I have nothing else to add to the "demise of the LHS", but I really think Sheldon said it all.
Now, I'm going to check out Ebay, as I'm watching a couple of things, I can't get at either of my LHS's
Mike.
My You Tube
Wasn't in the hobby store buissness but family owned a bowling center. But that is not where I learned about buisness, it is one of the few things I learned in school. Was in a private school because I did so bad in regular school. One class was all about buisness and accounting, first thing I did was start a buissness near the end of college. It is not that you can't make a good living at hobby shop owning but that most people don't know what they are doing, they just have a passion. Also most people are not willing to put in the work or make the sacrifices necisary to succeed, long hours, long weeks and you don't always get paid even if you run the place. Lets face it, most people just cannot cut it.
rrebellmost people are not willing to put in the work or make the sacrifices necisary to succeed, long hours, long weeks and you don't always get paid even if you run the place. Lets face it, most people just cannot cut it.
"long hours, long weeks and you don't always get paid" - now who wouldn't jump at a job like that
Paul
PRR8259 I find complaints about drive time to be, in some cases, ridiculous: we do the things we find to be important. Excepting those who may have a health issue such that they cannot travel, others of us drive long distances routinely for kid's sports, music lessons, and yes, to visit train stores.
Well, everyone has their own idea of what constitues a "long drive", but I personally have never transported and children, or grand children farther than about 35 minutes on a regular basis to their activities.
And I am the parent of three, step parent of three, and grandparent of eight........
Agreed, we all do what we think is important..........
With my rural upbringing, 35 minutes is not a long drive. But a train store would have to be really good to get me to drive more than 35-45 minutes one way on any kind of "regular" basis. Over an hour one way, not happening very often.
Every now and then, or when I am traveling in a direction for other reasons, sure.
But train stores need regular customers, who consider them their primary source to survive, not just occasional passers-by, even if they do make the occasional long trip to make a few large purchases.
Example - Mainline Hobby and Gilbert's are nearly two hours away. I never just jump in the car and make the five hour round trip on a whim.....
Strasburg is only an hour away, but that shop is not good enough to draw me there on a regular basis either. Sure, I stop in when I go to ride/see the trains, usually as often as 3-4 times a year. But I seldom find much I want in that shop.....
And I like simply getting packages in the mail.......Trainworld, Kleins, and others are only a day or shipping to my house.
Sheldon
IRONROOSTER rrebell most people are not willing to put in the work or make the sacrifices necisary to succeed, long hours, long weeks and you don't always get paid even if you run the place. Lets face it, most people just cannot cut it. "long hours, long weeks and you don't always get paid" - now who wouldn't jump at a job like that Paul
rrebell most people are not willing to put in the work or make the sacrifices necisary to succeed, long hours, long weeks and you don't always get paid even if you run the place. Lets face it, most people just cannot cut it.
In this day and age......exactly!
PRR8259 others of us drive long distances routinely for kid's sports, music lessons, and yes, to visit train stores.
.
I am going to claim the unofficial World Record for longest drive to visit a hobby shop!
Please submit any challenges.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 I am going to claim the unofficial World Record for longest drive to visit a hobby shop!
And how far exactly was this? Are you talking about your recent Florida-Wst Coast trip?
I may be able to claim the longest distance traveled not exclusively by car! I live overseas we’re the model train hobby does not exist, so I hold all my train needs for when I go back to the US for the summer. I bet I beat you if we include flying. Distance from the place I currently live to my favorite hobby shop in the states is over 10,000 miles!
Regards, Isaac
I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!
SPSOT fan I live overseas we’re the model train hobby does not exist,
I'll leave that one alone, and see what responses you get.
In Northern VA, plenty told me about Grandday's Hobby. It was a mecca for a lot of of folks. Rinse and repeat across the country. I've seen plenty move away from brick and mortar to online shops.
The expertise alone is often worth more than convenience of buying stuff in store. Getting sage advice is invaluable regardless of where it happens. I can't tell you the value of having someone come over and offer suggestions on the layout. Having a 2nd set of eyes/ears/hands has solved many problems.
Well I will claim the prize for shortest trip to the LHS for the most number of years. My local train store is just 8 houses down the block, about 3/10 of a mile, from my old house I just moved from.
Not a big place, or much on the shelves, but he would order whatever I needed.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Well I will claim the prize for shortest trip to the LHS for the most number of years. My local train store is just 8 houses down the block, about 3/10 of a mile, from my old house I just moved from.
I lived about 2 blocks from my LHS for a year last year, but I can’t win both longest and shortest! 8 house beats 2 blocks, I envy you!
ATLANTIC CENTRALI will claim the prize for shortest trip to the LHS for the most number of years. My local train store is just 8 houses down the block
That must have been great.
I used to live three houses from a neighborhood bar and grille that made the best nachos. That was also great.
Then after a few years they started focussing more on the "bar" and less on the "grille", and the demise rolled on from there.
I guess we could have a big discussion in the diner about the demise of the local neighborhood bar and grille. I am sure there is some emotion around them too.
Hi Sheldon, and all--
I'm not trying to be snippy so don't take anything that way. The one train store I referred to above is 1.5 hours from me, 89 miles. I routinely drive that far just for baseball lessons, and return, without even visiting the in-laws or doing anything else. Often I do get to stop at English's. They have customers that come all the way from Canada: 3 hours away, 6 hours away, sometimes farther, to shop at their store. Apparently train stores in Canada have always been few and far between, going back many years now.
My kids school sporting events and local little league events--not the travel baseball--routinely have games that require 1 hour drive time one way. We are in a rural county, and yet I live 15 minutes, literally, from the state capitol building. You were fortunate if your children's games were within 30 or 35 minutes drive. Here in South Central PA, it can easily be longer than that.
I have had 4 items damaged in shipping this year, to/from 4 different places. One I packed exceptionally well, and USPS destroyed the engine (was returning it defective/not quite as advertised). So I don't like to get packages if/when I can get there in person to pick up items.
I have even delivered Ebay purchases in person rather than shipping them to the winner. Got to meet noted rail author Jeremy Plant that way, and other interesting people as well, and to see their layouts, all of which has been amazing.
So my point is if it is "important enough" to you, one typically finds a way to get there. Packages anymore are a crap shoot.
Also, after having dabbled in many different contemporary current day plastic diesels, and having just acquired a much better job, I can now dabble a little bit in brass too. I have one OMI diesel so far...but that's a whole other discussion.
John
rrebell IRONROOSTER rrebell most people are not willing to put in the work or make the sacrifices necisary to succeed, long hours, long weeks and you don't always get paid even if you run the place. Lets face it, most people just cannot cut it. "long hours, long weeks and you don't always get paid" - now who wouldn't jump at a job like that Paul Thats how I retired the first time at 29, second at 52 (kids and wife cost money).
Thats how I retired the first time at 29, second at 52 (kids and wife cost money).
And by contrast, I'm very glad I had my kids at a young age. I had all three before I was 29.......
It's all relative. Some people who drive 20 minutes to work think it's a long commute. In the Washington DC area, an 60 minute commute is not unusual and some commute double that, each way.
People will find whatever annoys them to complain about but they do whatever suites them, as you noted - sports, music, whatever.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
SeeYou190 I am going to claim the unofficial World Record for longest drive to visit a hobby shop! -Kevin
Fake record. Disqualified since it was a long distance vacation , and you had tons of time to burn most of us working stiffs can't manage, so I call shens. Not a level playing field.
riogrande5761 SeeYou190 I am going to claim the unofficial World Record for longest drive to visit a hobby shop! -Kevin Fake record. Disqualified since it was a long distance vacation , and you had tons of time to burn most of us working stiffs can't manage, so I call shens. Not a level playing field.
Well I have visited hobby shops in Germany, Switzerland, England and Sydney, Brisbane and a few other places. How does that fit into the picture. I did not drive the plane even though I have my pilots license.
I will admit they weren't destinations as I just happened upon them. They sure had some interesting out of production items on the shelves.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
SPSOT fan ATLANTIC CENTRAL Well I will claim the prize for shortest trip to the LHS for the most number of years. My local train store is just 8 houses down the block, about 3/10 of a mile, from my old house I just moved from. I lived about 2 blocks from my LHS for a year last year, but I can’t win both longest and shortest! 8 house beats 2 blocks, I envy you!
I intended to mention that I lived there for 23 years. The train shop is still there, but the owner is working on his escape plan to retire soon.
I moved about 15 miles up the road from the old house.
PRR8259I find complaints about drive time to be, in some cases, ridiculous: we do the things we find to be important.
In my case health issues aside I'll give you a run down.
Gas $25.00 Yes,my '97 Jeep will make a 130 mile run trip on $25.00 worth of regular.
Breakfast before I leave town -meaning do I really wanna waste travel time cooking breakfast and doing dishes when I can grab two donuts and be good for hours and have no need for lunch?
At the hobby shop
10% off . Two Atlas freight cars still cost between $60-70.00.Odds and ends and nice to haves around $50.00.
Free of charge wear and tear on the nerves-Columbus traffic.
Not free of charge is unnecessary wear and tear on my Jeep and not to mention the wear and tear on my not as young as I use to be body..
OTOH I can sit down with a hot cup of coffee and shop at MBK and get everything on my list and the mail man will drop it off in three or four days..
BTW..I was a railroader so,my wife attended all my son's ball games.
I'm not into spots nor driving over 30 miles to a train show.Exception being the Berea show and the Dalton show.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BRAKIE PRR8259 I find complaints about drive time to be, in some cases, ridiculous: we do the things we find to be important. In my case health issues aside I'll give you a run down. Gas $25.00 Yes,my '97 Jeep will make a 130 mile run trip on $25.00 worth of regular. Breakfast before I leave town -meaning do I really wanna waste travel time cooking breakfast and doing dishes when I can grab two donuts and be good for hours and have no need for lunch? At the hobby shop 10% off . Two Atlas freight cars still cost between $60-70.00.Odds and ends and nice to haves around $50.00. Free of charge wear and tear on the nerves-Columbus traffic. Not free of charge is unnecessary wear and tear on my Jeep and not to mention the wear and tear on my not as young as I use to be body.. OTOH I can sit down with a hot cup of coffee and shop at MBK and get everything on my list and the mail man will drop it off in three or four days..
PRR8259 I find complaints about drive time to be, in some cases, ridiculous: we do the things we find to be important.
After a 45-year hiatus from the hobby, having had American Flyer trains as a kid, I paid a visit to my LHS and got the bug. Fifteen years later, the LHS is long gone and I shop the Internet as I build my 3rd layout.
If I had not visited that LHS in early 2004 and, instead, started out today, I wouldn't be in the hobby because I wouldn't know where to start, where to get advice. It was my LHS guys who got me started, helped me along, referred me to this forum, and provided for all my needs. I would have none of that if I started out today.
That is one reason why I think that the hobby is shrinking because it is not conducive to newcomers, at least not like it was 15 years ago when the LHS was still around in great numbers.
Rich
Alton Junction
ATLANTIC CENTRALAnd by contrast, I'm very glad I had my kids at a young age. I had all three before I was 29..
I did the exact same thing. I would not change this at all. Having the babies young worked out fantastic!
riogrande5761Fake record. Disqualified since it was a long distance vacation
OK, I will drive to Atlanta just to make a stop at Riverdale Station, 600 miles away.
I also routinely drive to Georgia just to get barbecue. I'll drive to Jacksonville for a steak.
Larry--
Not trying to get into a ... contest.
I used to sit at home and order from MBK, also. Now I literally can't even be sure that an order from them will arrive intact and undamaged. I just do not want to deal with them anymore. Although one can and will receive a refund from MBK, my last experience was...unsatisfactory. To be "fair" to MBK, the USPS shipping performance for the 70 miles or so from MBK to me has been slow, and most unsatisfactory. They have even temporarily "lost" packages for a period of days on more than one occasion, in Baltimore or wherever that shipping center actually is. According to the tracking information, the packages sat still and went absolutely nowhere for days, but were somewhere inside the shipping center or hub. Given the issues experienced with both USPS and MBK, I have stopped ordering.
We all have choices to make. I don't mind paying slightly more, ie less discount, if it keeps the "local" train stores in business for a future day.
As I said, a number of my packages (from multiple shippers) have been damaged this year. The "local" stores that remain are looking pretty darn good.
John,Indeed we are not getting into any type of contest.. So far I been lucky and haven't received any damage packages from MBK or e-Bay.
I worry every time a package comes by UPS though..
Be that as it may.
I would happily shop at a LHS if I had one since my not so young body no longer likes long trips like it did three years ago.
PRR8259 As I said, a number of my packages (from multiple shippers) have been damaged this year. The "local" stores that remain are looking pretty darn good. John
USPS has become notorious in our house for packages that simply disappear or sit in cyberspace for weeks at a time.
Amazon has been shipping items with no cardboard boxes to protect them. For example, my wife has twice ordered and returned a bathroom rug that arrives filthy in nothing more that a clear plastic bag with holes in it.
I get model railroading items in a cardboard box with no insulation whatsoever. Sometimes, it is a piece of crumpled brown paper which offers no protection.
The packaging issue brings up a fair point! I’ve seen a lot of stuff from Amazon come in boxes that are much bigger than the product, leaving way too much room for it to jiggle around and break! I’ve heard this is caused by pressure on the employees to get the package out on time so it makes the three day delivery (which let’s be honest, is amazing and insane!) Amazon promises.
If you ask me I would rather wait an extra work day for my package then have it arrive broken. Especially if it’s train stuff!
I would agree with others that it’s worth the extra money to give business to your LHS than order online. You could also give smaller, more local hobby shops business by ordering from them instead of a big online retailer.
I would prefer to order from a smaller, local hobby shop than a big online hobby retailer just because the relationship between seller and coustomer is that much more personal, which will generally lead to better service. Also smaller hobby shop owners are also often in the hobby themselves, so understand how fragile stuff is and will take the time to give it some good packaging so it will arrive in one piece!
I have never had a problem ordering ordering from MBK. They do offer a variety of shipping options and maybe an upgrade is needed for some areas.
With Amazon, you have to watch who actually is shipping the item. I think most trains are actually not shipped by Amazon just sold through their site.
Rairly have a problem with shipping and never with train stuff. Most of the stuff I get is over protected. Worst problem I ever had with train stuff was back in the mail order days, stuff never came, guy then went to jail for postal fraud.