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End of an Era

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End of an Era
Posted by chris.mincemoyer on Friday, September 1, 2023 11:50 AM
After 77 years English's Model Railroad Supply is closing.
 
English's Model RR has been an area fixture as the place in Central Pennsylvannia to buy toy trains as well as other hobby supplies including Model Kits and Rockets.
 
Founded in Sunbury PA, Lew and Shirlee English operated a hobby shop from their home's basement.  Over the years it grew and eventually found a permanent home in Montoursville PA.
 
[Edited by moderator]
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Posted by NVSRR on Friday, September 1, 2023 11:53 AM

Bummer.  I could find stuff there, I could find else where.      That was always the place to get bowser from too.  Not sure where to go for that

shane

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An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel

A realist sees a frieght train

An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space

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Posted by BEAUSABRE on Friday, September 1, 2023 2:25 PM
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Posted by kasskaboose on Friday, September 1, 2023 2:43 PM

Such a shame to have this MR supplier and likely, provider of helpful advice go. 

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Posted by SpringStreet on Friday, September 1, 2023 2:57 PM

Very disappointing. The store was an occasional but predictable stop for me when passing through the area, always a treat, and my preferred retail shop. I especially liked the helpful and knowledgeable staff and the very large supply of detail parts that one actually could see in person before buying. The large, "actually on the shelf to see it before buying" inventory was old-school and enjoyable, plus there was the option of access to the very large inventory of the mail order side of the business (sometimes a staffer would disappear into the rear of the building to find what I wanted). The little Bowser "scratch and dent/returned items" sale shelf yielded some nice, serviceable items as well. I'm not sure what will replace it, regionally, for me.

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Posted by Doughless on Friday, September 1, 2023 3:18 PM

77 years is a long time for any business.  Certainly the original founders were not still operating it when it closed.

- Douglas

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, September 1, 2023 4:08 PM

Well, that is another shop I will never get to visit.

I have needed to postpone my trip to Maine several times now, and now I can cross this off of my "must visit" list.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by tstage on Friday, September 1, 2023 4:22 PM

SeeYou190
I have needed to postpone my trip to Maine several times now...

Off-topic: You GOTTA go to ME, Kevin - particularly, Mount Desert Island and Acadia NP.  There's nothing like it.  I'd move there, if I could. Stick out tongue

Tom

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Posted by wrench567 on Friday, September 1, 2023 7:33 PM

   That's too bad. I bought hundreds of my Bowser freight car fleet from them through the decades. 

   Good luck and best wishes to the owners.

      Pete.

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Posted by maxman on Friday, September 1, 2023 9:37 PM

wrench567
That's too bad. I bought hundreds of my Bowser freight car fleet from them through the decades.     Good luck and best wishes to the owners.

They're just closing the hobbyshop, not the business.

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Posted by PRR8259 on Friday, September 1, 2023 10:26 PM

Hello folks--

To clarify comments made above, Lewis K. English, Sr. and Shirley (or Shirlee, spelling?) English are both deceased by a few years now.  They purchased Bowser from the original owner of that company many years ago and subsequently also purchased many other model train companies from yesterday.  Ownership passed to their sons, one of which is now also retired from working.

Bowser itself is NOT closing but ONLY the retail store.  People will be able to continue ordering Bowser products either through their extensive dealer network, or through their internet/mail order outlet (in existence for many years) known as Toy Train Heaven, and certainly easy to find online.

Though I as someone who literally grew up in that store (since age 5, my parents would often leave me there while out shopping--times were different then) will miss it very much, and their excellent service, the fact is there are still other good train stores remaining in Central Pennsylvania who would love to assist any customers who still prefer to buy in person when possible:  The Station, just a few minutes from downtown Harrisburg, in New Cumberland, PA, White Rose Hobbies, in York, PA, Tommy Gilbert's in Gettysburg, PA, and Mainline Hobbies in Blue Ridge Summit, PA.  Unfortunately for some from northern PA or Canada, all of those stores are 90 miles or more farther south from Montoursville, PA, where English's is located, but nevertheless they will still be around to serve in person customers.  (Lots of Canadian customers patronized English's through the years, perhaps due to proximity to US 15, a major north/south artery).

I have too many fine memories of 50 years of being a customer (and briefly once upon a time an employee of the English's during my college years), so I am very very sad to see it go.

Respectfully, 

John Mock

 

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Posted by wrench567 on Saturday, September 2, 2023 1:27 PM

maxman

 

 
wrench567
That's too bad. I bought hundreds of my Bowser freight car fleet from them through the decades.     Good luck and best wishes to the owners.

 

They're just closing the hobbyshop, not the business.

 

  I was talking about the shop. Not the Bowser company. They had some of the best prices for Bowser cars but also had the hard to find S service cars and the Buy war bond H21 hoppers.

   Hopefully this clears things up.

       Pete.

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Posted by doctorwayne on Saturday, September 2, 2023 3:42 PM

chris.mincemoyer
After 77 years English's Model Railroad Supply is closing.

I've been going there for ages, but the last time was just before Covid appeared, and I haven't yet made it down there again.  I do have a good friend nearby in Ohio, and may try to get down there before the snow flies.  Had a nice hour & a-half chat with him last night, though.

Wayne

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Posted by tstage on Saturday, September 2, 2023 3:45 PM

Whereabouts in OH, Wayne?

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Posted by doctorwayne on Saturday, September 2, 2023 4:06 PM

My longtime friend is in East Palestine, but when I first met him he was in Kiski Junction, running an excursion train between a steel plant and a coal mine, but as far as I know, all of that track has been ripped-up, and the access bridges either scrapped or no longer useable.  He's long retired, but did show up here in Southern Ontario last year, for a few days. 

Wayne

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Posted by tstage on Saturday, September 2, 2023 4:39 PM

Thanks, Wayne.  You might have mentioned your friend's whereabouts before, as I kinda thought he might be somewhere in the Youngstown area.  Not too bad of a drive from where you're at.

I hope you're able to see him before it gets cold.  Life-long friends are worth keeping in contact with.  Phone calls are great but in-person is always more enjoyable. Big Smile

Tom

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 8:42 AM

tstage
Life-long friends are worth keeping in contact with.

Yes, and never assume they will be here forever.

I have lost way too many good friends in the last five years.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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