Ok, Little Advice He..... Oh YEAH! I am SO Going. Anyone Else?(Caboose Hobbies, CO)

[canazar]

My new lovelty wife an I are planning a road RV trip up to Colorado here in a few weeks. If things work, I migth have a chance to get to Caboose Hobbies in Denver, Colorado. But if we do, I got to work at... Like drive another 300 miles [:D]

have surfed the web page and checked it over... Looks like a great place andI have heard godo things about C.H.. But I want to make sure it will be worth the effort. Just about every place we have traveled, I try and hit up a local train shop to check things out. Most of the time though, it wasnt worth it. Then again, I have found a few gems.

So I guess I have a 2 part question.... (1) Is it worth it to go (2), Should I find a place for the wife to hangout so i can get more time?

I

Insert any personal stories about the store here. [8D]

[BurlingtonJohn]

Answers to your questions:

1. Yes
2. No

Always depends on what you are in the market for, but CH is a must see ....

Regards,
Burlington John

[frisco1519]

About two years ago a friend of mine and myself went to Durango to ride the Durango and Silverton Railroad. We made the trip to Denver to see CH and it is impressive. It was well worth the trip up there to take a look. We had all the time in the world to look around though, our wives stayed home.

[csmith9474]

It is definately a great hobby shop to visit, but whether or not it is worth the extra drive is up to how much this means to you. Maybe you could drop the wife off at Sam's Club, which is across the street.

I live down in Colorado Springs, and I might go to visit if I happen to already be in Denver for something. I do like to browse through the brass and detail parts, though.

[fiatfan]

I went to CH last summer and thought I had died and gone to heaven. Plan on spending lots of time there. As a reward for your wife's patience, take her over to Golden and wander the streets for a while.

Tom

PS it cost me an equal amount in jewlery in Golden for what I spent at C. H.

[DrummingTrainfan]

1. Most definately!

2. More than likely yes, unless she has an interest in the hobby whatsoever.

[jpmorrison]

its well worth it to stop at caboose. i try to stop at hobby shops when i travel you never know what you might find.i try to get to CH once a month to see new things and the sales

jeff

[Anonymous]

Absolutely worth going to visit anytime you are there. I visit about once a year as we have vendors in that area.

I normally buy more from them on the web page, but it is always nice to have them run an item that is on the shelf to see if I want to put it on layaway.

Their parts for scratch builders an detailing is very good along with the books that are available.

It does not cost anything to look, just don't fill up a cart and expect to leave without paying big time.

[Renegade1c]

Definitely make the trip. its completely dedicated to trains and is one of the largest hobby shops I have ever been in. (Next biggest I have seen is Papa Ben's train place in Houston). They have a large selction of everything and if the don't have they can order it for you.

[MidlandPacific]

Golden's nice for wives, but so is Georgetown - and you can see the Loop. On the other hand, you can also see the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden. And frankly, either of them is worth the trip.

But yeah, you could buy a brass Big Boy at CH and still spend more on your wife in either of those two places.

[SOU Fan]

Drive the extra miles. The store is a dream come true. I've been there on a couple occasions where I looked foreverand thought they didn't have something, but they always do. You have to ask if you want to find certai things.[:)]

[Anonymous]

John,

Anything has to be better than Arizona Hobby shops!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Is it worth it? Most definitely! I was in Denver last year on a stolen vehicle recovery for a friend of mine. I stopped in at C.H. to see what they had. I didn't want to leave! The place is fantastic. I bought about $800 worth of stuff while I was there. If the wife isn't a model train enthusiasts, there's a Sam's Club right across the road.

[Anonymous]

Denver and vicinity is a very rich experience - and I wouldn't go there without putting Caboose Hobbies on the "go to" list. One piece of advice however - make sure you are well fed before you go through the door because its going to be awhile before you get out of there.

[mlehman]

Well, let's see...

With the cost of gas and 300 extra miles in a RV, that is not going to be cheap..

But if you've never been to Caboose Hobbies before, it is definitely worth the trip. They stock practically everything available in current production in just about every scale and gauge, have several nice display layouts, several aisles of books, and a brass department with a great selection. This will be one hobby shop side trip that will not disappoint.

As for your wife, there is some shopping and hanging out at nice cafes in the LoDo district north of CH on Broadway nearer downtown. Drop her off there to spend her own money to distract her from what you'll want to spend at Caboose!
[:D]

If you do have a little more time to spend in the Denver area, definitely hit the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, on the hill behind the Coors brewery. Further into the mountains on I-70. the Georgetown Loop RR recently changed hands so I don't have a recent report, but it is a neat little ride with some great views.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL

[Anonymous]

A wonderful place, a supermarket just for model trains! If you have some needs, make a list because it will take you forever to check out the complete wall of detail parts. Lots of books and magazines too!

I was there in 2002 attending the Narrow Gauge Convention in Denver. They had a free shuttle bus between the convention site and the shop, which made it real easy to visit.

Heading to the convention in Durango in August, but probably won't get to the shop as we're flying into Denver then to Durango. They are supposed to be at the event, but will obviously only be able to bring a small selection.

Have a great time!

Bob Boudreau

[jeffrey-wimberly]

If you get a chance, do check out the Georgetown Loop Railroad. Here's a link to their new website. http://www.georgetownlooprr.com/

[davekelly]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fiatfan

I went to CH last summer and thought I had died and gone to heaven. Plan on spending lots of time there. As a reward for your wife's patience, take her over to Golden and wander the streets for a while.

Tom

PS it cost me an equal amount in jewlery in Golden for what I spent at C. H.

But I'm sure it was money well spent. Sometimes bribes, I mean, tribute, no, I mean an investment, well, heck - smart move on your part!

[davekelly]

Big John,

I'm sure you realize this, but if your new (key word here) wife is willing to go an extra 300 miles so you can drool and buy some weird looking things, make sure to have the patience of a saint when she sees a shoe store she wants to check out. :)

[stokesda]

[#ditto] to pretty much everything that's been said so far... The Denver area is full of things to do, so you don't need to rely on just CH as an excuse to go there. Like others have mentioned, you can go to the CO RR museum in Golden. You can also go to the Coors brewery in Golden, which is pretty cool. The Red Rocks ampitheater is also neat to see, and it's in that same area.

Enjoy your trip! I lived in Boulder a couple of years ago when I was in grad school, and I'd sneak off once a month or so to CH while my wife was at work! I really enjoyed living in that area and hope to go back sometime.

[canazar]

All right DONE!

I was leanign toward it and I am definatly going now. As far as the wife goes..... Here is why I married her, (among other reasons, but this is a train forum after all) For father's day, she said she woudl pay for a little shopping spree. I told her how big it was and she knows I will be awhile... So, She likes to come and hang out with, but with both know she will get bored... She told ne that she would have no problem going back into the RV were she take a nap, rest, read a book, or she will wander around some shoppign herself. Chances are though, I need to make sure I get her some REALLY good books. Sometimes she starts reading and will lose complete track of time. Ha ha Perfect!

Thanks for all the input guys!

[modelmaker51]

I used to live up in Cheyenne and would make the 200 mile round trip to CH at least once a month. It's the railroad modeller's heaven. Period.

[james saunders]

*Note to self*, First Stop, if ever in US, GO TO CABOOSE HOBBIES.

Man I have to go there one day!

[jeffers_mz]

I don't want to rain on the parade, it was pretty clear from the beginning what you wanted to do, and I'd find my way to the store no matter what but...

Durango to Denver isn't just any old 300 mile drive, no matter which way you go. The shortest routes are almost all two lane through some pretty rough country. You're going to be DRIVING it, in an RV, fighting traffic, tight curves, fallen rock, passes up 10...12...13 thousand feet, rain, grauple, even blinding snowstorms are possible up high, along with all the bad results that go with such weather on narrow, crowded, two lane rugged mountain roads. On your way down off Red Mountain Pass into Ouray, should you decide to go that way, you probably won't believe such a road exists or is paved, or is legal to drive on. That's in a short wheelbase 4WD. In an RV? LOL, you're going to be busier than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

I know folks who've made it from Ouray to Denver in 6.5 hours and I wouldn't even think about trying to beat them, because they are nuts and just don't care.

So, my advice then is to plan this as if it were 600 miles, one way, not 300. I'd categorically refuse to even consider a round trip in one day. Even a two day roundtrip is going to take something out of you. In a perfect world, a day to drive up there, at least a day to rest and enjoy the store, and a third day to drive back is probably the minimum time I'd invest in a trip like that. Further, I'd have my head examined before attempting such a trip that caused me to drive into Denver on a Sunday, or had me leaving Denver on a Friday, or had me crossing Kenosha pass on either day.

Like I said, I'm not looking to change your mind, just to let you know what you're in for, so you can plan around it and enjoy your trip. What I said above were my minimum recommednations, but there's so much to do around there, and so much to do in between point A and B, you might even be happier planning four days to a week around this trip. You've got a lot of flexibility in some very pretty country with that RV, but it can work against you just as easily as it can work for you.

Just my 2 cents...

:-)

[Don Gibson]

There is a restraurant - across from the old D&RGW shops that Is 1.V. Good 2. V.Historic. V. different. Not far from Caboose. 'Antler''s? You'll both enjoy,

It'll be a wife's reward for your 'shopping' spree.

If you want to spend more money, dine at the famous Brown Hotel. Want to vist your money? Take in the US Mint. 3'rd restaurant choice The (actual) Train station (yes), 45 min south in Colorado Springs.Not as much fun but the food is good.

[MidlandPacific]

Of course, you don't necessarily need to go via Ouray and the Million Dollar Highway - you could go east on 160 to C-Springs and then up I-25 (or even go north from Montrose to I-70). It's longer and you'll miss South Park country altogether, but the mountain range crossings are a lot faster on I-70.

[csmith9474]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rripperger

Of course, you don't necessarily need to go via Ouray and the Million Dollar Highway - you could go east on 160 to C-Springs and then up I-25 (or even go north from Montrose to I-70). It's longer and you'll miss South Park country altogether, but the mountain range crossings are a lot faster on I-70.

I was going to also suggest making your way over to 25. And don't expect any blinding snow storms this time of the year here, even at altitude. I also have driven into Denver on a Sunday several times, and left Denver on Fridays several times without any problems.

Don't sweat it. There are plenty of decent roads to get you to Denver.

[jeffers_mz]

I-25 does seem to avoid a lot of what I'm talking about, but since I haven't been that way, I didn't feel comfortable recommending it. Any idea of the mileage going that way, Durango to Pueblo to CS and then Denver? If a sane trip from Ouray to Denver takes 7 hours, and from Ouray to Durango adds at least an hour, that adds up to a full day's drive no matter how you cut it.

I've hit snow crossing Monarch Pass in July and in August, enough for visibility problems, and to cover the pavement and make it real slick. Colorado is having a hot spell so far this year, YMMV.

I'm guessing the problems getting out of and into Denver involve routes into the mountains. That's where I always run into traffic jams stretching tens of miles, on 25 headed towards Boulder, both ways on 70 from Georgetown to Denver, and solid from Kenosha Pass to Denver. Again, I-25 may avoid all this.

Where I live, 300 miles is a 4.5 hour drive in cruise control. If he expects that in this case, it's liable to spoil his trip. If he approaches it realistically, it could be one of the best trips of his life. That's my real point, and I stand by it.

[MidlandPacific]

The road east from Durango is pretty curvy and it crests twice, if I remember correctly - once at La Veta Pass and once a smaller pass whose name escapes me - Wolf Creek, maybe? Something like that. But it's probably six hours to C-springs. Last time I drove it was in '99, and I've never come to Durango that way since - flew into Albuquerque and drove north, it was quicker and cheaper.

The more I think about it, the more I think I would just go up the Million Dollar Highway to Ouray and then north to 70. Once you get to Ouray it's pretty straight and level, and 70 is fast. I love the drive from Montrose over Cerro Summit to Gunnison and then Marshall Pass to Salida, but it's not quick, and the highway over Monarch Pass isn't terribly fast, either. The road from Duranog over Coal Bank Pass to Silverton and the Million Dollar Highway are both slow but they're spectacular, a better view than you'll get cruising slowly over La Veta.

[mlehman]

If you do go east from Durango, Wolf Creek Pass is the more difficult pass. It has been under construction the last few years and subject to delays, so you'll want to check that to avoid a possibe frustrating wait.

However, if the point is to get from Durango to Denver in the most timely manner, then going up to I-70 and across is indeed the fastest route, because it is the one that has the most interstate miles. That is my conclusion based on lots of experience driving around Colorado. YMMV.

As far as delays on I-70, generally they are going west from Denver at the start of the weekend and going east into Demver at the end of the weekend. If you avoid those times/directions, you'll be just fine.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL