Miami to Key West O Gauge Stores, to visit.

There is Ready to Roll in Miami (mostly MTH), and Discount Trains and Hobbies in Fort Lauderdale (mostly Lionel). I haven't seen anything down through the Keys or Key West for that matter. If you go to Key West, you'll just have to forget about trains for a few days.

Ready To Roll in Miami on NW 143rd st. is probably the best place. If you need directions you can email me.

The other hobby shop I use nearby to me is in Lantana FL, about 60 miles north of Miami. Depot Hobby shop on Lantana Rd.

There are No hobby shops between Homestead FL and Key West. Maybe a store selling Flagler Railroad items in Key West but that's all.

Lee Fritz

I did find the Flagler Museum in Key West and I forgot about the Gold Coast Railroad. 

There is a Train Store in  Fort Myers Florida 1-239-931-3241 give them a call for the Address.

Good luck, John

The Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami is a nice place to visit.  It shares the same property as the Miami Zoo.  It has a few large operating O gauge layouts and some Postwar trains on display.  They have an impressive string of original California Zephyr passenger cars that you can walk through.  The caboose ride is nice too.

Traingeek

Ready-to-Roll in Miami is a great store.  Bill Lucas and his staff are excellent!  Be sure to check it out.

Thanks Harold, Ready to roll is on the list rain or shine.  If it's raining we are hitting them all if not we will be beaching it except for Ready to Roll.

Gregr:  I know when we get to the keys we will  forget all about trains except for the conch train!!!! 

Hey Jim:

I'll save you a lot of time! Only one store to see......Ready to Roll!  You'll spend a ton on gas and you will be disappointed with any other store in South Florida. Bill Lucas has it all; MTH, Lionel, Prewar, Postwar, Modern and several big operating N, HO, O and G gauge layouts.

Billy C

Here is a guide listing places to stop on the drive to Key West. We stopped at a number of them during our last drive down and back. I particularly liked the bird hospital (93.6) and the turtle hospital (48.5).
The wild birds hanging around outside the bird hospital pens were more interesting than the birds being cared for.
We also hit a few of the state parks, and places to eat.

Have fun!

Thanks C.W.  The list of places to see looks interesting, and We will have to try some.  It looks like it could take a week to do it properly!!!  Plans for another trip!!!!

NYC,SUBWAY TRANSIT SIGNAL posted:

There is a Train Store in  Fort Myers Florida 1-239-931-3241 give them a call for the Address.

Good luck, John

Fort Myers is on the west coast, I though the person wanted east coast Florida from Miami to key West.

Lee Fritz

Train_Geek posted:

The Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami is a nice place to visit.  It shares the same property as the Miami Zoo.  It has a few large operating O gauge layouts and some Postwar trains on display.  They have an impressive string of original California Zephyr passenger cars that you can walk through.  The caboose ride is nice too.

Traingeek

 

The Gold Coast RR museum is very nice, it used to be a base for large air craft like Zeppelins during WW-2. It is located on SW 152nd street next to the Miami Metro Zoo. They have a few model train layouts, not only O scale. The Presidential Car "Ferdinand Megellin" is kept there and it is worth seeing as well.

Lee Fritz

One quick note about Key West FL; don't go there during Fantasy Fest or you will get more then an eyeful!!

Lee Fritz

and is that a problem???    We are all human. 

West coast will be in the future......

rboatertoo posted:

and is that a problem???    We are all human. 

If you are referring to Key West Fantasy Fest, I will have to email you about it as the admin on here might delete the details if I posted them. Lets just say that the cities of S. & G. mentioned in the book of Genesis, why Lot was distressed, would describe the situation down there during that time each year.

Lee Fritz

Lee,

Its called the love for Trains

I would travel to the end of word to see them.

Anyway's, have a nice vacation.  Thanks, John

If you do go to Fort Myers area there is one or two hobby shops in the downtown area.

There is the annual Scale Rails train show and sale around late November in Fort Myers.

Also for real railroads there is Seminal Gulf Railway that has a murder mystery train with dinner, mainly you solve the case of who murdered who as they don't portray anybody getting killed. In each passenger the person who guesses correctly wins a coffee mug or they used to do that over a year ago. I have been on that train twice and would go again if I can get away to the west coast.

If you like history there is the Edison Ford museum in Fort Myers.

Lee Fritz

Follow up report:

We went to Key West and found what was suppose to be the Flager Museum, it's now an art gallery.  There is a sign on the outside saying that it is a Museum.  

We skipped York for this trip and I wasn't disappointed thanks to Ready to Roll in Miami  and Discount Trains and Hobbies,   I found more of what I was looking for at these two stories then I  have found in York the last 3 trips.  

At Ready to Roll I found a mth 20-20569-1 UP DDA40x, Lionel smoking reefer car (he has another one left) some warning lights and advice on making a lake.  At Discount I found the RI rocket set (all 3 pieces), Pennys ballast train set, Legacy boom car, White sox box car and more.  I checked all of the prices and they both were lower that anyone on the internet.  The best part is they shipped it home for me.  I was over weight with my suitcase on the way out, so that wasn't an option.  

I will always stop at these two stores when in the Miami area!!!!   

Jim, glad you found something you liked at Ready To Roll in Miami. They are my favorite hobby shop even though they are about 70 minutes south of me by car, they have helped me with my MTH engines at least twice.

Lee Fritz