Madison Hardware in New York City.

I greatly miss Barry's train shop in Elizabethtown,PA. Barry was a great guy and his shop was a fun place to visit! Wherever I was living at the time,I considered Barry's my LHS.

daylight posted:

Jim's Train Shop in Homer City, PA

Purchased my first engine there.  A MTH Rail King Milwaukee Road Hiawatha;  fell in love with it's looks, smoke and sound.

We also share an interest in "do-wop" songs of the 50 and early 60's.

That one is a big Yes for me.  I miss Jim's calls at midnight when he saw me posting about something on the OGR forum.

As a kid it would be Child n Son in Northampton Ma.  Never was anthor Lionel train store like it.

Hobby shops and trains stores used to dot the landscape here in the Eastern USA. In Manhattan there were five or six train stores alone that we patronized in my younger days like Julies and Madison Hardware on 23rd st  until they closed. I forget the names of most of the other stores in NYC but I certainly do miss them.  Also miss Steve Vargas hobbies  (New Brunswick, NJ ) and Wholesale Trains (Lances Hobby) that I patronized often.  If you look at why a good percentage of the train stores closed, it is based on a number of factors;, the shifting demographic of the buyers, the ballooning rents, the internet stores and the drastic change of the train importers, marketing policy on supporting their sales channels.  

As a kid it would be Child n Son in Northampton Ma

I never made it to Child's.
Some years ago I purchased a bunch of NOS stuff with Child's price stickers from one dealer at Springfield.
I don't know whether it was the store, of just someone who purchased a lot from them.
One time I was in the area and found the store, but it was empty.

leapinlarry posted:

Yes, of all the Hobby Shops I have been fortunate to Have Visited, Davis Electic Trains in The Cincinnati Ohio area, was the Largest, most Complete Model Train Store, Fully Staffed, that I ever visited.  They carried most everything in Lionel, MTH, Weaver, K-Line, G GUAGE, LGB, HO, N, Whatever.....They have been out of business for many years....But, The Memories, Their Displays were simply Amazing....WOW...Great Thread, Thanks for Posting....

I started buying 3 rail Trains from Joe Davis in 1994, and kept going there until his Son David Davis closed the Door's, I actually worked for Joe and David in the O Scale Department Part time, Still the Best Train Store in Southwestern Ohio 

Doherty's Whistle Stop in Summit, Nj and the Millburn Train Store in Millburn, NJ !

Yes, C&O Railroader, that was my most favorite Hobby Shop, great folks to deal with, an Inventory like no other store I have ever visited....It's hard to believe they closed their doors...Things Happen...

Charles Wood's shop in Warren Ohio. It was a shop in a huge house. Two large rooms of tinplate trains awed visitors.  

Hammers Hobbies, Decatur, Illinois. Closest shop is 40 miles away.

Another good store that is gone: Blasdell Hobby. This was a real store that was in the basement of a house in a residential neighborhood. The owner, Russ M. was a pleasant fellow to deal with.
I didn't discover the store until the 1980's, when I was in Buffalo visiting my wife's family.
One of my co-workers grew up in Blasdell (1960's) and was a regular customer.
As I recall, his wife told me the store was opened right after he returned from WWII.

Two more Buffalo NY area stores that I think are gone:
Don't recall the name, it was upstairs from a glass shop. The train store and glass shop were owned by Vic. It was on Eggert Rd.
K-Val hobbies: They had just a bit of "O" gauge, lots of HO and N. They'd always run their display layout for my kids. First time I was there, I purchased an armature for a 1946 Turbine. So, while they didn't have a lot of finished Lionel items, they must of had parts.

For those who are interested in how the newspapers covered the toy train scene in the 1990's to the 2000's, here are 2 articles which include today's present day Red Caboose. I think both of them really give a glimpse of what it is like to run such stores in this extremely high rent district. I liked the LA Times quote from owner Alan Spitz where he says: "Sometimes my patience is a bit shortish--and being a New Yorker, why not?" 

From the Los Angeles Times, I found this one today from 1994: http://articles.latimes.com/19...39042_1_model-trains

I have two paper copies of this 2003 original article from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01...stomers-dwindle.html

Tom 

This may seem strange but I miss CALDOR, a northeastern discount chain.  Yes, they sold Lionel trains and not just box sets.  You could buy freight cars, automated cars, accessories, track, etc at discount prices.  For a kid it was great, close to home with stuff a kid with a few earned bucks could afford.  Then of course, there was Madison Hardware.

Amer's in Youngstown Ohio my grandfather bought my first train set for me 6 months before i was born (Lionel 675) I still have it. when i visited my grandparents we always went there.

Since i lived in Chicago I miss Hill's in Park Ridge bought my first Brass loco there US Hobbies K4. All-Nation I was part of the "lunch group" that invades the store daily.  Cellar hobby shop in Northlake always had a great inventory of post war items. Toy and Hobby shop in Des Plaines Rick the owner was a super guy. Al's in Elmhurst, Stanton's on Milwaukee Av, Glen's in Akron Oh and Hobby House in Cleveland Oh.

C W Burfle posted:

K-Val hobbies: They had just a bit of "O" gauge, lots of HO and N. They'd always run their display layout for my kids. First time I was there, I purchased an armature for a 1946 Turbine. So, while they didn't have a lot of finished Lionel items, they must of had parts.

K-Val closed up about 2 years ago, and the owner passed away this past Easter Sunday at the age of 96. I didn't know him well, but we had a lot of mutual acquaintances.

I started going over there in my HO days right after the store opened in the early 1970's. Originally, it was a tiny part of an old-time pattern works (with antiquated machinery) and as the pattern works failed the train store gradually took up the space and eventually occupied the whole building. It was a pretty significant presence in the Buffalo area for a long time, at least in HO. Last time I was there, maybe 3-4 years ago, it was obviously "running on fumes" and the inventory was spotty, but I did pick up a bunch of Fastrack O-48 pieces.

I think the best remaining O gauge shop in the Buffalo area is Aurora Hobbies in East Aurora. A strange space to be sure, but I never leave empty handed. Plenty of Lionel and MTH rolling stock.

Pecos River Brass, the retail store in Lewisville, Tx. (Dallas area).  This was , one of the premier hobby shops in the southwest. For many years, all scales were sold and serviced there. In later years, John Smith, the owner, focused only on O scale. If it was not in stock, and there was a LOT of stock, he could get it in short order. Over an almost 20 year period, I never missed a week without at least one visit to the store. You could never tell what nationally known model railroader, might show up there on a Sat. morning.

Jeff

Choo Choo works that was on SW highway here in Illinois closed years back,

The fella that used to work on trains pre and postwar in back room used to show me a few things back then.

Owner was going thru divorce and in process closed the store.

NCT posted:

Anyone remember

Yes I do, in fact I have a Train 99 Box car at home. When Paul and Lou split, that brought about the birth of Loco Louie's in Collingdale, on Mc Dade Blvd. But more then that little shop across from the McDade Strip Mall I remember it's owner Lou Caponi and his right hand man Doug. Lou was a board member and ex president of the LCCA and a great Go-to guy for thousands of toy train folks. But most of all I remember him as a friend. I spent many hours talking to Lou and Doug at that little shop. Hours  that I will always cherish.

ns1001 posted:

The Great Train Store (in Union Station) DC. Used to take Amtrak  from Richmond, VA and arrive in DC about 1030. Look at what was on display in O, HO, and N. Then take Metro Red line in the basement to where I wanted to go. Come back in the afternoon and buy what I had been thinking about all dey. The carried the full Lionel line which was sometimes on sale. They were always playing railroad video's. They went under about 2000. It was fun to ride the train back to Richmond clutching my train purchases.

We use to have a "Great Train Store" in the King of Prussia Mall outside of Phila, I loved that little shop. I never bought many of my trains there because of my friendship with Lou Caponi, see Loco Louie post above and Chris Gains of Nicholas Smith. But, my son and I would always pop into there when my wife was shopping and we must of spent thousands on Thomas items. Most of them he still has stored away even though he is in college now.

As for the store the chain had in the Union Station in DC I been there a number of times. When Mike was growing up every couple of years we made a point of taking him to see DC and Amtrak was the only way for us to go. So needless to say a train store was a must stop on a train ride.  

gladstone23 posted:

Doherty's Whistle Stop in Summit, Nj and the Millburn Train Store in Millburn, NJ !

Millburn still there, right?

Big John Henry posted:

Hobby Models - Evanston, Illinois

Bentys Toy & Hobbies- Chicago, Illinois

Weitz TV- Chicago, Illinois

Toy Craft - Norfolk, Virginia

Loco Louies - Pennsylvania

H. L. Childs - Northhampton, MA

Dougs - Des Moines, Iowa

Downtown Hobbies - Denver, Colorado

Hi Steve, I knew this thread would pull you out of hibernation.

Purkey's Toy Trains in Sykesville, MD.  Wiley Purkey was a really great guy who was really excited about the hobby.

Downtown lock and electric is train depot in mt airy md. They split in half back in the day. The train side moved to mt airy md and has been there ever since. It's Lionel service station #20 which may be one of if not oldest left. It was an original service station , pretty neat. Tons of postwar and prewar parts. Has about 5 repair guys full time for lionel and American Flyer. They have changed ownership just recent but same name and same repair guys.

Growing up in NYC, my favorite was Polk's on 5th Avenue.  They always had cool stuff and it was literally a hobby "depratment store".  They had trains, tin soldiers, boats, you name it.  They also had a store on Front Street in East Meadow on Long Island.  Another haunt of mine was Model Railroad Equipment Corp. in the basement on 45th Street.

I'm glad to see that Kenny Jr. is carrying on the love of trains at Trainland in Lynbrook.

Trainman52 posted:

Growing up in NYC, my favorite was Polk's on 5th Avenue. 

I'm glad to see that Kenny Jr. is carrying on the love of trains at Trainland in Lynbrook.

I went there annoying the heck out of my mom........lol

What I thought was the only train store and by far I think the best ever, from the owners and folks that hung out there you could not beat it, NONE Better Catoctin Mountain Trains of Thurmont Md. Miss you Paul and Marcie wishing you all the best.

Growing up in NYC, my favorite was Polk's on 5th Avenue.

Polk's was an interesting store. Multiple floors (I think it was five), with each floor dedicated to specific areas of interest. I don't think I ever purchased anything at the store though.
Nat Polk used to have tables right by the door as you entered one of the halls at York. I think it was the Purple. I purchased an NOS Lionel 220 Volt HO transformer from him, and some other odds and ends. He had a load of them.

For me its BARRYs TRAIN SHOP in Elizabethtown, Pa.  BARRY and his crew were always there to help and great place to talk trains.  You couldn't beat the deals that BARRY gave you.  He always had a sale going on.  Great GUY, I really miss him.  His health problems are really keeping him from going to YORK, but his GUYZ were there giving great deals.

I consider myself very fortunate that I have a LTS about 10 minutes from my house.  A store that would be a go to place at any time in my life.  What I miss mostly is the experience of days gone by.  The days when you could be in a department store and they had Lionel trains on display.  Sears and a local chain called Two Guys come to mind.  At Christmas, it was even better.  I remember Sears in Trenton having a very nice display for Christmas.  Later, there was a small chain here in NJ called Branch Brook.  They were a seasonal store but they always had a good stock of Lionel.  They had an after Christmas sale between Christmas and New Years where they discounted 25% to get rid of the excess Christmas stock.  For some reason, they included the Lionel stock in that sale.  They already had a small discount below MSRP, but the 25% off sale was great.

And let's not forget the Service Stations that have disappeared.  I had a guy that I went to all the time when I lived in Mercer County, NJ; Main Line Train Repair.  He had a decent stock of Lionel rolling stock and parts going way back.  I don't really know what happened to him but my guess is the electronics age did him in.  His business was in his basement.  I remember calling him on Christmas Eve once because one of my engines had a few flat tires.  Come on over he said.  He met me at the door with the parts and told me I could pay him the next time I was around.

Tony

Tony_V posted:

Later, there was a small chain here in NJ called Branch Brook.

Ah, Branch Brook!  Although I had Lionel since before I was old enough to have memories, activity was somewhat dormant.  In 1975 my wife and I happened to stop in the Hazlet Branch Brook. They had the 75th Anniversary Set on sale. I want to say it was right at $100. Bought it on the spot and re-ignited the desire.

As mentioned above, can't say enough about Barry's 

OSSEO SPORTS & TRAIN WORLD

Sadly they closed after being a Lionel dealer in the area for a number of years. They sold Deere small mowers / sales- service and various snow machine products up here in the north country. 

The owner was always very kind with FREE Lionel catalogs to patrons and had a back warehouse full of RR stuff. It was fun to wander there and hear the stories of the olden days dealing with Lionel through the years.

Lionel still carries the address listing on their web site database .. I'll write the marketing group and ask them to update their dealer lists. I would guess many small players have vanished. 

Two of my favorite destination shops were overseas but are long gone... there was a terrific O Gauge shop in Zurich, near the river and the Grossmunster church. Another great shop was 'House of O Gauge', outside of London, near Wimbledon.

Carl Orton posted:

Tony_V posted:

Later, there was a small chain here in NJ called Branch Brook.

Ah, Branch Brook!  Although I had Lionel since before I was old enough to have memories, activity was somewhat dormant.  In 1975 my wife and I happened to stop in the Hazlet Branch Brook. They had the 75th Anniversary Set on sale. I want to say it was right at $100. Bought it on the spot and re-ignited the desire.

While "Two Guys" was the store I visited most often (because I could get there by bicycle), Branch Brook was my local favorite when I was growing up.  During the period in the late 1960s/early 1970s when many others stopped selling trains, those guys were faithful throughout.

Because Branch Brook sold pools and outdoor items in the summer and Christmas and indoor items in the winter, they always had a good amount of space devoted to Lionel trains during train season.  For those of you who never went, picture what you could do with the space formerly occupied by two or three above-ground demonstrator pools taken down for the winter season...that was Branch Brook.  They used to have shelves along the back wall of the Hazlet, NJ store that showed the sets exactly as they were in the catalog which made this young boy drool...even though the sets were uninspiring by then.

For all who have mentioned H.L. Childs in Northampton, Mass, I agree also.  The mural of the train on the side of the building made the trip worth it all by itself.

Steven J. Serenska

Hiramo, I know the store in Zurich, bought my first European 0 scale there over thirty years ago. Two other great stores in Europe were Victors in London and the legendary Markschaffel und Lennartz in Hamburg, Germany.

Miketg

Buffalo in the ’50s: South Buffalo’s beloved ‘Spoonley the Train Man’

86TA355SR posted:

Train Express, Indianapolis.

Lots of memories as a young boy dreaming of all those trains.  Larry was a great guy also, made me some  deals during the final sale.

 

I too have fond memories of visiting Larry’s store. First as a youngster with my Dad and brothers and later with my own son. I definitely miss that store but grateful that we have Mr. Muffin’s Trains here in central Indiana. 

SJC posted:

Fred Brenek posted:

Mail order:  Jim's Train Shop - PA, Ma & Pa Junction - MD, Just Trains - DE, Island Trains - NY.

Local: Ted's Engine House - Pennsauken, NJ == M & G Hobbies - Delran, NJ == J & B Trains - Delran/Maple Shade, NJ.

Fred

Just Trains is most certainly still in business - alive and well I'd say. They have a wonderful brick and mortar store as well as a very good mail order operation. 

Yes but a shadow of what it was when Captain Kirk was at the helm.

Just Trains old location which I liked as there was a Goodwill two or so doors to the left and I would go browse their records:

I also miss Moose Caboose n/w of Baltimore and M.B. Klein's old location on Gay St. in downtown Baltimore.

The original Nickolas Smith on 11th and Arch Sts, in Philly.

Madison Hardware NYC

World of Trains NYC (Forest Hills Queens)

there was a super K line store in the Queens Long Island border, can't remember the name of the owner but I bought K line and postwar there. And not that far away there was a big store ? Rockaway blvd? That had a tremendous amount of post war and MPCwith everything on display shelves. 

I remember All the Woolworths were Big on Plasticville, and HO Rivorosi stuff, some Marx too.

those were the days.

We had trains limited in charlotte n.c.He had some pretty good stuff N,H.O.O ON3,G.I loved going there to hang out and talk trains.And to see what he had gotten from lionel or mth.But things went down hill after 2001.Sad to say trains limited is no more.Now the next train store is in spencer n.c.And for me that is 68 miles one way.

The Az Train Depot is closing down this month here in Mesa Az.  Papa Dan's closed before Christmas.  An Affair With Trains is closing their retail store in Phoenix on the 26th. 

Things are pretty grim here in Az.

Rolland

Todd's Model Shop, 69th street shopping area Upper Darby Pa.  My child hood addiction peddler.

Schmidty's Trains, Santa Clara, CA, from about 1968 - 1978.

Greatest train shop I've ever been in.  Hank Schmidt, proprietor, was an incredible train guy, dealer, salesman, promoter, builder and so forth.  He ran the shop as a part-time enterprise.

Hank "persuaded" (LOL!) me to join TTOS and TCA late in 1972.  Sadly, he passed very prematurely in 1978.

A loss to our hobby.   

I remember World of Trains, the owner had a huge dog.  Would go down the street to Kraus' to get cat's tongues.

Miketg

Handy Dan the Hobby Man...Yonkers N.Y......Westchester Hobbies,White Plains N.Y.

Two Guys ,in Cherry Hill ,NJ .Rode my bike there all the time.

Reno Rails

Little Hobbys at Turntable Junction, Flemington NJ, next to the Black River & Western RR tracks.

Chas posted:

Buffalo in the ’50s: South Buffalo’s beloved ‘Spoonley the Train Man’

Model train collectors in South Buffalo, all of Western New York, and all around the country knew of “Spoonley the Train Man” from ads in The News, the Courier-Express, and dozens of national magazines that catered to the dreams of little boys and train enthusiasts of all ages.

Chet Spoonley’s South Buffalo home on Choate Street, off South Park Avenue, doubled as his model train store – the basement shop was a place where young boys could see their H-O gauge dreams come true.

He started the train business in 1937, while still working as a pressman for three different newspapers: the Buffalo Times, the Buffalo Courier-Express and the Buffalo Evening News.

The Train Man’s attic was really Spoonley’s personal train museum — which also happened to sell and repair Lionel trains. Among the items on display — but not for sale — at Spoonley’s was a lantern that lit the parlor car of President Lincoln’s Baltimore & Ohio funeral train as it rolled through Buffalo in 1865.

Advertisements for Spoonley, which appeared in magazines around the country from the 1940s through the 1970s. (Buffalo Stories archives)

In 1974, Spoonley handed the model train business — by then moved to West Seneca – over to his son, Chester Jr.

Spoonley Sr. died in 1980. The 74-year-old suffered a heart attack while shoveling snow.

Business lagged, and Spoonley the Train Man shop closed in October 1981, and Spoonley Jr. went missing three months later. His body was found in the Niagara River the following spring.

The story of Spoonley, his trains and the eventual dying off of a model train empire, was written in book form by radio newsman John Zach in 1988 and examined by News Reporter Anthony Violanti as the book was published.

CHAS, That was an interesting and sad story. I've been to Buffalo a few times over the years for work (SUNY) and I was always on the lookout for train shops. Being in the basement reminds me of Fred Arone's Depot Attic railroadiana store in Dobbs Ferry, NY. I think Bob CNJ3676, early on in this topic.

Tom 

Hobby Corner, Gibsonia PA. It was a nice little local shop and where I got my first Lionel train set. The owner was helpful and good at answering any questions I had as a new model railroader. 

The New York Times ran a story on October 5, 1975  about railroadiana stores, "Getting Steamed Up About Railroadiana." One that was mentioned was the Depot Attic. These were the first 2 sentences of the article: 

In the Golden Age of Steam the chuffing of the locomotive, the sight of a steam plume wafting against the prairie landscape, a forlorn whistle in the dead of night, and the trainman's reassuring wave were all part of the American scene.

Today, thousands of hobbyists are trying to preserve memories of that past by collecting “railroadiana“—timetables, passes, bells, whistles, emblems,” caps, keys, lanterns and virtually anything else related to railroading. No longer limited to steam, the hobby has been broadened to include electric railroads, trolley lines, even subways (but not toy trains or models—that is a hobby unto itself).

I know I was happy to have stumbled upon the Depot Attic and was able to get everything from track diagrams, a builder's plate to a dwarf signal along with lots of early issues of Trains magazine. 

Tom 

trainroomgary posted:

Still have their business card, on my work bench.

36333 Groesbeck • Clinton TWP., Michigan

Gary

Bert and Elmer were the best!

Berkshire President posted:

Warren's Model Trains in Fairview Park, OH....but only when it was owned by Tom Podojil....who passed away much too young several years ago.

The Hobby House on Huron Road in downtown Cleveland was always exciting.

And while I'm too young to have vivid memories of the place, my grandparents used to take me to Jaye & Jaye trains in Euclid, OH once a year.  I still remember picking out two items from the 1982 Traditional Catalog there.

Not all good times are behind me, though.  Stockyard Express in Oberlin has become a favorite place of mine to stop by.

I've also found buying and selling on this Forum is a good way to "meet" people and make some new friends.

Jaye and Jaye on Euclid Ave. in Cleveland was Lionel Heaven to me as a kid in the 1950’s and 60’s.

In the 1990’s and 2000’s, it was The Trading Post on Pearl Road on Cleveland’s west side. Still going strong, from what I hear. 

Moved to SoCal in 2009, where The Train Shack in Burbank is now my LHS.

From my check of the “1955 Lionel Service Stations List” published by Lionel, just about the only old store from the 1950’s still going is Nicholas Smith in Philadelphia. 

Now, I know for a fact the The Trading Post in Cleveland was a Lionel dealer starting in 1950, but apparently it was not an official service station at that time.

Also, Allied Model Trains in Los Angeles was on the 1955 Lionel list but closed up  just a couple of  years ago. Originally on Pico Ave., it had moved to Sepulveda Ave. near LAX sometime in more recent years. 

I believe the name of the store in Cincinnati was Davis Electric, and Wow what a great hobby store.  I was there only twice before they shut their doors, a very well stocked model railroad supply with all gauges covered. The amazing G Guage Hudson, in DieCast as you walked in from the back door was Awesome.  I purchased much of my Atlas O trackage from them and lots of Ross turnouts and switch indicator lamp kits to. So far, I have never seen a bigger/better model train store as complete as they were. There are many fantastic stores today, however, the personnel at Davis Electric were very nice.  Great thread, Happy Railroading.

leapinlarry posted:

 The amazing G Guage Hudson, in DieCast as you walked in from the back door was Awesome. 

I've never heard of a diecast Hudson in G scale. There were a couple of brass ones that I've learned about recently.

Any other info on this?

Engineer Joe, I could be mistaken, possibly was Brass, I think it was Asher...It’s been so long, in the early 2000’s.... I was amazed as it’s price a mere $3K... At the time I was buying Track and components for getting the layout started. I bought many precurved Gargraves and Ross sections of track from them.  For my two helixes on my layout, I purchased 135 K-Line 027-size 072 curves...Thanks for chiming in....

Fischer's Hobby Service, 618 South Fourth St, Louisville, KY. It was on the second floor and carried an extensive inventory of Lionel. I lived over 100 miles away in Mt Sterling, KY & my dad and I would ride the C&O to visit. I met Bill Fischer on my first visit and after that I could call him and they would send what I wanted by bus and I could pick it up at the bus station in Mt. Sterling the next day.

Two Guys in Irondequoit, NY and Carl's Hobby House in Rochester were my go tos when I was heavily into HO trains. Today, with my different interest I can visit Despatch Junction and Gardiner the Train Doctor.

Jim McC.

leapinlarry posted:

I believe the name of the store in Cincinnati was Davis Electric, and Wow what a great hobby store.  I was there only twice before they shut their doors, a very well stocked model railroad supply with all gauges covered. The amazing G Guage Hudson, in DieCast as you walked in from the back door was Awesome.  I purchased much of my Atlas O trackage from them and lots of Ross turnouts and switch indicator lamp kits to. So far, I have never seen a bigger/better model train store as complete as they were. There are many fantastic stores today, however, the personnel at Davis Electric were very nice.  Great thread, Happy Railroading.

Yes, Davis Electronics(and trains) in Milford, OH.  The "Electronics" part of the store was a small corner in front of 1 of the 3 stores(all connected).  They had a huge selection of trains, new & used, and the prices were the lowest around.  My Dad and I used to go there and to CG&E/Cinergy/Duke building downtown Cinci to see the B&O display(before it was moved to the Union Terminal permanently).  We would spend the better part of the day watching trains at the Union Terminal, looking at the B&O display, and at Davis Electronics.  We managed to go there 2-3 times a year.

My favorite train store was not a train store but a hardware store on 5th and Roosevelt Blvd in northeast Philly it was called Campbell's hardware, sorry to say the big box guys eat them up. They would call my mother up to tell her to bring me down to get the Lionel catalog, also mentioned to tell my father to bring his checkbook.

My other favorite was Dougherty's whistle stop, miss those guys also.

Those were the days.

tnkMarx posted:

leapinlarry posted:

I believe the name of the store in Cincinnati was Davis Electric, and Wow what a great hobby store.  I was there only twice before they shut their doors, a very well stocked model railroad supply with all gauges covered. The amazing G Guage Hudson, in DieCast as you walked in from the back door was Awesome.  I purchased much of my Atlas O trackage from them and lots of Ross turnouts and switch indicator lamp kits to. So far, I have never seen a bigger/better model train store as complete as they were. There are many fantastic stores today, however, the personnel at Davis Electric were very nice.  Great thread, Happy Railroading.

Yes, Davis Electronics(and trains) in Milford, OH.  The "Electronics" part of the store was a small corner in front of 1 of the 3 stores(all connected).  They had a huge selection of trains, new & used, and the prices were the lowest around.  My Dad and I used to go there and to CG&E/Cinergy/Duke building downtown Cinci to see the B&O display(before it was moved to the Union Terminal permanently).  We would spend the better part of the day watching trains at the Union Terminal, looking at the B&O display, and at Davis Electronics.  We managed to go there 2-3 times a year.

 

I loved Davis Trains!!! Joe was a great guy and Jim Barrett ran the repair dept. there. I was there every week for years. On Thanksgiving weekend he would open up his layouts for the public. I ran the O gauge layout and his friend Roger ran the standard gauge. It was something to see. Old Milford was packed because of Davis Trains and when he closed it hurt Old Milford economically. Joe died and his son sold everything and made a nice penny. Joe had everything pre-war and post-war. He was a good guy and I still miss that store.

detroit train posted:

trainroomgary posted:

Still have their business card, on my work bench.

36333 Groesbeck • Clinton TWP., Michigan

Gary

Bert and Elmer were the best!

"Wild Bill" was very enjoyable too.  My understanding is that Bill had the idea of trying to create the atmosphere of an old style barber shop, where people could congregate and visit and talk.  That was the reason for the large, centrally located table with the comfortable rolling chairs on all sides. On Friday nights, people would frequently gather around the table.  That table now, of course, is at Great Lakes Hobby.

leapinlarry posted:

Engineer Joe, I could be mistaken, possibly was Brass, I think it was Asher...It’s been so long, in the early 2000’s.... I was amazed as it’s price a mere $3K... At the time I was buying Track and components for getting the layout started. I bought many precurved Gargraves and Ross sections of track from them.  For my two helixes on my layout, I purchased 135 K-Line 027-size 072 curves...Thanks for chiming in....

Thank you! I have heard of that one in brass! (Aster)

My all time favorite shop, in my adult years, was the Pecos River Brass hobby shop in Lewisville, Tx. They had just about everything in all the scales. They did not sell 3 rail Lionel, but got me started in "O" scale 2 rail.

When I was a kid, I got everything from Wilson's Hobby Shop, in Parkersburg, W.Va.

I sure miss the visits to both of them.

By reading all of these posts,it looks like no body lived west of Texas until the 70s.

Mikey

Glenview Illinois,  Klippers   on  Waukegan Road

My friends and I would ride there on our Bikes.  Toy store with sporting goods and model trains.

Steve

@Lenny the Lion posted:

I too miss Warrens Trains. Once lived near the Metro Parks, a stones throw from Fairview park. If I needed a part Tom would have just about everything I needed and then some. It was so nice just to hop in my car and have the replacement part right away instead of the mail order method.

Warrens Trains went downhill when Tom owned it. Lou Warren and his son Ronnie started that store in Lou's basement in Cleveland before moving to the store in Fairview Park.

@Lou N posted:

Certainly Tom was a great guy.  He lived up the road about a mile from me.  If I called looking for parts for a project when I got home from work there would be a bag hanging on the side door with the stuff I needed.  That was true service.  

Hobby House is also missed.  I worked at the suburban store in Maple Heights.

When I went to Jaye & Jaye it was on Ivanhoe in East Cleveland.  Got 1947 era passenger cars there for $2 each.

Also missed is Riedel's on Babbitt Road in Euclid.  What a wonderful layout he had.

Lou N

Lew, do you remember Puritas Hobby?

Harmon's Trains in Arcadia, Indiana for my Lionel needs and Watt's Train Shop in Zionsville, Indiana for my LGB G scale needs and Christmas decorations.  AD

Back in the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's if you needed Standard Gauge, Postwar and later, MPC Lionel, Al Cox and his son John were a go to for me. While not a hobby shop per se they produced these huge catalogs of available parts, pieces and whatever back before the days of the internet. It was all mail order and he even did layaway. Al would send you a monthly invoice until the item was paid and added addendum's throughout the year as more items became available.. Located in Seattle Washington, Al Cox was special. I'm a little surprised no one mentioned him.

Kansas City MO we used to have train store called Spotlight Railroad it used to be a great store run by a great guy named Jim. I used to go anywhere I wanted in the store.

Todd's Hobby Shop and M & E Hobby shop both in Upper Darby PA.

HANDY DAN THE HOBBY MAN  Riverdale av. at Ludlow st,Yonkers N.Y

TELLEY ELECTRIC SUPPLY Mount Vernon N.Y.

Choo Choo Charlies on MacDade Blvd. in Secane, Pa

20th Century Limited Hobbies in Wheaton, IL.   The shop owners all worked for Amtrak so there were limited hours.  I remember riding my bike there and we'd talk trains--real and models.  Fun times for a 12 year old kid in the '70's. 

Hills Hobbies, Park Ridge, IL - When I came back to the hobby a trips to Hills was monthly to peruse the inventory.

@joe krasko posted:

HANDY DAN THE HOBBY MAN  Riverdale av. at Ludlow st,Yonkers N.Y

TELLEY ELECTRIC SUPPLY Mount Vernon N.Y.

@joe krasko--  Hey Neighbor (Joe lives less than a mile from me) & all,

  I went to look who started this interesting topic and it was done so long ago, I forgot it was me!

  I thought for sure it was our friend Arnold Cribari who posts some interesting, thought-provoking topics!

Tom

Model Railroad Equipment Corporation at 23 West 45th Street in the days of Carmen Webster, and

Polks Model Craft Hobbies at 314 5th Avenue in the days of Lewis Polk.

Both in Manhattan

- Mike

@Mike Casatelli--Mike, I may have mentioned this before...my dad worked in Manhattan at W&J Slone and when I was a youngster, he would take me down to Model Railroad Equipment Corp and going down those stairs was always exciting, like walking through the stands at a baseball game to finally see the green field emerge.

Sadly, I don't think dad knew of Madison Hardware as I think I would have loved that, too.

Tom

Windsor Hobby, Berwyn, IL.

A small one-man shop of my youth.  Mostly HO, N and plastics, with used goodies in the back room.

Rusty

the old madison hardware in NYC went there when I was in my teens --like entering a timewarp---new old stock galore and as I remember two old gentlemen running it

Sure, I miss Woody's Train Shop in El Paso.  Woody and Hazel had a good stock, operating layouts and friendly atmosphere.  "If we don't have it.  we'll get it."   

                                                                                                                           Logan

Max K Trell, Stamford, Ct.  I think it was a hobby shop with lots of Lionel.  Next up, Caldors, a regional high end discount store.  Caldor's sold starter Lionel sets, track, accessories and freight.

Glen's Train Shop in Akron, Ohio

Jetstream Hobbies in Blairstown, NJ.

They had a fantastic selection of trains, track, accessories, etc. (post-war to modern) and a very impressive inventory of Dept 56. I purchased quite a few buildings and accessories from them.
The husband and wife who owned it were so kind and friendly, I hope they are both doing well wherever they are now

All of them.  Nearest to me now of any real value is over 100 miles across 2 states.

@gandydancer1950 posted:

Lew, do you remember Puritas Hobby?

Hi Howard,

I was an east side of Cleveland person.  Do you mean the shop ran by Bob Parsley?   If so, then I do remember it but was only there once.

Lou N

Wow, where to begin?  In no particular order:

• Barry's in Elizabethtown, PA
• Maxwell's in Harrisburg, PA
• Sears & Roebuck in Steubenville, OH (1960's, 70s)
• The Hub, Steubenville, OH (1960's,70s)

George

Again, Catoctin Mountain Trains and Hobbies, Thurmont MD.  The best of the best in customer service, selection and appreciation for your business.

Carr's Hobby in Duluth, MN!

How many remember Train 99? They were always at Greenberg’s show in Timonium Md.

Madison Hardware in 23rd St

The Roundhouse in the Croton North Train Station

The Roundhouse in White Plains on Martine Ave

Davis Train in Milford, Oho

@Lou N posted:

Hi Howard,

I was an east side of Cleveland person.  Do you mean the shop ran by Bob Parsley?   If so, then I do remember it but was only there once.

Lou N

Yep that's the one. Btw, HUGE toy and train show at Medina Fairgrounds today, one of the biggest I've ever seen.......super crowded also.

Glens Train Shop in Akron, Ohio.

Allied Hobbies in LA,Lees Trains in Piedmont,Ca,Jack Colliers Toys for Men in SF and Mailways in SF to name a few.

Mikey

Frank’s Roundhouse (owned by Frank Rash) in Hanover Township (just outside Wilkes-Barre), PA.  My Dad started taking me there in the mid-1970’s when I was about 8 or 9 years old.  We always left with something!

The first location was in a basement of some sort of commercial building.  I can remember the smell of engine smoke and ozone from the store layout as I walked down the steps like I was just there yesterday.  Great memories for sure!

Oscale Train Lover was lamenting the loss of his train store that also sold Department 56.  All the big D56 retailers are gone here in CT:  Windsor Shop in North Haven, Vinny’s in North Haven, G & L Windham plus just about any other local D56 outlet.

@RidgeRunner posted:

Again, Catoctin Mountain Trains and Hobbies, Thurmont MD.  The best of the best in customer service, selection and appreciation for your business.

Would stop there on the drive to my BIL's in Leesburg Va.

Al Moyer's Coventry Trains in Pottstown PA. Al's was only open for a few years but grew out of the backroom of an ice cream shop into a separate building with operating layout. Would always find an excuse to stop there on my way home from work. Many items followed me home from there! It closed after Al's untimely passing. Great guy.

I grew up going to Dutchess Train and Hobby in Red Oaks Mill NY.  Went one day as a teenager and the windows were papered over with a note about being closed for renovations, with a reopening date.  Never reopened.

Best memory of my time in the hobby was going there to pick up my Lionel 0-6-0 Docksider in NYC paint that my parents had special ordered when it finally arrived.  Still remember using the blue ribbons to lift it out of the box the first time.

Jackson Hobby Shop,  Jackson NJ

The Train Guys, Howell NJ

I think it was called the Westchester Train & Hobby Shop on Post Road across the street from White Plains Hospital in White Plains, NY. This was the hobby shop where Pete (who smoked like a chimney) did a great job fixing my trains.

@shorling posted:

Oscale Train Lover was lamenting the loss of his train store that also sold Department 56.  All the big D56 retailers are gone here in CT:  Windsor Shop in North Haven, Vinny’s in North Haven, G & L Windham plus just about any other local D56 outlet.

I just said that to my son, yesterday. He was helping me set up the Christmas tree layout, and as I was opening up all the Dept 56 accessories, it occurred to me that all of the gift shops I bought them from are gone.

Similarly to as others said five years ago in this thread, I miss Train Express, but am very grateful that Mr Muffins has filled the void in Indy.

The village train shop in Perry was a small but nice shop. Another was "The Train Shop in Erie was also great. I remember when Fred was there.

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I think it was called the Westchester Train & Hobby Shop on Post Road across the street from White Plains Hospital in White Plains, NY. This was the hobby shop where Pete (who smoked like a chimney) did a great job fixing my trains.

It was called Westchester Hobbies at 122 East Post Rd, across from the Royal Scarlet Deli. Pete smoke packs a day. He fixed many of my trains over the years..

Sadly, I've never been inside a train store in my entire life.  Never even seen one.

Unless you count the time I walked through a Hobby Lobby in a strip shopping center in Fairfax twenty years ago.

Mannyrock

I miss Ridge Road Station west of Rochester, NY. It wasn't just a train store... it was a destination for all things G scale, trains, Christmas, and fun. Now, it is just a leveled lot.

@Mike Casatelli posted:

Model Railroad Equipment Corporation at 23 West 45th Street in the days of Carmen Webster.

That was in my opinion the very best model railroad shop. Other good ones were Corr's in D.C., All Nation in Chicago, original Lloyd's in Baltimore. As I recall Herb Walters was in charge of the O scale equipment at Model Railroad Equipment Corporation.

I recall him showing me a lot of Max Gray equipment in the 1950's, some of which I purchased. As you went down the stairs there was a large photo of the front of a PRR 4-8-2 on the wall.

Actually, a shop mentioned as a new store early in this thread, has now gone away. Bob and Vicki at Alloway Trains and Things retired last spring. They weren’t around long, but folks like them are hard to find, so it was tough to lose them.

@Cincytrains posted:

It was called Westchester Hobbies at 122 East Post Rd, across from the Royal Scarlet Deli. Pete smoke packs a day. He fixed many of my trains over the years..

@Cincytrains --  Weren't there actually two Westchester Hobbies? I seem to remember the first one closed (I think they had a fire, but not 100% sure) and then they relocated slightly more East on East Post Road. Either way, they seemed like a friendly bunch.  They always had a decent supply of the magazine "Locomotive & Railway Preservation" which was a pretty nicely done magazine, but didn't last too long.

My dad ran the furniture store, W&J Sloanes, still further East on East Post Road in the late 1970's- early 1980's.

Tom

The old M.B. Klein's on Gay Street in Baltimore. Narrow aisles and shelves filled from the floor to ceiling. Spent many an hour in there. And a few $$, too. 

My favorite all-time hobby shop was Mizzell's (Sp)? in Westminster, Colorado.  Huge stock of new and vintage, (Their "Wall of Trains" was famous).  Great repair service and Ceramic Buildings, exquisitely crafted, that I never saw for sale anywhere else.  I miss   them.

                                                                                                                     Logan

@SJC posted:

Sure do....the best of the best.

Still miss this one and Barrys Trains in E Town.

@G3750 posted:

Wow, where to begin?  In no particular order:

• Barry's in Elizabethtown, PA
• Maxwell's in Harrisburg, PA
• Sears & Roebuck in Steubenville, OH (1960's, 70s)
• The Hub, Steubenville, OH (1960's,70s)

George

Im with you GEORGE, BARRYS TRAINS a in Elizabethtown and MAXWELLs in Harrisburg,PA.  MAXWELLS was a smoke house but he did have lots o stock.

Rusty, you beat me to it - Windsor Hobby Shop in Berwyn back in the late 1950's through late 1970's before I moved to San Jose. Spent a lot of time at this shop. Bob, the owner, was a very friendly guy, and always helpful. Bought several brass engines from him and all my rolling stock and accessories.

In the San Jose area, we had Loco-Boose with a very good supply. We still have the Train Shop in Santa Clara. 100% trains, mostly HO, but a good selection of O gauge items. They also cater to the G scale guys as well as N scale. A huge selection of RR books covers one long wall.

RAY

@PRR8976 posted:

@Cincytrains --  Weren't there actually two Westchester Hobbies? I seem to remember the first one closed (I think they had a fire, but not 100% sure) and then they relocated slightly more East on East Post Road. Either way, they seemed like a friendly bunch.  They always had a decent supply of the magazine "Locomotive & Railway Preservation" which was a pretty nicely done magazine, but didn't last too long.

My dad ran the furniture store, W&J Sloanes, still further East on East Post Road in the late 1970's- early 1980's.

Tom

Westchester Hobbies was the one that caught fire and burned in the very early 1990's, a different store, Westchester Train and Hobbies opened up at the end of Post Rd in the late 1990's. It was/is separate from the other. It is owned by a tow truck guy. He was in the old mall for years and now in the Galleria on the bottom floor.  Its ok I guess.

I miss(ed) them all.

I recently bought a NOS Lionel freight car.  It was produced way back in 2003 .  There was a piece of paper in the box from Lionel that listed dealers by state.  There were 6 stores listed in my area (St. Louis) in 2003.  They're all gone now.  I've only been involved in this hobby for four years.  Therefore, I've never bought anything at a train store.  100% Internet or shows.  The way it is.

I have to say now that I don't have any family in the Philadelphia area, I really miss going to Nicholas Smith up in Broomall Pa. From the 1950s & 60s , Beckers & Nicholas Smith on 11th St and Millers Union Station on Arch St between 10th & 11th St in Downtown Philadelphia, Quaker City Hobby & Tom Thumb Hobbies who had a huge HO parts inventory also Downtown Philly and Todd's Upper Darby where I grew up. I occasionally worked for the Original Nicholas Smith on 11th St back in 1967 when I was 14. And finally some of you may recall Service Of Merritt on West Chester Pike and Darby Rd in Havertown? It wasn't a hobby shop but he repaired trains and sold used Standard, O & S gauge trains at very attractive prices. The shop closed when Mr Merritt passed away about 1988.

@shorling posted:

Oscale Train Lover was lamenting the loss of his train store that also sold Department 56.  All the big D56 retailers are gone here in CT:  Windsor Shop in North Haven, Vinny’s in North Haven, G & L Windham plus just about any other local D56 outlet.

Kind of the same here in NE Pennsylvania, Steve. Not far from me is a local legend called the American Candle Shop - in reality, candles are a small part of their business. 20+ years ago, they did an enormous amount of business in collectibles, including Dept. 56. If you went there on the day after Christmas, all D56 was 40-50% off!!! They had stacks of boxes piled 4 - 5 feet high throughout the store - each of the different lines had a different section. If you didn’t see what you were looking for, you just had to ask and they’d check the stock room. You would see folks leaving with these enormous clear plastic bags with five or ten houses!!! I must admit to having picked up a couple of items over the years While they still carry a small amount of D56, it just ain’t the same... not a complete tragedy - leaves more money for trains!!!

@RJT posted:

Still miss this one and Barrys Trains in E Town.

Just came by to say Barry's, I see a lot of people beat me to it.

The Model Railway Station in Scotia NY

Model Trains and Parts in Schenectady NY

@graz posted:

AB Charles on West Liberty Ave. in Dormont, PA.

Bill and Walt's in Downtown Pgh.

Jim's in Homer City, PA

Collectible Toys and Trains on Loop 12 in Dallas, TX

Born and raised in Pittsburgh thru high school 1965. Christmas + train layouts were king. I had a Pittsburgh Press paper route and virtually every customer had some sort of train layout. I got too see them all! My dad started us out with a Lionel steam set in the early 50's. Then added New York Central F-3 set with magna traction, switch tracks, logloader, coal loader, etc. I don't recall the stores he took us too though. But I been hooked on O scale ever since. My daughters loved them. And now my grand kids, Fast forward to moving to the Dallas area in 1988. Discovered Collectible Toys and Trains sometime after that. My Layouts got bigger and a lot of stuff came from Collectible. Great bunch of guys and gals there.  Then they moved somewhere out in the country. I heard the owner  passed away (can't remember his name, but I do remember his face). RIP. And the hobby lives on.

@PRR8976 posted:

@Cincytrains --  Weren't there actually two Westchester Hobbies? I seem to remember the first one closed (I think they had a fire, but not 100% sure) and then they relocated slightly more East on East Post Road. Either way, they seemed like a friendly bunch.  They always had a decent supply of the magazine "Locomotive & Railway Preservation" which was a pretty nicely done magazine, but didn't last too long.

My dad ran the furniture store, W&J Sloanes, still further East on East Post Road in the late 1970's- early 1980's.

Tom

Tom, those 2 stores were entirely separate businesses.

The one that was more east on East Post Road was owned by two guys, Mike and Joe.  Joe focused on repairs and was quite good at it. That business was taken over by Mike, who subsequently relocated to the Hamilton Avenue Mall in White Plains, and then to the Galleria in White Plains where it currently exists. It is a fine model railroad and hobby shop. Mike promoted MTH trains early on, and I bought quite a few of them over the years, and am very happy with all of them.

The other store, which was further west on Post Road in White Plains, is where Pete did train repairs. 

Both of those stores were near where I've had my White Plains law office, and it was always a pleasure for me to visit them. During my lunch hour and after work, I would often hang out at both stores. Arnold

@Cincytrains posted:

Westchester Hobbies was the one that caught fire and burned in the very early 1990's, a different store, Westchester Train and Hobbies opened up at the end of Post Rd in the late 1990's. It was/is separate from the other. It is owned by a tow truck guy. He was in the old mall for years and now in the Galleria on the bottom floor.  Its ok I guess.

That's my understanding too.

The stores I miss:

Trains N' Things in Maspeth, NY - After "Santa Clause" brought me the "Kickapoo Valley & Northern" set, a few months later my parents took me there and I got a GP-20 (6-8367 Long Island). It looked so silly with the cars from that set.

World Of Trains originally in Rego Park, NY then Forest Hills, NY. My grade school was across the street - that was my go to place growing up. One of the two owners - Leon - always helped me out when I was a little short of the item prices, and always had a nice thing to say. When I was older I would always sop in whenever I was in town. I could always find something.

Aqua Pet Hobby Den in Flushing, NY. They had a ton of "N" scale - I didn't model in N scale but their rotating displays were awesome.

hello

Hobby World in Jacksonville Fl. When Don the owner passed his son sold it. It went down hill fast then closed.  i woUld go there for hrs and look at everything on the shelf's. one day i bought a lgb gondola in a brown box. Don asked how i knew what it was.  I told him I read all the box's. he had a back room with all the old lionel that he would only let a few people go in and look at and buy. I was one of the lucky one's to get to go back there.  He and Hobby World are missed.

Kevin 

Train Barn -Portage, Mi.

Model Depot- Royal Oak, Mi.

Train Center Hobbies-Birmingham, Mi.

Mark's Trains and Hobbies-Marion, Il.

20th Century Limited Hobbies-Wheaton, Il.

Empire Hobbies-Troy, Mi.

Wild Bill's Roseville, Mi.  (I think I got the town right on that one).

Lionel Visitors Center-Chesterfield, Mi.  There was a nice train shop there.

Ryder's Hobbies-Madison Heights, Mi.

Al's Hobby Shop-Elmhurst, IL.  This one still might be open but I haven't lived in the Chicago area for over 30 years.

I had great experiences at all of these hobby shops.  Sad to see they're all gone.

One more to add-Rainy Day's Hobbies--Ferndale, Mi.

A couple of small "mom and pop" / repair stores just came to mind:

• Log Cabin Trains - a one-man repair shop off Camp Horne Road north of Pittsburgh.  This was a very hard-to-find location.  Unfortunately, a thief found it and robbed the place (mid-late 1990's?).  It closed as a result.
• Blue Mountain Trains (or Hobbies?) - I believe this "store" (really his basement) was north of Annville, PA.  The owner passed away in the early 2000s.

George

Yes, I miss this one.

But my wife and I got old. We needed a pill to keep us young. But our local pharmacy doesn't have any.

Yes since I moved to South Carolina I miss every Train Shop I went to in Northeast PA.

I miss every closed train store in my area (northern New Jersey) that I ever visited. Each had its own personality, and each visit was an adventure because I never knew what I would find. I also miss Don Brill's Dover train show, which was always a lot of fun.

Charlotte Electric Trains

My favorite train store was a small hole in wall shop in west Phoenix called "An Affair with Trains".   I went there every few weeks prior to my interest in O scale and going to the store was always an interesting adventure.  Between the packed aisles of new and consignment items were lots of new old stock kits of the likes of Red Ball, yellow box Athearn, and even a few Varney kits.  It just felt like what a train store should be like, an eclectic mix of interesting items.  There were a few O pieces at the time, but it was mostly postwar and MPC era Lionel which I still don't have an interest in. 

The original owner sold the store, it got moved north to an industrial park, and the new owners sold new product only.  I lost interest at that point.

I may have mentioned this one before in another thread. Maybe someone remembers it?

In Baltimore, there was a train store at Falls Road and 36th Street. It was a few blocks away from friends whom I would visit every few months. One day in around 1985 I walked in to discover a large number of Kusan, AMT and KMT boxcars, and a 1984 (?) Williams catalog. The owners weren't that interested in making a profit that day, I guess. I seem to recall I paid $10 to $15 each for a quantity of boxcars, probably 20 or so of them.

It was the rebirth of my interest in trains, having put them away for a few decades at that point.

@jim sutter posted:

Yes, I miss this one.

But my wife and I got old. We needed a pill to keep us young. But our local pharmacy doesn't have any.

Jim was only there twice but I miss it also very nice place and folks were great.

Thank you Rick for your kind words. I hope you and your family have a very special and Merry Christmas.

I miss Sean Marchevs store Dorithys Trains. Morristown NJ.

Forest Hill station in Forest Hill, Md. Got a lot of advice from Charlie for building our layout in the mid 90's.

Childhood in the 1950s: Jaye and Jaye Hobby on Cleveland's east side.
Adulthood: Trading Post Train Shop on Cleveland’s west side. The owner, Jim Berilla, was a friend.

Arthur,

The store was called Collector Trains and Toys.

Charlie

That's it, thank you!  Did you buy things there?

They are still listed in Google searches, but I don't think they've been around for a number of years.

When I saw the boxcars, and realizing that they were closer to scale size than 6464's, I was fascinated and liked them. I hadn't ever heard of them, and the old goober behind the counter, "in the style of" Lou Shur, snarled something like "yeah, some guy in the midwest made them, and nobody likes them. Do me a favor and buy all of them."   So I did.

I miss Al’s Hobby Shop in Elmhurst Il. A general hobby store but my first go to and visit often hobby shop. I rode my bike there from home.

I miss the train store on Calumet Ave in Munster In. Two blocks from my in laws, and a welcome respite. Called the Train Stop I think.
Years ago there was a very small train shop in Oshkosh Wisconsin, (my home). I mean it was tiny and it was not very busy but I learned so much there. At one time Oshkosh also had a train show. “Ah those were the days my friend”

Growing up in Glen Ellyn, Il, I had a couple of morning paper routes delivering the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun Times.  With the some of the money I made, I would take one of the CN&W commuter trains to Elmhurst, stop at Al's and buy a few things for the HO layout I used to have.  Then I'd catch the train back to Glen Ellyn about 45 minutes later.. I started doing that when I was in 7th grade and really enjoyed my "train adventures".  I miss those days but sure had fun and of course, it helped to know the trains schedules.

Arthur,

I bought a pair of the 022 switches - only thing I bought.

Charlie

I used to love going to Long Island Train and Hobby in Mineola. Old school shop with boxes piled high and a back room with the best Postwar and LTI trains on display. Been gone a long time now.

I’d say my favorite was actually the 5th floor of Macy’s on 34th ST.  It was a truly large toy department with a wonderful Christmas train layout/display.  Another attraction for me was that it was across the street from my mother’s office.
Alan

@Jon Stachowicz posted:

Train Barn -Portage, Mi.

Model Depot- Royal Oak, Mi.

Train Center Hobbies-Birmingham, Mi.

Mark's Trains and Hobbies-Marion, Il.

20th Century Limited Hobbies-Wheaton, Il.

Empire Hobbies-Troy, Mi.

Wild Bill's Roseville, Mi.  (I think I got the town right on that one).

Lionel Visitors Center-Chesterfield, Mi.  There was a nice train shop there.

Ryder's Hobbies-Madison Heights, Mi.

Al's Hobby Shop-Elmhurst, IL.  This one still might be open but I haven't lived in the Chicago area for over 30 years.

I had great experiences at all of these hobby shops.  Sad to see they're all gone.

Wild Bills was in Clinton Township, MI and Bill was a great friend of mine.  I had known bill since the early 70's when our wives both had twin children and joined a club here in Michigan and back in the early 80's prior to the shop Bill showed a  very slight interest in the building of my layout.  So my train buddy Ken and myself started taking Bill to train shows and man did he ever get hooked and the rest is history.  I really miss the guy and the crew at the store on Groesbeck.

Anyone else remember K&K Train and Hobby in Utica NY? Run by the Koury brothers

I miss Wild Bills in Clinton Twp. MI as well.   Every time I went in there with my children, the guys at the shop always made sure my kids operated the trains on the layout while I looked around.  

The (long gone) model train department at Long's Drugstore ( also long gone) in Moreno Valley California. I know Southern California folks will remember that store fondly.

John

Everybody misses Madison Hardware.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...1#158111058809953051

I completely forgot about Macy's 6th floor. It was the go to toy store when I was child. My mom and I would take the subway to Herald Square. It was my mom's favorite store. They had a great Lionel display during Christmas season. I had not thought about that in a very long time.

Keene's Model Railroad Shop on G Place in downtown Washington, D.C..  Long gone.

After leaving the world of O3R behind for HO at the ripe old age of, oh say, 10 years (~1954) Keene's was my 'haunt'.  Clark Keene's store...a literal hole-in-the-wall of a place...only purveyed for the benefit of the HO market.  But he was probably the friendliest, most smiling guy behind the counter I remember.  Even as a pre-teen, I was treated with the same respect that he gave the crowd of adults in their ubiquitous Fedora's, white shirts, ties, smell-of-smoke suits that invaded especially during their lunch hour. 

I remember even WALKING to the store (with Mom's permission!) from our home in the NW corner of the city...about 3 blocks off the Maryland state line...about 4 miles by the crow's flight.  Quite a hike for this "free-range" kid!  More ften it would be a combination bus/trolley ride...again: "free-range" (Times surely have changed!!) 

My most memorable purchase from Clark was a pile of sticks...a bundle of basswood per the bill of material accompanying an article in Model Railroader magazine.  It was nearly Christmas.  The magazine's December issue had a neat 2-story Santa Fe station construction article.  Dad noticed the article and commented something like...'That looks like a fun project!'...and, BINGO!...No socks, ties, handkerchiefs for Dad this Christmas!   What ensued on that Christmas morning as Dad opened that weirdly shaped bundle in Christmas wrappings is a whole story in itself.  It took the next 50+ years to complete the station...Dad started the article's project, I finished it about a dozen years ago.  (He had carefully saved the wood bundle's remnants...including scraps!...in a special box...which I carried around with the building's shell he had erected...through college, marriage, several relocations, a million distractions of life, etc..)

Yepper.  Keene's.  Clark Keene.  For a few years thereafter...until high school graduation and off to college...Clark would acknowledge me by name when I came through the door.  Talk about a very special hobby-encouraging relationship...to supplement Dad's interest/involvement!

BTW, Merry Christmas and a healthy, happiest, prosperous New Year to all!

KD

Kid Stuff and Griffing Hardware, both in Riverhead, NY.  The Arcade department store in Greenport, NY, which had a very small display and inventory, and probably only at Christmas.

In Buffalo, Spoonley the Trainman, all Lionel, all the time, in his basement. Bob Schuh's K-Val,  3 blocks from my Grandma's. Field's Hobby Shop. On one of my annual trips (Atlanta-Sandusky) stopped at Davis Trains in Milford, just great, and then they were gone in the space of about two years. Paul's Hobbys in Norwalk, OH; owner apparently died after complications from a botched surgery; wife was unable to sustain the business.

@scott5011 posted:

Bobbye Halls in Dallas,Tx. I got in on the last 5 or 6 years of the store being open. If you can find her book "Tracks from Texas to Tokyo" it is a fast and enjoyable read. RIP Dragon Lady!  ... Thanks, John.

I enjoyed Bobbye Halls.  I went there often when I was doing HO with my son.  Packed full of hobby supplies of all kinds, literally from floor to ceiling. She was warm and welcoming to EVERYONE.  I bought one of the 50th anniversary "Bobbye Halls" HO box cars.  I still have it.    She did lay-a-way for customers.  They paid over time and then picked up the item on final payment, usually just before christmas.  She was still doing lay-a-way in the 1990's when it had fallen out of favor in most department stores.  Pre-order isn't new, just a little different now. 

Everyone seemed to have a smile when they were in Bobbye Hall's store.

What is left of my HO is going to my son next month, including the anniversary boxcar.

I also miss Olsen Toy Train parts and Just Trains for hard to find lionel parts.  Great online suppliers of O gauge parts that are now gone.   I started in O gauge by buying post war fixer uppers.  Their huge assortment turned many of my purchases into complete, pristine operating items.  Everything fit. functioned and was the correct part when recieved.  

I miss Harmon's Trains in Arcadia, along with Train Express in Indianapolis and Watt's Train Shop in Zionsville.  The first 2 being mostly all Lionel with the later being my go to place for LGB G scale trains when I got into that and garden railroading during the summer months.   

Went to Madison hardware in NYC in the early 80’s with my father-a day I will never forget

@VHubbard posted:

I also miss Olsen Toy Train parts and Just Trains for hard to find lionel parts.  Great online suppliers of O gauge parts that are now gone.   I started in O gauge by buying post war fixer uppers.  Their huge assortment turned many of my purchases into complete, pristine operating items.  Everything fit. functioned and was the correct part when recieved. 

@VHubbard,

You might be calling 'game over' a little too soon.  I believe that Olsen's still has an eBay store.  Seller name: partslionel.

Check it out.

Mike

Telly Electric Hardware Store on Gramatan Ave. in downtown Mt. Vernon, NY and all the other old fashioned local hardware stores that used to carry Lionel trains.

Almost any Hardware store here in Michigan that sold trains or carried train parts back in the heyday of Lionel and Marx.  Most recently lost P&D Hobby here in Fraser Michigan.  Pat had everything you ever need for scratch building and even the hard to find little parts for trains.  I really miss Pat.  Had lunch with him a few times.  About the only one left is Brasseurs' up in Saginaw Michigan a little ride from the Detroit area but Bob is now one of the last old time shops around with thousands of parts and a highly experienced train repair crew,  and just a great place to visit and B.S. with the crew for a few minutes.  Lucky for me it's on the way to Northern Michigan and my cabin and it's not like it's out of the way.  Almost forgot Wild Bills Trains in Clinton Twp.  Bill and I go back to way before he opened his train shop.  In fact when I was building my layout he used to come over and pick my brain for ideas for a layout.  Bill and I go back to the late 60's up to the day he passed on.  We were like family and great friends.  Now even his wife has just recently passed on.

In Maryland, we were hit hard by closures, and on line only conversion. Concotin Mtn Trains, Purkeys, Klein’s  were the  three I miss the most. Klein’s always had everything and was close, even after they moved, which was a necessity because of neighborhood decline. They’re still around as an on line only business.

Purkey’s and CMT closed. Miss trips there for everything and anything, including friendly, knowledgeable owners, and repair guys.
Tom Schwartz, was the repair guy at Purkey’s, and he’s still around at another shop. But he’s the only friendly guy in the shop where he’s working . Good thing is, they do have a diverse selection of new and used trains.

HANDY DAN THE HOBBY MAN  Riverdale ave. Yonkers N.Y.

KNEPPERS  Main st. Yonkers N.Y.

For me, it was AK Hardware in McKees Rocks, PA.

Allied  West LA

We all miss all of the Hobby Shops we used to go to.Most of us can say they the owners and counter guys were our friends. The Hobby will never be the same without them.Thank god for the few that are left. Nick

The Whistle Stop, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

Davis Electric, Cincinnati, Ohio…. Back in the early 2000’s, we visited this store, three floors of all gauges of model trains, tracks, scenery supplies, a model train store like no other…. Now days, Hobby Express in Cranberry (or near Pittsburgh) Pennsylvania, is a close second. Today, with the Built to Order profile, many of the smaller hobby shops simply do not stock many of the higher end models unless ordered. This has changed our hobby. Happy Railroading Everyone

Davis was the best!!!!!! Joe Davis ran some operation. His collection was out of sight! I always was there and would hang out on Saturdays with many other guys. When he died his son couldn't wait to cash in, sold the collection, the inventory and the property and that was that. Thanksgiving weekend at Davis was something to see, he opened his collections and private layouts.

There was another store in Cincinnati, Garden Railways, it was on Madison Rd in O'Bryanville. It has high end European trains and Lionel. He was there for about 6 years and even got one of those Visa commercials, where you can't take it home with American Express.