Hobbyist in Northeast, Ohio

I live in Perry, OH- halfway between Cleveland and Erie.  I am a newcomer- started (back) in model railroading 1-1/2 years ago, this time in O Gauge.  Buy most of my stuff either at shows, online (e-Bay or Forum members) and through/ at Toy And Hobby HQ in Geneva, OH.

 

Mike

Hi Mike,

 Thanks for contributing, I am in Southington, Ohio about 45 minutes due South of Geneva on the lake, via State Route 45

Jeff

I imagine there are a good many of us O gaugers in Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, myself included. I know at least twenty or more, some of whom are part of our Tuesday Train Gang group (informal) over in Western PA. A good number of guys and gals in the Greenville (PA) area, with a club in the rail museum up there. And certainly don't forget the Corner Field Model Railroad Museum and Hobby Store in Middlefield, OH. Look 'em up via a Google search.

And if you get over to Mercer, PA, be sure to stop in to see Dave Minarik at his Mercer Junction Train Shoppe. Go there on just about any Tuesday afternoon and you're apt to see me there as well. It's a short 45-minute drive for me.

In short: There likely is a very large concentration of O gauge hobbyists in the geographic area you mentioned. Probably one of the largest concentrations in the U.S., along with PA-NJ-NY areas.

Jefferson County Ohio here

I'm near East Rochester, a little crossroads about 20 miles east of Canton. 

Joe Shipbaugh

I live along & model the old NKP west of Cleveland.

Conneaut Lake PA (Crawford Co. PA) here!

How about the folks from Cornerfield Museum and Hobby?  Tom Sr, Tom Jr and the rest of the family have an awesome museum layout. Excellent hobbyist and promoters of the hobby! 

What about Stockyard Express? They're located in Oberlin, and they have quite the selection of MTH! They are just O Scale, and not a whole lot other than MTH, but still very impressive. Nice guys up there.

I'm in Avon Lake, Ohio (West side of Cleveland). I'm 27 years old and have been involved in the hobby my whole life. I've been posting YouTube videos of my layout progress for about 9 years now. I get nearly all of my trains/equipment/track/accessories from either Stockyard Express in Oberlin, OH or Uncle Ray's Trains in Sheffield Lake, OH. Menards has some cool stuff but I've yet to buy anything.

- Jason

Native of Broadview Hts. living in North Royalton since 1995. My dad had HO for us and later N gauge around the Christmas tree, but I got my postwar O Gauge fill from my uncle (Parma) and grandfather (Old Brooklyn) who had O and O27. I ended up inheriting my grandfather's collection and have added a lot of modern O27 / Traditional / Non-Scale items, probably too many. 

I hate shopping, but can always find time to visit the Trading Post Train Shop in Old Brooklyn. 

This thread is a great idea for more connection opportunities. After it runs its course, I may start a similar thread for my location. Arnold

I am in Parma, Ohio. There is a new Menards being built on Brookpark Road, about one mile away.  The Trading Post on Pearl Road was my main supplier of trains as a kid.  Dad and I always enjoyed talking with Mr. Silver... and Ralph Brown.

Every Christmas and birthday there was a new addition to the Super-O layout.  As I work on my Atlas O "Valley of Bridges" layout, I get a strange feeling that Dad is sitting there watching me work.  He passed twenty-plus years ago, but his presence was there when I started building my layout.  It is time for me to get back to work and finish what I stated.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

raising4daughters posted:

Native of Broadview Hts. living in North Royalton since 1995. My dad had HO for us and later N gauge around the Christmas tree, but I got my postwar O Gauge fill from my uncle (Parma) and grandfather (Old Brooklyn) who had O and O27. I ended up inheriting my grandfather's collection and have added a lot of modern O27 / Traditional / Non-Scale items, probably too many. 

I hate shopping, but can always find time to visit the Trading Post Train Shop in Old Brooklyn. 

When I lived in NE Ohio, a visit to The Trading Post on Pearl Road in Cleveland was a weekly ritual! Great selection of O gauge trains in an old-fashioned train shop atmosphere which is very hard to find anymore  (been there since 1950).

I grew up in that area right along the Ohio River. I always thought the hobby was stronger in that area of the country and it's certainly what I miss about living there. Miss seeing the long trains cross over the rivers and trains working in the "used to be" steel mills. 

Dave

John Rowlen posted:

I am in Parma, Ohio. There is a new Menards being built on Brookpark Road, about one mile away.  The Trading Post on Pearl Road was my main supplier of trains as a kid.  Dad and I always enjoyed talking with Mr. Silver... and Ralph Brown.

Every Christmas and birthday there was a new addition to the Super-O layout.  As I work on my Atlas O "Valley of Bridges" layout, I get a strange feeling that Dad is sitting there watching me work.  He passed twenty-plus years ago, but his presence was there when I started building my layout.  It is time for me to get back to work and finish what I stated.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

John,

What an awesome concept,"Valley of Bridges". Makes me think of that awesome city of Pittsburgh. I don't believe you can be in that city and look anywhere and not see a bridge. Keep us posted on your progress. Along with your dad, this site is a wonderful motivator.

Dave

I live in Cuyahoga Falls. Just north of Akron and maybe 30 miles south of Cleveland. I lucked out and have a Menards 2 miles from me now. My number one store to go too. Train related items I have yet to buy out of the store. All my buys have been through the website and shipped to the store free. Before they built the one close to me I was driving 35 miles south to shop at Menards...............Paul

Thanks to all that have replied, this is what I was looking for. Allan, the guys in the Greenville PA area have a great thing going, been friends with those guys for almost 20 years. Cornerfield Museum & Hobby have known them for years as well. I have always wanted to get something going like the Greenville Group does but in our area of course.

I live in Butler, Pennsylvania not far from the I-80 I-79 interchange!  I visit layouts in Norheast Ohio.  I went to the Elesh’s CornerField this summer and have a visit planned to a home layout.  I see there is a Menards in Warren Ohio about an hour away and plan to visit for the first time in a Menards.