Road trip to St Louis, Mo

Jim, 

We lived in St. Louis for a couple of years and my favorite store by a long shot is Electric Train Outlet. The owner Bob has a huge store with lots of stock and is really good for scenic parts and die cast. When I was last there in 2017 he was looking to sell his building and retire so phone first! 

I remember Mark Twain Hobby Center as being a first class hobby store with tons of product for all kinds of hobbies. For O gauge trains it was more of the boxed starter set kind of store.

Three real train places I recommend are The Transportation Museum (static displays with one of the remaining Big Boys, St. Louis Union Station (the main waiting area that is now a hotel lobby is beautiful), Kirkwood Train Station (Amtrak Stop with a little museum inside and lots of great restaurants and shops to walk to). 

Thanks we thought about staying overnight at the Hilton Union Station.  We stay at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel in Scranton, Pa and enjoyed it.   We may still do it.......

Jim,

Go to Train Town.  They have prewar/postwar and a backroom for modern stuff.  It's unassuming from the outside.  I didn't have high hopes when I first pulled into the parking lot of a frowning strip mall.  However, on the inside, it's a tight squeeze because they're packed with inventory.  I can't speak to pre & postwar pricing since I'm not knowledgable about them.  Modern stuff is quite reasonable and mostly LNIB.

Switch Stand- it pains me to say it but you could probably skip.  The guy who runs it, Roscoe, is widely known in these parts for being a top-tech.  He's not such a great retailer.  He's not a mean guy but he's not terribly warm and inviting either.  I will say there is some inventory there though so you can look at trains... in silence.

K-10 - I have not been because I'm told it's mostly HO.  They are supposed to have a monster layout though so that might be entertaining.

Rodney's - I heard a few grumblings at the local Lionel club that this guy is a jerk.  I went in there and he was really nice.  He's an east coast guy so he might be a little bit surly for midwesterners.  It's almost exclusively used stuff.  His pricing was all over the place.  I saw a few things that were reasonable.  But I also saw an engine I just bought NIB for $300 that (and thought I overpaid) he had marked $500 well used and no box.  Anyway, worth a fly by AND next door to the old Frisco viaduct that's marked "Frisco Lines" as you pass underneath (now BNSF).

Schaefer's - this place is less than a mile from my house.  It's a general hobby shop but a good one.  They do handle O (all Lionel).  They have a glass case full of new stuff that is all MSRP + tax so you can skip that.  It's a low percentage play but they have a case in the front corner of the store where they sell prewar and postwar.  If that's what you're into, you could strike gold there.

Electric Train Outlet - Like Bigtruckpete said: good store, lots of inventory, almost exclusively Lionel.  When I was in there over the holidays, the owner was grumbling to one of his buddies the same thing: "I'm too old for this s___.  The store is for sale."  Blah, blah.  So apparently he's been saying that for a while.  Good store though.

Haven't been to the other two.

In any case, don't miss Train Town.  And the Museum of Transportation is essentially a railroad musem.  It's not far from Train Town.  My avatar is a picture of my daughters standing in front of a UP Big Boy at the museum.

That Union Station lobby is awesome.  Definitely stay there if that's an option.  

Union Station is a must. Don’t miss the light shows every hour at night in the grand concourse. Electric Train Outlet has huge selection. Mostly O scale. 

Welcome to St. Louis! 

1) Train Town

2) Electric Train outlet

3) Rodney’s 

Make sure you get to the transportation museum! Also, if the weather is nice, get to the custard station in downtown Kirkwood. You can sit and eat custard while watching the long freight trains working their way over Kirkwood hill. If your their at the right time, you’ll also see Amtrak come thru and stop at kirkwood station.

Agree with above:

1. Traintown - The best in town.  They get their allotment from estate sales so they will have a wide range of stuff.  Very nice family

2.  Electric train outlet - Everything said is true.  Prices will be around MSRP.  A lot of Lionel NOS, Atlas O, K-line.  Hates MTH so not a lot there.

3. Switchstand - Roscoe will not say one word to you when you come in if you don't initiate the conversation.  MTH and Lionel rolling stock, engines, etc.  Not a bad store

4. Rodney's - truthfully, not worth your time 

5. Schaefer's - good hobby store with legacy engines and beginner sets and a rack of rolling stock.  Worth going in to see if you can find a diamond in the rough

Hope this helps from a guy who lived there for 5 yrs chasing O gauge/scale trains

Electric train outlet is my main shopping locale. I was last there about a week ago. He sells mostly Lionel, but some Atlas as well. He has Atlas and Ross switches, and Gargraves 37 inch straights, and fast track.

Switch stand is good for Gargraves track. Both stores are about the same in price. I recommend both.

Train Town is more for nostalgic Lionel, which isn't my forte as a hi-railer, but I  do have a prewar set that I picked up an extra car for. Lionel collectors will enjoy this place.

Ditto on the Transportation Museum. 

If you want to see the best layout in Missouri, contact  Ingeniero No1  here on the forum. If you are even close to St. Louis, this is a must see and tell Alex and Judy I said Hi.

Roger Wasson posted:

If you want to see the best layout in Missouri, contact  Ingeniero No1  here on the forum. If you are even close to St. Louis, this is a must see and tell Alex and Judy I said Hi.

(Thank you, Roger! I wouldn't say the best in Missouri, but usually worth the trip here.)

And yes, Jim, we would be glad to have you visit us.  We are 51 miles west of Union Station; a relatively easy drive on I-64 & I-70. Email me if interested so we can coordinate.

As said above, Electric Train Outlet has (or had) the best inventory; mostly Lionel, and some RailKing buildings. Everything is MSRP. While there, it is best to keep any of your opinions to yourself, though.

Switch Stand is relatively limited, and what they have is mostly MTH. (Interestingly, at the now only-annual train show at the St Charles Convention Center, they sell their stuff at 15% to 30% off!)

Mark Twain (in St Charles) has very few O-Gauge items. They have more HO, plastic models, and Radio Control stuff.

Schaeffer's used to be nice, but I haven't been there in a while.

And do not miss the Museum of Transportation!

Have a great trip!

Alex

Train Town has been good to me each time I’ve been there. Owners were friendly and helpful during my visits. 

Schaefer’s carries more scenery items and modern locomotives/rolling stock.  Very little postwar in stock.

St. Louis Union Station is beautiful and would be a great place to stay. 

Near St. Louis, in Eureka, Mo there is a 12 inch gauge live steam railroad called the The Wabash, Frisco, and Pacific Association. They operate May - Oct on Sundays. You can go on a couple mile ride through some pleasant scenery along the Missouri River.  

http://www.wfprr.com

A&R Paints and Crafts - owner was always great.  I haven’t been out there in a few years, but it’s a nice little shop.

i haven’t been to the others on your list, but it sounds like I should!

Enjoy St. Louis!

I live in St. Louis, and in my opinion, Train Town located at 9832 Manchester Rd in Rock Hill, MO is the only place you'll need to go. Their phone # is 314-716-2755. Call ahead and tell them what you want, They will probably have it. Bob, Mary, and John are the owners.

I've been to all the rest of the shops, except Mark Twain, and won't waste my gas.

We are at the scenery stage of the layout, so building, operating accessory (grandkids love to push bottoms)   and etc.  Nancy is great at adding details, you should see her campground, winery..........   I can never pass up a good looking engine, but it needs either tmcc or dcs....   But i will never say never to post war or even prewar if it catches my eye...  

In other words I don't know what I am looking for until I see it!!!!!

This topic is very timely. My lovely wife Nina and myself will be in St. Louis from June 30 to July 6. We are staying in the Union Station Hotel. I have never made it past the airport in st. Louis. I hope we can make it to some of the places mentioned here. Thanks to all who have provided suggestions. Nina said if I am "a good little boy" we can at least go to Train Town.

While in St. Louis you definitely should visit the National Museum of Transportation!  Many great engines and rolling stock to explore!

Electric Train Outlet has the largest O scale selection in bi-state area, scale rolling stock (mostly Lionel/some Atlas), every Artistta figure made, tons of Woodland Scenics & Rail King buildings and Ross/Atlas switches.  The owner can be a curmudgeon, but he is harmless.

If you have time on Saturday, once a month Saint Louis Live Steamers (501C3) runs for the public (SLLS) http://www.stlouislivesteamers.org/

I used to live in St. Louis...  i left it back in 1998.  I find it very amusing that Bob at ETO is still saying he is too old for this...  I heard that from him regularly 20+years ago!

Back then, Electric train outlet was the only place to go....  Bob is a GREAT guy and I owe him for taking the time with me back around 1995 to demonstrate TMCC and get me back into the hobby.  He also is a top notch service guy, especially knowledgable in postwar.  Highly recommend...

                                  One of the best trips I ever made!

                                                  Lots to see..............

                                                    Don't forget the Bud tour!

@rboatertoo did you make your trip to St. Louis?  If so, how did it go?

i stopped by electric train outlet a few days ago and was impressed with their inventory and the friendly gentleman manning the counter, I believe his name was Tom. 

It must be about forty years ago...at least but I bought an International B&O 0-4-0 at a hobby shop in Dellwood or Ferguson, MO.  While there I was invited to see some guy's O scale trolley layout running around the walls of his basement.  I met Bob Hegge there.  He told me that traction modelling was big in St Louis and that I just missed a chance to meet Bill Clouser but somehow he was absent from that meeting.  They showed me modelling that I never saw before or since.  I just wish I could remember the name of the hobby shop.......sigh......just getting old.  ODD-D

Sorry I forgot to post a reply.   I am in St Germain, Wi and when I get back on Monday I’ll post  an update.   I did stop at a few on my way up 

Don't forget the St. Louis Zoo.

eddie g posted:

Don't forget the St. Louis Zoo.

Good point, Eddie.  I have always loved the Zooline Railroad.  I especially loved going through the tunnels as a kid.  The STL Zoo is free but the railroad is big business.  It's $7.95 for an all day ticket.

Unfortunately the Wabash Frisco & Pacific doesn't open till May.  It is a MUST SEE AND RIDE.  12 inch live steam along the scenic Meramec River. Check out their website for further details.  I've been associated with the railroad since 1949!!

Lew Schneider

St louis live steamers is open this weekend.

I believe the Museum of Transportation has a GM Aerotrain and lots of trains.

Do not miss Busch Gardens and Grants Farm, The Gateway Arch and river boats, outdoor Muni Opera at Forest Park, Meramac Caverns - Jesse James hideout, Union Station and St. Louis Cardinal  baseball.

My family has had several great one week vacations in my old hometown St. Louis.

Charlie