The NEW Mohawk Valley RR Store in Schenectady, NY

I was there on 12/5 when they first re-opened and it hadn't changed much. I hope they really do something great with it.

I've been in there twice now and am really impressed. Two thumbs up.
jack

I have been there several times since they reopened. The new owner is certainly more friendly and customer oriented than the former owner and the staff seemed upbeat.

The stock level is being rebuilt and some of Lionel's new items were present.Stuff from MTH and Williams available also. During one visit they were unpacking a shipment of Ameritown buildings, but OGR magazine was not among the magazines available.

A staff member said they had acquired an O gauge modular layout they hoped to exhibit in "non-traditional" settings such as the local home show. They are still working on refurbishing the multi-level store layout which was gutted after the old owner died.

It's great to have a hobby shop with a significant O gauge content back in the area.

Tony
Up on "The D & H Bidge Line"

GOOD POST-I LIVED IN COHOES AND LEFT N IN DEC 1999.I GOT INTO MODEL RAILROADING IN 1995 AND mo0hawk valley was thee store.i use to go once to twice a week and always spent money.what was funny was with all the money i spent in there lem
never once ever talked to me until a week before i left albany.
i miss the wooden floors creeking in winter time and the smell oif lennys pipe.
i asked him why he did not carry mth which i had to order from curtis switches.
he remodele the upstairs with sale items and chairs,i thought it was cool to swit down and go thru stacks of back issues of magazines,
what happened to glen in scotia,dirtiest train store i ever was in.jp's in latham opened up with mostly ho-friendiest store-his wife made coffee for us and 4-5 of us would sit and talk trains.
it was great going to these places on a winter day-miss it-io lived in fort lauderdale and went to train heaven-ready to roll-huge place and friendly-
met mike wolf many times then i had to move to daytona in 2004.
roundhouse south has to be the cleanesttrain store i ever was in-tony is great-
his dad was friendly to my dad who died a year before tony;s dad died.sad times.
hospice is right around the corner.
possible to post some pics of mohawk valley store.thanks joe

quote:

During one visit they were unpacking a shipment of Ameritown buildings, but OGR magazine was not among the magazines available.

We can certainly take care of that! A little strong-arming by Schenectady resident Jim Policastro should do the trick!

To echo what Tony said, the new owner, Bob, is undertaking a huge task and doing much not only to update the displays, but also to assure the structural integrity of the old building.

He is also reaching out to local train clubs in all scales and plans numerous display layouts and areas in the store for club members to get together.

We wish him all the best. We are all very thankful to have our local hobby shop open again.

....and not to worry, Tony, as Allan hinted, an OGR magazine display is on its way!

Jim

LENNY DIED RIGHT AFTER HE RETIRED I HEARD-JOE P. COULD GIVE US A HEADS UP-
I TOO USE TO GO TO MVRR STORE BACK THEN THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING AND THEN
OAKDALE MALL TO THE GREAT TRAIN STORE-WAS WORE OUT BUT WHAT A DAY.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT MOHAWK VALLEY WAS A LIONEL SERVICE CENTER-I HAD HEARD A NEW TRAIN STORE OPENED ON THE MAIN DRAG OF SCHNECTADY-REMEMBER PROCTORS VERY WELL.
I WILL SAY THIS LENNY HAD EVERYTHING A MODEL RAILROADER COULD USE.
I ASKED HIM TO PLEASE CARRY MTH BUT HE LOOKED LIKE MTH WAS A FLY BY COMPANY-WONDER WHAT HAPPENED TO MTH.HAD TO BUY ALL MY MTH TRAINS FROM ROSS SWITCHES
BACK IN THE OLD DAYS.
LENNY CARRIED A GOOD SELECTION OF TRAIN MAGAZINES-ONLY PLACE THAT CARRIED
OGAUGER MAGAZINE.

quote:

I ALWAYS THOUGHT MOHAWK VALLEY WAS A LIONEL SERVICE CENTER

With the store being closed for a while, and new owners, I don't know whether that matters. Lionel may require them to reapply.
Authorized or not, Mohawk Valley certainly did repair work under Lenny.

Lenny Welter was the late owner of Mohawk Valley Railroad Company. I first met him while he was driving a truck for a liquor/wine distributor. He started the business on a shoestring around thirty five years ago in a small storefront about a block from the present location. He quickly outgrew the original and a second location. He then relocated to the current building and rented the store for years before buying it. He expanded the store into the former back storage area and then in the front, by inclosing the original porch. Along the way he quit his day job and devoted himself full-time to the store. He lived in and then over the store until he remarried.
He loved his wife and the business (in that order). He was an unapologetic pipe smoker, as anyone who visited the store quickly would learn. He was also the most honest person I’ve ever encountered in the train business; no matter how much or how little you knew or what you wanted to sell, he always offered you a fair price for your trains or railroadiana. He was tolerant of ignorance, but did not entertain fools lightly. The shop had a wide range of trains and accessories, N – G, one of the best paint selections I can recall, and a large selection of plastic model kits.
The recession hurt business and when his wife died suddenly, he took it very hard. He had planned to sell the business and retire in the St Lawrence Seaway area, but his health deteriorated rapidly, aggravated by a significant insomnia problem. His body finally gave up the fight last spring.
He was a devoted husband, an honest man, and as good a friend as you could ever want. He will be missed.