There was a small train at 242nd Street under the subway ell near Van Cortland Park. Anyone remember it?
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I just came across this post now, but it struck me because for 8 years I went to high school and college there (Manhattan), and I was already in the train hobby, but I don't recall a train store anywhere near the 242nd Street subway station. There was a bicycle store, and a college hangout called Plato's Cave, and a tiny luncheonette, but no train store.
I remember Anthony J Dudynskis Supply Company Trains in the Bronx, I believe it was in the Pearl Pharmacy on Story Ave. Use to advertise alot in the early 90's in the other magazine.
I had a friend Scotty Askiness who managed the furniture store of Honigs Parkway in Bronx. Honigs also sold electric trains in another one of their stores in the same area there. I met Scotty when I was going to the weekly get togethers at John Marron's house in Harrison, NY in the 1970s-1980s. Scooty had a garage with lots of metal shelves that were full of Lionel trains mostly new in their boxes.
Ed G.
In the mid-late 70s, my then girlfriend, now wife of 4 decades, used to drive from Yonkers, where her parents, lived to 242-Broadway, park near Manhattan College and take the #1 local to the World Trade Center where her father worked. One Saturday, I went to the Columbia-Lafayette Football game while she and her mother went Downtown shopping. I arrived back at 242-Broadway first and since I had some time to kill walked in that area and did see a train store. I made a note to come back some time, however, we either were in that area too early or too late in the day to ever see the shop open.
Lad
I remember OVAL pharmacy on GUN HILL ROAD off WEBSTER AV,they had a train section...the guy's name was STAN....got some good deals....joe
It was called Van Cortland Hobby Shop and it was a Lionel Service Station. I remember going once in the mid 70's. I think they closed in 1979 or so.
Joe - Thanks for remembering Oval Pharmacy on Gun Hill Road in the Bronx. Having the train section was a fun diversion to the serious business of the Pharmacy. We were both a Lionel and MTH dealer. Sold the store at the end of 1995 (wow - 25 years ago), and personally still collect and run O Gauge trains. STAN
Wow.....I went to Manhattan College 71 to 75 and I have no recollection of it. However, this was also a time I was entirely focused on school and easily could have ignored it.......wow....a lost opportunity to have visited a train store. I certainly frequented the bookstore under the station.....
Seriously, I may never have crossed W242nd to the other side of Broadway in all those years I was there....
I do remember the wonderful smells from the Stella Doro factory a few blocks away!
Peter
