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@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

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

                                                                                                               

Last edited by Logan Matthews

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!

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.

Last edited by PSM
@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.

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..

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.

Last edited by rheil
@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

Last edited by PRR8976

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

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.

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