I will be traveling from west to east across the state soon. Anyone have any good hobby shops to visit?
Thanks in advance.
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Lou....look up on the internet..."Arkansas Traveler Hobbies". Their phone number is: 501-724-5326. It is located in the old Mopac station in Bald Knob. You will be pleasantly surprised for sure!!!
Alan
There are two.
Rail and Sprue Hobbies in Jacksonville Arkansas just off 67
And One Track Mind Mabelvale Arkansas. That one you might want to call and check for hours and directions as it is a bit... complicated in getting to it from the I-30 (Don't stop in Little Rock, North Little Rock for ANY reason after Sunset or prior to Sunrise, it is very dangerous down there.)
I would have to make a visit to Bald Knob one of these days...
If you like 1 to 1 scale railroading go to the Arkansas Railroad Museum. The museum is in Pine Buff, Arkansas which is southeast of Little Rock. The museum is on the east side of downtown. AND approx. 1 mile east of the museum is the UP hump yard (ex Cotten Belt) The hump can be veiwed from a river dike along the north side of the yard and is not in UP's yard but you look down into the yard.
The UP north Little Rock yard is not in the best part of town, THe Jenk shops are north of the river and in the west part of north Little Rock. The north Little Rock yard should only be veiwed at night in a tank. Check out the Union Station south of the Jenk's shops.
Check out www.trainweather.com/sunday.html to see almost daily the UP trains that go by the Little Rock Arkansas Union Station.
Pine Bluff has a fine Museum that contains the 819? It is a L Class 4-8-4 that was built around 1943 there. The wheel shop is operational and the old turntable nearby is filled in (Under the lumber yard.)
I must caution you, Pine Bluff is a very bad place to be. I am a Concealed Carry Holder and am locked and loaded down there. A show is held around April, first Saturday. The Museum contains many artifacts of railroad service and other equipment.
The Staff are wonderful and some have personal experience with the railroad there at the Museum.
To this day the Exploits of the L Class 4-8-4 abounds. It would be one steam engine that I would love to have in O Scale. The real engine... well... it may never run again due to... political issues with UP.
Give me a few minutes and I will see if I still have pictures.
