Choo Choo Works Hobby Shop in Frankfort, IL

This is a secondary business for the owner. Primary is the speed/custom shop next door. Stocked to the ceiling with O gauge,  didn't see any other gauges.  After having a conversation with the owner's wife one day, she explained that he collected trains over the years from shows and other purchases. Says they have much much more in storage but the shop is too small to include everything.  There is no online presence, you need to go to the store. Prices are OK close to retail.

Exclusively O gauge 3 rail, almost all NIB/NOS.  No scratch building supplies nor scenery materials. But plenty of RTR buildings.

It's about 35 miles (42 min) south from my office.

I'll check it out!

Thanks, somehow I've been to Frankfort but didn't know about it. A little over an hour away from Montgomery.  I'll check it out as well.

Used to go to the original choo choo works on southwest hwy bought some trains there over the years and their repairman took me in the back one day to fix my postwar tender in which he showed me how to re solder the wire that came off. Soon learned how to do basic repair and tune ups on postwar and prewar.

The original owner divorced and the business was gone afterward,the owner then opened a small store selling speakers and some music related items and had a few trains .Then heard he passed away

He asked me several times if i wanted to buy a lionel 773 back them for 1000 dollars mint with its tender sadly i could not afford it. Instead bought a very nice 497 coal loader in its box still have it packed away.

The choo choo works on rte30 here in frankfort is minutes away and his son is running things there from what i understand.

Great shop with a surprising amount of Lionel Century Club engines and a few gems here and there. Prices are around or slightly above MSRP, but Josie will haggle a bit.

For anyone traveling to Chicago or around Chicagoland below is a great list of other places to stop for O Gauge:

• Berwyn's Toys and Trains - Berwyn, IL
• America's Best Toys and Trains - Itasca, IL
• Chicagoland Hobby - Chicago, IL (Far west side so it's easy to get to and not downtown)
• Denny's Trains and Things - Oswego, IL - (call ahead to make sure he is there)
• Walt's Hobby Shop - Crest Hill, IL
• Des Plaines Hobby - Des Plaines, IL (mostly 2R scale, but some 3R)
• Lombard Hobbies - Lombard, IL (mostly HO and N, but a lot of woodland scenic supplies for all scales)

If you go to choo choo works on a Wednesday or Saturday,  check out Chicagoland lionel railroad club's layout.  We're just less than 10 minutes west down the street in new Lenox,  south on schoolhouse road. Our open houses don't start until September but we'll allow model railroaders in if members are present.

I added Choo to my saved list in Waze. If I’m down that way I’ll check it out. My saved locations are primarily hobby shops, breweries and sports stadiums. 😁

@ChiTown Steve posted:

I added Choo to my saved list in Waze. If I’m down that way I’ll check it out. My saved locations are primarily hobby shops, breweries and sports stadiums. 😁

There is an inverse proportion of hobby shops to breweries. And stadiums pretty much remain constant.

@third rail posted:

There is an inverse proportion of hobby shops to breweries. And stadiums pretty much remain constant.

True although I only save the best breweries and pair them with hobby shops when possible. Werk Force with Walt’s for example.

@ChiTown Steve posted:

True although I only save the best breweries and pair them with hobby shops when possible. Werk Force with Walt’s for example.

Ha, Werk Force is right next to a rail line.  Good place to watch a train go past when the weather is acceptable for outside seating (~8 days a year).