Good Hobby Shops between Gettysburg and Arlington, VA (DC Area)?

A few to consider in Montgomery County:

 

Engine House Hobbies in Gaithersburg (www.enginehousehobbies.net), just off I-270

 

Hobby Works is in Rockville. Not the best O Gauge selection (lots of Lionel RTR stuff, G, N, and Ho) but large RC selection. They are also not very far off I-270.

 

Also, a bit further than Arlington but check out Dan Danielson's store in Manassas, Toy Trains and Collectibles. www.toytrainsandcollectibles.com

Gilbert's in G-burg is a decent place, but not much in O that I recall. It's a classic 'old school' hobby shop. It's not too far from the G-burg RR's depot.

 Also forgot to mention - Just down the street from Engine House Hobbies (about 1/2 mile) is the former B&O station and freight house. The station is open and has a small coffee shop. The freight house now houses a community museum open on Saturdays. Outside on display are the following, all beautifully restored and in pristine condition:

 

1) Buffalo Creek and Gauley 2-8-0 #14

2) C&O Bay Window Caboose (also contains museum displays and open during museum hours)

3) B&O RDC Budd car (also contains museum displays and open during museum hours).

Classic Toy Trains in Hanover, PA.  It has very good pre and post war inventory.  Excellent American flyer inventory.  Ron also has access to very good pricing on new Lionel and MTH product.  He's picked up a number of Contictun's former customers. Ron's a good guy.  If you are traveling during the week call to make sure the shop is open.  He's always open on Saturday.

In Gettysburg on Rt. 30 west part of town is a good train shop with lots of old O gauge plus others. The address is 305 Buford Ave with a big wooden locomotive sign.

In addition to the ones everyone else has mentioned, you could check out the Wheaton Toy Exchange in Wheaton, Md.  They have a nice selection of O gauge ( new and used )  and they are an MTH dealer.  

 

There is also Lionel Buy and Sell in Kensington, Md.  I was there over the summer and they were only open on Friday afternoons and on Saturdays.  They used to be open 6 days a week.  Large O gauge selection  ... lots of PW.  

 

If you want to go off the beaten path to Hagerstown you can try the Train Room - huge O gauge selection PLUS a O gauge museum with practically everything Lionel ever made, even compasses and boats.  Very cool!  The Train Room is also near the Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum. 

 

I recommend too as already mentioned Engine House Hobbies in Gaithersburg.  Very nice shop with a 1:1 gauge layout that runs outside ( its really the CSX mainline from DC to Pittsburg/ Chicago with lots of freights and Amtrak ) 

 

I'm sure if you google all these places you will be able to find websites and contact info.

 

Good luck!

 

Toy Trains and Collecttbles located at 7216 New Court, Manassas Va. 20109.  Good quantity of Lionel,  MTH, Williams, HO, N and lots of accessories.  TT&C has been open for less than a year but is well stocked and a very nice store.  The owner, Mr. Dan Danielson, has been collecting trains since he was six yrs old and is very informative.  Knows how to treat his customers.   

 

I second, or third, Dan's shop in Manassas.  Great guy and he knows toy trains. 

 

Jim: That's Don Carver's store and well worth the visit.  But there was a thread on here back in June which talked about a train store in Gettysburg closing but it was never determined which store, either this shop or Gilbert's, was closing.  Was this a false alarm?  Does anybody know for sure?  I would like to know as I would go out of my way to visit Carver's on my way to/from York next week if they are still open.

 

Bill

Mainline Hobby in Blue Ridge Summit.

I will call Carver's tomorrow because I might be visiting friends in Chambersburg and we always go to Gettysburg. First time in Carver's, I was floored.  Why I don't carry credit cards.

I concur with the recommendatons for Toy Trains etc in Manassas & Engine House in Gaithersburg.

 

The Manassas owner says he owned the shop many years ago, and then sold out to another, which was in that location for many years before closing.  He then reopened.

You've got a good list to start from and I can't add much. Two of my Maryland favorites -- M.B. Klein and Sidetrack Hobbies -- are not really in your travel zone.

 

But thought I'd mention Mario's Trains in Winchester, Va. Admittedly, I have never been to the store or bought from him (yet) but he's "relatively" nearby. And a forum sponsor.

Did you guys mean Toy TrAins Unlimited in Hanover?

I did a search for Classic Toy Train in Hanover and got nothing but the other shop came up. 

I like shops with PreWar trains and would like to find the one you mentioned

I agree with MWB, Mainline hobby in Blue Ridge
Huge inventory of all scales.
Romiller

Oh Boy... You Fella's are a gold mine.  I'm excited about the trip.  Will map out some probables and let you know how I made out.

 

Ron

 

I can highly recommend Engine House Hobbies in Gaithersburg.  Lots of MTH motive power displayed on one of the store's walls.  Lots of MTH and some Lionel rolling stock.  Scenic material, publications, etc.

 

You won't need it passing through but EHH's repairman, really knows his stuff.  He is a true subject matter expert on MTH repairs.

 

EHH is closed on Monday...but open on Sundays starting at 1200.  Tuesday-Saturday he opens at 1000.  Roughly 10 minutes off I-270.

I just called the "Depot Museum", Don Carver, in Gettysburg and he is open 7 days a week. His wife passed 8 months ago and he said that 4 stores in a 35 mile area have closed recently.  Need more tourists.  I would definitely stop in -305 Buford Ave, Rt 30 west near the edge of town.

Thanks again for the feedback.  I have been to some of these places before but not all of them.  Based on time and route I think I will try to visit these which I have never been to.

 

Depot Museum

 

Engine House Hobbies

 

Hobby Works

 

The Toy Exchange

 

Toy Trains & Collectibles

 

 

I will let you know how I make out.

Ron

 

I've never been there, but my granddaughter sent me a picture this past weekend of a large train store in Mt. Airy.  The town is just north of Route 70 west of Baltimore.  

So any more info on the store in Hanover?

Jim,

 

Thanks for verifying.  That's good news.

 

Bill

I know it is out of the way and an extra hour or so each way, but Side Track Hobbies in Leonardtown, MD has to be mentioned. It is all O gauge and Tinplate (Standard and O) and has a huge inventory!

You might want to check out the Train Room in Hagerstown, MD. It's a little out of your way, but they have a great museum that has been written up in various train magazines over the years.

I've been trying madly to recall where a model train store was that I used to hit on my way from Aberdeen, MD to Gettysburg. It was about halfway there.

Man, I just can't remember. That was in the late 90s and once I left the area, I did a 'brain dump' as I never thought I'd need to recall where anything was afterward...

Just looked on a map, maybe it was in Hanover. I can visualize exactly what the area looked like... Dang, this is driving me nuts. I recall they had plenty of 3-rail stuff.

Sorry I can't be of more help. And besides, they could easily be closed by now.

Don Carver, Depot Museum, told me 4 shops have closed in the are in the past year.

 

When you stop at Engine House Hobbies, do make a trip down the street to the B&O Station...Ken, the owner can point you. It is just about a 1/2 mile, if that. Here are some photos to get you interested...

 

I have two shops for you to check out. The Train Depot Main Street in Mount Airy, MD

and The Toy exchange in Mount airy,MD 

Thanks for all the tips...

 

My first stop was Engine House Hobbies.  That was a great store.  The owner is very nice, allowed me to shop by myself as I needed to and was there when I asked for help.  We had a very enjoyable conversation as well.  I was there long enough to watch a CSX train go by as well.  Very fun.

 

My next stop was Hobby Works.  I equate it to a Hobby Town on steroids.  Fun for most novice to average modelers of all sorts.  Better for RC stuff than for trains.

 

I did not go to the The Toy Exchange because my GPS could not locate the town of Wheaton in MD.  GEF, I wish I had seen your post earlier... I would have tried Mount Airy, MD.

 

On the way home, I decided to head west to Manassas to visit the Toy Trains & Collectibles.  It was out of the way... The shop was ok.  The owner was very nice.  The prices were high in my opinion.  I was glad I took the long detour home.  There was a big accident on the beltway that snarled traffic.  I just continued on 66 West to 81 North.  

 

I was going to stop at the Train Room in Hagerstown since I was going to drive by but I had to get home in time to get my son from practice.  I have been to that shop in the past... lots of nice stuff there too.  Kind of pricey though.

 

Again, I appreciate all of the help.  Engine House Hobbies will certainly be my new stopping point on my way to DC in the future since Catoctin Mountain is now gone.

 

Ron