How do you purchase your trains?

My LHS, Walker's Hardware Store, is 3mi. from my house. A few years back, after listening to some self-styled specialists and experts on this forum, against my better judgement and the advice of a few well-intentioned naysayers, I bought a Lionel scale FEF. Sure enough, as warned by those voices who had bought the same locomotive, it did "hop" down the tracks, coughing and choking, sputtering, and stopping occasionally for a cigarette, or something or other, it seemed to require. Fortunately, I had purchased that loco loco from Walker's and carried it right back to the store with my disappointment in-hand along with it.

The proprietor did not suggest sending it back to the Lionel, nor did he expect me to do so. Instead, he immediately offered to replace the locomotive, after asking if I wanted to try again or have a full refund. I took the replacement with me, and that locomotive and I have lived happily ever after.        Amen.

When I want a new locomotive, I go strictly to that LHS, as does my wife.

Oh, and I have avoided ever having any sort of conversation, on any subject, with those few opinionated "experts" who mocked me for my initial reticence about buying the FEF .

FrankM

Good topic, Bob!!

I guess my purchasing habits are a duck soup, if you will.

I purchase from local hobby shops (some while travelling), shows (Greenberg's, TCA), Forum sponsors, and occasionally from the Internet.

I have two local hobby shops about 45 minute drive from me, one is a Forum sponsor (Mercer Junction) and one is a little pricey which is in a more well-to-do community.  I have a hardware store about 45 minutes away which has been selling Lionel and now MTH and Weaver for now the second and third generation.  They have a nice mail order business which I utilize if I am not planning to be in the area.

I have purchased from various folks, Forum sponsors ( Grzyboski's), and Forum members at local shows.  I have also made several purchases from Forum members right here on the Forum.

I have also purchased from Forum sponsors and others over the Internet (Pat's Trains, RMT).  I can recall one purchase via eBay.

I pay cash when in person, and PayPal over the Internet which is taken via debit from our checking account.  I never charge anything train related on a credit card.  In fact we use our credit card about once a year or so for reservations or something like that.

Like so many others who have posted on this thread I try to cover all the bases; local hobby shops, internet sales, train meets and even a rare purchase from someone I know who is divesting themselves of their train roster. 

Many Purchases now are from the For Sale OGR FORUM, For new purchases, my Local Hobby Shops.....I do like the Pre-Order, BTO, as that assures me, hopefully, that I will get those neat items that would possibly be hard to find.  It's all about Fun, Buying, Swapping, Selling, Friendships, and Yes, It's the Worlds Greatest Hobby! Happy Railroading.

OKHIKER,

    I do the same, the sponsors definitely get some of my business, I like the Train shows for the deals they offer, and I do use the Hobby stores also from time to time, especially the older more established ones.  I also purchase for the OGR members if I see something I really want, like the Tin Plate 264, that I really appreciated getting.

Every once in a great while I will order something off the internet, one of my Wellsville, Addison & Galeton special run, hard to find Atlas Masters Series Box Cars, actually came form JD's Trains, off the internet, and I was real glad to get it in that manner. 

PCRR/Dave

Almost all of my purchase are internet based due to my LHS having very limited selection and his pre-order prices are at MSRP.  Pre-orders are usually from a big name forum sponsor, but I do spread my business around.  I have purchased from the buy/sell forum her as well.  I have purchased via auction sites, but not for a few years.  Since they are not producing much in the Conventional Classics line, I am buying mostly tinplate now which has reduced my purchases significantly.

Jeff Davis

At least 90%+ of my purchases are from my LHS. I support them as much as I can.

I pre-order almost all train items from them when the new catalogs come out.

Things they don't have or can't get I try to purchase from OGR forum sponsors. Have purchased a few pieces of older out of production rolling stock this way.

Specialty and hard to find items from where ever I can find them, like some Micro-Mark items and similar. Mostly tools and supplies. 

I don't buy very much used, mostly all new, but I have used the OGR For Sale forum a few times. Very few train items I purchase come from ebay except for electronic boards and parts. The electronic boards on ebay are usually fairly unique and not readily available anywhere else. 

All of the above.

I purchase by just about all the methods already mentioned. I'm lucky enough to have two LHS within reasonable driving distance (M.B. Klein and Sidetrack). I also purchase a good number of things online from the usual suspects (many are forum sponsors) with excellent results.

And I do partake on the auction site but probably not as much as others. I've been trying to catch up on the Conventional Classics --  which I missed first time around --  and sometimes find decent deals on the Bay.

New equipment, Charles Ro (our local dealer and a good one). Other sources are the York Meet, OGR Forum Sell Board, and lastly, eBay.

Mostly at local swap meets of late. Several items from folks on this list and a bit from RMT--love their traditionally sized stuff.

Scotie

Hi Bob, I was a Lionel dealer as well as N,HO and G bought sold and repaired just about anything that came in the shop. My youngest son Scott wonted to build a Lionel layout but when we shopped and sore the prices of Lionel I decided to open a Train Shop "The Red Caboose Model Trains." It took about a year to get the shop open and  now we could order anything we wonted from Lionel and get 30% off. We also did every Train show we could that was FUN. We keep the shop open a little over 5 years and when we shut it down we found our selves loaded with post war engines,rolling stock,and accessories along with much of what Lionel was coming out with. I think our second year is when they came out with Command Control. We still go to Train shows and look for something nice but everything came from our shop.

When I was still working I would buy most of my trains from a couple of train stores or train shows. Since I am now retired I only buy my trains on the Forum, York or the bay. I do not buy brand new engines anymore. I found that buying used engines from train people like on the forum I get some really good deals on very well taken care of trains.

So Steve, are you buying back the stuff you originally sold?  That would be ironic.  

I do most of my shopping online.  It's quick and easy!  

Everywhere except trainz I am done with them.. 

Mostly I buy my trains at local train shows. There's one guy from Mebane who remembers me and always tries bring some Marx goodies to tempt me. LOL

I stop by Nick's Trains in Raleigh once in awhile and I get a few things from eBay from time to time.

No train shops here so I just pick up the phone and call Mr. Muffin. Don

Bob your right and I got it all for a great price. 

No Hobby Stores in Nor Cal,if its Atlas I buy from Public Delivery Track in Ca,most other purchases come from three forum sponsors so the other 10% comes from train shows and York.

Mikey

 If you live in the train capital of the USA (the NY metropolitan area or NE) then the options are much wider.

I beg to differ. I think the "train capital of the USA" has to be southeastern, Pennsylvania. There are MANY trains shops, railroads, museums, and of course the world's biggest and best train meet.

Is NE North East or New England?

If it's North East, then you have nothing to worry about Michael.  PA is still part of the North East.  And you are right about this areas abundance of train stuff.  You can't swing a cat by its tail without hitting a train shop.

Ron

Since I run postwar Lionel I buy it all on ebay. I have purchased most of my track, O27, and switches also O27 either on ebay or at train shows. Unfortunately the LHS is pretty committed to Fastracks and the MTH version of same, and all their other equipment is new with no vintage in stock.

I use a LHS, that is strictly scale O, S, HO and N scales, for all my other supplies like structure kits, scenery, roadbed, etc. I am a kit builder and all of my structures are from kits. The 3rail O shop is only into prebuilt structures from China. The guys at the scale train shop (3rail not spoken there), keep trying to convince me to dump my Lionel and get serious about two rail O scale. At this stage I'm not looking for serious...

I guess I'm a mixed bag as well - I push a LOT through my LHS but I'm fortunate to have a couple of really good ones nearby.  Their price delta is literally a couple of bucks from the larger internet vendors, and sometimes they are better.   Plus, they hold things for me, etc.    That being said, I have probably used most if not all of the forum sponsors at one time or another.  Sometimes they have something in stock that the LHS does not - I generally don't do it for price.   Ive bought a few things here on the forums, and have had good experiences with that - it's been a while, but there are always deals here if you stay vigilant.  Lastly, there's eBay - sometimes I want something that no one else has and I stumble across it there.   Usually, the price is such that I just let it go, but occasionally I pull the trigger.  I never spend more than a hundred bucks or so on any one eBay transaction, but my luck there has been good.  

To paraphrase a song (written by a friends father) 'Any which way I can' .

1. Local TCA division Auctions

2. Local train shows (Rocky Mountain Train Show)

3. Purchases from friends

4. LHS(s) Caboose Hobbies / BST Trains

5. Stout Auctions (Seems to be the easiest to use)

6. NSLHS(s) Nassau Hobbies / Charles Ro

7. On the rare occasion EBay

I live/lived (currently on temporary work contrat in CT) the next town over from Charles Ro.  I know many people who rave about them, but I have had bad experiences with them each time I go.  I only go when I end up with a gift certificate or I have a repair I can't do.  In all fairness, they are trying hard on my latest repair, but communication has been an issue.

I use to attend the Greenberg shows at the Aleppo Shriners in Wilmington, MA, but more and more I go just to look at the layouts as I have found less and less O-gauge dealers and for that matter more and more non-train dealers.

So for now I make a vast majority of my purchases on ebay.  I have been able to find some good deals, and have yet to be burned (well, on a train related purchases anyway).  I did however recently make my first purchase on this forum and I was very pleased with the experience.  I know everyone's different, but here I knew I was dealing with a fellow "train guy" who knew what he was talking about and we were able to make a deal that worked for both of us.

Ditto that with the exception of York as it has never held any interest for me..

The cheapest way I can.  Beyond that, just about every way I have found them, from

an antique mall in Sacramento, to a response to an ad I ran in a farm magazine, which

sucked a set out of a farmhouse attic in western Pennsylvania..

85% online. 10% shows and 5% stores when visiting the USA. 

Nick

If its new, its from the LHS, If its used then from the OGR forum, local club members, or last resort the Bay....

Up until 2007 when I lived in SE PA:

80% Justrains

5% Nicholas Smith

5% Charlie Ro

5% Trainworld

5% York or Choo Choo Barn in Strasbourg

Since 2007 living in NC, the nearest store that carries O gauge is nearly 2 hours away. I've been there a couple of times.  I didn't feel very welcome, and he sells at MSRP (first train store where I have experienced such a no discount policy).  So, all my purchases are now online.  I buy from many OGR sponsors: Justrains, Charlie Ro, Nassau Hobby, Trainworld, & Legacy Station.  I also buy from C.T. McCormick Hardware.  I have considered other OGR sponsors, but frankly, their websites are so poor that I just can't be bothered to do business with them.  I have bought some used equipment through the OGR forum and ebay. 

I purchase mine from Trainland/Trainworld, Sidetrack Hobbies, and some train shows. 

When Chesterfield Hobbies was open in Metro Richmond (closed June 2013, owner retired), 90% of my purchases were there. The 5% discount was more than worth it because of his impeccable service......Now, I have spread it around: Nassau Hobbies, Sidetrack Hobbies, Nicholas Smith, Charles Ro.........I haven't really found a home yet......

I predict that in 5-10 years we will see less brick and mortar "train stores"  and more independent repair shops to service what you buy long distance (for a fee, if course).

Peter

all online, no LHS within a reasonable drive for me

Cash at train shows or garage sales, always from an earlier owner.

Charlie

My purchases this year (all cash) are from:

Train show

Forum sponsor

LHS (Arnie's Trains in Westminster, CA)

OGR buy sell

7 out of 10 items were used. Total spent: $375

7 pieces of rolling stock

1 handcar

1 steamer with tender 

2 Fastrack remote switches

My budget for the year is about used up, so I will need to spring clean early if there is something else I have to have.

95% from Nassau Hobby

02% from Willis Hobbies

03% at York

I would have to say my purchased are shared with 33% going to The Train Crossing, 33% going to Arnies Trains although going down hill with their O gauge inventory, and 34% internet with about 28% of that going to the Sell and Trade forum here. If the forum doesn't count as purchases on the internet than that would be 6% internet purchases.  O gauge is a tough find here in So California with all shops 45 minutes or more away from where I live.  John at The Train Crossing usually tries to sell for close to what you can buy on the net and it's normally only a few dollars more and that is good enough for me.