Does anyone know of a Lionel Dealer in the Austin, TX Area?
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The local Hobby Towns have some beginner sets, some Fastrack and accessories. All full retail, of course. I've purchased what I could there.
The only "train" store, is/was King's Hobbies on Lamar. I was last in there about a year ago, and they had 3-4 N-scale sets on the wall, and all the train stuff has been replaced by "gamer" tables and lots of plastic models, so I consider them to be a dead shop now, with respect to what they used to be known for. Their blog and site reflects these changes.
That said, the Austin area is sorely lacking in anything O-gauge, and most any other train stuff to boot. It's just not a "train" town... I do all my train shopping from my computer now.
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Some fact about Austin:
Austin's 2014 population is estimated at 843,000, but its 5-county metropolitan area has an estimated population of 1.9 million.
In 2014, Austin is the 4th largest city in Texas and the 11th largest in the United States, up from 13th at the last census Austin is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country now, with a population growth rate of almost 3%.
And not a single place to buy an O gauge train. Austin has never had much in the way of train stores, at least O, but it's a shame that a city of this size has zero places to even look at an O gauge train. Just the way it has become.
Breezin, You're so right. I'd love to open a hobby shop here in Buda right by the train tracks (such a neat place for rent is there right now) and make myself a small fortune, but that likely means I'd have to start with a large fortune. 
I've known several hobby shop owners in the past and it's a tough business.
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Kind of funny since it was the "railroad" that put Austin up on the map.
Pete
Hello:
We (First Hobby) are an authorized Lionel dealer in Austin (Texas). Our store opened here last year after moving from Illinois. We've been increasing our O stock and welcome suggestions on which items customers would like to see us carry. You may wish to check us out for your O scale needs.
Thank you,
Gene
Email: sales@firsthobby.com
Website: www.firsthobby.com
Phone: 866-242-7849 (toll-free) or 512-271-8266
Address: First Hobby, 5446 Highway 290 West, Ste 202, Austin, Texas 78735
Walk-in hours: Monday-Saturday 1pm-5pm except holidays
Originally Posted by First Hobby:
Hello:
We (First Hobby) are an authorized Lionel dealer in Austin (Texas). Our store opened here last year after moving from Illinois. We've been increasing our O stock and welcome suggestions on which items customers would like to see us carry. You may wish to check us out for your O scale needs.
Thank you,
Gene
Email: sales@firsthobby.com
Website: www.firsthobby.com
Phone: 866-242-7849 (toll-free) or 512-271-8266
Address: First Hobby, 5446 Highway 290 West, Ste 202, Austin, Texas 78735
Walk-in hours: Monday-Saturday 1pm-5pm except holidays
?!?!?! I need to make a point to go there!!!
I remember back in the 90s when King's Hobby and Hobbytown (north location) had sizeable train sections. At the time, I was only involved in HO. Other stores I remember were The Great Train Store in Barton Creek Square Mall (I only ever went in there once), The Village Hobby Shop, and Collectible Caboose in Cedar Park. All are gone now. Despite their more limited selections, I do still go to the two remaining shops on occasion. I especially like to see what's in the used trains section of King's.
Howdy Folks!
If any of y'all are in Austin, Texas...
It'd be great to get together & meet & talk trains.
I myself am a Postwar Guy.
... Look forward to meeting some local fellow train folks!
I spent about six months in Austin back in 95. There was an O group who would meet up, but it was always at lunch during the week. I never went and never understood the odd meeting time.
There was one hobby shop I found that from what I remember had a pretty big HO layout inside.
Welcome to the Lone Star State, Gene @ First Hobby, and thanks for attempting to fill the void. You apparently did your market research to locate your store close to people with money and room to spare, yet still within reach of the rest of us (traffic and road construction notwithstanding). Will you be offering service and repairs, too?
What, me worry?
Howdy y'all!
Austin is a train town if you know where to look. We have two nice modular model train clubs. Austin N Trak and the Austin Tinplate Trackers. We, the Austin Tinplate Trackers turned 25 this year. We can setup at 45 x 60 ft 3 rail O scale layout with 4 mainlines. We had a small setup at the New Braunfels Model Train show last weekend. There are rumors that a new HO modular group is starting up.
The new Central Texas Model Train Jamboree will be at the Williamson County Expo Center May 6th and 7th. That facility is in Taylor, TX which is a train town. It is a crossing of the old MKT and MoPac. The MoPac and now UP have a small yard there. Its a good place to watch trains. The other place to go to watch trains is at McNeil, TX. Its between Austin and Round Rock. The N scale group used to meet there at lunch to watch trains.
Gene at First Hobby has been great supporting the club and we are glad to see him here. Craig from the Collectible Caboose is now up in McKinney, TX. He is now called Texas Train Supply and still travels to shows down here and up north now. He has always supported the club and continues to from McKinney. Kings and Hobbytown are hit and miss..... I really miss the Villiage Hobby Shop. There is a Hobbytown on 410 and Vance Jackson in San Antonio that has a nice train section.
Hope this helps!
Hi,
In answer to the question about service/repair, unfortunately, we (First Hobby) do not have the resources to offer service at this time. I do hope that we may be able to offer these services someday. We can help troubleshoot some problems as we do have a loop of track for testing.
Thanks,
Gene
