Los Angeles train stores and clubs recommendations?

Hi Ben,

Welcome to the West Coast. TTOS is alive and well in Anaheim and Arcadia.  TCA Western is also in Arcadia. In addition, AGTTA is in San Diego.  All clubs have monthly meets. I am the Treasurer for TTOS SP. Contact me for more info as you get closer to moving.

Bob

Thank you Bob, I really appreciate your help and insight. I will PM you and get more details. This southern boy is excited to get to the west coast!

Ben, I don't know if they are still operating, but when I lived in the LA area, the Orange County Tinplate Trackers have a great layout and were a great group of guys.  Also there was an O gauge club at Angels Gate Park in San Pedro.

Ross

Hey Ross! Definitely still operating, but been regulated to just my double track loop on my ceiling suspended layout. Me and my equipment could use a nice long mainline run!

Perhaps "AGHRMatt" will chime in here; I think he's connected with Southern California...(?); he seems like a good guy and is very helpful.

Mark (about 950 miles north) in Oregon 

Welcome to LA! I live in south Torrance near Redondo Beach. I've been to the Train Shack but the drive is too much of a PIA. There is also a place down in Orange County but have never been there. In San Pedro you'll find the Angels Gate High Railers club. Really neat with some great people and worth visiting their incredible layout from time to time. There used to be Atlas Model trains in Culver City long long ago. That was an amazing place and practically an LA landmark but sadly they closed. Pretty much everything I have is via eBay, the forum (for sale or trade -- best prices and products) and forum sponsors. Otherwise LA is kind of a model RR wasteland if you are looking for brick and mortar places to shop. That's the great thing about the forum. You have instant access to a great community. I really would not have the level of passion I have for O gauge or the level of layout performance I enjoy without it!

I don't know if they are still operating, I suspect so, but the Angel's Gate Hi-Railers are located near Long Beach in San Pedro.  Been there a couple of times.  A really cool layout.

Hi Ben,  I live in Orange County and am building a suspended 17.5-15.5, 072 layout.  In Westminster you have Mile Post 38 as a source of new and used equipment. There are several large layouts in homes in the area but CA is not like the east coast with large basements and cold winters to encourage the hobby.  Please reach out when you get into town and we can meet. By the way your current layout looks very clean and well designed. OGR Forum is a great resource to keep on top of this hobby.

Cheers!

Duncan Foster

657 296-8835

Hi Ben,

LA's a big place!  Do you know where you'll be living?  The traffic is almost always a challenge, especially during commute times.  I lived in the San Fernando Valley for a number of years before moving to Ventura County.  I continued to work in the Valley.  Very few train stores left in So. Cal.  However, there are typically two or three large train shows every year. 

John

Planning to live in West Hollywood. Can’t wait to get out there and connect with some of y’all!

Wishing you well in your new endevours.  I have close friends in the LAX region desperately wishing to move out and move to Tennesee or Kentucky.

Milepost 38 in Westminster. Retail store selling new and used.

One of the oldest stores is still operating in Pasadena plus there are good restaurants nearby: https://www.thewhistlestop.com

@Bnance88 posted:

Planning to live in West Hollywood. Can’t wait to get out there and connect with some of y’all!

Hi Ben,

Even though my screen name is CA John, after I retired in 2020, we relocated to Florida.  Had to find someplace where my fixed income will go further.  The Train Shack in Burbank will be your closest brick and mortar store.  Great place.  I purchased some of my trains and track there.  There is a TTOS group that meets monthly in Arcadia, CA.    There's Travel Town in Griffith Park that has a ride on railroad operated by the LA Live Steamers.  Right next door is Walt Disney's red barn that used to reside on his property.  I think it's only open one weekend a month.  Check the Trainshow.com website for upcoming Great Train Shows in Southern California.  There will be a large show in Costa Mesa (Orange County) in February and a smaller show in Ventura (Ventura County) in March.  Drive down to Santa Monica and take PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) to Ventura.  It's slower than the 101 but it's much more scenic right along the coast. 

John

I agree with John.......Train Shack in Burbank!  Just there two weeks ago while out in LA visiting. Always find something to take home. Folks that run it are great.

Billy C

@Scott J posted:

Welcome to LA! I live in south Torrance near Redondo Beach. I've been to the Train Shack but the drive is too much of a PIA. There is also a place down in Orange County but have never been there. In San Pedro you'll find the Angels Gate High Railers club. Really neat with some great people and worth visiting their incredible layout from time to time. There used to be Atlas Model trains in Culver City long long ago. That was an amazing place and practically an LA landmark but sadly they closed. Pretty much everything I have is via eBay, the forum (for sale or trade -- best prices and products) and forum sponsors. Otherwise LA is kind of a model RR wasteland if you are looking for brick and mortar places to shop. That's the great thing about the forum. You have instant access to a great community. I really would not have the level of passion I have for O gauge or the level of layout performance I enjoy without it!

Just for sake of accuracy, it was ALLIED model trains in Culver City, not ATLAS.

@Bob Paris posted:

Just for sake of accuracy, it was ALLIED model trains in Culver City, not ATLAS.

And the former owner is on the forum - @MrAllied

@Bob Paris posted:

Just for sake of accuracy, it was ALLIED model trains in Culver City, not ATLAS.

Ouch. That would be my failing memory. Thanks for the correction. I remember being awe struck by the original location. There was this HO track going up at a near 45 degree angle. The engine that ran on it had a giant gear on the bottom and the teeth locked into special rails on the track so it could climb. Really neat place.

I used to go to Allied a lot when it was on Pico and I lived in Santa Monica. It was a great store.

Good luck with the move.