More toy trains in the news at this spcial season of the year

Thanks for posting this Allan. It is a truly beautiful story, and brought a tear to my eye.

Nice.  Very nice.

Very nice story! Allan thanks for the link.

Allan,

   Great stuff!

PCRR/Dave

Great, great post, Allan - thank you, Sir!

Wonderful - Thanks Allan

Always a good idea to support your Local Hobby Shop.

The hobby shop mentioned in the story was Amato's.

They have been around a very long time. They have been doing mail order for years, long before the internet became popular for shopping. They also have a web site.

 

Here is an interesting story about how Amato's came to purchase the American Flyer parts department.

 

Thanks Allan, wonderful heartwarming story. You certainly to a great deal to warm our hearts by keeping us posted with the articles you find.

 

Merry Christmas to you!

Alan

thanks for posting.

 

Merry Christmas ! !

Steve

Great story

 

Merry Christmas

 

Nick

nice story.

Hooray for Amato's!!  I hope this story and that gesture brings them in some business.  And I, too, hope Mr. Gordon got a good job again, and in

time for Christmas!

Very nice story.  Thanks for posting Allan.  Merry Christmas!  Ken

I hope that store is absolutely stuffed with customers tomorrow!

Touching story with a great ending!

A very touching story.....thanks for sharing!

That's a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing.

Great story Allan!

Most beautiful and touching story, Allan. I sincerely hope that Amato's prospers well into the future and contin ue to be a source of pride for all us toy train hobbyists

Allan thank you. I love a happy ending....

Allen, thank you for posting this very heart warming story.

 

Bob

Indeed, a wonderful story!

 

And, I can certainly relate to the 'move the track clip from here to there' solution at this time of year.  We (also a LHS) get lots of folks calling/coming who urgently need 'repairs' to get the ol' train going around the tree.  After all, it was running just fine when they put it away last year, 10 years, 20 years ago.  The first thing I ask of them, is whether they have the tubular track and lockon, showing them the separate items.  "Yep!"  So, show me how you attached the lockon to the track.  Bingo....oh, I'd say about 75% of the time. 

 

I'd like to give them a 'Dinozzo' ()...(not having peach preserves to hand out!)...but their embarrassment-to-relief-to-smiles when the engine then runs just fine, as Amato's showed Mr. Gordon, is worth the 5 minutes.  No charge.

 

What's even better?  That grateful person most often then makes an unplanned purchase.  It's not often worth a lot in a monetary sense, but helping a harried customer have a better day will bring them back.

 

So, who says hobbies aren't good for your health?  I'd say Mr. Gordon, after the year he'd been through, had a pretty good healing of the heart...which is part of what Christmas is all about!  "Happy, happy, happy!"

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Oh, how I wish we lived closer to Amato's! I definitely would go there and make a few more Christmas purchases.

 

Beautiful story - thank you for posting, Allan.

 

And MERRY CHRISTMAS to all!

 

Alex

I remember reading a story about helping someone unable to get their trains running because they didn't know to strip the insulation from the ends of the wires before connecting them.

That's what it's all about.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

 

Allan;

Thank you so Very Much for posting that story.

It made me mist up, again.

I know the feeling and Hope Spencer got a good job.

Working in retail is always tricky.  Even when the customer tells you what he needs, you have to read him properly to figure out what he is asking for.  The author could have written about the first shop not knowing their business, but he made it about the "Santa Claus" who really did him a favor. 

 

I have found that during my life I have been both a Santa Claus and a Grinch... a lot of times without knowing I had done anything at all.  Here's to more Santa moments during this holiday season.  Happy Festivus to all!

great story!

Allan...what a wonderful story.  Thanks so much for posting it...sure makes one feel good!

 

Alan

Shared it on my Facebook page. Wonderful story during this special time of year. Thanks for posting the link.

Vincent Amato, who founded the hobby shop by the same name, was a wonderful man and well known in the New Britain and Middletown area. He loved to see people get into this hobby of ours and always tried to help in any way possible. Sadly, he passed away last year. The two stores continue to be run by his son and daughter.

Merry Christmas

Fred Dole

Thanks Alan, wonderful story.  My eyes teared-up a bit there.

Great story...Greg

A touching, well written Christmas Story which I have since forwarded to many of my

non-railroading friends to help warm their hearts.

 

thanks!!

Mmmm peaches.

 

Thanks Alan, Merry Christmas everyone!