My Local Hobby Shop

I bought a pair of MTH Coors Light 60' box cars from them.  The price was right. 

My shop of choice is JusTrains in Delaware.  I like the fact that they are open on Sunday's and only about twenty minutes away now that they are in the new location.  M B Klines has the best prices, but they are about an hour away depending on traffic.  There are two other shops locally Forest Hill Train Station and Hobby works in Bel Air.  Hobby Works is expensive and carries a limited stock.  I found this link the other day.  It's not all inclusive, as there are still shops without internet.

 

https://www.nmra.org/directory...yshops/Shopa-FM.html

Lee, I know who you're referring to. D------- Trains in Ft. Lauderdale is like that. I don't see how they (stores like the D----) contuniue to survive. Wally W. has a policy where if it's got dust on it, it's time for it to go. Thats why he pretty much gave up on trains. In today's marketplace it's all about turning inventory.

My LHS totally sucks. They have a decent Lionel inventory (no MTH) but most of it is older o27 stuff. They guys that run the place only know RC cars and planes. I only go in there when I need 1 or 2 pieces of Fastrack. Any more than that I go to MB Klein.

Picked up some sample Gargraves flex (to compare to MTH Scaletrax) at Kleins today. Off to Just Trains tomorrow. Thanks re Star Hobby; yea, they are SUPER friendly and glad feeling prices are right. I'd MUCH prefer to patronize brick n mortar local shops, build relationshps than 'net purchase if I can...to support the local hobby shops.  Firefox wouldn't let me access that link for other shops but I'll peruse the site.

 

Thanks, Pat

BTW, Nassau Hobby is up and running, they sent me an email telling me my stuff shipped.

 

We only were closed Monday and Tuesday

Funny but true Jim Sutter story.

 

I was nowhere near what one would consider a big spender but I did place what orders I had for MTH items at the time with Jim.   There was one post on the forum about how long items took to ship and I posted tongue in cheek about how it took an item 4 days to cross Pennsylvania to get to me.  Apparently, Jim thought I was serious as not 20 minutes after I had posted my phone rang and it was Jim calling to apologize for the delay and explain the length of time it took to package and ship items.   I felt about an inch tall and after I assured him my post was tongue in cheek we had a good laugh.

 

The point of the story is that the man sure did understand what customer service was and it obviously paid a big part in his success. 

 

--Greg

I've got four shops that I consider being within "striking distance".   T&K, American Hobby Center, Imperial Trains, and Jason's trains are all drivable, but Jason's is probably the furthest and I've not been there yet (I have ordered online - nice people on the pone!).  The others are 30-45 minutes away and the service I've received at each locations has been outstanding.  I try my best to split my business up between them because I don't want to see ANY of them go away!

 

I don't do much of anything through some of the larger online shops;  I used to but ran into some stocking issues and return problems.   I have fished in the 'bay a few times for oddities I could not find elsewhere - I assume some of those transactions were from someone else's local shop.  I confess to buying my first Lionel Polar Express RTR from a well known rain forest e-tailer;  it was cheap and I had no idea what I was getting myself into 

If you live near Thurmont, MD, that is absolutely, hands down, the place to go.  If you don't, then order direct from Paul and Marcia Johnson.  He is cut from the same fabric as Jimmy Sutter and you will NEVER be disappointed.  Excellent prices and, most importantly, conscientious and very friendly service...no matter how small your order might be!!....CATOCTIN MOUNTAIN TRAINS & HOBBIES.

Unfortunately Tampa has no more Hobby or Train Stores except one across the bay in Pinellas Park. There were like five in Tampa years ago. I am forced to order online now from different Hobby Shops around the US. I do miss the days of just taking a ride to the train store for the new magazines.

Hi Jim, I'm traveling to a two day work conference in Sheperdstown, WVA this week and was hoping to swing by Catoctin re Ross Switches and Ross sectional track but...they are closed tomorrow Tue and Wed   It's a long drive from the Eastern Shore but I get out those parts a couple times a year so I may drive by anyway to learn the location for future visits. I plan on calling to see if they can ship me some samples.

Sorry you can't get into the shop tomorrow Pat.  Quaint little town at the base of the Catoctin Mountains.  Paul's address is 3 W. Main Street in Thurmont, MD.  Jim

MB Klines is a short drive up 83 from I 695.

As a side note M.B. Kleins will be celebrating thier 100th anniversary next year. How many other hobby shops can or have made that claim? I think that they originally started as a hardware store and gradually evolved into the full service train shop they are but 100 years is quite a feat.

 

Jerry

Guess who just called to say hello??  You're a class act Jimmy!  Glad to hear all is going well!

 

--Greg

Speaking of TrainWorld, I recently made my first purchase from them...an online transaction...and was shocked to discover the web site does NOT calculate shipping at the time the order is placed.  So the order is placed, you checkout, yet you do not find out what you are actually paying until days later.  A little unusual, if you ask me, in this ecommerce day and age.

CHECK OUT TRAIN EXPRESS  , FASTRACK COMMAND SWITCHES , $82.50 AND SERVICE IS FANTESTIC AND THE BEST SHIPPING IN THE BUSINESS.

quote:

Speaking of TrainWorld, I recently made my first purchase from them...an online transaction...and was shocked to discover the web site does NOT calculate shipping at the time the order is placed.

 

Was the shipping unreasonable or out of line?

 

C.W...the shipping charge was not outrageous, but more than I expected...and more than I would have paid from another site.  

This jogged my memory. I ordered from Train World a number of years ago (website) and now recall that the shipping amount was not displayed at check out.

 

Agree that the shipping charge wasn't exorbitant but it's an unusual practice, nonetheless. In fact, I don't think I've ordered from ANY site, trains or otherwise, where I didn't see the shipping at checkout.

Its been a while since I've purchased anything from Trainland/Trainworld. My last order was via phone. I don't recall being troubled by their shipping. Might have been flat rate at the time. Regardless, the prices were so good, the shipping didn't really matter.

Speaking of TrainWorld, I recently made my first purchase from them...an online transaction...and was shocked to discover the web site does NOT calculate shipping at the time the order is placed.  So the order is placed, you checkout, yet you do not find out what you are actually paying until days later.  A little unusual, if you ask me, in this ecommerce day and age.

 

 

Our new web site calculates shipping!

Jim is correct - an excellent store for trains.  I am new into the hobby, but Paul and Marcia remember who I am every time I come in and they remember my kid's names.  Paul offers to run the layout for my youngest - who loves to waive her hands around the smoke from the trains - and makes me nervous that I will be leaving with a new (but damaged) steam engine!  I kind of look at Paul's shop simply as it is my "York"  becasue his shop has what I need.  

 

Pat, another store to consider visiting on your way to Paul's shop is Mainline Hobby: 
15066 Buchanan Trail East  Blue Ridge Smt, PA 17214
(717) 794-2860

 

Nice store, decent pricing.  They are heavier on HO, but a nice place to visit. 

Huge thanks John. I'm compiling a list of regional train shops to patronize as a core resource, support the local guys and gals. Work and family takes me through: Delaware; central, western, eastern Shore Maryland; eastern West Virginia centered @ Morgantown (family roots and home town) down to ~Grafton; DC; lower Pennsylvania/Philly annually. Seems I don't travel much south beyond the Potomac but I did meet/deliver a huge observatory telescope mount to a fellow in North Carolina last year and traveled to upper Georgia for nursery plants.

 

Thurmont seems a core since I plan on a deep relationship with Ross, both switches ad sectional and they are a dealer.

How about Hollash's in Riverview?

I love trains in general and working/study of multi scales builds a well-rounded think-outside-the-box approach and philosophy. It's all about the trains.

Oh and BTW John...being old-school I like the personal one-on-one relationship so I may order via the phone or 'net but I prefer to pickup in person. I'll drive across the state for it. It's all about that one on one face to face, eye to eye, handshake to handshake. That's what builds a community, trust, business success and hopefully loyal customets

I'll put in another plug for Catoctin Mountain and the Johnson's. Genuinely good folks that look out for you. I buy all my engines (and most other things) from them and they are my go-to folks. Granted my school work doesn't allow me to get up to Thurmont as much as I like plus Thurmont is about an hour one way from my home (Potomac MD, Montgomery County, near DC) but I always look forward to visiting. Even if I haven't been up there for weeks, Paul and Marcia always remember me, ask me how my school work is going, working on the "real" RR is, how the family is doing, etc, etc, etc. I've been going there since June 2010 and always appreciate Paul and Marcia. 

 

If you need to spread some payments out or something on an item, Paul will not only let you do that, no questions asked, but also let you take the engine home that day instead of holding it until you've paid in full. Then again, maybe he trusts me a bit too much! . 

 

Engine House Hobbies in Gaithersburg is a good shop as well. Louis is, IMO, the best repair man in the area and Ken takes care of you as well. If you are lucky at EHH, some real trains will come by the windows outside and Kevin, the upholstery store guy next door will come over to chat - he's a hoot! 

I also travel alot.  My girlfriens son attends WVU, her Daughter lives in Pittsburgh and her mother lives in northern New Jersey.  My girlfrien is into trains as much as I am and is looking forward to the day she can start putting the scenery down.  I made a couple list that I keep in the car.  One list all the stores that sell Lionel Trains and the other list all the places that sell Mikes Train House in the Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey area.  We have been to most of the shops, both big and small.  Some have really good prices and some chaarge MSRP.  Lionel was the easiest to make a list.  Just go to their website and click on the Customer Service button and then select Resources and then Locate a Lionel Authorised Dealer.  Pick a State and print the list.  Mikes Train House requires more work.  On Mike's site you select dealers, Find a dealer and it asks for a zip code and a distance 10, 25, or 100 miles.  Other web sites I use are railserve.com  This not only lists hobby shops, but also gives information about upcoming shows.  The other web site is.

https://www.nmra.org/directory...yshops/Shopa-FM.html

Nice to see Maryland train shops getting all this “love.”     There really are some exceptional businesses and they offer something for everyone.

 

It may have been mentioned way up the thread, but Sidetrack Hobbies in Leonardtown is one of the best. Huge inventory, knowledgeable staff, decent prices, and good folks (Al & Libby).  If you’re into tinplate, they’re well stocked. And they have quite a bit of older items, too, and you can frequently find that piece of Lionel/MTH rolling stock from 5-6 years ago that nobody else has.

 

They’re on the ”other end” of the state, but always worth a side trip.