O Gauge - Charlotte, NC

The lack of O gauge (or most other gauges) model railroading in Charlotte has long baffled me, as well.  My sister lives there and my brother-in-law is a Large Scale enthusiast.  He has to do most of his buying online or when he visits here in Ohio.

 

Charlotte Electric Train Co., is long gone, and to the best of my knowledge it's a long haul to any hobby shops that have a decent stock of O gauge.

The LCCA & Lionel are hosting a Red Carpet sale on Saturday March 23 in Concord NC.  Go to www.lionelcollectors.org for more info.

 

Al K. 

Well, I know there is model train activity in N.C., I THINK I have seen people on here

posting from there, and there is a train shop across from the Spencer Southern RR

shops north of Charlotte, although not huge.  The Narrow Gauge Convention was held

north of there, too, a couple of years ago, in Hickory, and that just south of the

Tweetsie tourist road, so there must be some train interest in the state.  I saw a

Girl's Train for sale in a train shop just off the Interstate between the Smokies and

Asheville a few years ago, but missed that shop, if still there, on most recent trip.

That's right, consider yourself the luckiest O guager alive. All that discounted Lionel product right at your fingertips!

Jacob, I moved to Charlotte over three decades ago from the "Buckeye Sate."  I have seen three really good just toy trains shops and at least six good multi-interest hobby shops vanish there.  The closest toy train shop is the Little Choo Choo in Spencer.  The next closest another 35-miles north is the Train Loft. 

 

There are several of us O-Gaugers in the area.  Now some of us have tried twice to form a club/group but never got past the first meet.  The closest group is in the Winston Salem area.

 

Ron

Hi Jacob.  Forum member Christopher Esposito is a recent transplant to Charlotte and is a 'younger guy'. Good active modeler too.

 

Somebody puts on a pretty decent annual show in June. Check online for a contact. Mostly other gauges but there are some dealers.

 

We have a club - The Smoky Mountain Model Railroaders located NW of you on the other side of Asheville. Not close but still drivable ocassionally. We are working on a large (50') layout in a 1000 sq warehouse just off I-40 and would welcome a visit. Christopher expressed interest in coming up sometime - perhaps you guys could get together.

 

PRR Ron - you should come too!

 

ALERT - There will be a very good show across from the Asheville regional airport this coming weekend Mar 1 & 2nd with 200 vendors tables and 10 -12 layouts, ours among them. Definitely worth the drive...

There is the Palmetto Chapter of the TCA in your area; their next meet is MAR 9th 2013 @ WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH in COLUMBIA, SC.  I think they usually have about 2 train shows a year in Charlotte.  As mentioned above the LCCA is having an event at the Lionel facility in Concord in March.  We'll have another Southeastern Division TCA show in Raleigh in May.  Welcome aboard; hope this helps!

My experience here has mirrored the others and coming from the Chicago area where you can pick and choose what you want to use as your hobby shop, it was and is pretty odd to go from many to none.

I live about a half hour South of Charlotte and even across the border its a hefty drive to a hobby shop in S.C. I would prefer to use a hobby shop if there were one but thank heaven for the internet...!

Check out Smoky Mountain Trains in Bryson City. It's a bit of a drive for you but well worth it. They have a top notch tourist railroad, a museum housing the most awesome Lionel collection I've ever seen and a layout to die for! When I was there 4 years ago they had a well stocked store as well.

Hello Jacob, welcome to Charlotte, NC!! There isn't any O gauge shops in Charlotte. As PRR Ron has already stated, the closest O gauge shops are the Little Choo Choo Shop in Spencer, NC and The Train Loft in Winston-Salem, NC. I've Started a 3-rail O scale club in Winston-Salem. The name of the club is: The Piedmont-Triad Model Railroaders Club. You can access any information about the club by clicking on this link: www.piedmonttriadmodelrailroadersclub.com Thanks in advance.....Roger Whitsett, President and Founder

The only consistent shop for me has been Little Choo-Choo in Spencer.  Otherwise, I end up ordering online.  Hard to believe the Lionel warehouse is only ~7 miles away for me but the nearest shop is Spencer, NC.  Then to top it off I had the Polar Express Heavyweights cars on order and didn't receive them until a few weeks ago, weeks after everyone else because they were waiting for the shipment from their distributor in PA!  Seriously, Lionel ships to PA just to send everything back to Spencer?  Yes, I get the whole distribution channel thing but has anyone heard of Logistics (aka; UPS)?

 

As for a club, I'm going to be honest and say though I might enjoy the opportunity I simply do not have the time between work, my son's school and after school activities, etc.  I'm just getting back into the hobby more seriously than a train around the Christmas tree (but that's a completely different story).

 

- Jeff

Charlotte for some reason has become a place where Train Stores go to die.

At one point there where a total of 6 or 7 store all with in a 20-30 drive of downtown Charlotte. The major player where Charlotte Electric Train Center. Trains LTD and The Great Train Store in Pineville,NC where I used to work. There was also Ready to Run in Harrisburg,NC Chugga Chugga Choo Choo in Shelby,NC. I even recall a store in  Monroe,NC off Hwy 74 a few years back and another store that closed about 2 years ago in Indian Trail,NC.........The train club idea comes and goes some of the Charlotte area forum members have meet and exchanged email and phone number.

If enough people are still interested it might worth taking a second look.

 

Thanks Allan.  Luckily my wife's family lives in Atlanta so I can visit Legacy Station when I'm down there.  I recently purchased the new MTH Crescent Limited PS4 and passenger cars there.  The price was right and the service was outstanding!

I just started my membership in the LRRC last December.  I registered for this event as soon as I received the notification!

...right behind a glass door that I cannot enter!  I've already called Lionel several times and suggested that they open a dedicated shop selling Lionel products out of their warehouse.  It seems like a no brainer given that there's no competition in the area right now.  There response was, "that's a very good suggestion and we are considering that as an option."

Ron,

 

If you're still in the area and won't to try to start one up again I will be interested in meeting.

Living in Charlotte during the GREAT hobby shop era until there were none......It is hard to understand why a city with so many huge international corporations can't support one decent shop. Whistle Stop, Charlotte Electric Train and Trains LTD were all GREAT places.  When SRR Sean dragged me into O from HO after showing me his then new MTH N&W J 611 I went to CET and picked on up the next day. The vast majority of my locos and cars came from Trains LTD. We tried to support them best we could but not enough people did I guess.

I am lucky I moved to WV and have a great shop again.

Thanks c.sam.  I'll look up Christopher and shoot him an email.  I would love to visit sometime.  My family often makes it up to Asheville for weekend getaways at the Grove Park Inn.  One of my college friend's wife is from Waynesville .

Thanks Fred.  What typically happens at the Palmetto meet?  Is it just a meet and greet or are their layouts and trains on display?  If the latter I may make the trip down.

Thanks Tom!  I hadn't heard Smoky Mountain Trains.  Of course, I wasn't looking in that area either.  However, I have a 9 month old girl, and we've already discussed doing the Polar Express train ride around Christmas in the coming years.  I'll make sure I visit the train shop when we are there!

Thanks Roger.  I'm originally from High Point so I'm very familiar with the area.  I may have to stop by for a visit next time I'm up there.

I understand Jeff.  This hobby takes a lot of time.  If you change your mind about the possibility of starting a club please let me know!

So far it seems like their are a few people interested but not an outpouring.  Hopefully this post will help kindle the idea of a local Charlotte club.

 

Part of me wonders if someone opened a trainshop downtown on Tryon St with window frontage if it would succeed.  I know leases for the area are high, but also know that bankers walking by with a nitch for expensive toys might just make impulse buys.

AMCDave:  Where in West Virgiania?  I used to stop at two different train shops on the

Ohio side of Wheeling, off I-70, Bridgeport, for one, and was startled to see that one "war kaput!", on my last trip to York. The other had a fire some years ago.  There is

one in downtown Wheeling somewhere that I have not visited.

My thought on that (having been a part of several clubs over the years):

 

Interest alone won't hack it.  You will need at least a core group of people who are very enthusiastic about the activity and who will be willing to spend the time and effort needed to get the club off the ground.  My experience with clubs has shown me that there are invariably a very few real workers, and a good number of folks who just want to go along for the ride at their own convenience.

 

In short:  A casual interest won't be enough.

Near Snowshoe Ski resort and the GBT...Grenn Bank Telescope.....most rural county east of the Mississippi!! Also home to the most operating steam locos about anywhere!

Hey Jacob, Heed what Allen and C.Sam said about starting a model railroading club. I too have some of the same problems as the Smokey Mountain Model Railroaders Club has! Out of 16 members, only 5 are consistantly involved in all club activities. Because of the size of our club layout and only having 3 members (including myself), to actually do the heavy lifting, loading and unloading of modules, I had to cut back on some of the outings that we have been asked to do. If this is something that you want to do, be prepared to almost go it alone. You will probably get a few dedicated members, but the majority will tag along only if its convienient for them...............Rogerw.

Alan, C.Sam, and Roger,

 

Thanks for the input.  I'm really not looking to start a hard core, build a layout, and do trainshows kind of club.  At least, not yet.  I'd really just like to have a monthly meeting with people local to the area to share ideas and collections.  I think it would be a nice informal way to start.  After that, if enough interest arises then we could try to formalize a club, but I wouldn't make that step without a good core group of members.

Hey your not alone I live in monroe n.c.Just a few miles outside charottle.That was once served by the seaboard airline railroad(now csxt).The train station has been restoered and the rail yard is still there.I started out in h.o. trains but I became upset over its size.I have bad eyesight and many of headaces.I gave them away by that time.A new o gauge company came around called mth.I am happy with o gauge trains.You can run a long freight trains.I used to go to charottle electric trains to buy rolling stock now.Well there are no train shops in charottle now.I have to go to spencer n.c. to little choochoo.65 miles one way from monroe.I keep hoping someone will open another train store in charottle.But know you are not alonemy friend btw welcome to a great hobby.

Thanks Seaboard.  It's nice to know there are other o gauge fans out there in Charlotte!

If you ever need a good dentist in Monroe, let me know.  My brother-in-law is in a practice there (he's also a train fan, but the Large Scale variety).

I'm really amazed at the number of times I've seen a thread pop up about Charlotte not having a train store of any kinda. There's a big different from being a person that enjoy the hobby and one that have to make a livelihood on the hobby. I'm pretty sure lesson can be learned from the previous store owners and where they made mistakes. But in the end it's up to the owner to have a solid business plan and location.

I would think downtown Mt.Holly would be a perfect location since CSX will be putting on a show right out the front door of the shop. The area has a low tax base and it's still close to the Charlotte area and can be accessed via I-85 and I-485.

I believe there's even room available at the old Piedmont and Northern train station for a store to be added.

Which would be a great spot for a Train Store inside of an old train depot!!! 

Yes I know all of this because I've been thinking about it but like I said I love the hobby but I don't know if I'm willing to try to make a living on it.

I got to thinking about Charlotte and trains......At one time we had a good number of shops and also a number of train/toy shows. Some held at Hornets training center, Metrolina fairgrounds and even the PTL hotel complex!  I know some shows went away when CET folded but are there any shows any longer???  How about the big WS show....it was always good.

You may be too young to remeber but for a number of years there was a hobby shop in downtown Mt Holly. I can't recall the name right now......but he even had some custom decorated cars made and I still have them.  But like you said I think he went to far too fast and it failed too.

It's easy to sit back and say 'someone should do it' but you know as well as I about retail and trains. If I had a large fortune I'd give it a try knowing that you'd take little to no salary for a while....but as a JOB.....not right now!

Gentlemen,

   I really do think it stinks for you o Gauge hobbiests in Charlotte, NC.  I really do understand how lucky we are here in western Pa especially in the Pittsburgh, Pa area where we have numerous Train & hobby shops to patronize.  Even with the loss of our Iron Horse Hobby Shop and our long running train club, there are still others to pick up the slack, even then I do use the Western Depot on line, for some of my Tin Plate orders.   As someone said Charlotte is the place that train stores go to die, and it's really too bad.

PCRR/Dave

Jacob

 

I am a member of the East Carolina Railroaders (ECRR) and it operates much like you described your interest to be.  We meet monthly, usually at a different members layout or if there's a show or event that month that will constitute as our meeting.  We have three small modular layouts that we take to the TCA shows and any other show or event that we are invited to.  There are no formalities and we only collect dues if something needs repair or replacing on the layouts. This concept has worked well for us and out of the 30 or so members on our email list we have 12 - 14 that show up regularly, another 10 occasional attendees and the rest are by name only.  Unfortunately we meet in eastern NC and our closest meeting to you would probably be the Raleigh TCA show.  However, you are welcome to visit any of us if you're in the area.  I've only been to the Palmetto TCA show once; we took our layout there and it was a pretty good show but a long way for home.  There is also a club that meets in the top floor of the Children's Museum in Fayetteville, NC but I don't know there contact info.  I would try the informal meetings at different area layouts and see what comes from that.  

Jacob - where are you in Charlotte?  My wife & I just moved there in July

If you attend the Lionel/LCCA Red Carpet Event in Concord NC on Saturday March 23,2013  you will see the new LCCA/Lionel FasTrack Modular layout.  This new modular standard features o-gage lionel FasTrack sectional track with light weight modular sections that can fit inside a mid-size car.  You don't need a trailer to haul the sections. Check out the FasTrack modular tab on our website www.lionelcollectors.org

 

We invite you and a group of people to build a Lionel/LCCA FasTrack modular layout in your area.  If we can get enough people to get this started, let me know how we in the club can assist you with this project.  You don't have to buy the kits from the LCCA or Lionel, but I recommend you buy a template and one straight section and one curved section kit from the LCCA.   If you have the time and the woodworking skills, you can then replicate your own scratch built modules.  It is just a matter of your time,money and skill sets that determine which approach works best for you.  Call  me if you have any questions. 

 

 

We hope to have LCCA Special Events in the future with this new LCCA/Lionel FasTrack Modular RailRoad system.  It is Lionel's goal eventually to build the world's largest FasTrack Modular Layout. 

 

 

Al Kolis

Immediate Past President & Special Events Manager

Lionel Collectors Club of America

Agkolis@comcast.net

248 709-4137

In Sedgefield, about 3 miles South of Uptown.