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I have dealt with Forum sponsor Pat from Patrick's Trains several times in the past.  We have emailed and talked on the phone about purchases, but I had never made the trek to his shop until last week.  Last Wednesday my wife and I Wheeled on down to Wheeling (as my dad always said), only an hour and 45-minute drive from here in Butler Heights.  

I saw Pat was offering the new MTH 30-1711-1 B&O 0-6-0 PS-3, and emailed him the day before to see if he still had any in stock.  He told me he would have one for me.  Well, it was a beauty.  Then Pat brought out a slightly used Premier 20-3282-1 B&O USRA 0-6-0 PS-2.  Well, I looked it over, and liked it.  Pat put it on his layout and ran it some.  It had a slight bug he fixed for me.  At home it looks great, sounds great, and smokes great!  All for a few dollars less than the new RailKing.  Well here it is on my Christmas in August layout.  

2017-08-10 19.02.382017-08-10 19.02.552017-08-10 19.03.08

We had a great visit with Pat, his wife, their bird George Junior, and another gentleman who visits the shop often.  Pat told us the shop was a little disheveled at the time, because he is preparing to get a new layout soon where he can run all the scales he offers.  I will have to make another trip at that time.  One more reason I love Wild, Wonderful West Virginia!!

Thank you, Pat!!

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  • 2017-08-10 19.02.38
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Original Post

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Mark,

Nice to hear about a good retail experience with one of the sponsors. So often we only get the complaints. 

By the way, the log loader I purchased from you arrived and I love it. Hope to get the whole layout progressing here in a week or two. I probably owe you something extra for the superb packing job you did!  Thank you!

JD

Last edited by JD2035RR

not sure which way you would be coming from I come from Pittsburgh I take to the top of the hill  at the Bethlehem exit,left cross the bridge ,make the 1st right after the bridge down the hill on the flat part,pass the market on the right,,,,pats is on the left,under the bridges,double wide trailer

JD2035RR posted:

Mark,

Nice to hear about good retail experience with one of the sponsors. So often we only get the complaints. 

By the way, the log loader I purchased from you arrived and I love it. Hope to get the whole layout progressing here in a week or two. I probably owe you something extra for the superb packing job you did!  Thank you!

JD

JD,

Thank you for the reply!  I always pack well, but wanted to make sure with the log loader since it was so odd shaped!  Im glad you like it!

Mark Boyce posted:
terry hudon posted:

not sure which way you would be coming from I come from Pittsburgh I take to the top of the hill  at the Bethlehem exit,left cross the bridge ,make the 1st right after the bridge down the hill on the flat part,pass the market on the right,,,,pats is on the left,under the bridges,double wide trailer

Yes Terry is right.  I think it is exit 2.  I can't get a map from Google while on the smart phone.

 Colorado Hirailer, I meant this reply for you.  Exit 2, then follow Terry's directions.

Last edited by Mark Boyce
booker110 posted:

Mark

I have enjoyed ordering from Pat the last two years. Looking at your Christmas layout )looks great by the way)..what did you use for snow?..thanks!

Brian

Brian,

Thank you very much!!

I used a heavy snow blanket from Harrison's Trains.  Randy Harrison has put a hold on his business because of some health issues a few months ago, as I recall.  I learned of the blanket here on the Forum.  It is much heavier than what you can buy at say WalMart.  Two years ago, I sprinkled some WalMart snow crystals on top, but did not bother this time.

Nice engine Mark. Wish I knew Pat had it, I would have grabbed it. It is a B&O and PS2 - just what I like....

Glad you were able to get it. I've got the Railking 0-6-0. It is a real beauty. It is currently having the PS3 yanked out of it. Too many issues.

Would love to get to Pat's again. Only been once.

Last edited by SJC

Jim,

Pat certainly has the inventory!  My wife commented after we left that she was amazed!  

SJC,

Thank you!! Yes I like PS-2.  I have some PS-3, and haven't had the trouble others have reported.  Knock on wood!!  Yes, Pat just pulled it out of the mother load he has!

Pat has a great location for travelers right off I-70.  Same as Dave Minarik at Mercer Junction right off I-79 and 80.

Yes, flatlanders may not like the hill on Fairmont Ave once they get off I-470 in the winter, but in our neck of the woods that common.

Looks like a very nice engine and Pat's sounds like a great train shop! I wish I wasn't 800+ miles away and about 12 hours drive time (per Google) as I would also like to visit. Maybe a long road trip one of these days. You guys in the East have all the big train stores. I am envious! But, also very happy to have a local train store nearby (about 25-30 min away) I can visit regularly and they just happen to have O gauge/scale as their main stay (along with a little from all the other gauges/scales as well). It's really a pretty nice store and I am glad it's here!

TedW posted:

Well Mark, I'm coming in from the west. And I'm tired and hungry!  

IMG_2114

 

 

Ted,

I understand what you mean!  That crossing of 470 and US 250 is above all the streets by Pat's, and no place to get off and go where you want.  I suggest going to Exit 2 past Pat's like in my second screenshot above.  You can either go over the big hill by that exit near Bethlehem, or get off as your route shows and take a tour around the city.  LOL. At least it doesn't take you over to Wheeling Island.  However, I like going over to the 1849 suspension bridge to the island.  It is really a page out of history.

rtr12 posted:
Mark Boyce posted:

RTR,

Pat has a small shop, but he has more packed in there than many of the big boys.

Sounds like a great place and Pat sounds like a really nice guy. I may have to add a train shop tour to the 'far East' to my bucket list. Lots of neat train shops out your way. 

"Far East"  LOL. I know it is to you, but we are west of the Appalachians.  Philly is East!  LOL

You are right.  While raising the kids, now taking care of the elderly parents. I haven't had the chance to get to a lot of good shops myself.  And York is only 4 1/2 hours East, but I have never been there either.  I need to retire!  LOL

Wow, a good news thread, and I wish we had a Patrick's Train Store in the Nashville, Tn. Area...Mark, thank you for the pictures of your new Locomotive and layout, simply awesome. You know, and hour and a half is a short drive for a visit to a fun hobby shop. Someday, soon, I want to visit Pat, and hopefully see some nice home layouts in that part of the country. Thank you for telling us about your good shopping experience...

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