As someone new to the hobby, I would appreciate your feedback and thoughts on who you would recommend as trusted vendors? Where do you shop (outside of a local store)?
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Charles Ro
BEST PRICES BEST SERVICE
The majority of my new purchases are from Charles Ro. as well.
Trainworld, Nicholas Smith, Mr. Muffins and Sidetrack Hobbies are all good folks too.
Its good to find a few vendors you are happy with. You never know who might have an item someone else is out of stock on. Then of course there always prices, and shipping deals.
I do no buisness with my "local vendors" as they are an hour away.
Then I have to push my way through the "crabby" train store owners "buddies" that hang out in front of the counter ,and never really buy anything.
I mainly use Grzyboski’s. I’m lucky it’s fairly close to me, and it’s a great store.
My local train store Gargraves is tops. Others I have good experience with include Ro, Stockyard Express, Nicholas Smith, Grzyboski's, JR Junction. Not in any order, they are all good.
Pete
@bulldog405 posted:As someone new to the hobby, I would appreciate your feedback and thoughts on who you would recommend as trusted vendors? Where do you shop (outside of a local store)?
Outside of a local store, I don't think you could go wrong with any of the advertisers at the top of the forum pages. I've purchased from several of them, and haven't had a bit of problems. 
Agree with Paul. Our Forum Sponsors.
Like Artie, I am close to Grzyboski’s and they have been happy to take my money for over 20 years - great prices and customer service. For things I can’t get from Grzyboski’s, I have found Nicholas Smith and Mr. Muffins to be very reliable. Before I could drive to Grzyboski’s, I used to use Charles Ro, and recently, I was looking for a hard to find item - Ro had it at a good price and shipped quickly. Finally, I just made my first purchase from Nassau Hobby - an exclusive version of the Lionel C-420. Again, great price and very quick shipping.
Thanks for allowing us to help you along the slippery slope 
Mr Muffin and Legacy Station outside my local shop are my favorites. I like the fact that I can call either Steve at Mr Muffin or Brian at Legacy Station and should I miss them on my call. I always get a return phone normally that day. I personally appreciate that little extra personal service.
Add Patrick's Trains in Wheeling WV to those mentioned above.
Trainworld...lots of inventory and only a 35 minute drive.
I would say all of the sponsors above. I have bought from all but a few and they have all been very good.
I have extensive/long-term experience with Nassau Hobby & Charlie Ro, Highly recommended,
Also, I've had a couple of recent, smaller orders with Mr. Muffin. Good experiences.
Mr. Muffin's, Nicholas Smith, and Side Track Hobbies stand out. My email is in my profile if you'd like details.
Local hobby store: Engine House Hobbies in Gaithersburg, Md. and MB Klein in Cockeysville, Md. ( just north of Baltimore ). On line: modeltrainstuff.com ( same a MB Klein ) , Just Trains Delaware, Trainland, Mr. Muffin, and Public Delivery Track.
Well there you have it Bulldog. Many good dealers on this forum.
Look into becoming a TCA member if not already one and come to a York Pa meet and you’ll be able to personally meet most of them. All good people.
MrMuffim!
I don't buy new anymore, i realized I'm a die hard postwar guy. But when I did, Grzyboski was the best
Welcome to the forum and the hobby! Most of our Forum sponsors are local stores just not local to us!
One of the stores which is not a sponsor but does advertise in the magazine is ReadytoRoll in Miami.
And don't forget Menards! (Not just the Honey Do List anymore!)
Don't forget Menards. I've gotten some really nice pieces from them.
They are also fast shippers on most items.
Wow, all of the above are great places to purchase new and used train and related merchandise, two stores I use are Phillips Toy Mart, Nashville, Tennessee, and ABC Hobby shop Evansville, Indiana. Home owned businesses that give one on one personal satisfaction, both have been in business for Years. It’s simply like family. Great question, also this For Sale OGR Forum is great. I also suggest joining one of the clubs like the TCA, LCCA, LOTS, and local clubs. (Scenic Express for scenic detailing) One thing for certain, we are in this hobby for Fun, Happy Railroading Everyone
Sidetrack, mostly, for me.
Depends on what you are looking for. I model 2 rail O scale so I go to Des Plaines Hobbies and P&D Hobby Shop. Des Plaines runs a really good sale 3-4x per year that includes online orders. P&D never seems to have anything on sale but they still have lots of great 2 rail stuff. The local hobby shop is still the most fun to buy from when you can find one.
As others have mentioned, I have had great success with many of our Forum sponsors.
Also, check out the vendor list of scenery and other train products on the Scenery Sourcelist here on the Forum.
@bulldog405 posted:As someone new to the hobby, I would appreciate your feedback and thoughts on who you would recommend as trusted vendors? Where do you shop (outside of a local store)?
Mario’s Trains 🚂 for best prices & excellent “SERVICE”!! And then Charles RO !!!
I am fairly new to, but I have ordered from both Sidetrack Hobbies and Trainz and had great success with both.
Nicholas Smith and Trainworld.
Nicholas Smith has best prices and service anywhere!!!
I also think they have the easiest to navigate/most accurate (in terms of in-stock) website.
C.T. McCormick Hardware. Outstanding customer service and good prices!
No more new anything but rolling stock, for me- I think they can get that right a high percentage of time.
But I just bought (and returned for warranty service) my LAST new locomotive. I MAY get it back by middle December -4-6 weeks. "We are busy this time of year"...
The dealers I have dealt with- the LHS (2 locals, 2 of 4 new locos-sent back), TrainWorld (1 )- OK, have been fine, but they don't make the stuff.
As a general rule, anyone who advertises in either OGR or CTT should be alright. If you have an LHS in your area, you should certainly try them. This supports model railroading in your town. Also, if you join one of the big organizations i.e. TCA, LCCA, LOTS, etc. they will offer special run cars and locomotives just for their members. This is a good way to get unusual items that not everyone has.
You in the Northeast or others who happen to live near a mega dealer, have a unique situation, having large train dealers. Enjoy it!!
Local hobby shops (LHS) here in the "midwest" (anywhere outside NY, NJ, PA etc, ) generally seem to be pretty small, and also are NOT "train specialty" retailers, IF they exist at all. Most will stock a few sets, or agree to order a locomotive for you (if they are smart- getting paid up front).
These LHS' do not have the ability to test a locomotive before a buyer gets it. There are exceptions. But...
In fact, if I was the retailer- I would not test locomotives before selling them. I would sell them and refer the poor customer to the importer's' warranty service. Why?
- First of all, on newly-available products there might be poor parts availability to fix the ones that are defective.
But also to have to:
- stock way too many slow-moving locomotives; (low sales)
- at a dealer cost of something like $500+ each (high inventory cost/ low inventory turnover)
- then sell them at a 20--25% margin; (low margin!!)
- only to either have to do the repairs myself (if I was a service center) ?? (high PIA factor even considering service paid for by the importer) or;
- to send the defective ones back to the importer's central warranty center who has (in my most recent case) a 4-6 week backlog??
All this when there is an out of the box defect rate that is as high as I have seen? No way. There is IMO a serious flaw in the whole hobby system as it is today. The Chinese stuff, bought new, just is not making the cut, again in my opinion. Too low volume. Solution?? Beats me.
I live about 30 mins from Mr Muffins, so he is the go to place when I might need a new item. BTW, his layout and collection is something worth seeing if your passing thru Indiana. He runs the trains on Saturdays. The layout is in its own seperate building in downtown Atlanta, Indiana. AD
I second C.T. McCormick Hardware in Zelienople, Pa. Been buying from them since I (kind of) got back into model trains eight or nine years ago. Always quick to respond, very helpful.
I live about 5 miles from TrainWorld, and loved stopping in and sometimes buying, but have gravitated toward 2-rail.
David
I am lucky, have a LHS within 15 minutes or so, western suburbs of Chicago. They are a Lionel dealer, that is where i get the majority of my new stuff.
