Hey All,
Ok, so I am gonna skip some of my conference and take transit to manhattan… so, what is the best train store in NY, NY… red caboose? Any others??? Let me know… I head out on Tuesday AM… (but I will have my laptop with…)
Brian
Probably trainworld, but then again I’ve never been there.
Trainworld. Take the F train to Ditmas Avenue in Brooklyn. Good prices with a good ol’ fashion New York attitude.
There is another train store across the street from Red Caboose, I think it might be called Manhattan Trains. If you like rumaging through stacks of various stuff, Red Caboose will give you hours of fun.
A.
The Red Caboose is on the north side of 45th Street between (5th and 6th Avenues). It’s in a basement and looks like a cluttered closet. They have piles of stuff spanning decades. You never know the treasures you’ll find there. Manhattan Trains is across the street. They have a modest display of wares. Both store give a small discount off the MSRP… considuring they are located in Manhattan, i’m surprised they don’t charge Manhattan prices. The two Manhattan stores are good for browsing but if you are looking to buy, go to Trainworld.
When I was working at 1166 Ave of the Amereicas, there were three train stores there. The Red Cabboose was on the south side of 45th St. and on the 4th floor. One was never sure if the elevator would make it. The place was a mess even then but had great stuff. I spent most of my lunch times in these three stores all within a block of my office.
Peter Smith, Memphis
I go to Red Caboose every now and then. The one thing I would recommend about it is the selection of older Walthers kits. You can find out of production kits like Tri-state Power Authority and Milwaukee Beer & Ale that are impossible to find on the Internet. You will pay full MSRP for them but on Ebay these kits often go for a premium. It’s also a good place to browse for smaller items like tools since they have a big selection in stock. On bigger purchases it’s not price competitive.
You worked in 1166 too? I did an internship for a company in that building a few years back. More recently, I was working at 260 Madison, and every once in a while I’d walk over to the Red Caboose and check it out. I honestly can’t remember if I’d been to the other one (Manhattan Trains) and just didn’t care for it, or if I couldn’t find it. Red Caboose is good, though; they’ve got plenty of train stuff, and plenty of model planes too.
The Red Caboose is one of New York City’s (and Model Railroading’s) most odd. bizarre shopping experiences. It kind of beggars description — you have to be there. They do have a lot of inventory, for sure.
Old time modelers know this store is on the site of the famous — almost legendary — Carmen Webster’s Model Railroad Equipment Corp.
And oh, let’s not forget America’s Hobby Center, another long-lived outfit. They moved a while ago, to 200-something West 30th St., a block south of Penn Station.
Well, I must say the Red Caboose is interesting… and worth the visit. I found two old Fumaro and Camerlengo kits that are no longer made (a company house and caboose), as well as a roundhouse 0-6-0 kit with a can motor…
So, when I got home, I noticed that the Roundhouse kit was MISSING about 1/3 of the tender parts… I callled Red Caboose, and too their credit, they gave me like 20% back on the kit! Luckily I left the kit on the desk in my hotel room…
Because, the next day, when I got back from meetings, the bag where I had the 3 other kits (about $130 of merchandise!) was GONE… interestingly enough, the toy from my son I had bought at the same time (in the same bag from ToysRUs in Times Square) was laying on the floor, next to the garbage… Let the saga begin! I basically wen NUTS, but nicely called the front desk and asked for a manager who said she would “look into it!!!” After 5 days of nothing happening, I have so far been told by the GM of the hotel that a “check for reimbursement” is in the mail, since their staff accidently threw out my shopping bag!!! UGGGGGHHHHH!!!.. ok, enough catharsis! The worst part is, I can’t replace these kits, because the Red Caboose only had one of each (including the dusty box!)… so, definitely visit, but guard those purchases (especially if staying at the Clinton Inn in Tenafly!!!)
Brian
Well, what can I say Brian, but welcome to New Jersey! Your visit fulfills every bad cliche about the New York area. Be grateful you didn’t go to Trainworld - you might have witnessed that unfilmed Sopranos finale.
I can’t believe you got ripped off like that, but I guess the Inn lives up to it’s name. [:-,] Obviously if there was no break-in it had to be a member of the staff, but how would they know the value of these kits? At least when 8500UPTurbine got ripped off, it was by some easily-tracked dumb kids. I hope that check arrives soon. Sorry to hear your visit was such a bust. [:(]