As you know the cost of building a train layout are rather large. I was wondering what are some of the discount trains stores with a good selection of locomotives?
Thanks in advance.
Duke:
Previous thread, a very good one, see “INTERNET SHOPPING”–page 7 on this forum.
Jim
I deal with HobbyLinc.com
They have a good selection of locomotives.
i would say if you know what type of engine you want and are looking for. get the classic toy train magazine and call all the train adds in there one by one. then ask what they have in stock pertaining to what you want. if you get a bulls eye good for you. if not move to the next and shoot for one there. goodluck hope you find what you are looking for.
Sounds a bit time consuming.
What about these guys, are they any good?
http://www.discounttrainsonline.com/
Duke,
Here’s a link to the recent thread Jim was mentioning. (Just click it and you’ll go there).
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=64043
I have delt with Hobbylinc and Toy Train Heaven, both are first rate and I use Toy Train Heavens price list to see if other dealers have “reasonable” prices (TTH is one of the least expensive). I have also gone to Trainworld in Brooklyn, NY. Their in store specials are great, but it’s nice to put faces and voices together. These are some of the nicest people you could want to buy from! Their store was packed (Saturday morning advertised sale) yet they took the time to service everyone in a very kind way.I’ll take the drive there just to brouse if I have the time to kill (I live at the Northern most point outside the Bronx and must drive thru the entire island of Manhattan to Brooklyn (45 min) but its worth it!
mike
I use www.rrtrains.com
I have just moved to Boise, Idaho and there are no clubs (except for an N scale club; I model in HO) and very few “real” train stores - - - except for one gem - - - it’s called Railroad Hobbies. The store is owned and operated by a man by the name of Mike Mitchell; he’s an older guy but knows inside-and-out, this hobby; he even knows the manufacturers (like Irv Athearn), on a personal basis. He usually has in stock most of what people are looking for. his prices are reasonable and he has a ton of discontinued items like Athearn BB cars and locos as well as Bev-Bel, Railrunner Custom rolling stock and every manufacturer of HO, O and N you can imagine. I’m like a kid in a candy store when I’m in that place! He has a website: railroadhobbies.com. The site has an extensive list of locos, rolling stock, parts, structures, etc., but that’s only about a third of what he actually has in his store. The website gives the phone number and the address as well; you’ll enjoy talking to 'ol Mike; he’s a character!
I just ordered from http://www.discounttrainsonline.com/ and they were fine.
www.internettrains.com seems to have problems getting their orders out in a reasonable time. I ordered from them last month and it took 2 weeks for them to fill my order and another week to receive it.
http://www.firsthobby.com/ has been highly recommeneded by many which is who I will try next time.
From comments I’ve read here, stay away from http://wholesaletrains.com/.
For good prices on elocomotives people like
http:://www.trainworld.com and http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/
For DCC some recommended sites are
http://www.tonystrains.com/
http://www.empirenorthernmodels.com/
http://www.loystoys.com/
There are other good ones as well.
Hope that helps.