My favorites would be The Train Room in Hagerstown, Maryland and Hobbytown USA in Fredrick, Maryland.
The Train Room carries a lot more useful stuff, and half of the store is dedicated to Lionel, and the owner knows a lot about trains. The prices are a bit higher though but he will help you if you need something.
Hobbytown on the other hand carries a lot more HO scale. Only 1 or 2 people there know about trains but the prices are usually a few dollars higher.
The verdict for me would have to be The Train Room as the better store.
I’ve got two favorites, Horizon Hobbies in Whitby and George’s Trains in Toronto. George’s is a great place that usually has all the latest releases and a staff that knows what they are talking about. Horizon Hobbies is usually where I spend my money though. Bob Hughes is a great guy that will get you anything you need at an affordable price. They know you buy name when you walk in and they carry a great variety of kits, loco’s and rolling stock to suit anybody.
My favorite is Affair with Trains in Phoenix though I’m in Roy’s Trainworld at the Park much more often. It’s great on a Sunday when the club is operating and you need something like Kadee’s, metal wheels, lube, etc. For a bigger purchase like my Atlas GP40 I have on order I’ll use Affair with Trains. They have some discounts on brands. Atlas will be x% off. BLI will be a different percent off. Affair with Trains is far enough from where I live usually it means a special trip. Too far for a spur of the moment decision.
“just trains” in Charleston,SC. Very well stocked and an owner who knows what hes talking about. Its a 45 minute drive from Beaufort to Charleston,but its well worth the drive. The fellow that owns it, is from India…real nice guy,very helpful and if you go there once you meet him,he never forgets a face or name.
If you do stop by his hobby shop,be prepared to be there awhile. Very well stocked,so it takes some time to , look over his shop.
I live in a small town southeast of Kansas City, MO. One day, I was doing a “hobby shop” search in the yellow pages online and ran across the Show-Me Lines store, in Grandview, MO. I printed a map of the directions to the store and one day, my wife and I took a little trip. Their little store is chock full of model railroad stuff - from Z to G. It was the best road trip we ever made. Charlie, Darren and the gang have really made that trip worth it. Whatever they don’t have, they’re more than happy to get it for you.
Ditto! They are second on my list, even though they are thousands of kilometers away from me!
First on my list is the LHS, Trains and Such. Every staff member is knowledgeable, friendly, and the store has great selection and atmosphere. Plus, they have a bocar painted on the front!
Mine would have to be good ol’ Roy’s Train World in Mesa. An excellent selection of stuff, (but I don’t wanna advertise!) There are other ones nerarer to me that I have to try out so…
Chris
Acton Model Railroad Center in Acton, MA. Good shop, all MSRP though.
Those who lived in Houston: How was Trains and Planes in the Galleria? I haven’t been there since I was 7, and at that time I wasn’t paticularly interested in MR, though I loved real trains and planes. Is it more of the outsider type train set store? My mind tells me that they were mostly planes. Plus, they must have had sky high prices since they were in the Galleria[xx(]
The Little Choo Choo Shop… Spencer NC, The best train shop dedicated to trains! and the staff is super… there old but there not just a bunch of old Kodgers (sp?) no offence to all you old kodgers! lol… Im kidding… they are kind and will show you any thing about any product… they will also tell you the pros and cons of all there items! but they carry every thing from detail kits to fully decked locos, artificial to do it your self… balsa wood. to completed structures! … It’s the best place in and around the area I live for sure… and it’s the only one with any knowledge of trains!