As I travel the country I make it a point to seek out local hobby shops (LHS) wherever I land my feet. Today I have the pleasure of announcing that I found a truly great model train store, the PF&S Railway Supply in Pasco WA. It is easily the most nondescript, remotest store on the face of the earth.
My GPS was unable to locate the address so a quick phone call got me to the store, down a dirt road 20 miles from nowhere. The shop is simple cinder block, attached to a mobile home on a farm, look closely for the RR memorabilia or you will miss it. So I figured I drove all this way might as well go in and look, and WOW! Simply put, if this store does not have it, it does not exist, period. For example, I have been looking for detail parts for Horst air filters for a GP 10 for 3 years, they had it and the proper snow plow. The store is big, much bigger than the outside looks, and stocked floor to ceiling with obscure, out of production items as well as the latest “hot” market items. I think there were a thousand or more Details West type of items available in stock, and thousands of rolling stock from every manufacturer over the last 40 years, as well as everything you may need for whatever building project you have.
I did not notice any “blow out” prices on anything, but every item was priced accordingly, and I did not feel I was paying too much. Besides, the owner and his wife know all, and are willing to share this knowledge freely, so “customer service” gets an A+.
If you are within 500 miles of the store, located at 560 Lone rd, Pasco WA 509-266-4384, stop in and spend your money here. I give the store a 5 star rating for inventory, knowledge and customer service.
I ran into Teressa and Joel of PF &S out of Pasco Wa. by a purchase off of E-bay and have since made a number of purchases from them. They are indeed swell people and very knowledgeable as well.
Shipping is fast and packing is great, even to Canada. . I would highly recommend them to all.
Be sure to get their newsletter, always some interesting items and info.
Contact them through www.tjmodeltrains.com (tjmodeltrains@hughes.net for email) Joel’s son is running the internet business and has full acess to the store inventory. If you dont’ see what you want on the web site, call them. Odds are better than good they have it.
I’ve never been to their store - it’s too far away from where live. However, I’ve bought mostly brass detail parts like Cary, Cal-Scale, Details West etc from themon eBay. To me, they are the perfect seller and I would continue to buy from them until all my detailing was done. Sometimes they don’t have the parts I need so I buy those detail parts from either Walthers or Bowser - however Teresa and Joel Prantle are always my first port of call before I move on to the other two outlets I mentioned.
I haven’t had too much sucess with them in obtaining special orders for me, but they are up there with the best of them when it comes to selling what they do have in stock.
If and when I need other, non-detail parts, I will vist them first to see if they have what I may need. I can’t speak too highly of them, actually.
A little correction,if I may. PF&S is actually owned and run by Sharon and Leroy. Their son Joel does the internet sales.PF&S does not have a website just look em up under the above website or call them and ask for Sharon. All the inventory is in her head. In addition to the cinder block building there are also two or three boxcars shoved together for a warehouse. The place has three foot Isles and is packed floor to cieling with Model Railroad stuff,Detail parts by the thousands,plus books and magazines and railroad stuff only. No cars ,planes etc.
Also the address is 560 Ione rd.(eyeown) not Lone rd. I can see the confusion. They live halfway between me and Seattle where my daughter lives and I always swing by there for supplies.3-4 times a year. Mail order is usually same day service,they open about 9am. PST. BILL
Quite correct Bill. Ione rd, well I feel like a “duh” moment, but I have it on GPS now so it’s all good [D)]
And yes, I will witness the fact the inventory is in Sharon’s head, all of it, part numbers, locations order dates, out of production, yet to be realeased etc. If she says they have it, it’s there on the shelf. She knew I was looking for a Horst air filter based on me telling her I was bashing a GP-10, and gave me the Details West number off the top of her head. Kinda spooky in a way…
In any case, I stopped in on my way to Minnesota and spent some more money. I hope to return there some day, but in the mean time it’s good to know I can mail order anything I need from them.