I have something of a special request that I’d like to toss out. In the next week, I will be traveling to the Toledo Ohio area to start a new job, and am looking for a hobby shop in the area. I found one shop listed, Rick’s Toy Trains, in Toledo, but am wondering if anyone knows of other good train shops in the area. I’m looking for a shop that carries at least a reasonable HO assortment, plus books and magazines.
Second part of this question, while driving to start the job, I’ll be headed east along I80 through Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Are there any good shops or museums within a short drive of that route that I should check out, time permitting? I was already planning on laying over one night at Galesburg IL, to visit the local museum, hobby shop, and watch some train action at the main yards. Across Iowa from I35 I will be driving along the Burlington route through Oceola, Ottumwa, and Burlington.
Any suggestions? If you know of good shops or stops that would be fun to break up the trip, let’s hear them. My dates of travel would be around October 11 - 12th.
Walt’s Hobby Shop in Crest Hill Illinois is a pretty good sized LHS with lots of inventory ranging from locomotives to rolling stock to structures to track to scenery to books and magazines.
Crest Hill is just north of Joliet and just off I-80 once you cross I-55. Maybe a 10 minute detour.
It would be worth the time to visit the shop. Not very good about discounting though.
I would think you’d want to spend time looking in Chicago.
Through Indiana, I-80 runs along the northern most part of the state of course. I don’t know of any shops that are directly on your route.
There is a hobby shop in the South Bend/ Mishawaka, or Elkhart area, but I have never been to it. Google is your friend here. Elkhart has a museum and/or club in the old NYC (maybe its Pennsy) depot. Don’t know the hours of operation.
I don’t what your tolerance for driving distance is, but Hawkins Rail Services in Lafayette is maybe a once in a lifetime experience, so it might be worth it. Jack Hawkins is getting up there in years and health is getting poorer, so be patient.
There is a shop in Breman Indiana that isn’t too far south off of I -80, but I haven’t been there in years. Phil’s Hobby Shop has 2 locations in Ft Wayne has a nice inventory, and is on the way to Toledo via 4 lane State Route 24 from Lafayette, should you go to Hawkins.
And years ago, I visited a small shop in downtown Defiance OH, which is between Ft Wayne and Toledo. Don’t know if its still there.
[#welcome],To The Forums,I hate to be the bearer of bad news,but you will have to forget,Illinois and Indiana…You will be too far South west,for anything in ILL.from, I-80,you will have to take I 294,355,55,North, at least,50 miles to get to any,LHS’s and you will probably get lost,You won’t even be able to go to the Museum of Science and Industry,to see the large HO layout they have,and live steamers on display…Staying on I 80 east to Indiana,forget about it,everything is south of I 80 at least to Lafayette and Indianapolis…Ohio,although I’ve driven all over Ohio,I could not tell you of any LSH’s to see…If you had more time for Illinois,there are many places,
I’ll join Doughless in recommending a visit to Hawkins in Lafayette, Indiana at least once in your lifetime. It’s all list price, but he also has it all, from the present stretching back decades. That special something you saw in an ad in MR in 1972? Jack’s probably got it. I haven’t been through in years, since he was at the old place, but I’m sure it’s still the excellent browsing grounds it used to be. A little off your path, but not so much it can’t be worked in along the way.
I have been to Walt’s in Crest Hill many times by driving west on I-80 to Larkin Ave, then north on Larkin to Plainfield Rd, then west 1 mile to Walt’s. It is about 10 minutes off I-80. Mike would approach Larkin Ave on I-80 from the west headed east. it is no big deal and worth the short detour.
Sorry I don’t have more current information, but last I knew The Valley Roundhouse was open, something like between 3 pm and 8 pm, in Spring Valley, IL. That’s just south of I-80, last time I was there his store is right on the main street. The address I have listed is 122 W. Saint Paul Street, phone # (815)663-3411. Well worth a stop, but I would call first. I know Marion does or did shows and sometimes isn’t there. Hope that helps a little. It is a good HO scale model train shop, or was the last time I was “home” … which admittedly was quite some time ago. Spring Valley is just before you get to LaSalle-Peru.
The NMRA has a list of hobby shops by state that may have something of interest to you. Here is the directory page. Go to the right side under “Hobby Shops”:
In Illinois, I’d agree that a visit to Marion’s place in Spring Valley is a must. Marion is a super modeler and just a really nice guy, and he runs a pretty decent store.
Hawkins in Lafayette is, well, interesting, but if I were traversing I80 I don’t know that I’d make the side trip just to stop there.
Personally, if I were going to stray that far from I80, I’d rather go north to the Chicago area:
Golden Spike in Burbank;
Lombard Hobbies in Lombard;
B&G in Elgin;
Des Plaines Hobbies in Des Plaines;
Chicagoland Hobbies, Zientek’s, and Grayland Station all in Chicago;
And for another interesting place, Ram Hobbies on Higgins in Chicago.
Larkin Ave, is Route 7,it is the rest of the directions,which would be helpful,to anyone who has never been there…Oh there is one in Crest Hill,blah blah,how do I get there ? I am not a pessimist,just an Old Truck Driver,for 45yrs,with some knowledge of directions to a stranger to a area…[:D]
Believe it or not,it would be quicker,to take I-55 North to US 30 East,or for a really nice scenic,ride,take Route 7/53 North and pass by the State Prison,just don’t pick up hitch hikers… That map you provided though,is really helpful,to someone who has never been there before…Believe it or not,GPS system’s are not all that great…
I’ll agree with you on the Maps also[:D] And the Road Atlas,for US and Canada,forget about it,Spend a little more money and get one for Trucks,you will find that one a whole lot better,than the Joe Public one’s…no offense to any Joe’s out there…[:)]
I’m glad I’m not the only one who has had issue with GPS navigation. I am still convinced my GPS wants me dead. A few years ago we were back east, and we loaded the address to the Strausburg RR into the GPS, and ended up at the opposite end of the county. Nice scenic drive though!
But back to the original question. I’d just like to thank everyone for their ideas, you definitely have given me lots to think about. I have about a week before I start driving, so I’ll be plotting out these suggestions and figure out which ones work with my alottoed time. Also appreciated the link to the NMRA store finder, I tried the Hobby Retailer link that Kalmbach has linked to, but it didn’t really say if a shop was a train store or something else. Having feedback from everyone who has been to these stores definitely is worth it.
