How many hobby shops have you seen that have operating layouts? And I mean not just a circle of track with train going round and round.
Memory Station, Watkinsville, GA. Two loops with sidings.
Willis Hobbies in Mineola Long island Has 2 great layout, one HO/Marklin one and one O scale one. both these layouts look amazing but theres one problem. they never run trains on them! I go there all the time and only 3 times have I seen the traisn acctually running. its a shame if you ask me.
The Train Station in Mountain Lakes, NJ has a huge layout with multiple mainlines going around 3 walls of a room. They always have trains running, and are happy to put more on for the kids. Great place and great people!
In these two pictures you can make out some of their layout:
Nicholis Smith, Broomall Pa. Has 2 one is just the loops of different scales but they also have a Large scale one that nice. Has multiple trains running.
We probably see more layouts than some store owners would like because certain toy train company(s) require their dealers to have a layout. That layout is taking up valuable merchandise space. But for us fun to see.
Woodstock Hobbies in the square of Woodstock, Illinois has a big classic window-display operating layout.
billbarman,
You’re right about Willis Hobbies’ layouts being neat and as you mention there’s hardly any trains running. I guess they’re more into cars and plains now-a-days.
They only sell new trains and for some reason, not mentioned when asked, they don’t have any older Lionel goodies.
They do repairs, but are not an Authorized Lionel Repair Station. The one down the road, on Jericho Turnpike, from them and Nassau Hobbies are the only two in all of Nassau Co. which are Lionel Authorized. I don’t know about Suffolk Co.
Both Nassau Hobbies and my hometown Trainland have unmentionable circular layouts, of which Trainland’s is a little more elaborate.
I hope I’m wrong, but my neighbor and I agree that it seems model trains are in a decline, as the real railroads are, in the Nassau Co. area.
Ralph
That is very true. I dont think there are any toy train clubs or groups in Nassau Co. either. I defenetly prefer Nassau hobbies. trainland is great too. sad to see the only hobby store around ehre with a good layout not working.
I guess I’m lucky, I have only been to Willis Hobby once (last year at Christmas time), and the layout was running. BTW, Willis is a very “corporate” looking store, as it is very clean, organized, and frankly too sanitized for my taste. When I am in Nassau Co., I’ll buy from Traditional Trains in New Hyde Park, a great old school, dusty, train store that sells new and old.
Back to stores with layouts…
Kross Hardware, in West Babylon (western Suffolk County, LI) has a great layout on the 2nd floor, and the owner loves to show off the latest TMCC, and DCS control systems and how to use them.
You can see a couple pics on their website: www.krosshardware.com
An “Honorable Mention” goes out to Goldsmith’s Toy & Hobby Store in Greenport, LI.
Yes they only have an oval layout, BUT it is in a large display window along Main Street in the heart of Greenport Village. Greenport Village is a busy 2nd home owner destination for the NYC crowd and is busy weekends year round. It is no lie to say that thousands see the Goldsmith’s window layout.
Ken
Purkey’s in Sykesville, MD and Engine House Hobbies in Gaithersburg, MD both have well thought out, fun for kids (of whatever age) layouts.
Train Works in Jax, FL now closed, had N, HO, O & G scales all running. What a sight for the senses. Of course, I was partial to O and the TMCC…
Friends don’t let friends go HO, right Bob?
K-10 model trains in Maryville Illinois http://www.k-10smodeltrains.com/default.htm has a 4000 sq ft HO scale layout and then a much smaller, multi loop O scale display layout. The O scale layout is really more of a show case to demonstrate the different brands and track types. The HO layout is seriously impressive.
The Train Depot - Mt Airy, MD - sceniced ovals O, S, HO
Purkey’s Toy Trains - Sykesville, MD - sceniced O - meandering around the front of two store fronts
Cotoctin Mt Trains - Thurmont, MD - don’t remember what theirs looks like
Underground Railroad Shop - New Castle, PA - large O scale layout, fully sceniced, multiple trains
Hobby Town, USA - Frederick, MD - O scale, multi-train layout, basic scenery
Iron Horse Hobby Shop - Pittsburgh, PA - O scale, large layout
American Speed Center - Aliquippa, PA - O scale, large layout
Alams Home & Hardware - Aliquippa, PA - O scale, medium sized layout
The Train Shack Burbank CA. Senicked Hi Rail O nice looking and operating. Also HO under construction.
The East Dyke Depot in Wellesville, NY.
Ooops, sorry for the **** out word. I did not think about the naughty word filter or the word in a bad context, but that is how they spell it. The hobby store is called “The East Dike (spelled incorrectly) Depot”. They have a small, but nice HO layout and are setting up an 0 scale layout also.
What’s a Hobby Shop?
Here in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, we no longer have any retailers selling model railroading equipment. [:'(]
Rich
Eastside Trains in Kirkland ( Seattle suburb ) has a terrific layout with multiple loops and sidings.
Robbies Hobbies in Columbus, Ohio has a nice layout also
I hear you, RIch, but we still have a plethora of hobby stores that explicitly serve the hobby within an hour or hour-and-a-half drive. Then there’s the monthly DuPage meet. This gives me an excuse to drive up to Woodstock - to take a photo of the layout 