In the Baltimore are M.D. Kline has three operating layouts. The large Scale one is mainly o scale but has loops of S and G scale
cnw1995,
Yeah, you’re right, I should work my way up to your neck of the woods, Elmhurst, Addison, and Woodstock, just to name a few. I am retired, a bum, so what else do I have to do. LOL
Rich
Other than the odd oval, there’s nothing here in north Ohio. There is a small post-war layout at the Trading Post that used to be visible from the street. But now with that neighborhood in decline the windows are all barred and blocked so you have to go inside to see it at all and even that’s not easy. The Trading Post is a classic and I’d recommend anybody visiting Cleveland to stop in and see this old style wonderland. Very Madison Hardware.
There was a Great Train Store at Tower City Center in the 90’s that had an awesome G-scale layout. Tower City was remodeled into a shopping mall in the 80’s but originally it was the Cleveland Union Terminal. Sadly though the GTS has been closed for years.
Another oval of note is in the Music Box store at Grand Pacific Junction in Olmstead Falls just west of Cleveland. (I bought 2 NIB 1980’s K-line Santa Fe Streamliners there for 20 bucks each just a month ago and a B&O On30 bobber caboose for 17 back in June.) The layout itself is nothing to write home about, but it’s location in a 19th century village with an 0-4-0 Vulcan tank loco, bay window caboose and a small depot make it worth mentioning. It’s also adjacent to the CSX 3 track Dearborn line and an average of 100 trains a day pass right next to it. So what you lose in not having a good layout is replaced by having real trains and real RR artifacts within strolling distance.
I don’t think that the hobby is declining, just the hobby shop. The strongest hobby shops today are the ones with the best online inventory systems backed up by simple ordering procedures and fast shipping. With the advent of Ebay and sites like it, widows and/or surviving children aren’t taking their dad’s trains to stores to sell anymore. They’re doing it themselves or they’re selling to big auction houses like Trainz and nothing ends up on a display shelf. The trains either go into an online inventory or straight to Ebay bypass
Bob’s Hobby & Collector’s Shop in Watervilet. Michigan has a sizeable multi-loop grass mat layout in the front of their store. Lots of older Lionel goodies in stock too.
I Love Toy Trains in New Buffalo, Michigan has a lanscaped, multi loop layout with many operating accessories.
There was a store in South Bend or maybe Portage, In. that had a nice layout. I think it was called The Depot. I also heard that the store was closing. I have not been in that area for a couple of years, so this one might be gone now.
The Train Haus in Warrenton, Mo. just off of I-70 has several layouts in N, HO, and O scales.
One of the best train stores, hands down is TK Hobby in Bridgeport, Ohio (Bridgeport is due west of Wheeling, WV along I-70 and 2 hours east of Columbus.) The layout is 240 sq. feet. When I couldn’t find a 185 W brick, they had it. When I couldn’t find O-72 switches, they had them. They have N, HO, S and O. They have a few G sets, but that is not their thing.
They say they are the biggest model train store between Pittsburgh and Columbus. I think they should say they are the biggest train store between Pittsburgh and Indianapolis!!! There is nothing in Columbus that competes and Train Express in Indianapolis is now more of a warehouse and did not have a layout at my last visit.
This is a video of the th TK layout:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL7x5Uxk9OA
This is a tour of the store:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erDKWp6Hlso
The area around Wheeling has numerous of model trains with Patrick’s Hobby in Wheeling and the big layouts at Olg
The Train Loft in Winston Salem, NC, and Greensboro Electric Trains in Greensboro NC have operating layouts.
Roger
Wanted to post an update. Purkey’s Toy Trains no longer operates as a store front. I think they still sell stuf online, but am not sure. Was a sad day when they closed up.
There are 2 Hobby World stores in Jax (Authorized Lionel Station). Both have layouts; One store has a window type display, and the other one has a large layout - about 15 X15 feet. They also have a nice collection - both post and pre. That place is like a Candy store for me. Everytime I walk in there, I have to get something to take home.
Juan[8D]