Hi
I am a UK based moddeler and am soon to be hollidaying, staying with friends in Holmdel NJ. I know this question has been asked many times before but where/which are the recommended model shops in the New York Jersey area. I am already going to Trainworld in Brooklyn as I have two ordered BLI locomotives to pick up from them. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Chris Waring.
Chris,
Just a suggestion,In the back of MR. Magazine,there is a Retail Directory,that has a whole bunch of LHS’s,listed for New York and New Jersey,do not know how close they are,to where you will be,but it’s a start…
Cheers,From Chicago,IL.
Frank
You will certainly go to Manhattan. When I was there last time I visited those two:
The Red Caboose
23 W 45th St, New York
+1 212-575-0155
http://www.theredcaboose.com/
Gotham Model Trains
www.gothammodeltrains.com
224 W 35th St, New York, NY
+1 212-643-4400
where is gotham trains anywhere near times square ? rambo1…
The Model Railroad Shop
290 Vail Ave, Piscataway, NJ 08854 http://www.themodelrailroadshop.com
(732) 968-5696
NJ Transit Bus Route 114 goes right by them.
hey i just looked it up not far from times square at all. rambo1… guess i’ll be going there next time i’m there!
Iff’en you have a hankering to “get out of the city” to the “country side”. and want to take about a 4-5 hour drive from Manhattan, you can come to Upstate NY, specifically the Elmira/Corning/Horseheads, NY area {that is correct, HORSE heads}, and visit wholesaletrains.com’s brick and Mortar Store, called Lantz’s Hobby shop.
Horseheads is near Corning NY, which is naturally, home to Corning Glassworks and Museum where you can make your own glass items, for a small fee a tthe blast furnace.
Come and make a day of it.
Be careful, though, i tend to spend WAY more when I visit Lantz’s than I intend to !!!
[8-|]
The Model Railroad Shop is in Piscataway, NJ, (About an hour from Holmdel). They have just about everything you need for happy model railroading. Parts, like Grandt Line, Details West, Cal Scale, with all the newest locomotives and rolling stock, scenery materials and do not forget building supplies and hundred of books and plenty of magazines. They have 'N" gauge through “O” gauge. And best of all, they have knowledgeable sales people. They are usually open every day until at least 9:00 PM and most days even later but it is best to call ahead to see how late they will be there that particular day.
Bill.
A big thankyou to all respondents. I will definitely be going to the two Manhattan shops and the one in Piscataway. I have had a lot of mail order business with Lantz so will give their shop a visit if possible.
Thanks again everyone.
Chris.
Gotham Model trains is closer to Herald Square (& Penn Station - 34th street for north LIRR entrance) than Times Square (45th St really, although it extends a block north and sourth of that).
You probably want to call ahead for Gotham, as they are on the upper floors of a office building, a bit hidden, and closed when I stopped by in Feb of this year (not permentally, just at the time I visited).
You should plan to visit the Red Caboose (small lobby off 45th St, then down to the basement) simply for the sheer effect of it - there is stuff, and more stuff, and even more stuff - there is some gross-scale order to it, but the fine-scale order was not readily apparently to me. The cat’s fairly friendly, the owner…well, don’t bust his chops, he won’t bust yours I guess. None-the-less, go for the experience.
Many MANY years ago, I was on a train trip around the country exploring Amtrak and spent several days in New York. I saw a phone directory listing for a hobby store, figuring out how to get there on public transportation. Got there and was flabbergasted to discover it was closed all day on Saturday. I had never heard of a hobby store that didn’t open on Saturday- usually the big day.
It might be owned by Orthodox Jews who will not conduct business on their Sabbath Friday night and Saturday. In that case try Sunday. New York has a large Jewish population and the more religious ones who own a lot of stores will close them on Saturday. Also they close early on Friday