I’m just getting back into the hobby and wanted to know what are the 3 best internet retailers for HO railroad supplies? I realize this is a bit subjective but when I say best, I mean large selection, good prices, good customer service and easy to navigate website. I don’t have a train hobby shop near where I live so I wanted to look for some advice on this.
Thanks!
Here are some good ones:
Jim
Those are good choices. “modeltrainstuff” is the web site for M.B. Klein, by the way. I also like www.discounttrainsonline.com for their web site (good search engine, pictures of most items,) overall selection and prices. BE CAREFUL when you type it in. There is a T at the end of “discount,” and another T at the start of “trains.” If you only put in one T, you will go to an unscrupulous site which is basically hijacking business. That site, which I will not name, has a poor reputation for service which I guess goes along with slimy business practices like this.
You may find that different dealers specialize in different things. Both M.B. Klein and Trainworld carry a lot of closeouts and discontinued items, which they sell at “blowout” prices. The items are new-in-the-box, but many have been on the shelves for a long time. If you find what you want, you can’t beat the prices.
For Peco track, by the way, I like www.modelrailwaypo.com in New Jersey. The web site is primitive, and you have to call in your order (no “shopping cart”) but you get a real person with first-hand knowledge of the inventory, and the best prices I found at the time. They advertise in Railroad Model Craftsman.
I’m fortunate to have a good LHS nearby, and I now get almost everything there. He will order things for me, give me any discount prices that Walthers is offering, and I don’t pay any shipping charges.
Check these out.
http://www.firsthobby.com/store1/default.asp
http://www.1stplacehobbies.com/default.asp
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/
http://www.toytrainheaven.com/
I use Walthers and Horizon on a “as needed” bases in other words only as a last resource.
These are the online sources I use most:
http://www.discounttrainsonline.com/
http://www.firsthobby.com/store1/default.asp
http://www.internethobbies.com/index.html
http://www.internettrains.com/merchant2/
http://www.1stplacehobbies.com/
http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Default.htm
The price from all of these sources are usually better than you can get fromWalthers.
I know this is more than three sources but I go with the best overall deal. Sometimes that takes reveiwing more than three sources.
Bill
Brakie I think you may be misleading with your comments about Walthers and Horizon. They are full retail but - they have excellent service and stuff you can’t get elsewere. I have had only 2 problems with Walthers in 25 years and they were very helpful in fixing it. Both have very accurate online inventory which is more than can be said for some of the superdiscounters. The staff at both are very knowledgeable -much more so than others. As far as Athearn parts, go right to Horizon and save screwing around.
I’d add standardhobby.com to this list–recently got two AB Frisco Athearn Genesis F3’s for 1/2 price. MB Klein(“modeltrainstuff.com”), Trainworld and Standard Hobby(and probably some of the others listed above) frequently have great sales, though freq. in limited road names. Would also add e-bay to this list–can freq. get good deals on hard to get/discontinued items–but do your homework–sometimes they’re overpriced. Also check the e-bay satisfaction rating of the seller.
Jim
My fav is Train Buddy. Most items they have are a 20 to 25% discount off all advertised Walther’s catalog prices.