Hey Folks,
Any good trains stores you all would recommend in Newark? I am there for 4 days, so I desperately need something fun to do…
Thanks.
Brian
Not much in Newark - train shop or otherwise! The Union MRR Club is 20 min away & you may be able to visit http://www.tmrci.org/ . The Train Shop in Dunellen is about 1/2 hr away, one of the oldest in the US, and Model Railway PO is in West Milford, about 1 hr away. There are several other shops within 1/2 to 1 hr away, check the back of MR & MRC for listings.[:D]
Yeah, just what I thought… I was sad when I saw none near Newark (<15 min) since I don’t really want to get a rental car…
Brian
You may be able to go to some NYC hobby shops via public transportation (PATH and the subways). Not reccomended for the faint-hearted![:D]
Geez, you’ve got 4 days in Newark? Get a gun. [(-D]
Just kidding. My ex-in laws lived near the area, and well, Newark back then was a little bit like a city the Vandals just sacked. I hear it’s gotten better. I used to take Amtrak to the broken-down Union Station in Newark, back in the day. But you may, um, want to get a rental car.
There’s a hobby shop on Springfield Ave in Maplewood, I believe, about a 15-20 minute ride straight up the Ave, which is one of the main streets in Newark. You can look it up in the phone book. Maplewood is a pleasant town.
One thing to blow some time is to take the NJ Transit train, the Dover line I believe is the one through Maplewood and beyond. An interesting ride through the urban landscape of Northern Jersey…the old Erie Lackawanna lines. It’s total commuter railroading, with lots of interesting trackside scenes that might inspire a modelling thought or two.
If you get a car, a visit to the Newark/Elizabeth port facility will blow a railfan’s mind…it’s a massive intermodal terminal, with trains everywhere, freight cars from seemingly every line and of every type…it’s right off I-95, near the airport. There are side roads about which you can take. Busy place in general though…be careful. Say hey to Jimmy Hoffa for me if you see him. [swg]
Make it an Uzzi- with plenty of ammo!![}:)]
I highly recommend the Railway Post Office in West Milford, NJ, also. Awesome display of HO stuff, neatly organized in 3 large rooms, scenics, buildings, and Loco’s and cars in main room. Large display of DCC and Analog. They also have a not completed nice layout running all the time. The layout is done in that way to show new people how to build a layout. The best part is nothing is sold at suggested retail price, everything is discounted at least 15%. The sales people are really great at answering any question you may have and the have lots of parts. I live in West Virginia and visit there often when I visit NJ.
You can take New Jersey Transit to Perth Amboy. There are no hobby shops, but you’ll feel better about being in Newark.
Without a car, your best bet might be to take NJT to New York City.
Fuggeddaboutit!!!
Honestly, I agree with the gun advice. There has been a spike in shootings in Newark this year. I’m glad I’m nowhere near it.
I never knew there was a shop in Maplewood, although they call themselves a hobby shop rather than a model railroad shop. They have a website: http://www.maplewoodhobby.com/
The shop in Piscataway (often called Dunnellen because it’s right on the border) is my favorite.
Well you all beat me to it…seriously, be careful around Newark. There tends to be a lot of trouble there though transportation options are plentiful.
take the path line into Manhattan. from there it’s a short subway ride up to Rockefeller Center (47-50th sts). the red caboose is on 45th st between 5th and 6th aves. it’s in the basement about midway between the two aves. there’s also another shop across the street but i don’t remember it’s name. also a short subway ride to Brooklyn is train world on Mcdonald ave. take the F train to Ditmas ave and it is under the station.
LOL you guys crack me up (and make me nervous). I spend 3 years in Philly, so I figure I will be ok in Newark… (of course I am staying in the hotel where the conference is, so no real worries!).
Brian
If there is any way you can get to The Model Railroad Shop in Dunellen, by all means do go there. There are 2 advertisers who advertised in the first issue of MR, who are still around today…Walthers, and The Model Railroad Shop.