I will be retiring in Aug. 2006 and moving to Rapid City, SD where my wife and I both have family. I plan to return to HO scale after 20 years plus build a small Garden Railway. I would like to know what the model railroad scene is like in that area. Are there any HO clubs? Garden Railway action?
Larry T.
Larry,
Don’t know what the scene is like today, but when I was stationed at Ellsworth
in the mid-60s, I found the best thing to do was to drive to Denver, CO, on a long weekend and shop at Caboose Hobbies. Also visited the layouts at the Denver Union station. (There was a bar known as the Dugout nearby . . . . ) Stayed at the motel at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, but I imagine that has been replaced by the roundhouse or one of the other new buildings. Foss Drugs in Golden had good Welsh pasties in those days.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543
If you are moving to Rapid City. You are going to want to look up Who’s Hobby House. Which is on Main street. Just off Rushmore Ave.
Look up Jim in the Model Train Departmetn. He can get you what ever you need.
I lived in Newcastle WY for 10 years and made many a trip to Who’s. They can also get you in touch with any clubs in the area.
James
I live two hours away from Rapid City and I can tell you that there are no clubs in the area.
There is a HO club in Gering Nebraska. Who’s Hobby is a general hobby shop.
Meaning, they cover R/C cars, planes, boats, plastic models, ships, and of course,
TRAINS! check out there web site. www.whoshobby.com Jim has retired and is no
longer at the store. My only thing that I have a problem with is they do not stock but
some flex track in code 83. I was told that I’m the only person that has asked for it.
They will order stuff, and it comes quickly.
When I was there over New Years, they told me the same thing!
Tom
Thanks for the info guys, looks like I may be a lone wolf modeler. This will be a big change after having several hobby shops and a ton of model railroaders around me.
But I go back to the days when all the more involved model rails in the Twin Cities knew each other by first names. Not meany of us back then, now there are hundreds and you can only know a small percentage of them.
Who knows, there may be other lone wolfes in the Raoid City area. Someone is buying train stuff or the hobby shop wouldn’t carry any trains at all.
I have heard that some sort of model railroad display is in one of the casinos at Deadwood, drop in a quarter and the trains start running type of thing.
Denver you say, on a map that looks like about a ten hour trip.
But Caboose Hobby is a full service shop and there are some great model railroaders living there.
Gering Nebraska, how far is that from Rapid City?
Larry T.
I drove it in August. It’s about 7 hours.
Watch out for Rapid City in early August. That’s Sturgis Rally time and there are bikers everywhere. Mostly some of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet. Enjoy your retirement. I started mine 3 months ago and love it!
Tom
Then whats the name of the new Black Guy???
One thing I forgot, the hobby shop can get you in touch with a fellow by the name of Gerry Norton. He is the main contact person for the Black Hills Scale modelers. While It is a scale modeling club. Gerry has been on my case to bring some of my model train stuff. He tells me they have been trying for a long time to open up a train catagory.
They are having a Model Show Over I am sure Its presidents day weekend at the Quality Inn. Maybe I will see you there. Unless something goes drasticly wrong. I plan on going.
James
I envy you. I was there at Ellsworth about a year ago visiting my daughter and son-in-law. We had the greatest time and it is a beautiful place. That was before I got involved with trains.
Have fun and congradulations on your retirement.