I will be in Chicago for two weeks and would like to go to some train stores, any suggestions??? And if you have a layout and wouldn’t mind visitors, let me know.
Hill’s Hobby in Park Ridge - just a few miles from the airport. It’s my main hobby shop and it’s outstanding. If you like O gauge stuff you’ll be in heaven.
And not to far from there is Chicagoland Hobby on Northwest Highway.
Dave, make sure you go see the layout at the Museum of Science and Industry. The Burlington Zepher is also on display. You can travel all over Chicago by train and bus.
http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/zephyr/index.html
Nitro
Chicagoland Hobby; Hills Hobby and Trains & Toys are just about 5-10 minutes apart. ( Des Plaines Hobby is a bit further away)
BY CAR:
Chicagoland is on Northwest HWY; from there come up NW HWY; N.W. to Park Ridge turn left at South Prospect across the tracks ( Metra) and immediately turn right on Main Street follow to Prairie turn left to Hills Hobby; next go back the same way except at the NW highway intersection at South Prospect take Prospect North until across NW highway until it becomes North Prospect Continue on Norh Prospect till you get to Oakton turn right (East) to Milwaukee Ave (21) turn left. This angles North West take Milwaukee to Ballard turn right to North Washington. Netxt turn left to the strip mall on the South east corner of the Golf/Washington intersection (on your right) Trains & Toys in in this strip mall
Alan
Check out the Retail Directory in CTT. If you can get out to the suburbs, Berwyn’s Toy Trains And Models in Berwyn, America’s Best Train & Hobbies in Itasca and Bills Englewood Station in Orland Park are some places to check out. Also the monthly train show at the Dupage county fairgrounds is on 2/13.
Berwyn’s Toy train’s 7025 ogden ave. I55 south to Harlem Ave. north to ogden ave. turn right about 1 blk. dn. Berwyn il.
I second the motion for http://americasbesttrainshoppe.com/
nitro Dave,
When is your trip planned for?
Send me an email.
I second Chicagoland Hobby and Hills Hobby and Des Plaines Hobbies - all three are easily accessible on Metra’s Northwest line. I work in the Loop…Send me an email too if you wish.
Classic Toy Trains lists the Dupage County Train Show (Wheaton). It is a monthly, on Sundays, show. If you can make your way this is the place to go. Many of the dealers are here plus much more. If you can find the dates let me know. Think it is a GATS show.
Very best, Mike
The Story of Lionel “Super O” Track
( http://www.tcamembers.org/articles/operating/supero/index.html )
I’ve only been in Chicago once, and had the privilege of visiting Bill
Pope at his home (All Nation). Other than that, I know nothing about
Chicagoland hobby shops.
Here in the Louisville area, we have several hobby shops; but I have
yet to find one of them that is accesible to where I live, and where
people know anything the hobby.
Dupage Train show GMTS.
http://www.greatmidwesttrainshow.com/