Best Hobby Shops on the Web


Well, here is an update to the order placed at "model railcraft supply". I ended up having to call a 3rd time to get the order shipped. I was not offered anything more than a sorry we are busy but if you call your order will get processed. I'm sorry but that's a shitty way to do business. I not sure they will be a shop I order from again.

Dave
 
I use Youngwood Model SUpply http://www.ywdmodeltrains.com. They are about 30% off the walther's catalog price. If you are looking to pick up a non-sale item and don't live in PA (sales tax reasons), check it out. Having said that, are there any sites that have good sales (clearances, closeouts etc). I usually go to Trainland in Lynbrook, NY
 
animated figures

Hey guys hows it going? I'm new here but have been into trians for a life time large and small but I have one question for everyone who has an answer for me. I have been looking for animated figures and can't find them I know there is a few places to get them but local hobby shop is small and into planes I was wondering if you guys could help me out in some webs sites to get a crap load of them you know like the ski lifts moving railroad guards ect ect and wondering on some of these videos i'm seeing on google and you tube how are these guys getting the cars to roll around I would like some help in that area also see I have the entire tri state area or western Pa set up from pittsburgh to harrisburgh and need more alot more animated things to go with it please help me out Thank you very much a Greatfull Marine.
 
I would start by looking through the walthers catalog (purchase or do a search on www.walthers.com). Unless it is on sale, I would not purchase from Walther's. Do a google with the item number for the best price. I use Youngwood because they offer a 30% discount on the catalog prices (they get 40% off and then charge you 10% plus $1.50 handling and whatever shipping is). I have bought decoders and peripherals from them (kadee couplers, wheels etc). For Trains, I use Trainland because they usually have good deals. Look through these threads for other sites posted
 
Although I have ordered, and reserved, many things from Walthers, such as the Broadway Limited passenger train, the "Cities" passenger train collection, the Hiawatha, and such, I find their prices to be a bit steeper than some, in fact, most of the vendors I rely on.

Their "sale" and "discontinued" items are usually pretty well priced, though.

I've been dealing with my "local"(if an hour's drive, one way, can be called local) lately. The guys there are fantastic. I will give my personal reference. Though they have expanded to RC in the past few years, they still have a HUGE inventory of train stuff. I believe their cyber address is www.philshobbyshop.com. They are located on North Clinton Street in Fort Wayne Indiana. They are quite fast in shipping too, though I usually order the stuff online and pick it up when we visit the better half's family near there.

Bob
 
JO123 said:
I would start by looking through the walthers catalog (purchase or do a search on www.walthers.com). Unless it is on sale, I would not purchase from Walther's.
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I have to agree. Its only worth buying from Walthers if its on sale or in the Bargain bin. Everything else is retail price and can almost always be found somewhere else cheaper. Dont forget to try local train shops. Even if its the same retail price locally, you just saved yourself the shipping/handling cost. If the train shop doesnt have it in stock, see if they can order you one. You usually wont have to pay shipping. If its a special order, your better off searching online for something like that then.
 
railBuilderDhd said:
Well, here is an update to the order placed at "model railcraft supply". I ended up having to call a 3rd time to get the order shipped. I was not offered anything more than a sorry we are busy but if you call your order will get processed. I'm sorry but that's a shitty way to do business. I not sure they will be a shop I order from again.

Dave
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Not for nothing, the guy that runs this shop is IMHO; disorganized and gets overwhelmed very easily. I used to deal with him, I have been to his store when he was in Red Bank, and have watched him enter my account into his computer, and make advance orders, I never received nor was I charged for; Somehow he managed to vaporize my account profile and orders repeatedly.

He is a real nice guy and is his own worst enemy, but no matter how good his prices are, I will no longer deal with him. He does stay in business, so he must get some orders right, I just don't have any luck with him.

He is a one man operation, so he is probably reliant on irate customer calls to stay current. The sad part of this is most of his local competition is worse, i.e. full price, surly, indifferent, or sleasy. If he could get his act together, he would have himself a gold mine.
 
Wojo said:
Not for nothing, the guy that runs this shop is IMHO; disorganized and gets overwhelmed very easily. I used to deal with him, I have been to his store when he was in Red Bank, and have watched him enter my account into his computer, and make advance orders, I never received nor was I charged for; Somehow he managed to vaporize my account profile and orders repeatedly.

He is a real nice guy and is his own worst enemy, but no matter how good his prices are, I will no longer deal with him. He does stay in business, so he must get some orders right, I just don't have any luck with him.

He is a one man operation, so he is probably reliant on irate customer calls to stay current. The sad part of this is most of his local competition is worse, i.e. full price, surly, indifferent, or sleasy. If he could get his act together, he would have himself a gold mine.
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I couldn't have said it better, in fact I didn't. That was the exact way my dealings have been with him.

Dave
 
I stopped doing business w/Model railcraft supply about 3 months ago. I ordered a bunch of Athearn parts for my stock. A month went by & I called them. An older woman answered the phone & said she had no record of me ordering anything. I ordered on line & had a reference # for her to check. Well, it was sent to someone else in Arcadia, Calif.
She didn't have a clue who it was sent to, but, charged my credit card for the items. I contacted my Credit Card co. & they said there wasn't anything charged to my card.
I called the co. back & they said I was right about the Credit Card, it was charged to someone else.
About a week later I got an email from MRS wanting me to verify my order that was lost. I told them to forget the whole thing & I wasn't ordering anything from them anymore.
They told me they were sorry for the mixup. Not as sorry as I was.
I've been having a lot of problems w/Toy Train Heaven too, lately. getting the same run around about them holding back orders after me telling them "NO BACK ORDERS". They held an order that was pretty big( $235.00) for a $1.25 item for over a month. I kept calling them & they kept telling me it was shipped. I ran a trace w/UPS & they told me it hadn't been shipped. After about another 2 weeks I cancelled the whole order & bought from Standard Hobbies. Got my order w/in a week from them & it was complete.
I just ordered a bunch of Kadee replacements for my Euro trains. There were 4 of them that they didn't have in stock. I told them to hold the order till everything came in. Friday I got an email from them that all of the items had been shipped. I'll probably get them today or tomorrow.
 
Im a glutton for punishment, so I went on Model Railroad Supply Depot's website for the first time in awhile last week. Found a great deal on some Bethgon Coalporters. Knowing their history, I called them made sure they were in stock and that theyd ship quickly. That all lined up, I ordered. One follow up call later, they are enroute to me (with tracking #) for half the MRSP.

I agree, thats not the way to do business. I think they have a LHS mentality with a great website that's controlled by someone who's not up to managing it well.
 
I ordered my NCE dcc fron them along with some microenginering track . I got the order ok but it took over 3 weeks to ship !!
 
Has anyone ordered from Bessemer Hobbies in Pennsylvania. They have very good prices & I hope my transaction goes well!! The shipping was a little high but not outrageous.

David
 
I buy alot of my trackage from a LHS and internet store NHS hobbies. Ed the owner has great prices and discounts. If he doesn't have it in stock he can usually order it and get it to you within a couple of day.

The web address is www.nhshobbies.com
 
I've ordered a couple of things from Micro-Mark recently and have been very pleased. My first order was the Williams O gauge Sante Fe FA-1 locos. Trains aren't their only thing, but they do have some stuff and good shipping.

Paul O.
 
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