I will be in DC (for the first time) in late June, speaking at a conference. I will have at least one day where I will have a car available. Can anyone suggest a good train store within an hour's drive or so of DC? Railroad museum? A friend will be with me that day and he's into Lionel. I model N-scale. Thanks! (I posted this in the Inspection Pit, and there was just one response, naming M.B. woo woo woo in Balto. Anyone know of anything closer in to DC? Thanks!
The Great Train Store, 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE #109, Washington, DC 20002, Phone 202-371-2881, is the only listing by TracTronics hobby shop list. Don't know how current the list is. You might review the list for stores in MD, DE and VA. http://users.rcn.com/weyand/tractronics/hobby_shops/hbyshop.htm Ben
The B&O Museum up in Baltimore for some fine steam and diesel displays. Then there is woo woo woo Kliens at thier new location up near Timonium MD. about 20 minutes drive around the Baltimore Beltway and out 83. Also there is a train show at the Timonium Fairgrounds the weekend of the 23-24 I believe.
woo woo woo may be the best one. The Great Train Robbery that used to be in Union Station, that AB&CRRone mentioned closed years past. I suspect that the Great Train Robbery closed nationwide years past. There was one in Tyson's Corner, Virginia, Centre that closed at the same time that the one in the Station did. A painter that I used often referred to the Great Train Robbery as a 'Miss Jones' store. The boss tells his secretary: 'Miss Jones, it's my nephew's birthday, he likes trains, go to the Great Train Robbery and find something for him'. There was a train store in Manassas or someplace like that, but they never had much. The one in Falls Gulch, Virginia closed a while back, as well. Downtown Lock and Key, on the even numbered side of Fourteenth street just above Thomas Circle, repairs Lionel, but I do not know that he sells much. I have gone in there a few times for lock related items and have seen some displays and paintings, but nothing that indicates that anything is for sale. Further north of Timonium there is Mailbag Hobbies, they are almost to the Pennsyltucky border. I have known the Spicers for years and have done business with them; they are nice people. There is also Burrett's in Mount Airy, Maryland. I have never been there since they moved from College Park, Maryland. I suspect that they are in the old store that was Walt Dennison's Trackside Hobbies. I was in Dennison's more than once when Mr. Dennison had it. But there really is not much close to Washington. There were a couple, but the ones that I knew best, Obie's and Mayberry's, closed years back. Both Fred and Jim told me that they were having a hard time competing with the prices on the internet and that they were tired of the 'Looky-looky Louies' who came in, checked out and tested a product, then went home and bought it on-line. Fred has started doing shows, again, but I have not seen Jim in some time.
The best that you could do is National Capital Trains. I believe that he will take an appointment. He normally does show and he is located in Springfield VA. Railserve and N Scale magazine will have the phone number. Otherwise there reaaly isn't any good stores in the NOVA area. Granddad's hobby has been rumored to have closed this month. BTW: If you are here next weekend then you can go to Timonium MD for the GMTS show. I would be worth the additional day. Jerry
Thanks all for the tips! You would think that the nation's capitol would have train stores.... :embarassed: It looks like the Timonium area and woo woo woo are my best bets. Thanks again!
Yep, you'd think that model trains would be a fine outlet for all the stress in Washington. Write your Congressman/woman! Ben
