Hi all, Does somebody know a good hobby shop for Z-scale and DCC near Chicago Il or Hammond In? I am planning a business trip for next month. Living in Europe while modeling USA Z-scale makes visiting model train hobby shops in the USA always a special expierience. Regards, Frank
Frank, I send a private message to Harold Grady. He is from Chicago and knows what hobby shops are in the area. I hope he can post a reply soon.
Frank, There are two stores in the Chicago area that carry much Z scale. One is located just west of O'Hare Airport on Irving Park Road in the suburb of Itasca and is called America's Best Train and Hobby. They have a couple of hundred cars and a few dozen locomotives in stock, Marklin and Micro Trains. They also carry some structure kits and both Marklin and MTL track. It is probably one of the larger and most complete train stores in the Chicago area with an extensive selection of all the other scales, especially Lionel. They sell at list price, but have a nice stock of products, including Digitrax DCC products, but I don't know if they have any Z decoders as I don't do DCC. The other store is quite different but still very good. It is Grayland Station on the Northwest side in the city on Devon Avenue. It is a much smaller store, but packed full of merchandise, and they carry about 4-500 MTL, AZL, Full Throttle and Marklin cars, and about around one hundred AZL and MTL locomotives as well as MTL track, couplers, trucks and structures. The owner, Steve, is one of the nicest guys around, and he also carries HO and N scale as well as an extensive collection of airline models and both airline and train memoriabilia. They also carry Digitrax DCC stuff and he sells at very good prices, about the same as mail order or internet retailers. It is a fun store that you can spend a lot of time rummaging around in. I have spent quite a bit of money at both of these stores and know the owners. Both stores have websites with detailed street maps of their locations, driving directions and store hours. www.americasbesttrainshoppe.com www.graylandstation.com Have fun and let me know if you need any other information about Chicago area or any other hobby stores in the area. I've lived here most of my life and if I don't know about something personally, I can find someone who does. Best Regards, Todd
GRAYLAND STATION is thee best in the CHICAGO area. 5514 W. DEVON 773-594-1906. Huge stock MTL, AZL, UNCLE WILL FULL THROTTLE. Steve is a super nice guy. Most purchases no sales tax. E&D models carried also. If you go tell Steve Harold Grady sent you.
Hi John, Harold, Thanks for your suggestion to go to GRAYLAND STATION. This could become a expensive trip for me. ) I will say you did send me Harold! Regards, Frank
IMHO depends if you will have a car or not? N/HO scalers will take you to Des Plaines hobby a little north of O'Hare Airport. At least they carry MTL product. They do have a good selection of books & other train hobby items. http://www.desplaineshobbies.com/ Renauld's European importers moved out to Elburn. You will need a car to get to downtown Elburn & the hobby shop. Marklin Roco Fleischmann Trix Liliput Faller Viessmann Kibri Brawa Micro Metakit If you have time to railfan, take any Metra train out to La Grange on the BNSF racetrack. You can take the UP West line to find AL's hobby shop in Elmhurst. Al's Hobby Shop - Welcome to our Online Store
Des Plaines Hobbies does not carry any Z scale. The smallest they go to is N. Reynaulds is way out in the stix (Elburn) and they mainly carry european train which you can get cheaper in Europe. Karl
Then they must have just started carrying Z scale. Last I talked with them they carried MTL but it was N scale only. I will be over that direction this weekend and will check it out. Karl
It's not much... the montly MTL releases, MTL track, AZL SD70's, AZL hoppers, AZL TBOX's, and a passenger set last time I stopped in.
Harold, You were right, Steve is a nice guy. That's my kind of shop! Unfortunately he was out of E&D kits. Nevertheless I liked visiting his shop! Regards, Frank
Hi Frank, so you paid Steve a visit, good, were you impressed with his vast stock of Z scale? He is constantly adding more items. For him Z scale seems to be a latent sort of goldmine, especially with my help LOL. So there tis' folks Thee number one hobby shop in Chicago for Z. And Eric please restock steve on those beautiful hopper kits of yours so I can buy him out.
Hi, Harold, So it was you who did buy all Steve's Hoppers....LOL. I was realy impressed, of his stocked Z-sale. Its a pitty that there are so few these kind of shops world wide. It is actually much more fun browsing boxes with cars in stead of buying from the internet. But I understand, since Z scale is still a strong minority within model railroading, although it is growing. thanks you Regards, Frank
As to shops, hours ago I posted a message in form of a thread concerning Aspen models who obviously have moved. The thread seems to be "censored" until now. Michael
