LA model railroad shops? My wife and I are planning our itinerary for a trip to LA in late March early April 2011. Can you recommend any model railroad shops, (preferably "N" scale specialists) in the LA area? On a previous trip we had a very pleasant & enjoyable visit with Chuck at "Feather River Trains" near San Francisco, but unfortunately SF isn't in our plans this time. Thanks in advance, Rob
Where will you be? I live in the Hollywood area. Most of the shops are in the San Fernando Valley or Orange County area. the ones with the best N-scale selection: Arnie's Trains, Westminster (Orange County) The Train Shack, Burbank (San Fernando Valley) Scale Model Stuff, Canoga Park (San Fernando Valley) Burbank House of Hobbies, Burbank (San Fernando Valley) Milepost 38, Anaheim Hills (Orange County) Allied Model Trains, Culver City (Westside) The Original Whistle Stop, Pasadena (San Gabriel Valley) If you're going to Disneyland you'll be in Orange County, but the stores are still a little farther away. There's actually many more hobby shops in the area, we actually have the largest concentration of model train shops of any metropolitan area in the US, but their N scale inventory is either small or outdated.
Hi Metro Red Line, Thanks for answering. At this stage of planning we will be in Ontario, Long Beach, and Anaheim area's. However, we have decided to rent a car so we'll be able to visit one or two of them. Thanks, Rob
Thanks, I've been able to fit Arnies & Milepost 38 into my schedule and I'm working on Train Crossing.
If your in Ontario you could check out Pegasus Hobbies as they do have some N scale. Not a great shop but they will make a deal. Don't let the prices in the cases scare ya. This shop is in Montclair just west of Ontario along the 10 freeway. Exit Central turn right then turn right at the first signal (Moreno?) and go down 1/2 block on the right. Tell them the Inland Pacific guys refereed you. Arnie's in Westminster is a great all train shop. Milepost 38 was a great N scale shop but they cater to the wealthy neighbors and their children mostly. Prices are mostly full retail, but again if you are making a fair size purchase will work with you. The N scale selection has been dwindling slowly away to make room for the different scales. They have a good selection of detail parts, paint, and scenery supplies. Busy-Bee in San Bernardino is a hobby craft store and does not have much. That said not many people go there and they sometimes end up with a rare item. If you go here you need to stop at the San Bernardino Station and museum on 3rd street and take in the BNSF yard adjacent to it. Recently they installed a 40 MPH turnout at the throught and trains hall but through the yard just outside the door to the museum. You could then swing by the UP West Colton yard and see the Diamonds in Colton to. So much to see. Up trains roll through all these tracks including the BNSF yard.
The Train Crossing is a very close drive from Arnie's barring the traffic on the 405, so I would think you can kill 2 birds with one stone there.
I try to make it to the Train Crossing when ever we are in Orange County, it is run by a nice older couple. They used to have boxes and boxes of Micro Trains, it was/is a good place to get MT that are long gone. If I remember correctly, they also had a nice engine case with many that are now sold out. They are a full retail shop, but if you pay with cash or check you get a bit of a discount. Now when we visit I always buy atleast a couple of cars from them, mainly because they are such nice people.
I always stop into Allied when I'm there. It's pretty close to LAX. Milepost 38 had a really great staff and Burbank Hobbies had the best N selection of the ones I've been at.
With all the talk about LHSes closing down....a brand new one just opened up at the beginning of this month in Orange County! It's called Train Mart, and it's in Tustin. They don't have a website yet, but here's an announcement: http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tag/1868256345.html
Gentlemen, Thank you for all the information. Do you model railroaders who live in LA realise how very lucky you are to have so much so close by? It seems that I should consider trading 3 days of sensory overload at a Fontana NASCAR event and 3 more days of Disneyland, for the whole time indulging in model railroad shops. Perhaps I should look at our itinerary and double our time in LA. LOL Anyway, whatever we decide, it looks like my plastic fantastic is going to take a serious hit. Thanks to you all for your answers, much appreciated, Rob
Not to rain on the parade, but I find LA shops disappointing for N Scale compared to other cities. The San Francisco/San Jose area is better. Seattle is better. Portland used to be better, but I haven't been there for a few years. Sacramento area had a couple of good shops. When I say better, I mean larger selection of N Scale. I don't see much stock of Exactrail, BLMA, Trainworks, Intermountain cars in the LA area shops. Please correct me if I am wrong as I would love to find these brands in stock in LA or Orange County. So far, I haven't.
The Rule in N Scale: Buy 2, get 1 free. That's the ratio of engine prices of the local shop vs shopping online...
I haven't seen much Trainworks but I've definitely seen the other brands, ESPECIALLY BLMA -- They're a local company, after all. And having "a lot in stock" is a double-edged sword, especially in the model railroading industry -- it also might mean the store isn't doing very well in terms of sales!
Without getting into trouble with the moderators, give me a hint of where you see the other brands? Valley, Anaheim, West LA? Or PM me.
Discount prices! I believe nearly everything (aside from magazines, etc) was 15-20% off MSRP. Also, the stock was pretty awesome (keep in mind I was an HO scaler back then and that was the pre-Pre-Order era) and they always had the latest items, especially from Athearn and Walthers. Very rarely did I hear the phrase, "No, but we can order it for you..." unless they just sold out of that item. The staff was cool and they actually stocked items modelers need. I believe they were the first LHS I've ever seen that stocked Hydrocal (they sold it in a paper bag) before WS made it an item in their line. Also, the store was very well-organized. You knew where the HO stuff were, you knew where the N stuff were, you knew where to find the decals, etc. Some stores have their stock all over the place. It was also relatively close; I live in Hollywood and Long's Drugs was about as far as the Moon to me. Still is When I started going to All Aboard, I didn't own a car yet, I'd take the Blue Line to Long Beach and take a bus to Torrance. After I got a car, it was a trip down the 110 to PCH. But yeah, back in the late '80s-early '90s there were at least 4-5 LHSes in Southern CA that had everyday discount prices. Now, there are NONE. If someone could resurrect All Aboard, or a store like I described above, I swear I'd be there every week.
