Posts Tagged ‘Toy Trains’

Model Train Shops Online

July 25th, 2011 dwalton
This is it: The first train ...

The Top 10 Model Train Shops in Virginia and West Virginia

Author: Larry Truett

For the past year I've been compiling a list of model train stores for my model railroading website.  These shops all look like a lot of fun to visit, but what are the most popular?   Here is a list for the states of Virginia and West Virginia.

The most popular model railroading shops (based on online chatter) in Virginia and West Virginia are:

10. Rick's Hobby Shop in Roanoke, Virginia

9. Chesterfield Hobbies in Midlothian, Virginia

8. Riders Hobby Shop in Sterling, Virginia

7. Whistle Stop Hobbies in Alexandria, Virginia

6. Trains Etc. in Lorton, Virginia

5. Engine House Trains in Virginia Beach, Virginia

4. Main Street Trains in Barboursville, West Virginia

3. KMA Junction in Manassas, Virginia

2. Piper Hobby in Chantilly, Virginia

...and the most popular shop for model trains in Virginia and West Virginia is...

1. Locust Grove Trains in Locust Grove, Virginia

Hobby shops not quite making my top 10 were Awesome RC and Hobbies in Fredericksburg, Virginia; Craftech Hobby Shop in Norfolk, Virginia; Davis Hobby Supplies in Portsmouth, Virginia; Debbies RC World in Chesapeake, Virginia; Dunn's Toy and Hobby in Manassas, Virginia; Hobby Works in Fairfax, Virginia; Leesburg Hobbies and Collectibles in Leesburg, Virginia; Rail Yard Hobby Shop in Roanoke, Virginia; Staunton Trains and Hobbies in Staunton, Virginia; Train Depot in Manassas, Virginia; Train Town Toy and Hobby in Ashland, Virginia; Walt's Hobby Shop in Petersburg, Virginia; Cain's Trains and Hobbies in Bunker Hill, West Virginia; Fountain Hobby Center in Charleston, West Virginia; Kid Country Toys in Charleston, West Virginia; Nitro Hobby and Craft Center in Nitro, West Virginia; Patrick's Trains in Wheeling, West Virginia; Stephens Outdoor Railways in Vienna, West Virginia; and West Virginia Hobbies and Crafts in Teays, West Virginia.

So, there are lots of great model railroading shops from all over Virginia and West Virginia, but clearly Virginia dominated the list with nine in the top ten.  This isn't too surprising as Virginia is a bigger state with a bigger population and more hobby shops than West Virginia.

When in Virginia and West Virginia be sure to visit some of the excellent railroading museums including Eastern Shore Railway Museum in Parksley, Virginia; Fairfax Station Museum Railroad Museum in Fairfax Station, Virginia; Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, Virginia; Princeton Railroad Museum in Princeton, West Virginia; West Virginia Railroad Museum in Elkins, West Virginia; and Williamson Area Railroad Museum in Williamson, West Virginia.

I compiled this list by searching for the hobby shops listed on a number of search engines and ranking them by the number of web pages, discussion forums, photos, videos, etc that are available online.  I further screened this list to include only pages that mentioned model railroading.

See a complete list of Model Train Shops in Virginia and West Virginia, at www.ModelTrainsWithLarry.com which has complete contact information for each shop including an address, phone number, and map to the store.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/the-top-10-model-train-shops-in-virginia-and-west-virginia-1522751.html

About the Author

Larry Truett is a freelance PHP and MySQL programmer living in the San Carlos neighborhood of San Diego with his wife and their 3 cats. He enjoys hiking, reading, gardening, watching too much television, and other nerdy activites.



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Electric Train Set Layouts

July 14th, 2011 dwalton
... First Electric Train Set

Lego 2010 Preview: Lego City Train Sets

Author: Inger Fountain

Lego have been releasing train sets for decades and it is one of their most popular non-franchise based lines. The first train Lego released had ordinary wheels and no track. That was way back in 1965 and a year later they realised the popularity of toys trains in Lego format and released another train set, this time with track and a battery powered motor.

Since that time Trains have been a standby for Lego and a significant part of any Lego city. From 4.5V battery motors came the 12 volt powered electric trains in 1969, the year of the moon landing, and Lego haven't looked back since. In 1991 the introduced a 9 volt system which lasted until 2006 when the current remote control era came into effect.

From 2006 to 2009 Lego train releases were controlled by using a wireless handheld controller which controls a motor in the engine. Using infrared communication and batteries in the engine the train was controlled around the track but the system lacked functions and power and proved unpopular with many fans.

In 2010 Lego are releasing their latest range of remote controlled trains, but this time the remote control makes use of the successful Lego Power Functions (PF) method of automation. T he first two trains to use this method are set 7938 Passenger Train and 7939 Cargo Train, furthering Lego's tradition of offering both cargo and express trains together.

Lego is also introducing flexible track, pieces of track that can be bent indifferent arcs depending on the track layout requirements. A Train Station 7937 is also set for release this year which will please many train fans as well as a level crossing, sadly missing for the last few years.

The 2010 trains from Lego will be worth hunting down and adding to any city Lego layout to transport minifigs in style.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/lego-2010-preview-lego-city-train-sets-2654123.html

About the Author

Inger loves stories and loves to write. As a librarian in a previous life she also has an insatiable thirst for general knowledge. You can visit her latest websites which take a look at energy saving home appliances including electric pizza oven and hand crank flashlight models.



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Thomas Wooden Train Set Recall

June 22nd, 2011 dwalton
Thomas the Train Recall

The Magic of Toy Trains

Author: Kristine Kringle

It’s been said that Christmas brings out the child in everyone. Whether you are 5 or 95, there is nothing more magical than seeing your loved ones eyes light up with the “Spirit of Christmas”.

Time to set up the Christmas Train.............

When everything is set up, everyone turns into a child again, no matter how old he or she may be. The next time you see a toy train move along the track, through tunnels, past the depot with the people standing there, step back a moment and look at the faces of those watching. All the stress of everyday life seems to melt away. THAT’S the magic of toy trains.

 Toy trains are a great way to spend time with your child. They are educational and encourage your child's curiosity. They can also teach them patience, discipline and good work habits as they work on different layouts.

 What if your household has a toddler? Designed with younger people’s hands in mind, you may want to think about LEGO train kits, or even, the more popular Thomas The Train. . Although you don’t have to be young to play with Lego train kits, or Thomas The Train. I know of a few adults that have built a village and diorama around this theme.

 Model trains come in a variety of sizes, ranging from G-Gauge for the yard, where 1 = 24 real-life inches down to N-Gauge, which is 1:160 scale.

 Whatever you want to do to bring out the joy and fun at Christmas time, or any time during the year, you may want to think about setting up a toy train, and watch the magic begin.

 

Want o learn more about toys and trains for Christmas?  

Visit www.christmastoysandtrains.com.

 

 

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gifts-articles/the-magic-of-toy-trains-1070603.html

About the Author

Kristine has spent many years with a major toy manufacturing company.


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Train Layouts Thomas

March 3rd, 2011 dwalton
... layout upper part ho scale

The Top 10 Model Train Shops in Pennsylvania

Author: Larry Truett

For the past year I've been compiling a list of model train stores for my model railroading website.  These shops all look like a lot of fun to visit, but what are the most popular?   Here is a list for the great state of Pennsylvania.

The most popular model railroading shops (based on online chatter) in the state of Pennsylvania are:

10. Strasburg Train Shop in Strasburg

9. Cappelli Hobbies in Philadelphia

8. Neely's Train Shop in Altoona

7. Modelers' Depot in Hopwood

6. Action Hobbies in Langhorne

5. Hobby Express in Cranberry Township

4. Esther's Hobby Shop in Pittsburgh

3. Len's Train Shop in Irwin

2. A. B. Charles Hobby Shop in Pittsburgh

...and the most popular shop for model trains in Pennsylvania is...

1. Bill and Walt's Hobby Shop in Pittsburgh

Hobby shops not quite making my top 10 were Brentwood Station in Pittsburgh, Bussinger Trains in Ambler, C. T. McCormick Hardware in Zelienople, Central Keystone Hobbies in Avis, CoolTrains Toys and Hobbies in Salunga, English's Model Railroad Supply in Montoursville, Gene's Trains and Hobbies in Duncansville, Grzyboski's Train Store in Moosic, Henning Scale Models in Lansdale, Hobby Headquarters in Meadville, Imperial Train in Imperial, Jerry Quinn Classic Trains and Toys in Coatesville, Jim's Train Shop in Homer City, Ken's Trains in Glassport, Main Line Hobbies in East Norriton, Modellbahn Ott Hobbies in Gilbertsville, Nicholas Smith Trains in Broomall, Niedzalkoski's Train Shop in Jeannette, R and B Hobby Center in Tunkhannock, Singers Hobbies and Crafts in Wellsboro, T and J Train Junction in Danville, The Train Gallery in Pittsburgh, The Train Shoppe and Hobby Center in Wilkes Barre, The Underground Railroad Shoppe in New Castle, Tommy Gilbert's Hobby Shop in Gettysburg, Toys On The Square in Hummelstown, Winkie's Toy and Hobby in Lititz, and  Ye Olde Train and Christmas Shoppe in Boyertown.

So lots of great model railroading shops from all over Pennsylvania in the top ten, but the Pittsburgh area had all of the top five.  As usual, the top spot went to a store with both a fantastic local shop and a thriving website.

When in Pennsylvania be sure to visit some of the excellent railroading museums including National Toy Train Museum in Paradise, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, and Western Pennsylvania Model Rail Road Museum in Gibsonia.  Also in Pennsylvania are some teriffic model railroad displays, including the Choo Choo Barn in Strasburg and National Christmas Center in Paradise.

I compiled this list by searching for the hobby shops listed on a number of search engines and ranking them by the number of web pages, discussion forums, photos, videos, etc that are available online.

I further screened this list to include only pages that mentioned model railroading. See a complete list of Model Train Shops in Pennsylvania at www.ModelTrainsWithLarry.com which has complete contact information for each shop including an address, phone number, and map to the store.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/the-top-10-model-train-shops-in-pennsylvania-1443775.html

About the Author

I'm a freelance PHP and MySQL programmer living in the San Carlos neighborhood of San Diego with my wife and our 3 cats. I enjoy hiking, reading, gardening, watching too much television, and other nerdy activites.



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Toy Trains

February 22nd, 2011 dwalton
boomboxes toy trains ...

Toy Trains of India

Author: Jim Mark

Joy-Ride Up The Hills
The people who are fond of travelling must take the joy ride of slow moving trains which run up to the hill resorts of Ooty (Udhangamandalam), Shimla, Darjeeling etc. 
 
It is the most exciting experience of moving up the hills, passing the small hamlets and green terraced fields. One can pass through the tunnels, over bridges and enjoy the ride. This slow moving train provides you with the most panoramic view which will leave you captivated. The scenic hill resorts in these places are away from the hurly-burly life of the city.
 
 
The Shimla Toy Train
 
There are 107 tunnels between Kalka to Shimla when you travel by a toy train. The stunning view which the travelers encounter in between is worth admiring. The hill station Shimla is very well-connected by a broad gauge line and it is up to Kalka. The distance of 96 km is covered by the train in 6 hours From Kalka to Shimla.
 
 
The Darjeeling Toy Train

The most well known of all the toy trains, is the train which links the town of New Jalpaiguri to the beautiful hill station of Darjeeling. The Darjeeling Hill Railway the narrowest gauge and is surely the best 'toy train'. The tiny old engine of this train delights the connoisseurs. There are no tunnels in Darjeeling line which is 86 km long, hence the travelers can have the never-ending view of the incredible scenery of the beautiful Himalayas. This seven-and-a-half hour journey is just amazing and memorable.
 

The Nilgiri Toy Train

The toy train of Nilgiri Mountain railway begins from the small town of Mettupalayam and thus the enjoyment starts. The train here moves at the maximum speed of 33-km per hour which is enjoyed by the passengers. The train treks across the plantations, plains and forest hills. There are 16 tunnels and some bridges on the way, which leave you mesmerized. This toy train journey must not be missed as it is a wonderful experience. 

The Matheran Toy Train

The line is as old as 77 years and maintains a nexus between Neral to Matheran. This is the main way by which one can reach this tiny hill resort which is very close to Mumbai. Since there is less traffic in Matheran therefore it becomes a very peaceful and clean place. It takes around one-and-a-half hours to reach from Matheran to Neral. Here the train runs between sunrise and sunset which would leave you captivated.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/toy-trains-of-india-1690301.html

About the Author

Author is an associate editor for train timetable. Get all possible information about railway timetable and indian railways timetable. We also provide information about online Train reservation, Holiday Packages India and Train Booking in India.



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Toy Trains For Kids

February 21st, 2011 dwalton
Kids and Kahlie / The Kids ...

Toy Model Trains - An Overview

Author: Den Gardner

Some model trains can be extremely expensive and are too delicate for children, but toy model trains are the perfect way to introduce children to this wonderful hobby. They are less expensive than other types of trains, and they are generally sturdier and easier to use.

Model Trains Kits

Many toy model train kits come with the train, tracks, and some accessories for creating the environment. They may come with some trees, signs, and other accessories that children can use to set up their own play set.

Scale Standards

The Normal European Modeling Standards, also called NEM standards, currently lists twelve sizes for toy model trains, from minuscule 1:220 scale models all the way up to very large 1:5.5! To truly be considered a toy model train, they are generally either S gauge or O gauge, although HO scale and N scale models are easier to find in toy stores.

A good way to get started with toy model trains is to purchase a pre-packaged set. Companies like Lionel and Bachmann make great starter sets, and they are collectible, as well.

Once you get a little experience, you may prefer to start buying pieces individually. You can buy train cars, tracks, and accessories separately, so you can choose only the pieces you really want.

If you really enjoy trains, you might consider joining the Model Railway Club or another similar club. This club was established in London in 1910, and they are the oldest train club in the world. Clubs like this are a great way to get more information on things you can do with your toy trains, and to share your interest with other people who enjoy it as much as you do!

Lionel Toy Trains

Lionel is by far the most popular maker of toy trains. The company has been in existence for over 100 years, originally started in 1900. They were founded as an electrical novelties company, but trains quickly became the staple of its product line. They originally produced trains from 1901 through 1969, when they were bought by General Mills. These days the company is still doing business, making toy trains and accessories.

Composition

Toy trains may be made of metal, plastic, or wood. Metal trains are usually preferred by most enthusiasts. Plastic trains are generally reserved only for children. Wooden trains are beloved by many people, but they've fallen out of favor with the general public.

Some people buy toy model trains to play with, and others prefer to purchase them solely for collecting. Those who buy to collect usually prefer older models, and those made my major companies like Lionel or Marx. People who purchase their trains to play with may buy from any manufacturer, and may even mix parts between manufacturers in order to build their ideal system.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/collecting-articles/toy-model-trains-an-overview-2244728.html

About the Author

Den Gardner is a toy model trains enthusiast and enjoys helping others get started in the amazing, fun-filled hobby. His newest book, "The Ultimate Guide to Model Trains", teaches hobbyists everything they need to know including setup, scale, layouts, benchwork, model trains scenery and more.



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Toy Trains For Sale

February 20th, 2011 dwalton
VOICES IN THE WILDERNESS: A ...

Toy model trains; nostalgia

Author: julius villanueva

As Thomas the Train enlightened every boy’s fantasy and graced the feelings of individuals who have been awed by those fantastic machinery, trains provided an incredible addiction to many.  Watching are the small boys the talking trains from their living quarters and do not understand what it is that makes them so awesome.  But as boys grow into men they realize what it is to captured them once they were boys and stayed with them into their later life; control in excess of a powerful machinery. 

 
What is it with the purpose of drives men to amuse yourself with “toys”?  It might be that they are enthralled by the idea of controlling something so awesome even though it is 1/87 of its size.  Maybe it is the puzzle of how trains come off; the electricity running through the lines to get on to it run.  Perhaps it is for the reason that trains are so systematic; simply able to run on its track.  Or else maybe it is the good memories of considering the train whistling around the Christmas tree each year that makes us aspire to relive it through our “toy” trains.  But the word toy is not accurate anymorewhen chatting in relation to model trains.  These toys have grown-up up into machines and are equipped to play with the big boys. 

Toy trains are more often than not the plastic ones that you discover on sale while you are Christmas shopping.  They are low quality and priced in the role of a splendid way to introduce kids to the hobby.  Once boys grow up they are called men.  And when toy trains grow up, they are dubbed locomotives.  Locomotives are made to continue.  They are top quality and many lack the “push it a little to move it to move” element like poorer quality trains bear.  Their wheels are made to promote to greater link with the track in order to acquire a better connection to the electricity which force help to get it going.  They are the things that meet model railroaders smile.  Plus, locomotives carry out stronger engines.  A stronger engine means greater pulling strength.  A quality locomotive is moreover made out of metal instead then plastic like toy trains.  The significance of the train has a generous effect on how well it works.  The heavier the train, the better it will promote to contact with the track and therefore, a better running train.   

And if electricity wasn’t useful adequate, the awesome manufacturers of the model train industry provided steam engines for the small boys inside adult men.  Of course near are a lot of another value trains on the marketplace that provided steam but, there is nothing better then enjoying these trains with lifelike steam satisfying their scenery.  

Very a small amount of boys get to grow up to be able to essentially drive a train.  I’m confident that a lot of train drivers look at the production they do as a piece of work considerably then a a small amount boy’s life long ambition.  But, we don’t bear to all grow up to be train operators to complete our dreams.  We can enjoy ourselves in the craft that so alot of us love; model trains.

 

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/toy-model-trains-nostalgia-1248052.html

About the Author

Jonah V. Zennith is a model train expert and writer. For more information on successful model train building visit http://www.modeltrainpros.com



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Toy Trains On Tracks

February 19th, 2011 dwalton
1980s Tomy Toy Train Set ...

Why Do People Collect Standard Gauge Toy Trains

Author: Jimmy C. Albas

Collecting toy trains is an increasingly fashionable hobby among many people. Some collect them because they are reminded of their childhood, or because they had one or two of these realistic toys transferred down to them through the generations. Normal evaluate toy trains are about the most popular collectible toy trains. There are lots of replicas and styles to pick out, and a large number of these toy trains are quite difficult to come by. If you are new to collecting toy trains or are just searching for exclusive pieces to add to your collection, you're about to find out what makes these mini-locomotives a unique tradition in toy trains.

So what exactly makes a common calculate toy train additional sought after than others? Ask any collector of regular evaluate toy trains and they're most likely to explain it in good detail. Normal appraise trains usually tend to model the originals more precisely than other available gauges. Compared to other toy trains, like replicas of old Lionel, regular appraise trains truly have a exceptional way of grabbing the attention of a collector. This is probably because the normal evaluate toy trains are strikingly just like the actual trains made use of in the days of old.

The reasoning behind toy trains has existed for centuries and once, was the toy of alternative for numerous younger kids in the US. The normal determine toy train was a concept originally put into motion by the Lionel Corporation, in an attempt to boost the sales of toy trains within the United States at the beginning in the 20th century. The expression "standard gauge' relates to the size and diameter of railroad tracks for the toy trains. The Lionel Corporation developed a three-rail track of about 54 mm in between each outside rail, which successively did not work very nicely with gauge 1 productions from Europe. Soon the idea spread to other manufacturers in the USA, under the name "wide gauge". Conventional determine was discontinued in 1940 thanks to the costly cost of production. It's now a desired collection trait since standard calculate is precisely accurate to its actual larger model version in mean scale.

Standard calculate toy trains remain a favorite collection item as it nears its centennial anniversary. It has in a very short space of time become the choice of quite a few collectors and is most popular on display around the holidays, seen in a number of stores and shopping centers. So in which can a person discover these unique pieces? There are many areas to locate regular appraise toy trains and permanently deals should you know where to look. An easy search of the web will supply you with numerous sites that sell common gauge items, as well as eBay and other on-line auctions. You can likewise discover some informational websites and locations to participate in blogging on regular calculate toy trains.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/why-do-people-collect-standard-gauge-toy-trains-2827303.html

About the Author

To read more about toy collecting tips, visit toyscouter.com and while you are at it, check out Captain America action figures.



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Model Train Shops Nj

February 15th, 2011 dwalton
bt shops Small Scale ...

The Top 10 Model Train Shops in Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey

Author: Larry Truett

For the past year I've been compiling a list of model train stores for my model railroading website.  These shops all look like a lot of fun to visit, but what are the most popular?   Here is a list for the states of Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey.

The most popular model railroading shops (based on online chatter) in Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey are:

10. Ridgefield Hobby in Ridgefield, New Jersey

9. Maplewood Hobby in Maplewood, New Jersey

8. M. B. Klein Model Train Stuff in Cockeysville, Maryland

7. Tony's Train Town in Cedar Grove, New Jersey

6. MTH Electric Trains in Columbia, Maryland

5. Hobbymasters in Red Bank, New Jersey

4. The Model Railroad Shop in Piscataway, New Jersey

3. The Train Station in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey

2. Toy Train Emporium in Cherry Hill, New Jersey

...and the most popular shop for model trains in Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey is...

1. The Hobby Shop in Aberdeen, New Jersey

Hobby shops not quite making my top 10 were Just Trains in Newark, Delaware; Millsboro Hobbies in Millsboro, Delaware; Seaside Hobbies in Ocean View, Delaware; Engine House Hobbies in Gaithersburg, Maryland; G Scale Train Station in Waldorf, Maryland; Hobby Works in Rockville, Laurel, and Bel Air, Maryland; The Train Room in Hagerstown, Maryland; Atlantic Rails in Folsom, New Jersey; Genes Train Stop in Kearny, New Jersey; Island Trains in Middletown, New Jersey; Pastime Hobbies and Miniatures in Bayonne, New Jersey; Z and Z Hobbies in Mercerville, New Jersey; Zeppelin Hobbies and Raceway in Wayne, New Jersey.

So, there are lots of great model railroading shops from all over Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey but clearly New Jersey dominated the list with eigth in the top ten.  Maryland had two in the ten, and Just Trains in Delaware just missed out.  Note that this list was for the train stores more than their online web stores. If this list were for online stores www.modeltrainstuff.com, the website of M. B. Klein Model Train Stuff would probably have won.

When in Delaware, Maryland, or New Jersey be sure to visit some of the excellent railroading museums including Harrington Museum and Railroad Museum in Harrington, Delaware; Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland; Brunswick Railroad Museum in Brunswick, Maryland; Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum in Hagerstown, Maryland; Huntington Railroad Museum in Bowie, Maryland; New Jersey Museum of Transportation in Wall, New Jersey; Whippany Railway Museum in Whippany, New Jersey; and South Jersey Railroad Museum in Tuckahoe, New Jersey.

I compiled this list by searching for the hobby shops listed on a number of search engines and ranking them by the number of web pages, discussion forums, photos, videos, etc that are available online.  I further screened this list to include only pages that mentioned model railroading.

See a complete list of Model Train Shops in Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey, at www.ModelTrainsWithLarry.com which has complete contact information for each shop including an address, phone number, and map to the store.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/the-top-10-model-train-shops-in-delaware-maryland-and-new-jersey-1499200.html

About the Author

Larry Truett is a freelance PHP and MySQL programmer living in the San Carlos neighborhood of San Diego with his wife and their 3 cats. He enjoys hiking, reading, gardening, watching too much television, and other nerdy activites.



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Model Train Shops

February 14th, 2011 dwalton
palm tree test by bruceywan

The Top 10 Model Train Shops in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee

Author: Larry Truett

There are fantastic model railroading hobby shops all across the United States.  These stores all look like a lot of fun to visit, but what are the most popular?   Here is a list for the states of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

The most popular model railroading shops (based on online chatter) in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee are:

10. Mishawaka Rail Yard in Mishawaka, Indiana

A Tie for Number 8

8. BAD Hobbies in Nicholasville, Kentucky

8. Rupel Toy Trains in Elkhart, Indiana

7. Park Lane Hobbies in Dyer, Indiana

6. George's Train Shop in Huntington, Indiana

5. Aardvark's Model Train Shop in Nashville, Tennessee

4. Phil's Hobby Shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana

3. Berkshire Trains in Lexington, Kentucky

2. Scale Reproductions Hobby Shop in Louisville, Kentucky

...and the most popular shop for model trains in Indiana, Kentucky, or Tennessee is...

1. Johnny's Toys in Covington, Kentucky

Hobby shops not quite making my top 10 were G and G Hobbies in Griffith, Indiana; Joe's Hobby Barn in Terre Haute, Indiana; Linville Signs and Hobbies in Batesville, Indiana; Toys Forever Models and Hobbies in Muncie, Indiana; Train Express in Indianapolis, Indiana; Watts Train Shop in Zionsville, Indiana; Wayne's Trains and Train Central in Indianapolis, Indiana; L and N Trains and Things in Louisville, Kentucky; The Roundhouse in Louisville, Kentucky; Chattanooga Depot in Chattanooga, Tennessee; and South Bound Trains in Franklin, Tennessee.

So, there are clearly many great model railroading shops all over Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, with all three states having stores in the top five.  Indiana had the most in the top ten with five, but Kentucky had four in the top ten - and also had all of the top three spots.

When in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee be sure to visit some of the excellent railroading museums including Depot Railroad Museum in Salem,Indiana; Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in North Judson, Indiana; Indiana Railway Museum in French Lick, Indiana; Indiana Transportation Museum in Noblesville, Indiana; Bluegrass Railroad Museum in Versailles, Kentucky; Nostalga Station in Versailles, Kentucky; Casey Jones Home and Railroad Museum in Jackson, Tennessee; Tennessee Central Railway Museum in Nashville, Tennessee; and Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga.

I compiled this list by searching for the hobby shops listed on a number of search engines and ranking them by the number of web pages, discussion forums, photos, videos, etc that are available online.  I further screened this list to include only pages that mentioned model railroading.

See a complete list of Model Train Shops in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, at www.ModelTrainsWithLarry.com which has complete contact information for each shop including an address, phone number, and map to the store.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/the-top-10-model-train-shops-in-indiana-kentucky-and-tennessee-1749859.html

About the Author

Larry Truett is a freelance PHP and MySQL programmer living in the San Carlos neighborhood of San Diego with his wife and their 3 cats. He enjoys hiking, reading, gardening, watching too much television, and other nerdy activites.



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