Hi I am coming back to the hobby after many years away. If you live in the Chicago area and can recommend a really good hobby shop for HO I would like to know about it. So far I have been to Al's in Elmhurst and B&G in Elgin. Not bad, but nothing like my old favorite Caboose Hobbies in Denver. Please let me know where you like to shop for HO, especially structures and rolling stock. Thanks
I am into N, when you come to your senses and switch I can definitely help out (HO!) I have been to a number of Hobby Stores in the area and from what I have seen these three are the best. 1. Des Plaines Hobbies http://www.desplaineshobbies.com/ 2. Chicagoland Hobbies http://www.chicagoland-hobby.com/ 3. America's best America's Best Train, Toy & Hobby Shop In Illinois Des Plaines is as close to Red Caboose as I have seen out here, good selection, decals, books, repair. Greenfield's up in Milwaukee is my favorite though by far... Good Luck Brad
Since we are on the subject of Windy City Hobby Shops. I been wondering: Is this GREAT MIDWEST TRAIN SHOW at the DuPage Co. Fairgrounds in Wheaton IL. worth making a stop at? I've seen it advertised, it looks to be a pretty good size show, but is it worth my time? How are prices? Comments? Put That Down, You Don't Need It!! yes dear! TOM
Des Plaines hobbies has a very good selection of HO rolling stock on hand. I do beleive they have a good variety of structures also. Don't really care for Chicagoland hobby. Not to freindly, or helpful. Not a big selection of HO. I went to America's Best for the first time a couple weeks ago. A large store, big selection of every scale. But i didn't really notice the HO items. Been looking for n scale. CAS
I have never been to dupage, but have talked to two people that have...They stated that it was mostly three rail O scale stuff......
AFAIK the DuPage Train Show remains Chicagoland's best train show event. Held monthly on Sundays, it draws dealers from several states. There are 4 buildings to check out & some vendors have a spot outside in the parking lot. The deals depend on how much some dealers want to discount prices or pack it back to the shop. Other deals only last as long as supplies do. Go to their website to get the $$ off on entrance. No charge for parking. You may want to save $$ for lunch at some nearby fast food places. The next big items are the NMRA division shows held in March each year. One will be in LaGrange, the other in Palatine. The 2 shows together may point you to other HO scale dealers in the area. I've never seen one shop that has everything.
Last time I was at Al's in Elmhurst, it looked like they had gotten rid of all their train stuff. Is it hiding somewhere? I've been to Desplains, but I don't really remember it all that well. I've been to lagrange hobbies which is just OK. When I lived there, my LHS of choice was Hobby City in Berwyn, but I went back last christmas and they are a ghost of their former self. Not horrible or anything, but not what they once were either. Oh, and the Wheaton show is pretty good. Between that and the COD monthly computer show, I amazed I had any money when I lived in Chicago. As for it being mostly 3 rail, I've found that that's true of pretty much every train show I've ever been to unless it was scale specific.
I shop both Des Plaines Hobbies and America's Best Train and Hobby. Both have a good selection of items, but charge close to MSRP prices. I tend to use eBay or internet vendors for the big ticket items and shop at either store to find "hard to find" items, specialty orders, decoders, misc/repair parts, etc. The store owners are friendly and knowledgeable at either location. I also frequent the DuPage county train show. It's worth going to at least once and find some bargains. Wildstar
