Gotta Be Crazy WILD at Train Shops Now...

rockymountaineer
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Gotta Be Crazy WILD at Train Shops Now... Dec 1, 2023 3:17:42 GMT Country Joe, curtis, and 2 more like this

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Post by rockymountaineer on Dec 1, 2023 3:17:42 GMT

As I've mentioned a couple of times already, the toy train importers are doing their best to ship everything under the sun during the last two months of the year... which is bound to keep train shop employees busier than the proverbial one-armed wallpaper hangers.

Case in point: While building my own "super set" of rolling stock to go with next year's delivery of Lionel's D&RGW Triplex, I was talking with Chuckie at Charles Ro Supply a few days ago to order some items. And one of them -- a Vision Line caboose -- had just arrived the day I called in my order. He mentioned they just unloaded the cabooses (among many other SKU's) from the truck, and they were already printing over 1,000 orders that needed to be picked, packed and shipped. Yikes!!!

And we wonder why Mr. Muffin's Trains no longer has "walk-in" store hours anymore? These businesses are fielding so many online orders (plus in some cases phone orders too), it's no wonder they don't "need" folks browsing around the store. The nature of the toy train business has changed right before our very eyes... and there's no turning back now.

OTOH this Saturday, Dec 2nd, is National Lionel Train Day... and some mom-and-pop train shops ARE encouraging enthusiasts to stop in for a visit. I saw Hennings Trains in Lansdale, PA promoting the 9th Annual National Lionel Train Day. So perhaps I'll drive over for a walk back in time and physically VISIT a brick-and-mortar store. Should be fun to do some in-person shopping, since the modus-operandi lately has been to order a few recent goodies online.

firewood
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Gotta Be Crazy WILD at Train Shops Now... Dec 1, 2023 19:05:07 GMT rockymountaineer likes this

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Post by firewood on Dec 1, 2023 19:05:07 GMT

That's interesting - quite the business evolution; the high-volume stores have to adapt, don't they. I've always been a somewhat remote railroader and have never had a local store. The closest I had is now gone (a great museum/old school hobby shop), so I've nearly always been a mail-order/internet guy. The change isn't massive at my end, but when I could have the Mom and Pop store experience, I enjoyed it.

Dave

harborbelt70
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Gotta Be Crazy WILD at Train Shops Now... Dec 1, 2023 19:24:04 GMT firewood likes this

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Post by harborbelt70 on Dec 1, 2023 19:24:04 GMT

Dec 1, 2023 19:05:07 GMT firewood said:

That's interesting - quite the business evolution; the high-volume stores have to adapt, don't they. I've always been a somewhat remote railroader and have never had a local store. The closest I had is now gone (a great museum/old school hobby shop), so I've nearly always been a mail-order/internet guy. The change isn't massive at my end, but when I could have the Mom and Pop store experience, I enjoyed it.

Dave

I still have a LHS (Berwyns) but have not been there for a couple of years. I think that they are thriving but the old days of bricks and mortar local stores are not relevant to most hobbyists - COVID sealed the end of that era. Still, there is so much in the aftermarket and from the remaining importers (GGD in particular in my case) that I do not fear the end of the 3Rail O Gauge hobby. I wondered about the Muffins closing their doors as they have a huge in-store layout - but maybe that's just the way things are. I intend to enjoy what I already have.