Re: PC: Hobby Shops

[Gene.Fusco@xxxxxxxxxxx]

> something, only to be told that, "nobody models _______." (You can fill
> in the blank with Penn Central, HOn3, Z Scale, &c.) This is usually code

Or even the little known PC narrow gauge branchline modelled in Zn3...
:^)

OK, I remember how it was when I lived back in New York.  PC was not
talked about.  Memories were still too vivid.  I moved out to Colorado in
86, and things got worse.  Most people would try to correct me and say,
"Oh, Pennsy"...

There are no *local* model railroad shops in Fort Collins.  We have a
Hobbytown and a Hobby Lobby, but the best they can provide are some list
price locomotives and scratchbuilding supplies. (Full line of Evergreen
Styrene!  woohoo! :^)

However, 1 hour south in Denver, there is Caboose Hobbies.  Arguably one of
the best RR specific shops in the country.  While their prices on some
items still sends me to the phones, they still get a large share of my
hobby dollar.  The reason being it is good to be able to actually look at
an item to determine if it will work on your latest project. Detail parts
are like that.  Some of the new locomotive & rolling stock releases as
well.  

As a prototype modeler, it's annoying to order a new box car model by mail
only to find out your're going to have to go to the hobby shop to pick up a
set of replacement doors or ends to make the car *exactly* correct...

As far as the Penn Central, PR/NYC/NH aspect of living out here, I have
learned to deal with it.  I realize that hobby shops can't devote shelf
space to essetially individual customers.  In this instance, expecting them
to stock PC items regularly would be asking for exactly that.


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