Model Railroading > End Of An Era In Fresno

Tom's Trains, originally opened on Hammond Avenue here in Fresno, CA in 1960 is closing. Charles Worstell (Tom's youngest son) passed away recently and his family has decided to close the store. With Tom's departure now and Roy's back in January, the Fresno area is completely without a "trains only" hobby shop for the first time in over 50 years.

John

Tom's Trains of Fresno was psychedelic!

Bummer.

SV

TO member Jim B and I spent many a mid-to-late 1970's afternoon there, poking through the inventory, as Tom drank his martini and held court. It was always an experience!

Tom Y

My first experiences at the original store were usually on Friday evenings when my Dad would take me there after he got home from work. In those days, Tom was open 7 days a week, and until 9 PM on Fridays. Where the store was located is now a "no-go" area after sundown and not on any tour bus route. The top floor of the original building (Where Tom, Ruby, et al, originally lived, burned around 1997. By this time, Tom was long gone, and Charlie had been running the store for years. He briefly relocated to a spot on Olive Avenue in the Tower District, before moving to the present (final) location on Van Ness about 1999 or 2000. Neither of these locations had the "feel" of the original. I was "treated" to a couple of Ruby's martinis. I was somehow accepted by the local "crew", and it was special. I'll never forget those days and some of the wacky characters (and terrific modelers) I met at 2245 E. Hammond Avenue...

John Ford

I loved that place. Mr icancmp193 used to go over after work. When we were much younger.

Jim B

Tom Worstell was the quintessential crusty old hobby guy. The store was piled floor to rafters with stuff, and the little wooden parts drawers were not filed by content in any discernible way. Tom said "If you came in here for a Cal-Scale number fifty two so-and-so, and went right to it, you'd leave with a Cal-Scale number fifty two so-and-so! But maybe while you're hunting for it, you'll find a Kadee something-or-other. So we both get something!"

He also put your purchases in a brown paper grocery sack. He said he was not about to send someone out with a fancy "Tom's Trains" bag and cause a rift in somebody's marriage when they "got caught" sneaking into the basement with it.

Charlie was a worthy successor in the eccentricity department. He had his Dad's flair for pronouncements and assessments of things more global than trains.

One day, Tom decided to move to Ilwaco, Washington. That was that. Charlie took over, although I don't recall if the Ball Jar Martini tradition was carried over by Charlie. And I missed going into the new store entirely.

Tom sold me my first detail parts. (Cal-Scale, of course.) And gave me advice when I butchered my first application of Champ decals on an Athearn passenger car. And was my favorite weird Uncle that I never had, I suppose. His political rants during the Nixon Administration were something I wish had been recorded, though I imagine they would have blistered the oxide on any tape stock.

Sorry to hear of Charlie's passing. For Fresno train lovers, that was our best and finest (and funniest) watering hole and clubhouse. Nothing will ever spin a vibe like that creaky old red house by the Santa Fe crossbucks. Nothing.

~ BZ

Sad to hear, when I was in Fresno Tom's Trains was always a must. I always found something I didn't know I needed there.

Regards,
Ed

Notch16 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tom Worstell was the quintessential crusty old
> hobby guy. The store was piled floor to rafters
> with stuff, and the little wooden parts drawers
> were not filed by content in any discernible way.
> Tom said "If you came in here for a Cal-Scale
> number fifty two so-and-so, and went right to it,
> you'd leave with a Cal-Scale number fifty two
> so-and-so! But maybe while you're hunting for it,
> you'll find a Kadee something-or-other. So we both
> get something!"
>
> He also put your purchases in a brown paper
> grocery sack. He said he was not about to send
> someone out with a fancy "Tom's Trains" bag and
> cause a rift in somebody's marriage when they "got
> caught" sneaking into the basement with it.
>
> Charlie was a worthy successor in the eccentricity
> department. He had his Dad's flair for
> pronouncements and assessments of things more
> global than trains.
>
> One day, Tom decided to move to Ilwaco,
> Washington. That was that. Charlie took over,
> although I don't recall if the Ball Jar Martini
> tradition was carried over by Charlie. And I
> missed going into the new store entirely.
>
> Tom sold me my first detail parts. (Cal-Scale, of
> course.) And gave me advice when I butchered my
> first application of Champ decals on an Athearn
> passenger car. And was my favorite weird Uncle
> that I never had, I suppose. His political rants
> during the Nixon Administration were something I
> wish had been recorded, though I imagine they
> would have blistered the oxide on any tape stock.
>
> Sorry to hear of Charlie's passing. For Fresno
> train lovers, that was our best and finest (and
> funniest) watering hole and clubhouse. Nothing
> will ever spin a vibe like that creaky old red
> house by the Santa Fe crossbucks. Nothing.
>
> ~ BZ

Sounds like Franciscan Hobbies about 35 years ago. Brown paper bag with tally prices on it

Charlie was just unbelievable.. I remember when the store was on Hammond. Charlie used to sit outside the store when there were no customers. and he would light his cigarette with a huge magnifying glass.