Model Railroading > RR Model Shops in Manhattan NY

Are these model shops still operating in the Manhattan area?

Manhattan Train & Hobby: 14 W 45th St (website returns error)

Red Caboose: 23 W. 45th St downstairs

Gotham Model Trains: 240 West 35th Street, Suite 800A

Any other recommendations in the area?

I know Trainworld is still around - do they stock 'hot' HO items like Athearn Genesis locos, or just lots of regular items? Is it possible to get to Trainworld by public transport from the Central Park area?

TIA for all info
Tony Harris

HarrisA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Are these model shops still operating in the
> Manhattan area?
>
> Manhattan Train & Hobby: 14 W 45th St (website
> returns error)
>
> Red Caboose: 23 W. 45th St downstairs
>
> Gotham Model Trains: 240 West 35th Street, Suite
> 800A

Manhattan trains closed within the last six months. The Red Caboose is still there - and still offers the same bewildering variety of stuff, but, it also still offers the same crappy (and this is even by New York standards) customer service.

My favorite is Gotham Trains (located on the 8th floor of an office building, less than 2 blocks away from Penn Station). A purely model train shop (for now), and stocks both European (Marklin, Roco, Fleischmann) as well as American (Walthers, Athearn, Kato) models. There are also various structure kits, vehicles, and some other modelling supplies.

Plus its run by a friendly young guy.

> Any other recommendations in the area?
>

There's a huge newsstand store on 42nd Street, off Times Square (south side of the street, between 7th and 8th Avenues) Carries a huge selection of magazines and newsspapers from all over the world....including some British MR titles.

While, like me, you might not care too much for the British prototype, the British magazines, IMHO, are the best English-language publications in terms of innovative techniques.

> I know Trainworld is still around - do they stock
> 'hot' HO items like Athearn Genesis locos, or just
> lots of regular items? Is it possible to get to
> Trainworld by public transport from the Central
> Park area?

Take a Coney-Island bound "F" train to McDonald Ave. Exit to the east (left-hand) side of the street and walk back along the El viaduct (from where you train just came from) about two blocks.

Does anyone know what happened to Ralph Israel, the owner of Manhattan trains?

Franz

V200 Wrote:
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> Does anyone know what happened to Ralph Israel,
> the owner of Manhattan trains?
>
> Franz


As I have heard, Manhattan Trains closed because of financial issues (i.e. debt and inability to repay it), not because of anything that happened to its owner(s).

But this is just hearsay....

What was the name of that famous hardware store in NYC that sold all things Lionel ?? Wasn't it "Madison Hardware" or something ??

KRK

Thanks to ChS7-321 and all for the useful info. Look forward to visiting in March/April (just in time for opening day - go Yankees!).