Model Railroading > Winterail / Portland OR Train Shops Suggestions?

I'm headed up to Portland, Oregon. What are the better HO Train Shops in the Albany OR to Portland OR area? Is Tammies Hobbies worth a trip to Beaverton for an HO guy? Thanks beforehand!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/19 00:10 by RRBaron.

Hobby Smith downtown. Good prices and a lot of consignment items.

Regards, Jim Evans

The Whistle Stop is a great shop with lots of stock. Tammies isn't too bad but i haven't been there in a long time when I am in the area I always go to the Whistle Stop.

https://wsor.com/

Scott O'Dell 

Hobby Smith is just east of downtown, at 1809 NE Cesar E Chavez Blvd, (NE 39th Ave.) a block or so north of where Sandy Blvd. crosses NE Broadway.

Whistle Stop and HobbySmith are very worthwhile stops with interesting selections, not the same selections, not the same prices, good contrast in selections. Tammies and the store in Beaverton area not so much, more for the Christmas tree type. Tammies has a good selection of magazines, lots of RC and other hobbies. Also a Burgerville across the parking lot, lots of places to eat nearby, also some outlet malls to the south.

Be aware of the Portland area traffic, basically be where ever you want to be by 3 pm, the freeways gridlock after that.

There had been a hobby shop in Eugene, maybe somebody can explain what happened there. I usually head into Cabellas, a different hobby all together.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/19 09:41 by TCnR.

Right outside the front door of Hobby Smith is a Baskin Robbins to help you get back into traffic. If the lemon ice cream is back in stock it is officially Spring.

Portland hobby shops bring back memories of my early years!.."Dad, can we go to Vic's?.."

TCnR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
..................
> There had been a hobby shop in Eugene, maybe
> somebody can explain what happened there. I
> usually head into Cabellas, a different hobby all
> together............................

Speaking of Eugene Toy and Hobby????  
It was there a few months ago.  I've been going to it long enough that I've handed money across the counter to four generations of owners.
If you are coming from California you have to pass through Eugene and I'd stop for a look see.  If you are coming from the north I don't think I'd extend my trip south from Corvallis.

(unless you are railfanning and want to see the Eugene yard.  Coos Bay Rail Llink maybe,  Weyerhaeuser has a couple units in Springfield, Gunderson has a critter in
Springfield, AMTK stores the Talgos during the day next to the shops, Oregon Electric Station is now a restaurant)

edit:
I remember when Weyerhaeuser was built and my mind hasn't changed with the times.  Weyerhaeuser might be International Paper now.  Google shows Gunderson as Greenbrier.  I can remember it as being Evans at one time.  It's on south "B" street.  Eugene Toy and Hobby is on East 11th in the 100 block on the south side.  Coos Bay Rail Link is a hit and miss....if it is still called that.

jb

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/19 13:44 by jdb.

https://eugenetoyandhobby.com/
It's about the same as it has been for years. Irresponsible to raise the question without a little checkin.

The Columbia Gorge Model RR (wow) club is only open opne day in mid-week for visitors (NUTS!). I e-mailed them asking if the would consider having their buildinhg open anytime during the Winterail weekend, but haven't heard anything.

Their layout and the technology running it, are spectacular.

Atre there any other clubs in that area? I recall an O scale club but that was some time ago.

grahamline Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> https://eugenetoyandhobby.com/
> It's about the same as it has been for years.
> Irresponsible to raise the question without a
> little checkin.

There's an interesting list of top 20 'Hobby Shops Springfield Oregon' using google. Pretty tough to tell which one sells trains.

After John's explanation I realized I had been in that shop a few decades ago. Interesting to hear it's still there.

Tammie's is a little weak on trains but I like to go there occasionally because of their tool selection and their very extensive selection of paints.
Many of the paints sold for military models work very well for railroads, military hobbyiest are into weathering too.
If you go to Hobbysmith for the ice cream store next door (which I do) you may want to consider the Trader Joe's about 2 blocks south, and know that there is a Bank of America branch in the next block in case you want to hit the ATM.

Portland is about 75-90 minutes north of Corvallis. Avoid I-5 and use 205 or 405 both ways.

fbe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Portland is about 75-90 minutes north of
> Corvallis. Avoid I-5 and use 205 or 405 both
> ways.

True that!  Main jam ups are toward the city in the morning, and away in the afteernoon.  Other directions not terrible.  Localized exceptions to any rule.  Highway 26 west from downtown is a mess all the time.  Tammies a close third to Hobby Smith and Whistle Stop.  Eugene Hobbies has a rather limited stock.  Trump Hobbie in Corvallis is not a great stop.  Albany, Salem, no.  Nice shop in Roseburg, downtown.

Tammies, 7 days a week
Hobby Smith  Tue-Sun
WS Mon-Sat

Rob



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/19 03:30 by OregonOldGuy.