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The Train Shop
Rating Details »
Categories: Toy Stores, Hobby Shops [Edit]
1829 Pruneridge AvenueSanta Clara, CA 95050
(408) 296-1050
- Hours:
Mon. 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Tue-Sat. 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
8 reviews for The Train Shop
If you are a big train nerd it is cool. If you aren't they kind of act like they can't understand why you chose to live life as if you aren't a big train nerd and they really don't have time to educate you. Cuz they're busy talking shop with other train nerds at the counter. Kind of like when Ford guys get together. On the other hand I'm not saying that gaining acceptance here is like getting jumped into the Crips or anything. But I don't know personally.
It's a cool store, though. And I probably reeked of holiday-shopper-who-will-buy-once -and-never-return stinky cologne.
Really great inventory. I'm only giving them 4 stars, because when you need help finding something, they generally just give you Walthers Catalog and tell you to give them a part number. Of course, if you find something you want, there's a pretty good chance they'll have it.
One thing they really excel at it tools. The tool aisle is probably worth a visit if you like to build things even besides model trains.
A whole wall of railroad books. Most are expensive, like train books usual are, but if you poke around sometimes you can find a bargain on some obscure railroad you never heard of, if you just need a fix and don't want to spend too much.
This place totally rocks! I've been going here for 20 years now .. sheesh.. that's older than most of you that are probably reading this!!
As an avowed model railroader, and unabashed train nut, there is no better train-oriented hobby shop west of Denver than this place! 1) Discounts: Everything is discounted about 10-15% off list, if not more, 2) the book selection is UNparalleled, even when compared against the Calif. State RR Museum Bookstore up in Sacramento.
3) Heavy and deep stocks of HO, N, O, S and G scale MODEL trains, and an excellent selection of Thomas the Tank Engine toy trains for the little kiddies too. No toys, except for Thomas.. Just model trains that adults are into filling their basement empires with!
For HO scalers, the selection of Athearn, Atlas, Walthers freight cars and locos is unparalleled. N scale and G scale excellent stocks as well. I can't think of another shop in NorCal that has as much N or LGB as this place.
Service is great, but then, the owners finally took me in and smile at me now.. probably because I might as well direct-deposit my paycheck there.
Caveat: Just don't go looking for Lionel toy trains here, that tinplate stuff is for other places like Tinplate Junction (Oakland,CA) or Loco-Boose in Redwood City.
Summary: This place is like Costco for model train nuts.. NOT to be missed.
Bobby Bacala from the Sopranos would go apeshit in this place! Every conceivable model railroad component can be acquired here, from handmade, $4,000 locomotives in big scale through tiny, imported German exotics. This is a serious hobbyist's store, with little space devoted to frills or displays. The entire place is given over to stocking everything the wistful tabletop tycoon's heart could possibly desire. They even have an entire wall of bags of different kinds of materials, like different types of miniature rock, sand, and gravel, to line the railbeds with the accurate material for different parts of the country and different railroads. Now, that's devotion.
It's a store entirely devoted to model trains! If that's what you're looking for, you'll love it.
The best model train store in the Bay Area. Maybe all of California!
Yeah, this is the train shop I was hoping for. I went in while waiting for my girlfriend to be ready to go out, and immediately had to text her that it was a good place (she knew I was going).
The "prototype" book selection, documenting the 1:1 scale railroads, is AMAZING. I'll be going back after payday to get at least one, maybe two or three books from the big back wall of books. I didn't quite understand the organization of the books, but when my wallet is fully loaded I'll ask for help.
I saw a lot of locos and rolling stock that were of interest, as well as all the usual supplies and tools and accessories. They do have two aisles that are dedicated to locomotive displays, with test tracks available on top of them. Probably not the best for short viewers, but there was probably a stepstool somewhere. They carry a wide range of magazines for various scales and interests, and the issue of N Scale Magazine that I picked up had an article on a desk layout that I'd just been thinking about last week. Perfect timing.
Now that I know how to get here, I'll be back. And probably broke. But that's okay.
This This is the best train shopin the state if not the country. They are extremely helpful at the Train Shop. They have a huge selection of railroad books. They are hands down one of the best places to buy a brass train. They also have a good selection of Accucraft trains, This was one of the last places to stock the live steam K-27. I am now the proud owner of 453. I love this shop they were so helpful.
