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The Train Shop
Categories: Shopping Toy Stores Shopping Hobby Shops Toy Stores, Hobby Shops [Edit]
1829 Pruneridge AveSanta Clara, CA 95050
(408) 296-1050
- Hours:
Mon 9:30 am - 4 pm
Tue-Sat 9:30 am - 6 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
23 reviews for The Train Shop
Review Highlights
"...selection of the Thomas the Tank Engine wooden trains in..."
(in 3 reviews)
"N scale and G scale excellent stocks as well."
(in 4 reviews)
"The best model train store in the Bay Area."
(in 10 reviews)
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23 reviews in English
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Review from Alena B.
10/7/2011
This place is great...the prices are great and they have tons of inventory. I admit that I am still only in the Thomas phase with my son but this store has TERRIFIC prices and a great selection. The customer service varies from employee to employee but it's worth it. THey aren't particularly UNfriendly but they aren't too friendly either. My son still loves this store. We can sit in here for hours and hours just looking at the trains that go by or the trains on the shelves.
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Review from Jennifer P.
South Pasadena, CA
7/3/2011
When we went in to buy a train (a steam engine my child was looking for), the woman at the desk asked us, "Is this for him?" When my husband said yes, the woman looked surprised and didn't want to sell us the train until my husband said it was also for him. And then she started to lecture, " [...] These trains are delicate ..."
OK. When we go to spend over $300 on a model train, please do not start lecturing two adults *ages 42 and 41* on purchases. That was incredibly poor salespersonship and just rude. I guess you don't want our business.
Because I like my husband, I will let him shop here in the future, but I will give my experience to whomever asks me; it was NOT good. The service was also slower than a snail. Why did we even bother to make a special trip to Santa Clara for this rude treatment?! -
Review from R N.
Redwood City, CA
12/21/2011
The store is good, well-stocked, a reasonably efficient operation but the owner hasn't imbibed from the age of the Internet Fountain, which puts them well behind the times. The owner, well we won't talk about him. The phrase micro management comes to mind.The rest of the staff is good and they try to keep things going at full steam. It's a candy store for kids of all ages. Definitely a must see, must go. Take a list of wants with you.
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Review from Christina M.
Mountain View, CA
9/29/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Do you love trains? Are you like me, and have a toddler who LOVES TRAINS? This is a train lovers one stop shop. I have DVDs, and Thomas toys, and books...I don't even dig trains, but I got 'em. A word of caution for the parents who take their little boys there...THERE ARE REGULARS. Older men who take this train building stuff SERIOUSLY. They will look askance at you. But it's still good times, all around :)
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Review from Sarah D.
San Jose, CA
1/11/2011
My brother is a huge train fanatic so when he visits for the holidays you know where we are going to make at least 3 visits before he has to fly back home!
When we were growing up my dad had built him this huge model platform that was displayed and took up more than half of our Living room! They would only put it up for Christmas (starting in November after thanksgiving and going into the new year) but this was all he did when he was a kid!
This store truly has everything a train enthusiast would ever want from trains to miniatures, calendars, books, I could go on and on.
Each time we went in the owner laughed, they could just see that he totally reverted back to being a kid and was just in train heaven!
I think my brother made a new friend and I am sure the owner is going to love my brother calling every week to check if anything new came in.
Thanks for your store - my brother and I don't have anything in common - not even trains - he's the train lover not me - but it makes him happy when we stop by over the holidays so thanks for the family time!
Thanks for reading another Sara D's Approved review! -
Review from Jfold N.
Milpitas, CA
8/9/2011
Costumer service? Well they are just like any other hobby store, "Not very good at people skills." but I am giving 5 stars based on what they have. This is a great place for trains and they have a nice selection of stuff for HO and some N scale models. They don't have much for Linoel, but that's fine by me, I have no room to collect those.
Prices are not bad, and their Thomas the Train stuff is cheaper than Target. (good for young kids).
As far as the one review from 7/3/2011. LOL, I agree Hobby stores and not just this one are bad at working with people. I am not defending them, but they might of just got nervous that you were spending $300 bucks on a train and were giving it to your son. They don't have the cash to except a return like Target if it gets broken or you or son decides he does not like it. But in all honesty, it's none of our business what you do with what you pay for.
I will be coming back to The Train Shop again... -
Review from Chris P.
San Jose, CA
2/15/2011
Something not mentioned in prior reviews is that The Train Shop also has a complete line and deep stock in scratch-building supplies; for example, they have virtually every Evergreen styrene sheet and strip product and broad stock of strip wood and sheet wood. Detail parts are available behind the counter and perhaps my only issue with the store is that you can't browse them on racks, which is unfortunately necessary to prevent theft. You need to go in knowing the manufacturer and part number, or at least a close description of what you want ("HO scale double-hung residence windows in styrene") and get help. In a time when almost no one builds from scratch and everything is in simple kits, built-up or ready-to-run, you can still buy scratch supplies here and spend an evening being a craftsman.
They are closed Sundays and Mondays - I usually go on Friday afternoon after work and load up for the weekend. -
Review from Katie M.
San Jose, CA
4/19/2011
My sons favorite store! He is a huge Thomas & Friends fan and they have a wide selection and a much lower price on their Thomas & Friends trains and sets than Toys R Us.
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Review from Harry W.
San Francisco, CA
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.Listed in: My Top Hobby Shops
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Review from lynn c.
San Francisco, CA
6/30/2011
this is one of those incredible stores that i dont know how they survive without an online outlet.
i went in here and its fully stocked! tons of HO and N scale stuff as well as other guages too. prices are fair, some are even cheaper than online retailers. i came in to get a couple of kato n scale road crossings since i was in the area to complete my track and they were priced at $2.50 ($3msrp), not much further up from those online places. a couple bucks may not seem like much but take it off here and there it becomes totally worth it when every other physical retailer is charging full msrp. come to think of it, i should have picked up some of the cars they had going for less too!
theres also tons of books, detail parts, scratch building styrene/woods, etc here too. ill definitely be back if i ever get the chance again. its a bit of a drive from me coming form the city though. -
Review from Lauren M.
San Jose, CA
12/13/2009
Let me preface this by saying I know next to nothing about trains. Found this place on Yelp as I wanted to find a small model train for my boyfriend's Dad for Christmas. He works for the Long Island Railroad in NY and is big into trains.
I thought this would be a tiny shop with a few expensive train cars, but the place is pretty big and they have everything from Thomas the Tank Engine sets to fully functional model train sets. They also have tons of books on trains and other novelty stuff.
I was able to find a model train of a Long Island car for ~$90 which is basically what I was looking for. If you're a train nerd, I think this would be a great place for you. If you aren't into trains but need a gift for someone who does, you can probably find what you're looking for here. -
Review from Nahum M.
Morgan Hill, CA
12/18/2007
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. -
Review from Nick K.
Redwood City, CA
1/11/2008
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. -
Review from Robert N.
Sunnyvale, CA
7/8/2007
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. -
Review from Chris S.
San Jose, CA
9/21/2010
Best selection of the Thomas the Tank Engine wooden trains in the area, and at prices cheaper thank Toys R Us.
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Review from Kevin S.
San Francisco, CA
6/11/2006
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.
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Review from John F.
Mountain View, CA
11/6/2010
Really the only decent train ship in the area as the little hobby shops just don't cut it. They are decently friendly here and have great knowledge of their product. Can be a little pricey on some items but most of it is of excellent quality. We really like this place and recommend them if you are looking for train items.
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Review from Chris B.
7/11/2007 6 Check-ins Here
The best model train store in the Bay Area. Maybe all of California!
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Review from Rachel R.
Santa Clara, CA
2/25/2006
It's a store entirely devoted to model trains! If that's what you're looking for, you'll love it.
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Review from Eric N.
San Jose, CA
3/28/2011
Incredible selection of stuff for scale model-making in addition to the trains. They also have a great selection of Dremel tool bits.
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Review from Mitch S.
Santa Clara, CA
1/2/2011
A must-see place for any rail fan. That should say it all.
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Review from jackson s.
San Anselmo, CA
7/14/2008
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.
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Review from J in SJ J.
San Jose, CA
1/27/2010
The owner (pretty sure he is the owner) has been helpful as well as some younger guy and lady who works there, so those folks get an A+ from me. Both are extremely helpful.
I have found the prices right there with prices I have found online (Ebay), if not cheaper, as well as a good selection of stock. They can compete with just about anyone in my opinion.
The service needs improvement and I think the owner needs to have a team huddle with his sales reps and get on the same page. Some of these guys working there are not only not helpful they are rude like the fellow I was dealing with a couple weeks ago.
Perhaps the fellow I was dealing with was just ignorant of proper customer interaction. In my case I was having a problem with my indoor layout and needed to buy a transformer that had a bit more power, but not something like I'd use for my larger outdoor use. I hadn't purchased a new transformer in years and simply didn't have a good grasp of the newer models available. This guy didn't have problems chatting it up with anyone over the age of 60, but when I explained what I was looking for he pointed me to the transformer isle. When a fellow next to me, who came in after me, asked him about a transformer he quickly came out from behind the counter to help him. (can I help your sir while I ignore the guy who is standing right next to you and who came in before you as well as has been standing 5 feet from me for the last 10 minutes, whom I will then let struggle for another 15 minutes?) He brushed his finger across the stock of transformers and before I could turn my head to ask him a question he was already back at his roost fiddling with something behind the counter. Had no interest in discussing additional questions I had regarding my setup, just didn't want to listen. So, I'm sitting there looking over the transformers that he brushed his finger over and we have everything from a tranformer that will run a kiddie train all way to a transformer that will run a layout the size of half of all of the backyards in my neighborhood combined. At that point I just grabbed a transformer that luckily worked out for me. (great price I might add, $15 cheaper than anything in the same model online after I got home)
I left with a sense that someone just gave me some serious attitude........ because someone just gave me some serious attitude.
When you are in the front of the store with customers you should be prepared to answer the same questions every day. You should also be prepared to answer questions that are very basic, what you personally deem "stupid" and treat people with respect (chuckle after the customer leaves, not before). If all of this annoys you, then either put up with it with a smile on your mug or do something else.
I have been collecting and running trains for over 30 years and the model train community is overall one made up of fairly warm people willing to help just about anyone, new or old to the community. The guy I was dealing with is what I believe to be a rare bird in our community. What I have seen with this particular representative at this store is not indicative of the model train community as a whole, so don't let a bad experience there turn you off.
It's important for any of us in the hobby to keep ALL of our Bay Area train stores running not only for us but for future generations. Considering the excellent service I've had from the owner and the other two folks there I will definitely be back to purchase more stock, parts and other needs as I have in the past 60 days.
