Where & how to buy G scale trains?

Overview

Large scale trains can often last 20 years or more if properly handled and maintained. A number of manufacturers have gone out of business after the "golden age" of Large Scale, but many NOS (new old stock) and used items are available.

The following will provide some suggestions on how to buy, followed by a section on large scale places to buy.

How to buy:

First, you need a bit of help to understand what to look for, whether you are in person, or buying by "mail order".

New trains:

  • research the seller. If it is one that is mentioned often on forums, that's a good thing.
  • If it's a brick and mortar store, try to ascertain if it is really new, and how long it has been in stock, research if there were several versions of the loco/car and you might be buying an old version at a new version price.

Used trains:

  • parts availability is paramount, look for 3rd party companies that produce replacement parts
  • research ebay and other sources for parts availability
  • find a way to check the common wear items/problems in person or remotely

Used or new:

  • if you see the loco/car in person, look for signs of wear on the wheel, power pickups, removable or moveable parts, if mail order, get photos.
  • were there 2 or more versions of the loco/car? If so, find out the differences and spotting clues
  • manual? box? (boxes are over-rated except for shipping locos the foam inserts really prevent shipping damage)
  • research the loco/car and look for common problems/issues. a simple Google search "USA Trains F3 problems" will tell you a lot.
  • if there are common problems, it is not a strike out, are there common and easily available solutions?
  • parts availability?
  • what is the return policy?

 

Places to buy:

 

The following is a list compiled from contributions by others. I'm not responsible for the content or comments.

If you do find errors, or have a different experience, please feel free to contact me to correct or update

First: online auction sites

ebay

next, 3 different facebook sites, search for "G scale swap and shop"

 

Next: the major online sellers

RLD hobbies www.rldhobbies.com

 

Finally: brick and mortar

 

Alabama

Alaska
 
Arizona

Arkansas
 
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware

Florida

  • East Orlando - Ray's Garden Railroad - 904-854-2799 - Rob's Hobby World, 8602 SW State Road 200, Ocala, FL 32674
  • Orlando - Colonial Photo and Hobby - http://www.cphfun.com/
  • Pinellas Park - H&R Trains - http://www.hrtrains.com
  • Orlando The Hobby Spot - 6013 E Colonial Dr Orlando, FL 32807
Georgia
  • Buford - Trainmasters,601 East Main St Buford, Ga,678-546-3600
  • Lawrenceville - Legacy Station, 251 -f Hurricane Shoals Rd., Lawrenceville, Ga 
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
  • Albion - RLD Hobbies - 877-753-4629http://rldhobbies.com/332 Industrial Drive Albion, IL 62806, all large scale, wide selection, great customer service.
  • Cartersville - The Pizza & Pasta Express and Train Shop, Cartersville, IL
  • Itasca -- America's Best Trains
  • Woodstock - St Aubin Trains
Indiana
  • Tolin's KnK in Kokomo IN 403 E Arnold Ct, Kokomo IN 46902 
  • Zionsville Train Depot - 5082 West 106th Street, Zionsville Indiana 46077  https://zionsvilletraindepot.com/
Iowa
  • Cedar Rapids - Box Karr Hobbies
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
  • Annapolis - Star Hobbies
  • Bel Air - HobbyWorks - http://www.hobbyworks.com/default.cfm/Content/Stores/hs/rc
  • Cockeysville - M.B.Klien - http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/
  • Forest Hill - Forest Hill Station 
  • Fredrick - HobbyTown - http://www.htufrederickmd.com/
Massachusetts
  • Duxbury - Duxbury Green
  • Hanson - The Brass Caboose
  • Malden - Charles Ro Supply Co.
  • Orleans - Snows Home & Garden
  • Piano Works - Sandwich
  • Rockland  - Bill's Friendly Train Shoppe
  • Wareham - Hogie's Hobbies - 3103 Cranberry Hwy, Wareham, MA 02571  (Mainly on consignment.)
  • West Springfield  - Pioneer Valley Hobbies 
  • Worcester - The train Place
Michigan
  • Bridgeport - Jct Valley Hobby Shop
  • Erie - Jackie's Trains - (5 miles from Toledo, Ohio)
  • Flint - Riders - http://www.riders.com/
  • Livonia - Merri-Seven Trains - 19155 Merriman Rd, Livonia, MI 48152 - (248) 477-0550
Minnesota
  • Buffalo - Onlytrains/Carerra slots - 308 B Brighton Avenue Buffalo, Minnesota 55313 - primarily mail order, but you can visit. http://www.onlytrains.com/
  • Duluth -Carr's Hobby in Duluth
  • Little Canada - Hub Hobby
  • Richfield - Hub Hobby
  • Saginaw - Brasseur Electric Trains - http://www.traindoctor.com/
  • St. Paul - Scale Model Supply
Missouri
Montana
  • Bozeman - Mr Choo Choo Bozeman, MT (They don't stock much but will special order)
Nebraska
Nevada

New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico

  • Albuquerque - Trains West
New York
  • Brooklyn - Train World - 751 MCDONALD AVE. Brooklyn NY  11218 - 1-800-541-7010- 718-436-7072
  • Cheektowaga (Buffalo) - Niagara Hobby & Craft Mart in Cheektowaga NY - some large scale trains and some hobby supplies but is rapidly becoming more & more of a toy store
  • Horseheads - Lantz's Hobby shop (Wholesale Trains), Horseheads NY (Elmira area) A good share of the business is not in stocked trains and supplies but in drop shipping through the website.
  • Hurley - Hurley Country Store,  Hurley NY 845-338-4843
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
  • Lancaster - Smoke Stack Hobby Shop in Lancaster, OH. OK selection of large scale amongst other scales. One of the few "old timey" train shops left.Newark - G Scale Junction, Newark (Granville)
  • Newark - G Scale Junction,  Newark
  • West Chester - EnterTRAINment Junction - http://www.entertrainmentjunction.com/

Oklahoma
Oregon
  • Beaverton - Tammie's Hobbies,503-644-4535,12024 SW Canyon Rd Beaverton, OR 97005 Great Customer Service and flexible on pricing as much as they can be.
Pennsylvania
  • Broomall - Nicholas Smith Trains
  • Dubois - Fishel's Hobby Shop in DuBois, Pa. - not nearly as much as they used to carry, msrp+ on many items.... but still lots of diecast cars
  • Greensburg  - Brady's Train Outlet in Greensburg - mostly O and HO, a lot of the LS is upscale stuff. https://bradystrains.com/
  • Hermitage - Kraynak's Garden Center in Hermitage, Pa. - darn good selection, not so good prices, plus lots of toys and plants. http://www.kraynaks.com/
  • Indiana  - Whirlwind Toys in Indiana Pa - not a whole lot, but do have some buildings and sets. OK pricing. 
  • Nanticoke - Warrior Run Loco Works, 32 S. Market St, Nanticoke PA, 570-735-5570 - http://www.w arriorrunlocoworks.com
  • Pittsburgh - Brentwood Station, Pittsburgh
  • Wilkes-Barre - Walter's Hardware, Wilkes-Barre
 Rhode Island
  • Warwick - Grandma's House and Grandpa's Train Depot. 1415 Warwick Ave. Warwick, Rhode Island 02888. Phone: (401) 463-7803. Fax: (401) 463-7824
South Carolina

South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas

  • Porter - (Houston) Mikes Hobby Shop 21768 Knox Dr Porter TX 281-354-7240. Store front with very large G scale inventory including NIB discontinued items. http://www.mikes-hobbyshop.com
Utah
Vermont
  • Essex Junction - Tony's Trains - 57 River Rd #1023, Essex Junction, VT 05452, long time train store with DCC tips pages. http://tonystrains.com


Virginia
Washington

  • Belluvue - Inside Gateway,  Belluvue, Wa
  • Kirkland - Eastside Trains, Kirkland, Wa. Nice inventory of Large Scale. http://www.eastsidetrains.com/
  • Seattle - Seattle Train Center Seattle (Interbay), Wa
  • Spokane - Sunset Junction, Spokane, Wa (Not much selection)
West Virginia
Wisconsin
  • Milwaukee/Butler - Sommerfeld Trains 
  • Green Bay - Engine House Services
Wyoming

CANADA
 
 
Alberta
   British Columbia
  • Kamloops - Interior Crafts
  • Kamloops - Kelly's Kaboose
  • Langley - Eurorail Hobby Shop, all scales, European G-Scale only http://www.eurorailhobbies.com/
  • Victoria - B. C. Shaver & Hobby Shop
 
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
 
Nunavut
Ontario
  • Alliston - Hockley Valley Railroad, all scales but a large G-scale selection http://www.hvrr.ca/
  • Dundas - Dundas Valley Hobby
  • Goderich - Machan's Home Hardware
  • Port Hope - The Doll House and Train Emporium
  • Puslinch - Winona Garden Railway, exclusively G-Scale http://www.wgrr.ca/
  • Streetsville - Credit Valley Railroad, all scales, some G-Scale http://www.cvrco.com/
  • Toronto - George's Trains, all scales, fair amount of G-Scale, http://www.georgestrains.com/
  • Toronto - John's Hobby, general Hobby shop, carries a fair amount of G-Scale http://www.johnshobbies.ca/main/
  • St. Catherines - Niagara Central Hobbies
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
  • Montreal - Max Trains, G-Scale only, but is not very large, 4058 Monselet, MontrĂ©al-Nord, QC H1H 2C5 Tel: 514-322-8626 
Saskatchewan
Yukon
Weather Underground PWS KCACARLS229