Des Plaines Hobbies

Place is great for trains. The only problem is the staff can be very unfriendly. Especially the owner and his wife, the last I was there neither one asked if I needed help but they asked other people who came in after me. This has happen a couple of times.

This place is very knowledgable and is well stocked with whatever you will need! It is close to my house and easy to find since it’s in the same parking lot as the Jewel Osco. It has good parking.
As naïve as I am about this sort of hobby they are very patient and explain everything into detail no matter how silly my question is. They carry a good amount of used items which is nice to explore and buy if you arent ready to purchase everything new. Model railroading can get VERY expensive but by buying second hand I am able to afford to buy my son a few things here and there when we visit to just browse!
I had an engine fixed there, nothing major but it was done in a timely manner and I couldn’t be happier with the service and reasonable price!

If you’re into model railroading, this store should be on your list of sources. They have a good selection of buildings, rolling stock, and accessories. They also carry a full selection of paints and other ‘finishing’ tools. There aren’t many shops left with this kind of selection and with model railroading, it certainly helps to be able to hold the items in your hand to determine whether it meets your needs. Prices lean toward retail but given the other positive points, I don’t see this as a big deal. And isn’t it worth a little more to shop locally as well as having the ability to ask someone a question and get expert advice? I think so and shop here often.

Decent enough place for models, rc goods and model trains. It looks to specialize in model train supplies. Over half the store is dedicated to Lionel trains, landscaping, and train related models of cars, buildings and the like. Representation for plastic models are really minimal, and the prices seemed fairly high. The Radio control vehicle selection is even smaller, but hey, at least it’s something. Not a bad place, and it’s especially nice because there isn’t really anything else like it in the area.

My dad loves trains.
I know very little about trains.
So for one of his Christmas gifts, I ran over to Des Plaines Hobbies and bought him a book about a passenger line that used to run through the town he grew up in and a very cool HO scale Chicago and North Western bi-​level commuter car.
Why is that important? They both ended up being absolutely perfect gifts and I wouldn’t have gotten either one if it weren’t for the great advice I got from the staff in the store. It seemed that each person I talked to knew more about trains than the last one.