vintage model train store with lots of scale collections Adjacent to Downtown Pasadena Good value and service Friendly and helpful staff read more

Old school since 1951. I've been driving by this place for decades and finally pulled over to check out the store. The workers here are true hard core railway modelers who are in this hobby for life. They have a great selection of different scale model products that are not cheap but when you love a certain hobby money doesn't mean everything. When I travel I love riding the trains in different countries and these guys also knew about all the large scale trains. read more

The Original Whistle Stop - Volkswagen collection MAR2025 - Hobby Shops Near Me - Pasadena, California

The associates here are train people. If you need anything that has to do with model railroading this is the place you need to go. They stock everything from books brass locos. They also give great advice. Everyone is great and knowledgeable. They know their business. Service and selection is excellent. read more

I've popped in here at least 3 times within the year, the first time as a curiosity to see what's changed since I was a kid, the second to show some patronage and buy some painting supplies, and the third to kill time because the wife and I were waiting for our car to get fixed. Each time the staff has been great; very knowledgeable and excited to share. Today Vic chatted with us, discussing different gauges and Ohtani's record breaking game (40/40). Afterwards, Tom picked up the conversation and gave us a tour of the back room, really getting into the nitty gritty about weathering and panel lining (I'm a Gundam guy) and acrylic vs lacquer. Prices are competitive, and honestly, even if you could save a buck on Amazon or Hobby Lobby, I'd rather give that extra dollar to this institution. read more

Very helpful people here. My son and I came in with a Scale Trains DCC locomotive which he had accidentally programmed to the wrong address. He is still very new to model trains and had no idea what to do or what address the locomotive was on. He called around and went online to get answers. Most of the hobby and train shops he called were rude or unhelpful however, this place respected that he was new to the hobby. When we got to the shop, the staff directed us to Paul, the locomotive mechanic who found the locomotive's address and tested it on their test track. We were incredibly thankful for the help and we'll definitely be coming back soon. Highly recommend this shop. 5 stars. read more

I visited three times. I'm a novice train hobbyist. First time I was impressed with the shop; bought a Bachman HO gage set. Went home, rearranged a room, built my table, went back for a little advice to lay the track. The employee (not the owner) explained at length about me needing a cork substratum into which I would fasten the track. Soon as I purchased, he added nonchalantly, that actually I don't need the cork because I have the "Easy Track" which comes with a bed, but he added, keep the cork you'll need it eventually. Got home, determined I may never need the cork or at least not for a LONG time so I returned it with the receipt two days later and got a store credit. I picked out a few items and the same employee chose an item to substitute for the store credit but it was about three dollars cheaper than the credit I was due. That's like me bringing a $50 item up to the cashier and saying yeah, it's $50., but I'm going to give you $47. Sells me an item he seemed aware was not needed then not giving full credit for the return. I will shop online from the comfort of my home. I figure the shop does not need my business or maybe they are at the end now and don't care. At least I am being objectively honest and polite so the owner has a chance to care for his buisiness properly or not. I certainly will not bother making the trip for such poor service and poor basic math skills. read more

The Whistlestop has the biggest and greatest selection of model train hobby supplies in the world. If you need it for your layout, it will be here! Plus everything you may not need. Wonderful guys helping other enthusiasts too. Fred, the owner has 40 years under this roof. He let slip that the Gucci patriarch has a huge layout and he has visited. Worth a road trip if trains are your thing. read more

I visited the shop in April 2023 to help my 10-year-old son gather materials for his school Mission project. We ended up purchasing around $100 worth of landscape materials, plastic roofing, pre-made trees, etc., some of which I was certain we would not use. The employee who helped us informed me that anything we didn't use could be returned as long as we had the receipt and the packaging was unopened. No mention that the refund would be store credit. Cut to yesterday, May 20, 2023, when I came back to return $68 worth of unopened pre-made scale model trees. The same individual who helped us before was behind the counter, and was quick to point out the the refund I was asking for would be store credit only. I responded that he made no mention of the 'credit only' policy on our previous visit, and that I would not have purchased as much material if that policy had been made explicit. He wouldn't budge... and lost a future customer. While I appreciate the range of products available here (which is why this isn't a 1-star review), I concur with previous reviewers that the customer service here is very hit-or-miss and often not very professional. Case in point, I came in a second time not long after our original visit and had to wait over five minutes for someone to pull themselves away from a conversation in the back room to perform checkout duty at the register. Disappointing. read more

This place was quite literally jaw dropping! It's like walking into a time capsule! I am new to the hobby and Bruce was so helpful and kind! So many rare pieces that would be hard to find! Everything there is reasonably priced! I can't wait to go back! It will definitely be my new favorite spot to visit! Thanks Bruce! read more

Model trains, man, when I was a wee tike I was crazy about trains. My father lived in Pennsylvania doing much of the required 15,000 hours of research and fieldwork required for a clinical psychology Ph.D. from Michigan, and one highlight of those visits was riding a wood powered steam engine on the Strausberg Railroad line in Lancaster County. That translated to receiving my first model train set, a Lionel Guage type, by age three or four. My love affair with the hobby extended well into my high school years but I switched to the more affordable and stowable HO scale. Why? Good question. Obsession perhaps? I mean, the smallest scale trains are as expensive as fine Swiss watches, but HO was perfect because it was close to my other obsession, WW2 model tanks (1/72 scale). The cost though... Even then it was expensive. I built most of my box cars et al. from kits and consulted Model Railroader magazine for tips on weathering and constructing surprisingly realistic diaramas and train sets. Insert long lapse to adulthood. My stuff is in boxes in my mom's basement in Michigan. One day I spotted Whistle Stop driving to Poo Bah Records a few blocks away. It's harder to see their sign coming from the west because of those massive trees lining East Colorado, but since 1951 they've supplied hobbyists with the tools, pricy but purpose made accessories and related things for model train enthusiasts. See my pics for how cool their display train set is, but it was a time warp strolling the aisles. I saw old Tyco model kits (new old stock) I owned and probably still have gathering dust in that basement. The pricy "Big Boy" shows how dedicated train enthusiasts can be. At 2K you'd best be well-heeled and have tons of space to accommodate its required turn radius. read more

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Okay, so this is a train collectors paradise. Everything you could ever want and desire in building a model train or adding to one is right in this shop. It's a small shop so it not stroller friendly (they might even ask you to leave it outside because really, there's no room) and I'm still iffy if it's really child-friendly. They do have a small section for all things Thomas but it's not very much offering. Let's talk about what they do offer - lots and lots of model trains and things to help build said model trains, including miniature people, towns, stickers, and tracks. The trains themselves - CSX, BNSF, Union Pacific, and Amtrak - are expensive. One of those model trains will set you back a three Franklins, minimum. So why the five stars? Well, the customer service. The guy I spoke with was just so super helpful and he gave me a flyer to the Pasadena Model Railroad Museum, which everyone should go to. It's a small mom and pops shop but it's really for the train enthusiast. read more

This place is large and has such a wide selection. Being a woman, I couldn't help but notice the cool decor on the walls. Lots of railroad decor, but cool stuff. Not just stuff that you can find just anywhere. They have this awesome display in the middle of the second room that they have. I probably sat there in amazement for a few minutes as I watched the train going through the crafted mountains, and the detail that that was put into it such as the cattle running through the water stream. It really is a great sight. This place has older gentlemen working there, I'm pretty sure that one of them the day I was there owns the place. I really enjoyed hearing them talking with other older customers about Vietnam and the war. I didn't care that they didn't ask us if we needed help, I enjoyed listening to them and I knew that they'd stop to help us had we asked. My husband recently visited here without me the other day to purchase some stuff for our N scale model that we're making. He said that they were more than helpful there to accommodate them and give honest opinions, not just a sales pitch. Hubby says that we will be back to purchase more stuff as we go, and I wont hesitate either because I love looking at the stuff that they have in there. read more

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Absolute amazing train stop. The people there were very nice and helpful. Very broad selection of brands and scales. I'd recommend ten fold.

One of my favorites. I can wander around The Whistle Stop, looking at everything and daydreaming. 15 years ago we started a family tradition when we bought our Christmas train from these folks. The folks here are helpful, knowledgeable and very friendly. Avoid Amazon - - support places like this before they're all gone. read more

This place is my go to for model horse hobby tools and items. Great hobby sticks for hard to reach sanding, dowels of all Sizes and different types of wood, excellent foliage options, and owner is always so helpful. read more

Super friendly and knowledgeable staff to answer questions and give you helpful advice on all matters model railroad!

This place is the absolute best. I have been a hobbyist for decades, and always heard about the one and only - the Original Whistle Stop. My local in the Oakland area was The Crossing Gate - they were impressed enough by the Whistle Stop that they copied the slider- racks that hold all the parts from Grandt, Precision Scale, etc. When I moved to Los Angeles in the 80s, there were many more hobby shops, but The Original Whistle Stop always was my favorite. They had the selection and inventory- and could get just about anything. Also- they have oodles of marrow gauge stuff- wow!! With the specialty shops becoming few and far between- I strongly urge you to stop by, take a look and support this treasure. read more

The staff are friendly and knowledgable. The models from the '50s are my favourite. I think their inventory disappears pretty quick as the owner grabs up what he can find at big sales and they also get lots on consignment. read more

This is a great store. You may not think you are into model trains, but you probably will be after visiting this place. They have a terrific selection of anything having to do with model trains. Fred, the owner, knows this business better than anyone. You'll probably end up being his best friend if you visit here. He also has a great sense of humor, which is a necessity for all die-hard Raiders fans. Make sure you let Fred know you are pulling for the Silver & Black to win the Superbowl--when they next get there in the year 2024. read more

Gawd I love Pasadena. They have so many cool, local, one of a kind unique shops and this train store is one of them. My father collected Lionel trains when I was a kid and this place taps into that nostalgia with all of the classic and vintage items and memorabilia. Any train lover should stop in and visit! read more

The Original Whistle Stop - Hobby Shops Near Me - Pasadena, California

Went to this store on a Saturday. If you're new to the hobby this is not the place to go. No customer service. Employees arguing and talking about each other. Not an inviting store to shop. read more

It's hard to find a good Model train shop around these days and with many of them losing the battle VS the internet such as the case with Allied in Culver City finding one is like finding a 4 leaf clover. I've been coming to this store on and off now for almost 2 years, I'm an HO modeler, and they have a decent selection of stuff. Upon entering, there is a community board, with info on train events, and people selling (train) stuff, such as kits, layouts, trains, etc. They have trains, signs, people, buildings, scenery, kits of all sorts of scales and sizes as well as books and videos. In all the times I have come in whether to by something or just window shop, I have never had any problems with the customer service. On my last visit, I had my son with me, and they gladly turned on the train on the store Layout for him. The parking lot in the back is fairly small, but I usually am lucky enough to find street parking in front. As long as this store is still around, I'll be coming back. read more

The Original Whistle Stop - HO layout in the Shop. - Hobby Shops Near Me - Pasadena, California

I cannot reccomend this shop enough. The staff are friendly and very knowledgeable. If you have a project in mind they can help you figure out the best way to build it for your budget. The staff really love what they do and there is so much to explore in the store. Ive been to other hobby and train shops before but nothing quite like the whistle stop. Highly recommend to anyone whether they are just starting out or a very experienced enthusiast. read more

The Original Whistle Stop - Hobby Shops Near Me - Pasadena, California

Worse customer service ever. They took my money to clean and fix my engine. They cleaned and 1/2 way fixed it. They were supposed to replace a screw and realign the trucks. They wrote it on the work order and didn't do it but charged me for it. I paid to shipped. I called them they said bring in and they would fix. Drove 3 hours to bring it in. As soon as I walked in. They guy front said his guy is in hospital. I fully understand that part. But I said can I leave it and he rudely said I couldn't and he wouldn't fix it. I asked for a screw to fix it myself he said he didn't have any. I told him the guy that took in originally pulled out a bin full of screws. I mentioned that and he rudely said I don't have any go to store and find one. I reminded him I already paid them to fix and ship back. His reply was I'm not fixing it. I was looking at buying more track and some accessories that's why I made 3 hr drive there. I believe in buying local mom and pop places but this rude person just decided I should buy from Amazon instead of them. I'm sorry the owner is in hospital and hope him a speedy recovery. Without him there is horrible customer service. read more

The Original Whistle Stop - Incomplete work that paid for - Hobby Shops Near Me - Pasadena, California

The original whistle stuff is a classic model trainBusiness that sells everything from small to big and everything you need with layouts. They also are excellent at repair and even fixed my sons HO train when others said it wasn't fixable. I can't recommend shopping local enough to support this local treasure! read more

Absurdly horrible website. Disorganized and inaccurate to the point they don't actually know what's in stock and say to call. Placed such an order over the phone and they shipped me a completely different kit than the one I wanted and say they don't have the correct one in stock despite what their website says. I'll never do business with them again. read more

Great model train store. Staff is super friendly and happy to answer any questions you may have. They're also knowledgeable about the history behind certain railroads and model manufacturers. They offer a service to help you set up your layout, but are willing to answer one off questions regardless. Highly recommend this for anyone in the LA area read more

This was a very interesting shop. I've seen huge, elaborate model train sets with complex landscapes in movies and television shows, but I've never seen a shop that sold what you need to make one of them. That is where the Original Whistle Stop comes in. The store is wall-to-wall with different types of trains and accessories (from little trees to benches to people to houses and so on). I'm not familiar with what these type of items usually cost. That being said, the prices here were definitely not cheap. I've often found with specialty goods, your best bet is online, but the Original Whistle Stop provides you an opportunity to shop for many model train products in person. Parking is available on the street. read more

Amazing selection. If I were a "serious" hobbyist, this is the kind of place I'd look for. Unfortunately, the staff member who helped me was unfriendly and uninterested in being helpful. To top it off, he was sarcastic to me when I made my purchase (which included some of the stuff he said they didn't stock). I don't mind paying a little more to help out a local business, but there's no way I'd put up with that kind of attitude AND pay more. It's back to on-line stores for me. read more

Eh. It's alright. Shelves are kind of empty but they will order what ever you're looking for and can have it in 2 weeks. Alot of brass high end high priced models. The price tags match the real estate. The staff is hit or miss here. The owners really nice. read more

The staff is always very helpful, knowledgeable, and welcoming. Thanks Bill for your patience today in helping me with something as mundane as finding the correct screws for my current model railroading project, and then for the additional patience to explain to me how to thread the model to accept the correct screws. My project is coming along now, thanks to your help :-) Oh, and love all the historic artifacts at your shop. I've been by many times and even today I noticed something I hadn't noticed before. read more

I agree, Fred, that it was not good enough, thank you. Any reasonable person would think so too, if the locomotive does not run at all, even if you "did your best". Here is the YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGK9nDS_pi0 Since you cannot fix it, can I please now have my money back? read more

This shop is seriously an endangered species. For the die hard model railroad fans, this is their Mecca to pick up train and supplies. I brought my other hear to look for a train and was literally blown away by the prices of these models! Don't get me wrong, these models are very cool and well-built, but it is an investment to own these toys. They also have an amazing selection of books, videos, and DVD's to excite and soothe the train-loving soul. Hopefully, my brother will be able to find the train set of his dreams soon! read more

Good for brass and brass parts. This place is an institution for model railroading. Fred always has the part you might need for your brass locomotives and cars. read more

This store has a beautiful working train in the shop ! They have everything you can think of and more! Little trees , little people, lots of trains, books, and lots of little tiny parts. People here are very nice and very knowledgeable ! read more

I'm not a train hobbyist - dabbled a little when I was a kid - but I've always liked model trains and my young son loves trains so we stop here from time to time to look. It's a nice little store with staff that's clearly passionate about the hobby. From what I can tell they've got a nice selection of everything and can order things and also do repairs (I think the repairs are done off-site). If you're looking for a more intimate, train-specific hobby setting than some superstore can offer, then I'd highly recommend this place. The only mark down is that it of course won't have a huge on-site selection the way that a larger store would, but that goes with the territory. It's a good, old-fashioned neighborhood store, the kind that we ought to support more in this Wal-Mart era. read more

I've been to The Original Whistle Stop a few times in the past and have always been impressed with their selection and knowledgeable staff. I came in last weekend with my daughter because, like any kid, young or old, she loves trains! I was helped by Tom who took his time to explain all the details of the Power Cab DCC system. He never tried to push anything on me and gave me the pros and cons of each system available. Once I made my decision on a track set, DCC control system, locomotive, he showed me how to program the locomotive and gave me tips on how to run it and clean in. He truly has a passion for this hobby and it shows in his knowledgeability and expertise. He gave my daughter an Original Whistle Stop pin which she was super excited to get. To say the least, he went above and beyond anything I ever would have expected in customer service. I purchased another locomotive the next day and was having a hard time programming it with the DCC system. I called them up and spoke to Bill. He gave some tips over the phone and told me to bring the locomotive in any time and he would program it for me, free of charge. In this age of big box, cookie cutter stores with dismal customer service, it is refreshing to go to a shop like The Original Whistle Stop and feel like the customer is truly number one. read more

I was really looking forward to visiting this place after first hearing about it on one of the model train YouTube channels I watch. After reading some of the negative reviews about their staff and hospitality I was a little concerned about what I might experience. This place is great and the staff is as well. They are friendly and very willing to help you out. I spent about 20 minutes just talking trains with one of their employees. They also have a Thomas play set that was the perfect thing to keep my son interested in while I roamed around and looked for what I needed. Their friendliness and customer service is top notch. If you need HO or O scale parts, this is your store. read more

I had read about this place online and I was in the neighborhood. I was having my motorcycle serviced at the Yamaha dealer a block away so I figured I'd check out the store cause I wanted to ask them a question. No sooner than I walked in the front door the older gentleman behind the counter immediately looks up at me and says "Excuse me, can I help you ?" I said "I came in here to check out the store I'm interested in getting something." He rather rudely cuts me off by saying "Do you know what you want ?" I was put off by his abrupt and rude attitude and responded, "There are a few things I wanted to check out !" He immediately cut me off by saying "I'm sorry but I'm going to have to ask you to leave!" I was stunned by his rudeness as he pointed to the door. I looked around and saw other people walking around the store and I was standing there wearing my COVID mask so I wasn't sure sure why I was being asked to leave which I did. That was the first and last time I'll ever set foot in that business and I would not recommend that business to anyone. That mad was extremely rude and I wouldn't spend a dime at his establishment If this review can convince just one person never to go in there I'd feel vindicated. I don't know why I was singled out but I have nothing positive to say about that man and his business....! read more

The owner and his staff are knowledgeable and lovely. My father was a toy train enthusiast and this is the only place he'd go.