Cooltrains hobbies

Shop update: we are now in the building. We are NOT OPEN yet. Looks like early November. Virus rules and regulations say no to having a grand opening event. Upon opening we will initially be doing business by appointment and later on with regular hours. Stay tuned for more announcements including the results of our fire company benefit auction.

The CoolTrains benefit auction at www.cabinfeverauctions.com will end at 5 pm on Wednesday the 16th. ALL of the proceeds from this sale will go to our local fire companies.

On Sunday September 13 th from 9 am to 1 pm Cooltrains Hobbies will be set up at the model railroad sidewalk sale in Myerstown. Thanks to Brian’s Model Trains for including us in this event. Free parking, no admission cost, just great trains and great deals. Event at 109 W. Main Avenue in Myerstown, PA 17067. Get info at 717-866-6070.

I am getting 4 or 5 calls every day. You already know the question: when are you opening? The progress on the rebuild is ongoing and finish line is getting closer. Next up the benefit auction. A live auction at the fire hall is just not possible. Cabin Fever Auctions will sell all our donated items online with all proceeds going to Hempfield Fire Company and West Hempfield Fire/Rescue. The sale will end on September 16th. Register and bid at www.cabinfeverauctions.com. Also in September we will be joining Brian’s Model Trains in Myerstown for a sidewalk sale. That event will be Sunday 9/13/20. Details to follow. See you soon!

Shop updates: electrical wiring done. Air conditioning units installed. Insulation done. New windows and doors-almost done. Main entrance will be in the rear CLOSER to the parking lot. (This is something I really wanted!) Retail gondolas and wall pegboard units in storage just waiting for installation. 325 0 gauge train cars and 25 locomotives purchased yesterday. Call it a good week for Cooltrains.

Things are moving in the right direction at the shop. The walls are all studded and things are being finalized for electrical and HVAC. We are buying inventory and fixtures like shelving, pegboard, and gondolas. Some of the cool stuff that made the shop unique will be gone (vintage glass block windows) but I think the upgrades and improvements will balance out those loses. It will be a nice mix of new and familiar when it’s all done. It’s too soon to put an opening date out there-I am hoping for September. Please contact me if you know somebody selling model kits, trains, or slot cars. Thank you!

I hope you are all keeping busy and making the best of things. I’ve had many calls the last two weeks and everybody wants to know the same thing: when will the shop be open? I don’t know. The picture is looking from the back of the shop towards the front (the ladder is by the bathrooms.) The interior was recently glass beaded to get the remaining odor out. When I was up there this week there was no smoke odor at all. Work is ongoing but the virus situation is a wild card for the schedule. The contractor thinks it will done by August. That was a before the virus estimate. I am continuing to stockpile products. I have three glass showcases and most of the shelving and wall units needed to set up again. Orders are arriving every week.

Just heard from the fire company that the train benefit auction scheduled for 3/28/20 has been postponed. I will share a new date as soon as we can get it worked out.

There were hundreds of items that had smoke damaged boxes from our December 2019 fire. It seemed foolish to just throw away all these great trains and accessories. We are partnering with Cabin Fever Auctions to hold a benefit auction on March 28th at the Hempfield Fire Department beginning at 10 am. Doors will open at 8 am for a preview of the over 275 lots that will be sold. The address is 19 West Main Street, Landisville, PA 17538. You can see pictures of all the items on the Cabin Fever web site. All proceeds from this sale will be donated to the Hempfield Fire Department and the West Hempfield Fire and Rescue Company. I hope to see many of you there!

Finally some news to share-the shop has been cleaned out and we are ready for the contractors to start their rebuild. The building will be ready sometime this fall and I plan to reopen CoolTrains Hobbies in the same location. Thank you to everyone who helped with the clean up. Stay tuned for information on an event we are planning for late March.

I will be set up with an interesting assortment of new and used products for sale this Saturday 1/4/2020 at the Keystone TCA swap meet. This event will be held from 9 am until noon at the Farm and Home Center 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, PA 17601. Small admission charge for adults with free parking. A little irony: I have a couple hundred new Lionel lock on clips but no track. And nobody wants lock ons after the holidays. Irony #2: we were out of stock on Tamiya thinner for at least 4-6 months last year. Now I have plenty but no paint...

There is not much news to share but I will give it a try. 1) the inside of the shop and contents are very heavily damaged. It’s bad. 2) I have established a temporary office down the street from the shop. If you have a product on order, a repair issue, or want to order something please contact me. 3) e-mail is the best way to contact me. There is a contact button on our web site: www.cooltrains.com... 4) the shop phone number is still working. 5) there is no timetable for a re-opening. I am waiting to hear from insurance company and contractors. Thanks to all who reached out with a kind word. Your support helped get me through a very challenging week.