Interesting Story

I went to a hardware/hobby store today. It's probably one of the neatest stores that I've ever been to. What makes it so neat you might ask? Well, to start, it's a hardware store. Like the ACO ones you see on TV. Then, in the back of the store, is a hobby shop. They have just about anything you might want to do as a hobby there. What more could you ask for in one place? At least from a guy perspective that is.

I found this store quite a few years ago while on my way to another store. At first I saw the hardware sign out front, but then as I drove closer, I saw a sign that said they had trains and other hobby supplies also.

I've been in this store a few times as you can imagine. It's about 30 miles from where I live, but just about the closest hobby store of it's kind to me. Plus, my mom lives near this store with my sister.

As I was making my purchase today, I was helped by a friendly young man who I got to talking to. This young man admitted he didn't really know a lot about trains, but was willing to help me any way he could.

After I made him climb up a back wall to fetch the new engine I had wanted, we made our way to the front of the aisle. In this aisle there happens to be a neat layout in HO scale for viewing of model trains. It's a pretty simple layout really, Just 2 tracks that wander through some nice little hills and some structures. The tracks are parallel to each other. The closest one heads left to right. It then goes into a good sized enclosure that has a loop of track that lets it head the other way. It then comes out going right to left on the second track. The other end has a similar enclosure so the trains can just run all day.

What's so interesting about this little layout you may ask? Well, as I was talking to the young man, I found out this layout is over 20 years old. It seems that a couple of fellows came into the store some 20 years ago and told the owner that they would build a layout to show the trains on if he would simply supply the material for it. What a deal huh?

The layout has been moved at least once. It's over 20 feet long so you can imagine how hard that would be.

The other interesting thing about the layout I found out by chatting with the helpful young lad was that recently, a fellow came into the store and offered to buy the layout. He talked to the owner and offered him 5.000$ for it. The owner told the fellow he couldn't sell it for that. The buyer asked why? It was a tidy sum wasn't it? Apparently the owner just smiled and told the fellow that the layout had recently been appraised at over 12,000$. Probably a lot of that had to do with it's age and condition. The layout is enclosed in glass too.

So, there you have my interesting story. And, you now know why I like to go to this store. I would imagine any guy would be like a kid in a candy shop in this store. I know I am lol. Till next time BYE!!