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Some Illinois shops still have the kind of model trains that grandparents remember from their own childhood. You walk in, look past shelves packed with kits and boxed locomotives, and spot a train set actually running.
This list covers four hobby shops from the Chicago suburbs to Southern Illinois and the Quad Cities where trains are still the main attraction. Looking around costs nothing, so a visit can make a cheap and easy family outing on a free afternoon.
A couple of these spots even let kids take the controls, which is a big deal for any young train fan.
1. Berwyn’s Toys & Trains, Berwyn, IL
Ogden Avenue in Berwyn has its share of storefronts, but only one where electric trains run the show. Berwyn’s Toys & Trains is a nostalgic hobby shop built around model railroading, with dolls, cars and other toys filling out the shelves.
Kids tend to stop in their tracks at the running model trains inside the store. Younger ones can poke around the wooden train sets while older builders check out the model trains, buildable models and Lego sets.
Prices are competitive, which helps when a birthday gift or a new piece of rolling stock is on the list. Parents and grandparents shopping on a budget can usually find something without stretching too far.
Plan around the schedule. The shop is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 AM to 6 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM, and closed Sunday and Monday, so a Saturday morning stop pairs nicely with errands in town.
2. Chuck’s Depot, Marion, IL
Head downstairs. That is the best advice for anyone visiting Chuck’s Depot in Marion, because the lower room holds a train layout that steals the show.
Upstairs, the shelves carry plenty of rolling stock and locomotives in HO and N scales, plus accessories to build out a home railroad. Model airplanes have a strong spot in the inventory too.
I like this stop for Southern Illinois families who want a train fix without driving to a big city. It is a straightforward, old-fashioned hobby store where the stock does the talking.
Hours are limited, so check before heading out. The shop opens Tuesday through Friday from 1:30 to 6:30 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM, and stays closed Sunday and Monday.
3. k10 model trains, Maryville, IL
Most hobby shops ask you to look but not touch. At k10 model trains in Maryville, kids get to drive trains on a huge, interactive layout.
Hobbyists can bring their own locomotives and cars to run on the layout, which turns a shopping trip into a mini club night. HO owners are welcome to run their equipment here.
For buying, the store leans heavily toward O scale. The HO selection is smaller, so O scale fans will find the most to browse.
Timing matters more here than anywhere else on this list. The shop is open only Thursday from 6 to 9 PM and Saturday from 12 to 4 PM.
That Saturday window works well for a Metro East family outing, and letting a young conductor take the throttle could become a favorite weekend memory.
4. Thunder Road Hobbies, Moline, IL
Trains share the spotlight with race cars at Thunder Road Hobbies in Moline, and that mix is exactly why it made the list. The shop specializes in RC vehicles, model kits and trains, with onsite racing tracks.
Families with little ones will appreciate the train display, which is a hit with kids. Older hobbyists can browse a good variety of plastic model kits, RC vehicles and parts, along with supplies for building slot cars.
The staff is friendly, and RC prices are fair for Quad Cities shoppers.
Saturday morning through afternoon is the busiest stretch, while Monday morning tends to be quiet. Hours run Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 11 AM to 7 PM, Thursday from 12 to 7 PM, Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday from 12 to 4 PM, with Wednesday closed.
Between the tracks and the train display, a single stop can keep both car fans and train fans in the family happy.
