One of the few hobby stores in midtown, Red Caboose specializes in model trains, diecast cars, planes, and model kits but they also have a small stock of paint, supplies, and accessories. If you really need something or are in the area, the staff seem knowledgeable and helpful although the store selection leaves a lot to be desired. A lot of stock looks old and dusty and needs attention before use. There are some new boxed sets and items but pricing is high here. read more

Red Caboose - Planes - Hobby Shops Near Me - New York, New York

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Extensive collection of trains, a few cars, and diorama things. The prices in the cars, which is what we were after, was a little steep for cars with lots of dust, some damage, and no boxes. The guy was busy selling another couple on a train set, but didn't seem to ask them any good questions till the end of his speech only to find out it was for a child, and not the gentleman. Also they have cats that roam free, and you can smell it and watch for poop. read more

Red Caboose - Hobby Shops Near Me - New York, New York

the service is horrible the guy is very rude I will not buy from this shop , over price is better if you buy from online store rather to be mistreated by the owner , instead of share knowledge or experience he is very salty , I advice not to do business In here read more

No soup for you! This guy makes Seinfelds' Soup Nazi look polite. He was sooo rude to other customers-when it was my turn to bring my item to checkout he told me "hurry up I need to leave". I walked out without buying anything. If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I wouldn't think it was real. He's a bit nuts. read more

The seller refused to give receipts for 180.00 toy train sets. It is dishonest in business

Amazing hobby store with an amazing collection. This store is a required stop every time we come the city. The owner is very knowledgeable and helpful. Don't miss this old school hobby store. Soon the hobby stores will be online so support them when you can. read more

Great service unbeatable selection! Great salespeople including delightful.young girl helping out over the summer months

A great selection of trains from all vintages. Knowledgeable owner provided excellent service.

I was very excited to check out the store. Having a place like this so accessible and not having to take any trains like the LIRR was pretty awesome. When I was looking around the owner was mid screaming match with what I assumed was a friend or coworker? When I was asking about the prices on certain cars, he copped an attitude immediately. It took me by surprise. I've been collecting for about 20 years now and most of these shops are owned by grumpy old guys who are slowly driving in the last nails to the coffin witch is model trains. As I was trying to get him to take two of the cars out of the glass case, he barked again at me about how he's closing an hour early. Then starts taking his clothes off in the corner of the store! All of this while still keeping up screaming match with this other guy. As I'm checking out gives me ridiculous prices that weren't advertised. All in all a surreal experience. I'd go again just to spectate this little goblin. Bring your friends! Oh, and the shop was a mess. A doomsday prep-per grabbing his trains and haphazardly throwing it in his bunker. Nice things if you could see past the inch of dust that's collected from not being able to sell anything. Good luck buddy. read more

Great old school brick and mortar location. Lots of plastic models and trains supplies. Great selection of airliner models (factory made). I will be back again! read more

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A great experience. The gentleman that ran the store was very kind and sincere. I took my autistic son here to pick up a BNSF engine, and they had it in stock. I was also able to find a discontinued model car kit in mint condition for myself. Sure things are a bit cramped, but it has charm. Everything was priced and clearly labeled. We ended up buying an N scale starter kit, and he walked me through the kit with a few helpful tips on how to put it together, and what ti watch out for. I will definitely return to shop again the next time I am in NYC. read more

Gonna give the red caboose a five star regardless of my experience. Ok. So I actually popped in a little while back just to get the lay of the land. Blah, blah blah I could reiterate what everyone else has said. Good and bad. But it's necessary that we preserve as many places that still cater to specialty interests and hobbies. It's more museum with the option to sell moreover than a hobby shop at this point. The two times I've been in there the individual running the shop was speaking with customers and was very knowledgeable. Yet a bit brusque. Be respectful. And understanding. However... I, on my latest visit was prepared to make a purchase. You see I was home because work was slow. I was perusing Amazon etc looking for a project to keep me occupied while I have some downtime. By the way it's January and just got really, really cold. I want to support as many brick and mortar businesses as possible. So I button up and make the trip downtown. So I get there and peruse the inventory. After a while I find something that will keep me busy for a few weeks. Here's the rub. I get to the counter and the owner( I assume) starts looking up the price. It's got a price on the side of the box but he claims it's the wrong price. I stand there patiently whilst he looks it up on his iPad. And wait. Now he's tagging on 20 bucks to the existing price on the box. The prices on most of these items are pretty high I noticed. All good. But don't try to squeeze me at the register and tell me someone put the wrong price on the box. If you'd have honored the price right or wrong I'd be sitting here working on the model. Instead I'm writing this review. read more

Yes, the owner is a bit eccentric, and does have a habit of yelling and coming off as rude. However, in the many times I have visited, and bought a Marklin engine that I couldn't find anywhere else, he was exceptionally helpful, and even fixed the engine after testing it before I left with a broken train! He has a phenomenal selection, some stuff a little old and banged up, but if you're willing to buy it, he's usually willing to get it fixed for you. I'll be heading back there for an N-scale set this month. Definitely worth a visit if you like model trains, just keep an open mind! read more

The last train store in Manhattan. Jam packed with stuff you won't see anywhere else. Alan, the owner, can seem a bit testy but he's quite knowledgeable. One of the last true hobby shops with plastic models to assemble, diecast models as well as trains in various gauges. read more

Red Caboose - Hobby Shops Near Me - New York, New York

I took my brother to this store because he's in love with trains and it was perfect! The gentleman in the store is so sweet and kind. They had a great and an amazing variety of vehicle toys and collections. Absolutely recommend. read more

This is an amazing place. If you are a serious hobbyist you will love it! If you are just looking for a toy for your kid you may not like it. It is cluttered, tight and unorganized but has so much unique and interesting stuff! Owner is authentic and so knowledgeable. read more

I've been coming to this place for several years now to get my model planes. Aside from planes there are trains, cars, ships a bunch of stuff that can be built. I did notice that the airplane section got smaller this time around. But I managed to buy what I was looking for. The orange kitty wasn't around to say hello this afternoon. read more

Red Caboose - Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner - Hobby Shops Near Me - New York, New York

Alright, I am a nerd. When my peers were out lighting their first cigarettes and getting to second base with their first girlfriend, I was at home with a plastic model lamenting at a misplaced drop of glue, a dabble of paint too many, or a poorly aligned decal. I find it oddly cathartic when I hoist up the complete product - hey, I made this. It's not a cheap hobby to get into - a model kit is not expensive, but you'll still need paint, brushes, airbrushes, thinners, cement, sanding pads, X-Acto knives, finishes, tweezers, putty and a massive chunk of your precious time to bring it to life. You also need the right place to sell this sort of stuff to you. Over the years the hobby aisle at the local Kay-Bee toys or Toys-r-us shrank, and then disappear altogether, and the same can be said about the local hobby retailers. With the advent of one-button digital modelling (Minecraft anyone? We can fire up the 3D printer to get a copy), no one wants to invest in the hobby anymore. Those who do are older folks who did it back in his youth. This place is still thriving - it's the only model shop that I know of left in Midtown. There is a galaxy of models here, for the car nerds, the plane geeks, the toy train engineers, anyone who want to fulfill their minor messiah complex. The owner is trying hard to inject new interest into the hobby - look at the blister packs of mini-models on the metallic trees lining up towards both sides of the corridor...those are Japanese Gashapons, or Trade models. Highly detailed miniatures of vehicles, pre-painted, snap-tight with somewhat accurate decals - you can cut, sand, and decal their way into something that looks rather nice in about 2 hours. When you buy them in Japan they are usually 550 Yen/blind box (You are getting one in a series, but you don't know which one it is). The owner here opened up the boxes, taped them up to form virtual blister packs, so you can see what you are got yourself into. It's a nice introduction, or rather, a "we miss you" for the old practitioners of the hobby. As a wall street geek, I thrive on the fact that speed and information advantage is life. If the owner only knew how much these Gashapon trade models or model planes are priced on eBay or online retailers, he would have made a killing online in addition to supporting the store...but yet, he runs it like his own personal toy stash. Cool, but not exactly conductive to the welfare of the place. Some of the merchandise has been sitting here for awhile in pristine condition, while others...have not. Your job, therefore, would be to cull out the diamonds, and buy, buy, buy. Come down, visit, say hello, bring a child. Buy him/her a Gashapon and indoctrinate them to the hobby - America can use a few more future craftspeople, engineers, or programmers, people who can figure things out and get things built. It all starts here. read more

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The place is really cool. They had so many old models and memorabilia for movies and tv shows. It's like a museum only you can buy they items you see. That is if you can afford it. The prices were extremely high. I get they are collectibles but the guy didn't even waver or work out a discount. He was really nice other wise and had a it to say about trains. The cat that hangs around the shop was so cute and wouldn't stop meowing lmao. All in all a great experience to see all the old trains but unless you got money go with the intent of looking not buying. read more

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I like this business because, just like real red cabooses, the brick and mortar hobby stores are disappearing. There are lots of hard to find items and you actually get to look at it before buying. It is like a museum and hobby shop rolled into one. The owner is friendly enough considering he is having to compete with Jeff Bezos and eBay, so cut him some slack! read more

Fun store to walk around and browse. Makes a good place to find a new hobby. Owner is friendly. Prices are commensurate with Midtown. Support these local stores. read more

This little hobby shop is located in the basement level of a building. You would have to walk down a steep staircase in order to get to the store. Once you're down there, you will see what this store carries. This store sells model trains, and numerous die-cast vehicles of cars, trucks, buses and more. Most are packaged, and others are not. The aisles in this store are very narrow, therefore you need to be careful when walking through so you don't knock over anything off of the shelves. Speaking of the shelves, some were organized, but others were just down right messy. You would have to look slowly through the mess to see if there would be anything that would catch your eye. Also, if you have little kids who don't know anything about collecting, you have to watch them carefully so they don't knock anything over. But what's disappointing is the fact that certain models, especially the Corgi buses, are taken out of the boxes and left out on display for sale. Those particular buses left out are priced really high. As a selective die-cast collector myself, I would never take this stuff out of the box and leave it out in the open, because this would devalue the overall quality of the product. If I really wanted to show off, I would just remove the lid of the box and just position the boxed model vehicle in a safe angle for everyone to see without removing the clear, plastic coverings on top. That's a good way to show that the model vehicle inside is still in an excellent condition. One of the key things for a hobby shop to stay alive is keeping up with the trends in the world of die-cast collecting. Unfortunately, the hobby shop in Central Jersey closed down for not keeping up with those trends. But this store does an EXCELLENT job with that because I have found CURRENT BOXED vehicles that I saw online being sold right here at fair prices. Even though I felt that those vehicles weren't necessary for my collection, I do give the owner credit and an extra star for his effort in keeping up with those trends. I noticed a sticker that says "People Love Us On Yelp". I really wish I could say the same myself, but I'm sorry that I'm not one of those lovers. This is the 2nd time I came here because I know this store is geared toward collectors like myself. But the messy shelves and vehicles being placed out of the box on display for top dollars leave me hesitant on whether or not I would return. One thing's for sure, is that I would never go out of my way solely for the purpose of coming here. read more

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Visited there today 11/12/2022 with my wife to buy a MTH Subway car, after being excited to visit this store after weeks of nonstop work. Owner was rude in a weird way, made me uncomfortable and disrespected on thinking i couldn't afford a $200 train. Kept telling me to check online and saying he felt uncomfortable after i wanted a solid price. He kept saying the price is higher because of this and that or whatever, like ok I want a price, kept showing me cheap $30 trains, not knowing that i can afford his entire stock of subway cars, But i guess ill take my money to TrainLand in Long Island or Charles Ro company in Massachusetts. This store is crammed, dusty, unorganized and owner will look at you just to judge you out of this dying hobby. I want to keep this hobby alive while this man wants it to be only for his generation. Not only that, he kept staring at my wife making her uncomfortable, like really, disrespect after disrespect. Noting but an old clown read more

In celebration of Voyager I's 36 years of travel through our solar system and beyond the heliosphere into interstellar space, I wanted to commemorate its voyage so I went to Amazon and bought a good looking replica for about $30--I did not want anything too cheap. What arrived was unexpected--a model I had to glue together and it contained like 400+ delicate pieces as if I were building the real thing. The kicker was that all the instructions, including the outside of the box were in Japanese. It has been at least 40+ years since I was into model building, but I had done quite a bit of it at that time. So I went on-line and typed in "Hobby Shops in NYC need my office zip code". Finally something good, a block away from my office was the Red Caboose--it has been in this location since 1946 and is tucked away at the end of a lobby squeezed between other businesses. I would have missed this place completely had it not been for the mp3 loop of a dull train whistle outside on the sidewalk. I followed the signage that lured me down a labyrinth of staircases, lined with miniature model trains, cars, planes, tanks and figurines. I felt like such a total kid by the time I got to the bottom of the stirs and all I could say to myself was "Wow! Are you kidding me!." Everyone needs to visit this place whether you are into model kit building or not. It is more of a museum than a hobby shop. If you bring in kids, make sure they respect his space and take the time to introduce themselves--a lost etiquette these days. However, the most interesting and peculiar thing here is the proprietor (Alex), nestled between stacks of brushes, paints, glues, and plastic parts. He is always working on something and quite fascinating--busying himself and donned with a magnifying goggles attached to a visor. He is a combination of Willy Wonka meets Rain Man-- polite, knowledgeable and immediately likeable. But do not bring your NY game face in here and start with, "I need...". You are in his world and he is part of the machinery.. It's like being transported into some inner workings of a model train set--you yourself feel miniature among the millions of pieces that go into model building and he is your eccentric guide. . There are books and so much to look at you can get lost here. It is mostly geared for model train building, but I imagine, everything that ever was has passed through this portal. I asked what I would need to put this together and he equipped me with some liquid glue and fashioned a small piece of piano wire to keep the nozzle clean. He demonstrated how the glued worked and recommended the right paint brushes and paint. It's not the kind of place you call up and ask for stuff--that might give you the wrong impression-- you need to see the brick and mortar. What every business professional in this city needs on their desk is an exact replica subway car and this is the place to come. read more

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Given the name I would have never known this place sold anything else beyond model train related products. I'm glad my co-worker invited me along. Nestled right next to the Good Burger and down a set of flights right into a cavernous basement stacked in messy rows of boxes upon boxes of model sets resides a quirky cat and it's equally quirky owner. The guy that runs this place - I kid you not - will remind you exactly of Woody Allen. He speaks exactly like him. Fast paced and extremely passionate about his craft. The same syncopation and intonation. It's crazy. I believe it's his long lost hobby shop owning, socially awkward basement dwelling brother. Don't expect crazy deals, it is midtown after all and it is a hobby shop which goes to say hobbies aren't always the cheapest things. Their selection covers mainly trains but they do have a solid offering of military models like tanks, planes, figurines etc. Their car selection seems a little out dated, but then again this place is in a hard to find basement that can only stock so much. The friendliness though of the owner is what makes browsing this place so much fun. He's sure to just randomly tell you a great story and interesting information even as you're slowly backing away towards the door. Love it! read more

I live on the West Coast and the Red Caboose is worth the trip! I always work it into any visit to the East Coast because there is a breadth and depth of stuff here you may not be able to see anywhere else in the world. It's hard to surprise a veteran collector like me, but I've found stuff at the Red Caboose that I didn't know existed. Take your time, and give yourself some time both to explore and to check out when you're ready to go. It's a busy place, but that's for good reason. Enjoy! read more

A great store with awesome stock, but the owner is rude, has no patience, and zero help for customers. I called to ask if he has the specific paint i need in stock, so i could go get it, and he literally started yelling at me, and refused to get off his ass to even look. A great store run by a complete asshole. read more

The owner is definitely old style nyc to the core, but he gets the job done if he can practically do so. There's a reason why he's one of the last of the true hobbyists store in Manhattan. And that's because he knows his stuff and sells at a reasonable price to stay open. Harshly criticized by others is common in a hobby full of perfectionist. But rather I think we should be thankful that at least one last of the Mohegans still exists in a place where we can see or touch the models that we want to buy; rather than guessing what might show up from eBay purchases. If you shop there it helps if you know what you're seeking. Otherwise you will be dazed by the mountains of stuff. And in the end tourism doesn't pay the bills so don't expect him to not be annoyed when you're not seriously there to do business. But once he gets on a roll it's amazing what valuable pearls of wisdom he's willing to share! read more

Previous reviews are spot on. This place is a mess. It looks like it hasn't been cleaned in 30 years. Unfortunately it's the only hobby shop in Manhattan. I wanted to purchase a gift, found a die cast I liked, and he tried to charge me $50 over the price he had marked. Looked online and found the same car for half the price. This dude is an absolute snake, just trying to get over on customers, especially tourists. It's a shame no one else opens a hobby shop in NYC, because this guy should close up shop. I honestly can't believe he still has customers with the way he tries to screw them over. read more

The shop had so much stuff that it was a bit too much. There was Almost no organization. I was very exited to go and when I asked the owner if he had any HORNBY model trains, I had asked because you can't find stuff, he scoffed and got really mad talking about how he would never buy from HORNBY because it was "disgusting" I get not liking a product, but at least he respectful to your customers read more

The owner curses and yells in front of customer and won't honor prices he puts on items for sale. Avoid this place. Spend your money elsewhere. read more

Horrible, just horrible. To start, everywhere you look is cluttered and dirt. I mean, really dusty and dirt. Most of the inventory has a thick layer of dust on it, and is just piled up in disorganized displays. But that is not the worst part. The owner talks to you as if he is doing you a favor. He makes you feel unwelcome and hurry you out of the store with dismissive answers and comments. When I asked him about prices, it was either a "range" or "I do not know". Is this a store or what? I tried to get the prices for a freight car set that I really wanted, but he said "I don't know, it is from a set and I would have to find it out". I asked "so, I cannot buy it?" He said "you are correct, sir". At that point I did not know if it was just a simple discrimination because he did not want to sell it to me for some reason, but later I saw many similar reviews on Google with the same outcome. I insisted because I knew the price of the item, so I made an offer and he was offended, saying it would be 3x as much. Well, I asked him the price and he did not know. What I offered was exactly the fair market price, which was very generous for products piled up and collecting dust, clearly not taken care of. Summary, stay away and do not waste your time. You can find better products and prices online, cleaner and newer. Or go to other hobby stores in Long Island and New Jersey. This guy is doing a disservice on such a beautiful hobby. read more

2.5 stars... I'm not sure if the owner of this shop has a mental disability or if he's just eccentric but don't come into the shop expecting great service. Another reviewer nailed it when he said that he's like the Soup Nazi of model trains. So if you're looking to chat with a guy who's passionate about model trains and to get his opinion, you may love this guy but if you're looking for friendly and helpful service, go elsewhere. Also if you're expecting a good deal, Red Caboose definitely isn't it. Let's back up a minute. I'm building a terrarium and need a couple little figures to put inside the little world I've created. The right figure size is the HO scale used in model train sets. From what I can tell NYC only has around 4 model train shops (1 in Queens, 1 in Brooklyn, and 2 in Manhattan). I called Red Caboose to ask if they had the specific figures I wanted and the guy said he didn't have anything organized or in the books where he could tell. He said he had a lot in stock and that I should just come by and take a look. He also went off on a tangent telling me his opinions on the Preiser brand verses the Woodland Scenics brand, it was then that I knew this guy knew his products and was passionate about quality. Preiser by the way is by far the best brand to go with and not every store carries Preiser (or much of it). For example Rudy's in Astoria deals mostly with ModelPower, and TrainWorld in Brooklyn deals mostly with Woodland Scenics. Other companies are probably fine to go with for a large train set but if you only have a figure or two to look closely at, you probably want a good quality, well painted and cast figure that only Preiser (and Vollmer) from what I can tell can provide. I arrived at the cramped, musty, and dusty basement shop that was just filled floor to ceiling with all things model train (also some cars, and some other stuff). I went to the owner to show him the photos of the figures I wanted but he refused to look at them telling me that wouldn't help. If he knew his inventory and what he's put into his shelves of course it would have helped. After I couldn't find any of the figures I wanted I asked if he could place special orders and how long it would take. He was very dismissive telling me some things would take weeks some things would be unattainable, pretty much brushing off the fact that I wanted to make a purchase. I also started looking at the price tags of everything and realized he's marking everything 15-20% above list price. Do yourself a favor and order your stuff from HobbyLinc.com, and if you don't find what you want/need online then drop by here, just know what you're walking into. read more

Well, a bit of a mixed bag. The inventory is fantastic! My 9 year old train aficionado found everything he was looking for and more. But the service was strange. The two men who work there were quite knowledgable and if we really tried, we were able to get great information from them. But it was like pulling teeth! We were almost begging them to let us pay (top dollar) for their products and ended up leaving without purchasing. When I called later to place an order by phone, the owner said he was "busy" and could not talk. I live in NY and understand that people do business very differently here than in other cities, but I still found it extremely odd to treat potential new customers that way -- especially those who were/are intent on embarking on a rather costly (frankly) new train hobby. So in short: great place with superb inventory. I get the impression that if you catch the owner in the right mood, it will be a fantastic experience. (Maybe going there during the Holiday season is not the best idea....) read more

I can't speak for the trains as I build model cars but I'll say this: a great hobby never dies and this place is a true gem. Unfortunately it's rare to find a real hobby shop these days unless you consider franchise craft stores to be in that category. I'll take a tight, dusty basement store over a pritsy franchise any day! Yes, this store is cramped & dusty, but I like maneuvering my way through the maze of highly stacked boxes of planes, trains and automobiles, and believe it or not, this place is organized in the owner's very own way. Speaking of the owner, he is very knowledgable. As for the negative reviewers, welcome to New York. Now go back to wherever you came from. read more

The good news is the models that are sold in this place are amazing. The bad news is that the manner in which product like this is displayed and cared for is like using a Porsche as a garbage truck. The proprietor is a condescending ,toxic individual who as someone else said in review of this place is the soup nazi of model trains, planes etc. Customers are ignored or subject to attitudes that are anything but friendly or intelligent It's individuals like the proprietor here that have led to Amazons success. Whatever you want...Google it, try another shop but don't subject yourself to an individual who feels like he's doing you a favor by talking to you read more

Definitely a one of a kind hobby shop. At first glance it appears that the shop hasn't been updated in ages, that the owner is a gruff hobby elitist. But neither could be further from the truth. Think the soup Nazi for trains. Start up a conversation with the owner and prepare yourself for a masters course in model rail road hobbying. He's knowledgeable, crafty, witty and smart. But don't try and convince him his methods aren't right. If there's one thing he knows, it's trains. I've been to other more organized shops but this is by far the best hobby shop in New York. Every hobbyist must experience this shop and even if you aren't into trains, you should stop by and witness a true New York character. One if a kind. read more

I found this place almost by accident, they had some window display...but where's the entrance!?!? Sure enough, the entrance will lead you to basemaent! The owner is a character to say the least, he reminded me of movie guy Woody Allen (like the other gentleman here reported) The selection of toys are somewhat all over, he has good selection of trains, new or (ab)used. Plastic models from land, naval, air, commercial. Die casts. No Radio Controled items, so be aware. There are also a cat which poops all over the place so if you have to bring your date, be aware. My only complaint was two items I bought were broken, and had to return them, and one seemed to be locally repaired (hmmm?) If you want to be certain, be sure to ask Mr. "Allen" to open up the box and inspect before leaving the store. Other than that, this is type of store that NY stays strong, small biz! read more

I understand why some people wouldn't like this place...it's like going into the basement of a toy hoarder. It's crowded, dusty and it feels like you could be crushed at any moment. But it's also got a huge selection of a wide variety of items and reasonable prices. There's also a cat who lives there. It's not as hard to find as you'd expect if you're looking for it, and even if you don't buy anything you can still get enjoyment out of the incredible collection of trains and toy cars. read more

I went to this hobby shop because my original planed one was closed. I am so glad I went. It is filled with many trains as one would guess. The store includes other items too, including planes and building sets. They are home to the NYC subway cars and they also can custom make some models with an order. I found just what I was looking for; a baggage car, two Pullman cars, and the rare lounge end car. All in a Burlington paint. If you like cats, the owner has one named Lionel! read more