Pittsburgher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Howard:
>
> Thanks for sharing your memories.
>
> I moved to Pittsburgh in 1989. Bill & Walts Hobby
> Shop was still in business and selling a limited
> selection of model railroad goods, but no brass.
> I mostly purchased rail magazines there. Over
> time, this hobby shop further decreased its
> selection of model railroad items in favor of
> games and comic books and finally closed all
> together a few years ago. A lawyers' office
> occupies the site now.
>
> However, you can still hop a trolley (now a light
> rail vehicle) from Mt. Lebanon to Downtown. You
> board the system at Mt. Lebanon Station, ride a
> train through a tunnel and exit the tunnel at
> Dormont. North of Dormont, you will follow most
> of the same path as the old trolley line until
> exiting the north portal of the Mt. Washington
> Tunnel where the former PRR Panhandle Bridge
> replaced the Smithfield Street Bridge to cross the
> Monongahela River.
>
> Do you still have your Tenshodo F3 set?

I believe Bill and Walt moved to the location you are talking about some time in the 1960’s and sold the business and retired some time in the 1970’s. After Bill and Walt retired the business was never the same and I stopped shopping there. The Train Shop in Santa Clara reminds me a lot of Bill and Walt’s hobby Shop with the feel of the store and the excellent selection and pricing, but the staff is not as friendly or helpful as Bill and Walt were.

Regarding the Tenshodo F3 set. I sold it along will all my other brass locomotives and cars when I moved to San Francisco in 1978. I believe the name of the hobby shop I sold them to was AB Charles in Dormont. I see they are still around, but a different and much larger location.

Regarding Pittsburgh trolleys, I love looking at this photographers collection. I especially like the winter scenes. Boy do these bring back memories of the 1950’s and 1960’s.

[www.railpictures.net]

[www.railpictures.net]