by Ted Sparrow | Jun 27, 2013 | HobbyTown, Trains
There are so many HobbyTown Texas train sets available for purchase today, how do you know which one is the top of the line? Although you aren’t required to purchase a set to begin with model railroading, most people prefer to. While some sets are better than others, the best set is the one that meets all of your needs.
Before you start shopping, here are a few tips to help you narrow your search.
1. Size Does Matter – What Size Is The Best?
®2010 Ryan C Kunkle, licensed to About.com, Inc.
All model trains are made to one of several common scales. This is the proportion to the prototype, or real trains. In general, hobby standards mean that trains of the same scale will work together without problems. So if you buy an HO scale set from Athearn, you can buy an extra freight car from Atlas and add it to your train with no problems.
Some manufacturers do have proprietary track systems which will not interchange with others’ and control systems like DCC can also make a difference. More on those later…
Determining which scale is best for you is really a matter of taste. Some people are drawn to smaller scales like “N” for its potential in smaller layouts. Others like the easier handling that comes with larger “O” scale trains, or the outdoor potential of “G.”
If you are buying a set as a gift for somebody else, it is helpful to know which scale they use. If you’re just getting started, you’ll want to read a little more about all of the scales before you head to the store.
2. What’s in a Name?
®2010 Ryan C Kunkle, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Model trains have been decorated for just about every railroad imaginable. From Santa Fe steam engines to Delaware and Hudson diesels – there is sure to be something out there that catches your eye. Obviously, there is no single “best” railroad to model, and just because your first set is decorated for the Union Pacific doesn’t mean you are stuck with that railroad for life.
Many modelers choose trains that they remember from their youth, or trains they see nearby. Others just go with what catches their eye. There’s nothing wrong with buying on looks and doing a little more research about the prototype later.
You’ll also find train sets decorated for other popular collectibles, including patriotic and holiday themes. These sets often have great appeal to collectors and modelers whose real interest lies in something beyond the train itself. If you’re looking for a train as a gift for someone who likes trains, you are probably better off avoiding the “Winterland Express.”
by Ted Sparrow | Jun 13, 2013 | HobbyTown, RC Cars, RC Helicopters, RC Planes
Walk into any local Dallas toy store and you will notice a remarkable amount of pink “girly” toys and very dark-colored “boyish” toys. Go back approximately two decades, although, and you may just discover this drastic separation by color was not always in existence.
The group, Let Toys Be Toys, goes around asking toy and hobby shop retailers to stop their classification of toys by gender as you can see from the image they recently tweeted showing marketing now compared to that of the past.
The photo shown above is a page from a 1976 toy catalog. Shown on the right, they placed newer toys to 2013, with similar toys in corresponding spots on the left.
The group has calculated that approximately 80 percent of play strollers and 88 percent of dolls houses in that catalog are, as you may think, pink.
When you walk in to any of our Dallas Toy Store locations at Hobby Town USA Texas, you will not notice a large amount of separation between girls and boys. We believe that anyone can play with whatever they wish. Our wide selection of hobby and toy shop items make it very easy to allow both boys and girls to enjoy our products.
Walk inside the Dallas, Rockwall and new Hurst location and you will see toy and hobby items for any and all genders. From RC Cars to Art Items, you will notice that we have toys for every age and gender. Everyone will enjoy our items and you will find anything and everything that you want right here!
We hope to see everyone in our stores very soon!
by Ted Sparrow | Jun 7, 2013 | HobbyTown
Father’s Day is vastly approaching and the search for the ideal gift to express your love to your Father has started. The question has been on every son’s and daughter’s mind for months now, “What does my Dad really want for this Father’s Day?” The answer to this problem is much simpler than you think.
The true answer that most Father’s give is “Nothing”. Personally, we used to have a Father that would state “I get whatever you want” leaving the open ended possibility of is that a trick question? Here at the top rated Dallas Toy Store, Hobby Town USA Texas, we know what Father’s want for this special day and we have plenty of it.
The weekends are a cherished time by many dad’s of all ages as a time to relax and enjoy their time off from work. Most pick up a hobby that they enjoy doing to take their mind off of that major proposal they have to complete on Monday. This is where we come in. Our life is dedicated to the hobby enthusiast. Whether you are just a modest rc car driver, a Lego master or even just a kite maniac with a passion for flying, we have your answer right here in our stores.
We have compiled a list of our top categories of products that all Father’s desperately want this Father’s Day and think that you two will enjoy what we have to offer.
No one ever has to grow up and every Father was once a boy with a sense of imagination beyond your wildest dreams. Everything that you stare at and want in our Dallas toy store, more than likely has been wanted by your Father for decades. Now is that time to make his childhood passion come back to life:
Ready To Fly RC Planes
Ready To Run RC Cars
Rocket Sets
Model Trains
This is not all that we have to offer for Father’s Day this year at Hobby Town USA Texas. As the largest Toy and Hobby Shop in Dallas, TX, we have three locations pack full of hobby enthusiast dreams. Step inside any of our three Dallas toy stores and you will see everything you need to make this Father’s Day the highlight of his life. Show Dad how much you really love him by making him become a child again.
Give him the gift of happiness that you and him can share for years to come at Hobby Town USA Texas. From RC Cars to Model Trains, and anything in between, we can help you discover your passion again with our amazing and cost effective products. Our top rated Dallas Toy Stores having everything you could ever want to make this Sunday as special as possible.
Come discover the Hobby Town USA Texas difference!
Hobby Town USA Texas
www.HobbyTownTexas.com
214-987-4744
hobbytowntexas@gmail.com
by Ted Sparrow | May 31, 2013 | HobbyTown, Other, Plastic Models
Yoda was known to say, “Size matters not.” But in accordance to the amazing scale of the life-size “Star Wars X-Wing” replica just released by Lego on May 23 in Time Square is no less impressive. Composed from 5,335,200 of the Dallas Toy Store famous Lego blocks, this is the now known as the largest model ever constructed.
“When you see the X-Wings in the movies, they look pretty big,” stated building Lego professional Erik Varszegi of the X-Wing model, which is measured at 43 feet long, 44 feet wide, and 11 feet high. “But to see this X-Wing here in real life, be able to walk up next to it and sit in the cockpit? That’s pretty incredible.”
The Lego masterpiece will stay in the center of Times Square, located in New York, from now until through Sunday May 26 as a promotion for the upcoming Cartoon Network LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles, three thirty minute long specials that are animated like the Lego Star Wars video games. You can look for the first installment, “The Phantom Clone,” to hit the air Wednesday May 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET. The infamous Lego model will then be taken apart into smaller sections that can be conveniently loaded onto moving trucks and driven cross country to the Lego masterpieces final destination in San Diego’s Legoland California. You don’t have to worry though, the gigantic toy store model has been approved to withstand multiple earthquakes and is built upon a sturdy steel foundation. Moving this amazing eyesight will be a breeze.
Christian Blauvelt/Hollywood.com
Varszegi said that legendary film company Lucasfilm allowed him temporary access to their movie archives in order to get the design specifications down for the original X-Wing models used in Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope. “From those designs we created a detailed 3-D model of the X-Wing in a computer and then skinned it over with Legos,” the Lego builder said. “So wherever that 3-D model intersected with a matrix of 1-by-1 Lego bricks. That gave us a rough shape, and then the designers went in and fleshed out any abnormalities. Once we had the finished file, we sent it to our team of 32 builders.” It only took them around 17,336 hours from the first piece to the last!
If you are wanting to set your own Guiness record, Hobby Town Texas has all of the Legos you could need to complete your scale model. We even have step by step construction of Legos available for Star Wars memorabilia. Come stop by the Dallas toy store and see why Legos are the top of the chart for children these days.
by Ted Sparrow | May 8, 2013 | HobbyTown, Plastic Models, Trains
Being known as the biggest and best toy shop and hobby shop in Dallas, Tx is one thing, but having the product line to back up that notion is a whole another ball game. Some of our favorite items to sell are from our trains, planes and automobile sections. On our blog, we have gone over our favorite new RC Cars and have touched base on our top selling planes on our Facebook page. But we have yet to speak about one of our most popular hobbies of all times, train sets.
Whether a gung-ho train enthusiast or just a passive collector, we have every thing you could possibly want in stock for your train collection. From HO Scale all the way to G, N and O Scale, we have it all. Not only do we have full complete sets for any hobby fan, we also have select trains on their own for you at one of our three convenient Dallas Toy Store locations.
Come visit Hobby Town Texas and you will find:
– Train Cars
– Train Sets
– Locomotives, Hand Cars and Trolleys
– Track and Track Accessories
– Scenery and Landscape
– Figures, Vehicles and Diorama Items
– Buildings and Signs
– Miscellaneous Railroad
As you can see the list goes on and on at Hobby Town Texas! As the biggest and best Dallas Toy Store, you can see why we pride ourselves on stocking only the finest items for our customers. Come stop by any of our three convenient Dallas Hobby Store locations and discover the Hobby Town difference!
by Ted Sparrow | Apr 29, 2013 | HobbyTown, Plastic Models
Looking for that new toy that you just can’t get at any Dallas Toy Store? Hobby Town USA Texas is proud to announce that we have the B-25J Mitchell two engine bombers from the infamous World War II. Take this 1/48 scale model and create one of the most beloved bombers of all time!
This Revell-Monogram model is a skill level 2 for intermediate modelers and is a challenge for any plastic model creationist. Using twin engines, the B-25J Mitchell is one of its kind. It incorporated the use of 5 nose mounted .50 cal. machine guns for a ground support role, allowing it to be one of the most feared and sought after bomber planes ever created.
Create your own B-25J Bomber and add this amazing plane to your collection. At Hobby Town USA Texas, we are one of the most popular toy and hobby shops in Dallas, Texas and pride ourselves on our wide variety of items available. Come in to one of our three very conveniently located shops in the Dallas/ Fort Worth Metroplex and we guarantee you will find exactly what you are looking for. As the number one Dallas Toy Store, we know we can help you find every item you could possibly want!
