These 8 Old-School Arizona Train Shops Still Have Vintage Locomotives And Track Lining The Shelves
A full-size Santa Fe 4-8-4 steam locomotive sits in a park just steps from one of the shops on this list. Inside the store, the trains are small enough to fit in your hand.
I love that contrast more than I can explain.
Arizona still has a handful of brick-and-mortar train shops. They stock HO and N scale engines, boxes of track, and the tiny parts that make a layout feel real.
One even shares space with a hardware store. Another sits on a famous Old West street, selling old trains next to handmade knives.
These are not flashy places. They’re the kind of shops where you can lose an hour reading box labels and planning a layout you might never finish.
So which one is closest to you? I’d bet at least one is an easy drive from your front door.
Pack your patience for browsing.
1. 66 Trains
Half a block off Route 66, a shop sells nothing but trains. That focus is the whole point, and it makes 66 Trains feel like a clubhouse for serious railfans.
The store specializes in HO and N scale, the two sizes most home layouts use. You can find locomotives, rolling stock, parts, and layout track without wading through unrelated hobby gear.
It also works as an authorized Walthers dealer. That matters if you’re hunting a specific kit or detail piece, since Walthers is one of the big names in scale railroading.
Then there’s the location, which feels almost too perfect. The shop sits very close to the Kingman Rail Depot Museum in a historic railroad corridor of downtown Kingman.
Nearby, a park displays a real AT&SF 4-8-4 steam locomotive with a caboose. So you can admire the giant version outside, then shop for its pocket-sized cousins a short walk away.
Plan your trip carefully, because the doors open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free street parking makes a quick stop easy, and a quick stop has a sneaky habit of turning long.
Address: 111 N 2nd St Unit C, Kingman, AZ 86401
2. Smilinjacks Vintage Toys, Trains & Pedal Cars
Pedal cars and toy trains share the marquee here, and honestly, that’s a strong opening act. Smilinjacks in Glendale caters to collectors who like their nostalgia sitting right on the shelf.
Trains are a headline item, right in the name. Alongside them you’ll spot vintage action figures, doll houses, model planes, ships, kits, and a deep supply of miniatures and accessories.
The displays are tidy, and items are clearly priced. That makes browsing feel relaxed instead of like a scavenger hunt through mystery boxes.
Prices on quality collectibles also lean friendly. For anyone watching a hobby budget, that’s a nice surprise in a world of inflated online listings.
Why leave the couch when you could just scroll? Because seeing an old engine in person beats a blurry photo every time, and this shop rewards an unhurried hour of poking around.
It’s a fun stop if your household includes both train fans and general toy collectors. Everyone gets their own aisle of memories to wander through.
Hours run Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Sundays closed. Bring a list, or don’t, and see what catches your eye.
Address: 5625 W Glendale Ave, Glendale, AZ 85301
3. Blue Flag Model Trains
Got a locomotive that’s sulking on the track? Blue Flag Model Trains in Tucson is both a model train store and a repair shop, so ailing engines have somewhere to go.
The shop’s specialty goes beyond simple fixes. It installs and upgrades DCC, the digital command control system that lets you run multiple trains independently with sound and lighting.
That service is a big deal for anyone with a box of older engines. A good DCC install can give a decades-old locomotive a second career on a modern layout.
Retail shelves hold model railroad stock, parts, and layout hardware. It’s a hands-on, traditional kind of place, built around people who actually run trains rather than just display them.
Fun fact for the curious: in railroading, a blue flag signals that workers are on or around equipment. Translation, nobody moves that train until the job is finished.
The name fits a shop where work gets done carefully. Hours are Tuesday and Thursday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Weekends and Mondays are closed. A free on-site lot makes hauling in a heavy engine much easier on your arms.
Address: 1634 S Research Loop Ste 170, Tucson, AZ 85710
4. Hobby Bench (Bell Road)
Real old-school models, not snap-together bricks, fill the aisles at this Glendale hobby shop. Hobby Bench on Bell Road is a long-standing store, and it shows in the range of stuff it carries.
Model electric trains come in multiple scales here. You’ll also find model railroad kits, scenery supplies, paints, and the crafting bits that turn a plain board into a tiny landscape.
Trains aren’t the only draw, though. The shelves also hold rockets, RC cars, planes, boats, slot cars, and kits spanning military, aircraft, cars, and sci-fi.
That variety makes it handy for families with mixed interests. One person grabs track, another grabs a rocket, and nobody waits in the car looking bored.
The store also carries unusual models that stand outside the norm. Those are the pieces you have to see in person to appreciate.
Timing helps if you like elbow room. Tuesday afternoons tend to be the quietest, while weekend days and Friday afternoons usually bring more shoppers.
Hours are generous, with weekdays running until 8 p.m. Sunday hours run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., so a lazy weekend browse is fair game.
Address: 4240 W Bell Rd # A11, Glendale, AZ 85308
5. Arizona Hobbies
Books about railroads might be the sleeper hit at this Tucson shop. Arizona Hobbies started in 1998 with a focus on model trains and railroad literature, and both still matter here.
The store ranks as one of the last in the area carrying HO and N gauge model railroading supplies. For southern Arizona hobbyists, that makes it a pretty valuable address to keep handy.
Railroad books are a real strength. The shop has earned a reputation as a wonderful source for them, with good prices and careful packing on orders.
Over time, the shelves expanded well beyond rails. You’ll now find scale models, rockets, kites, and the tools and paints that keep any project moving.
RC cars, trucks, and airplanes round out the mix. So if a family member drifts away from the train aisle, there’s still plenty to hold their attention.
An online shop pairs with in-store pickup, which helps if you know exactly what you want. Free on-site parking keeps the errand simple.
Hours vary by day, with Thursday open until 7 p.m. and Saturday running from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays and Mondays are closed.
Address: 3600 S Palo Verde Rd #109, Tucson, AZ 85713
6. Hobby Depot
Picking the right glue can feel weirdly high-stakes when your caboose depends on it. Hobby Depot in Tempe keeps the adhesives, paints, and tools stocked right alongside the trains.
The shop is packed with plastic model kits and model railroad supplies. It feels like a haven for anyone who loves building, painting, or collecting small things with big detail.
HO gauge fans get special attention here. The store carries a good supply of HO train accessories and track gear, which helps when you’re extending a layout one curve at a time.
Model car and airplane builders are well covered too. Rockets and slot cars join the lineup, so the place appeals to more than one kind of tinkerer.
Tempe makes a handy stop for East Valley hobbyists. You can swing by after work, since weekday hours run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturdays run until 5 p.m., and Sundays open from noon to 5 p.m. That’s a nice option when a weekend project suddenly needs one more piece of track.
Go with a shopping list if you’re disciplined. Go without one if you enjoy surprises and slightly fuller bags.
Address: 109 E Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282
7. The Hobby Place at Ace
Come for a box of screws, leave with a locomotive. The Hobby Place at Ace in Tucson tucks a classic old-school hobby store inside a hardware retailer, and the combo just works.
Trains are a major part of the inventory. Railroad models and accessories share space with plastic kits of classic cars, airplanes, and military subjects.
Some RC gear and tabletop gaming items round things out. Modeling supplies fill the gaps, so you can grab paint and parts in the same trip.
Honestly, the setup makes a lot of sense. Model railroaders already rely on hardware for benchwork, wiring, and tools, so having both under one roof saves a second stop.
Need a quiet browse? Weekday mornings and evenings tend to be calm, while Saturday afternoons draw the biggest crowd.
The hours are easy to remember. The doors open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., including Sundays.
That daily schedule is a gift for impulse projects. When a Sunday layout session hits a snag, this east Tucson spot can often bail you out before dinner.
Address: 7071 E 22nd St, Tucson, AZ 85710
8. Western Edge of Tombstone Trains
Handmade knives on one side, old trains on the other. Western Edge of Tombstone Trains might be the most delightfully odd pairing on this list.
The shop sits on historic Allen Street in Tombstone. That’s the famous frontier main street in a small Old West town of fewer than 1,500 residents.
Inside, the trains steal the show for rail fans. The old models are a big part of the appeal, and they make this more than a typical souvenir stop.
The knives are a draw of their own. Handcrafted blades sit alongside the train stock, which means the shop can please two very different collectors in one visit.
Here’s a fun angle for a day trip. Tombstone was a mining boomtown in the 1880s, so browsing vintage trains there fits right into the town’s love of the past.
Hours run Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays open earlier, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pair the shop with a stroll down Allen Street for a perfect slice of southern Arizona history. It’s a sweet way to end a rail-themed road trip.
Address: 427 E Allen St, Tombstone, AZ 85638