Keeping the Northwest
on Track
Expert repair, restoration, and custom layout work — backed by a real bench, a real community, and people who actually know these machines. The shop is secondary. The service is the whole point.
A train shop, run like a workshop
We can't beat Amazon on price. We don't try to. What we offer is what they can't: expertise, a service bench, and the kind of hands-on attention that only comes from loving this hobby ourselves.
Expert Repair & Restoration
Certified service for all major brands — diagnostics, motor rebuilds, DCC installs, full restorations. Every job gets a written estimate first and a 90-day service guarantee behind it.
See our service menu →Pacific Northwest Community
Club meets, youth "junior engineer" sessions, swap meets, and layout build-nights. The front door is always open for hobbyists who want to talk, tinker, and learn.
Meet the crew →Bench-tested before it ships
Every locomotive runs on our test track before it leaves. If it doesn't run right here, it doesn't run right at your house.
90-day service guarantee
Every repair we do is backed by our own 90-day labor warranty. Something not right? Send it back, we make it right.
Authorized on every brand we sell
We carry Lionel, Bachmann, Hornby, MTH — and we're authorized to service every one of them. Same shop, same people.
Real people who wrench on trains
We run these locomotives at home. We know Great Northern, NP, and SP&S livery by sight. Call us — you'll talk to a railroader.
From a quick tune-up to a museum-quality layout
Service is where we earn our keep. Here's the short list — see the full menu on the Services page.
Diagnostic & Tune-Up
Full electrical and mechanical assessment with written estimate before any work begins. Catches problems early.
Motor Rebuild
Full disassembly, cleaning, brush replacement, armature testing, reassembly, and break-in run.
DCC & Sound Installation
Decoder installation and programming for any locomotive. Sound decoders available. Layout programming included.
Full Restoration
Complete disassembly, cleaning, lubrication, part replacement, paint touch-up, and test running.
Custom Layout Design & Build
From wall shelves to museum-quality built-ins. We design, scope, and build layouts across the Pacific Northwest.
Maintenance Contracts
Quarterly bench visits to clean track, lubricate mechanisms, and keep your layout in running shape year-round.
A hobby is better with neighbors
We host the NMRA chapter, run monthly junior engineer sessions for kids 8–14, and keep a coffee pot on for anyone who wants to stop by and talk trains. The community isn't a marketing line — it's the whole point.
Get Involved →Our bench is the whole business
Certified service for Lionel, Bachmann, Hornby, and MTH across O, HO, N, and OO gauge. Mail-in or drop-off. Every job documented. Every repair backed by our 90-day service guarantee.
Request a Repair →Here's what we do, what it costs, and why we do it well
Diagnostics $35 flat
Full electrical and mechanical assessment. We identify the issue, document it with photos, and provide a written estimate before any work begins. Fee applies to the repair if service proceeds.
- Performance testing on DC & DCC track
- Photo documentation
- Written repair estimate
Motor Rebuild From $65
Full motor disassembly, cleaning, brush and contact replacement, armature testing, reassembly, and a documented break-in run before return. Our bread and butter.
- Brush and contact replacement
- Armature cleaning & testing
- Break-in run documented
DCC Installation From $55 + decoder
Decoder installation and programming for any locomotive. Sound decoders, keep-alive capacitors, and programming to your layout's address scheme all available.
- Sound decoder installation
- Keep-alive capacitor option
- Layout programming included
Full Restoration Quoted
Complete disassembly, cleaning, lubrication, part replacement, paint touch-up, and test running. Estate pieces, inherited locomotives, and brass restoration welcomed.
- Estate & inherited locomotive specialist
- Brass restoration available
- Paint touch-up & lettering
Track & Wiring $50/hr
Layout wiring diagnosis, switch machine repair, power routing, and DCC bus installation. On-site or in-shop.
- Switch machine repair
- DCC bus design & install
- Short-circuit diagnosis
Custom Layout Design & Build From $2,000
From wall-shelf switching puzzles to museum-quality built-ins. We'll consult, design, source, and build your layout to commission. Pacific Northwest prototype layouts are our specialty.
- PNW prototype specialty
- Scenery & structure build
- Commission & milestone billing
Weathering & Detailing Per piece
Custom weathering, airbrush work, detail part addition, and custom road name lettering. Turn a catalog locomotive into one-of-a-kind piece.
- Airbrush & chalk weathering
- Custom road name decals
- Detail part fabrication
Consignment & Appraisal 25–35%
Collectors constantly need to sell. We'll appraise, list, and sell your pieces on consignment — or make you a direct offer on estate collections.
- Written appraisals
- Estate collection purchases
- Professional listing photos
Mail-In Service +$12 handling
Ship your locomotive to us. We service it, test run it, and ship it back — fully insured both ways. A $12 handling fee covers return packaging and insurance.
- Fully insured both ways
- Photo documentation on arrival
- Return tracking included
Maintenance Contracts From $120/qtr
Quarterly bench visits to clean track, lubricate mechanisms, tune decoders, and keep your home layout running smoothly year-round.
- Quarterly site visits
- Track & mechanism cleaning
- Priority repair queue
Clinics & Classes $20–60 / seat
Monthly clinics on DCC programming, scenery building, weathering, soldering, and wiring. Junior engineer sessions for kids 8–14.
- DCC & decoder programming
- Scenery & terrain building
- Junior engineer kids' series
Club & Group Service Discounted
Dedicated pricing for NMRA chapters and organized clubs — bulk diagnostics, group clinics, and open bench nights.
- Bulk diagnostic days
- Group clinic rates
- Open bench nights
Submit a repair request
Tell us a little about what you have and what's wrong with it. We'll reply within one business day with next steps.
The Rail Yard
The place where unusual finds, production rarities, and collector-grade pieces come to rest. Items here don't last — when they're gone, they're gone.
Collector's Corner
The Rail Yard is our curated showcase for items that don't belong in the main catalog — prototype runs, factory errors that became collectibles, discontinued road names, estate acquisitions, and the occasional piece that defies easy categorization. Every listing here is hand-vetted by our team.
📬 Have a rare piece to sell or consign?
We acquire unusual, vintage, and rare items for the Rail Yard through direct purchase and consignment. If you have something worth a second look, we'd like to hear about it.
Get in Touch →About Trains Northwest
Built by model railroaders, for model railroaders.
We're a Pacific Northwest shop with deep roots in the hobby — collectors, builders, and tinkerers who believe a great train shop should be more than a catalog. The shop floor and the service bench sit in the same room for a reason. You can buy a locomotive online anywhere. What you can't buy online is the person who will actually fix it when the motor gives out five years from now.
We specialize in the brands that matter: Lionel, Bachmann, Hornby, and MTH — and we're authorized to service every one of them. We stock thoughtfully, repair expertly, and serve the Pacific Northwest community with the knowledge and care that comes from genuinely loving this hobby. Whether you're running your first starter set or commissioning a museum-quality layout, Trains Northwest is your partner from first spike to final destination.
We're not trying to outsell Amazon. We're trying to be the shop you keep going back to for the next thirty years.
Expertise
Decades of combined hobby knowledge. We know these locomotives the way a machinist knows metal.
Community
Club nights, swap meets, youth programs, and a front door that's always open to hobbyists.
Pacific NW
Built for the region — Great Northern, Northern Pacific, and SP&S heritage runs through everything we do.
Service
Every repair gets a written estimate first. We stand behind our work with a 90-day service guarantee.
We'd love to hear from you
Questions, repair inquiries, consignments, commissions — we reply to everything within one business day.
Hours
Tuesday – Saturday
10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Region
Serving the Pacific Northwest
Mail-in service available nationwide
Response Time
We reply to all inquiries within one business day.