Step into a model railroad enthusiast’s dream at Koda's Cross-Tracks, where the world of miniature railroads comes to life! This model railroad shop offers a wide range of model trains and accessories, catering to both seasoned collectors and newcomers alike. Whether you're looking to buy a classic locomotive, sell a rare piece from your collection, or customize your setup with innovative 3D printed accessories, Koda's Cross-Track has you covered. Their expert staff is passionate about every scale and era, ensuring that customers find the perfect addition to their layouts. With a dedication to craftsmanship and innovation, they’re revolutionizing the hobby, one track at a time!
The year 1980 marked the beginning of a truly special model train adventure with my dad. Our garage’s old ping-pong table became the foundation for an impressive 4x8 HO scale layout, a nightly ritual we cherished for six wonderful months. I can still vividly recall the simple joy of laying track and meticulously crafting that ramp. This shared endeavor wasn't just about model trains; it was about the deeper bond we formed, and I deeply admired his commitment, coming home from his Air Force work to indulge in our shared passion. I’d spend countless hours simply watching the trains circle, mesmerized. Yet, as childhood faded, so too did my immediate fascination; I thought I’d simply outgrown them.
Years later, a poignant discovery unfolded while helping my dad prepare for a move after my mom’s passing. My wife and I were astonished to unearth two boxes holding those very same engines and cars. Then, in 2016, following 27 years of Coast Guard service, that dormant hobby unexpectedly surged back to life. I built a couple of large layouts, though circumstances led to their eventual dismantling. What truly captivated me wasn't just the running of trains, but the intricate process of design and setup itself, including creating 3D printed accessories for my layouts.
The pandemic introduced an exciting new chapter: affordable 3D printers, a technology I’d previously dismissed as impossibly expensive. While my affection for model trains remains, my true creative fire now burns with 3D printing. Every single product I create is my own design, born from scratch. There's an immense thrill in bringing an idea to life, watching it materialize layer by layer. Observing the hefty price tags from larger companies, I realized I could offer equally high-quality model railroad shop items at a significantly more accessible cost.
My greatest hope is to one day pass on this wonderful hobby to my own grandson or granddaughter, just as my dad so generously shared it with me. Thank you, Dad.
My model railroading story began like many others when we were kids. I was about 6-8 years old in the late 1960’s, and I had an old Lionel set that had belonged to an older cousin of mine. I still have that set and it works.
When I was a teenager, I received a small AHM freight set. It had a Scotties fifty-foot boxcar and other freight cars with a circle of track. That is what got me into scale model railroading, and I ran that little set in a circle until the motor in the little Santa Fe Plymouth switcher just died. I wish I had kept it. I do, however, still have that Scotties boxcar as a souvenir of that set.
I soon discovered Model Railroader magazine and saw an ad for the local club that was having a show at an area hotel. That was in about March of 1980, and I got involved with the club (Crescent City Model Railroad Club) for a few years and even had a small layout with a friend from the club. Then Model Railroading took a back seat to other activities for a number of years. I got back into the hobby, off and on, now and then through the 80’s and 90’s but it didn’t quite stick again........ yet.
On a trip to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in December of 2012 for my wife’s cousin’s wedding, we took a side visit to the Western Pennsylvania Model Railroad Museum in Gibsonia. I picked up one of their Bowser kits of the club’s home road name Mon-Valley System. I assembled the hopper car kit when we got home. That was it, the model railroading bug bit me hard. Out came all the train stuff that had been packed away for many years. My wife helped me build a small layout in a spare bedroom. It was not very big, but it was great fun for us.
Since completing that layout, I decided I would like to get more involved in the model railroad community in my area and re-joined the local club again after many years away. We went with the attitude of trying to help and make the club better and what better way to help than becoming the club president. I served two terms as club president and then two terms as vice-president. After serving the local club I became the NMRA Division Director for the Bayou Division of the Lone Star Region, serving 4 years in that position.
During all this time as a club member and officer of the club and region, I seemed to amass a good quantity of extra new and used model railroading items. I began participating in local and regional train shows as a vendor and also buying more collections for inventory to resell. A chance meeting of Rick at a train show in Gulfport, MS, could not predict that one day we would be going into business together a few years later. Since moving to Alabama a few years ago and realizing Rick and I now lived close to each other and had both joined the local club, we became fast friends. On a recent trip to a train show in Gadsden, AL, where I accompanied Rick to promote his 3D printing business, I brought up the subject of perhaps opening a small train shop in our area. At the moment, the closest train store we have is about an hour away from us in Florida. Rick, it seemed, had also been toying with a similar idea. The next thing we knew, we were looking around for a small affordable place to combine his 3D printing business and my model train items into a small retail outlet. This is how Koda’s Cross-Tracks was born.
HOMESHOPS: https://homeshops.net Koda’s Cross-Tracks is proud to be a supplier of Home Shops high-end, highly detailed freelance model railroad freight cars, including a variety of 3D printed accessories perfect for enhancing your model trains collection from our model railroad shop.