Meet Neal's N-Gauging Trains and Sidetracked! Hobbies

Neal's N-Gauging Trains and Sidetracked Hobbies is located in downtown Staunton at 100 W. Main St. Neal Carnaby is the owner of the small business hobby store. N-Gauge is a play on the size of the trains that Neal specializes in for selling to model train enthusiasts. It is a small scale track and train. He has been at the current location for approximately 10 years.

Neal Carnaby, owner of Neals N-Gauging Trains and Sidetracked! Hobbies

For as long as he can remember, he has been fascinated by trains. Neal travels all over the country offering his products at model train shows. He's also a presenter at two shows in England using his time there to purchase items that he resells in the U.S. While some collectors may model a certain period or even a day in time to replicate their trains, Neal models the train period when engines were switching from steam to diesel. He has all of the building kits for scenery, villages and war games including working street lighting and traffic lights. He carries 3 sizes of trains the most common, HO, Lionel, the trains we grew up with, and N-Gauge, the 3rd most popular train set.

Neal also carries a large assortment of Hot Wheels, some farm toys and a few dolls along with Melissa and Doug wooden toys. Almost as if on cue, as we were ending the interview a train was heard several blocks away going through town. Neal quietly made a comment that caught Nancy's ear. So she asked, "You know what those whistles mean?" He answered, "Two long, one short, one long means the locomotive is entering a crossing, which is what the train was doing. The store is open six days a week making it convenient to stop in and see what Neal has to offer.