McKeesport Connecting Railroad HO Boxcar

[URR566]

Probably the coolest find I have had all year is this, a McKeesport Connecting Railroad boxcar. Having never actually seen one before I figured I’d share it here. I was completely unaware that these ever existed until a couple of friends introduced me to them yesterday. A now defunct McKeesport hobby shop had these cars specially produced by Mantua years ago. I am not aware of how many were made. A friend had two but he graciously gave me this one (thanks again Mike!). I’m not really a collector of older stuff but this was just too cool to pass up and I’m proud to have one even if there isn't a prototype match.

[northbessemer]

I wonder if that was Oddo's hobby shop?

Was only in there once, years ago. looking on Google street view, think it's 436 W. 5th Avenue McKeesport (looks long out of business).

They had some unusual stuff that appears from time to time, although when I ventured into the shop it was mostly common stuff, covered in lots of dust. I seem to recall they had some small plaster cast stuff. Pretty foggy on that. 

There were probably other shops back in the day. The remaining Bill & Walt's in White Oak is another possibility. They used to be on Lincoln Way, but appears they moved to the shopping center at Lincoln Way & Rt 48.

There were also these:

a shop that existed briefly on Rt 30 between North Versailles & North Huntington, only time I drove by it was closed.

a shop on 5th Ave near Rt 30 in East McKeesport, seem to recall it was mostly open around Christmas

Claber's in the Great Valley Shopping Center in North Versailles (long gone)

Might be others. Even the old MR & RMC didn't list all the hobby shops that were around.

Lots of shops existed in town areas, then moved to smaller (cheaper) places as hobbies declined. Wilkinsburg had two: Sol's sporting goods & community radio & electric (whose weathered once neon sign still exists, both on Penn Avenue. Don't think wither were in MR. I expect similar stories for many many towns.

[URR566]

Yes this is from Oddo's. Aside from the special car they also had decal sets made for the URR. They did do the plaster cars and trucks. They mostly had older stuff like IHC, Mantua, Con-Cor, Atlas Yellow Box and Tyco but they did have some newer stuff as well. I forget exactly when they closed down, but Oddo passed away and his son ran the shop briefly then auctioned the stuff off and closed down.

Bill & Walts did move last May to the new location. The new shop is narrower but longer than the previous location. They are local for me. I've got some cool stuff from there, most notably a custom 40ft boxcar for the Northampton & Bath.

The hobby shop on 30 by was Keiths Hobby Shop.