09-08-2009, 08:46 AM
While in Southern California, there are some nice state parks with camping permitted along the beaches in Orange county. If you are a member of AAA, they have some of the best resources for listings of camp grounds and the material is free to members. The camp grounds along the beaches can be hard to get into in the summer, but in mid winter, the temps are cool enough (40's at night, 60's during the day with chilly breezes) that the camp grounds probably won't be crowded.
If you will have internet access and email, go to <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.arniestrains.com/store">www.arniestrains.com/store</a><!-- w --> and sign up for their email newsletter. Arnies buys collections either from folks who have left the hobby or estates and they put the stuff out on their "deal table" at incredible discounts. Typically Athearn blue box powered locomotives are priced at $13.50 each. Recent production Athearn r-t-r locomotives will be priced under $20.00, and Genesis, P2k, and Kato will be priced @ $30.00-$35.00. "Shake the box" freight car kits and built up will sell for $3.00 each, and sometimes they put them out buy 3 @ $3.00 get the 4th one free. I bought 4 of the Intermountain Santa Fe reefer kits with the original Longs Drug Store label unbuilt for $4.95 each. I picked up a half dozen IHC passenger car lighting kits for $.99 ea. When the anouncement comes in your email of a new collection at the store, the trick is to go down asap, usually they get the collections in on a Monday or Tuesday and if you wait until Saturday to go in, they will be picked over.
If you will have internet access and email, go to <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.arniestrains.com/store">www.arniestrains.com/store</a><!-- w --> and sign up for their email newsletter. Arnies buys collections either from folks who have left the hobby or estates and they put the stuff out on their "deal table" at incredible discounts. Typically Athearn blue box powered locomotives are priced at $13.50 each. Recent production Athearn r-t-r locomotives will be priced under $20.00, and Genesis, P2k, and Kato will be priced @ $30.00-$35.00. "Shake the box" freight car kits and built up will sell for $3.00 each, and sometimes they put them out buy 3 @ $3.00 get the 4th one free. I bought 4 of the Intermountain Santa Fe reefer kits with the original Longs Drug Store label unbuilt for $4.95 each. I picked up a half dozen IHC passenger car lighting kits for $.99 ea. When the anouncement comes in your email of a new collection at the store, the trick is to go down asap, usually they get the collections in on a Monday or Tuesday and if you wait until Saturday to go in, they will be picked over.