Electric Trains Departing Store at the Right Price

“I’ve always wanted an electric train and now I’m going to get one,” said a grinning middle-aged woman at the counter of San-Val in Van Nuys. Judging from the customers milling around this fantasy land of miniatures, she’s not the only grown-up who will set up a train this Christmas.

Even if you don’t want one, you can enjoy the eight trains in motion that you can touch and run yourself with a little help from Al Kramer and his crew. This is actually an airplane parts store, and Kramer added the trains not just because he loves them but because he was outraged at the prices many stores were charging.

So Kramer has his beloved toys around him and the prices are great. The Bachmann company offers several choices, but perfect for the holidays is the Wonderland Express, a new narrow-gauge that has a lighted locomotive with tender, a coach and combine, and an observation car.

It comes with tracks, a power pack and a video to help you set it up. It retails for $270, San-Val’s regular price is $179 and now it’s on special at $144.95. If you want more coaches, they are $19.95 instead of the $35 retail price.

The large model sets that retail for $270 are $129, and the traditional three-rail version from the 1940s and ‘50s that retail for $189 sell at San-Val for $117. Those with digital sound (just like the real thing) can go up to $299.50.

Kramer claims his is the largest selection of large-scale trains in the western United States, and that these are the lowest prices in California. Looks right to me.

San-Val Discount, 7444 Valjean Ave., Van Nuys. (818) 786-8274). Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Major credit cards.

Weekend Super Sale: It’s holiday sale time at Woodland Hills Camera starting Saturday and running through Monday. The new Go-To telescope from Meade Instrument (select a planet and you go to it) retails for $499, but the sale price here is $299. Canon has a digital camera with a built-in zoom that sells elsewhere for $499. It’s on sale here for $389.

Woodland Hills Camera, 5348 Topanga Canyon Blvd. (818) 347-2220.