Video: This CT toy store contains one of New England's largest model train displays

Connecticut Public Radio | By Tyler Russell

Published December 18, 2025 at 10:10 AM EST

The doors of Time Machine Hobby in Manchester already transport you to another age, a classic toy store of a kind that seems extinct in the internet age.

But the stairs to the shop’s second floor hide another secret. Up there you will find one of the largest model train displays in New England.

Thousands of feet of track run through courses inspired by the real-life railroads of New York, New Haven and Hartford. And every other weekend local club members run their trains for the public to enjoy.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Federal funding is gone.

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