Ginning Up Excitement, to Cotton Favor Hamden (Google Maps location) December 2014 & November 2017 This museum is located in one of those awesome areas in Connecticut where an invested person could spend a lot of time. Edgerton Park, all the East Rock Trails, East Rock Brewing... Yale is just a few blocks south. … [Read more...]
Torrington Area Model Railroaders
HO-HO-HO! (Scale) Torrington Area Model Railroaders, Torrington December 2014 I went through a period in 2014 and 2015 during which I tried my best to take my sons to every model railroad display worth taking them to. A friend of mine is a big train guy and had been promoting this annual display at the Torrington … [Read more...]
Amato’s Toy and Hobby
You Say Amato, I say Amayto Amato's Toy and Hobby, Middletown November 2014 Yes, there is an Amato's Toy and Hobby on Main Street in New Britain that has also been there forever. Yes, the store in New Britain is also staffed by 50+ year Amato's veterans and it was even named one of the top 25 independently owned … [Read more...]
262. Danbury Railway Museum
Hoppin’ The Turnstiles Danbury (Google Maps location) May 24, 2014 It may surprise you to learn that the Danbury Railway Museum has only existed since 1996. It just seems like the kind of place that has always been there... in the heart of Danbury and its serpentine maze of streets. Which, now that I … [Read more...]
257. Boothe Memorial Railway Society Museum
They’re Not Booing, They’re saying “Boooooooooooooothe!” Stratford (Google Maps location) October 19, 2013 I love Boothe Memorial Park. Love it silly. Quirky, historic, beloved… all that good stuff. I also hate Boothe Memorial Park. How does someone like me deal with this place? There are a slew of museums … [Read more...]
Wickham Park Train
This Place Has Everything Wickham Park Trains, Manchester April 2017 I have been to Wickham Park over a half dozen times over the last decade and had never seen the outdoor model train set up. It’s fairly new and it is located in the Sensory Garden. Maybe I’ve just been avoiding the Sensory Garden in favor of … [Read more...]
A Cardinal House Model Trails
One Cardinal Rule Here A Cardinal House Train Layout December 27, 2015 The B&B closed in 2018 or so, and the trains were on COVID hiatus, but the owner tells me he plans to bring them back in 21-22 winter. There are many lists on CTMQ. I like my lists. One such list I’ve tried to keep up with is the … [Read more...]
Connecticut Cellar Savers Fire Museum (Closed)
”Oh Fireman, There’s Somethin’ Smoking Hot On the Beach!” Portland (Google Maps location) November 29, 2014 2019 Update: This museum has closed. I’m the rare writer who starts pages with an aside. I'm pretty sure that makes me a bad writer, but don’t tell anyone. Anyway, if you live in Connecticut and have … [Read more...]
Gillette Castle State Park Train Tunnel
No Isht Sherlock Gillette Castle State Park Train Trail Tunnel, East Haddam August 10, 2014 See also: 2017 hike around the park (with tunnel again!) “There is nothing like first-hand evidence.” Sherlock Holmes in A Study in Scarlet Indeed. With so few tunnels in our small state, I can certainly … [Read more...]
Pizza Works
Where Everyone’s a Trainee Pizza Works, Old Saybrook January 18, 2014 There are approximately 7,245,900 pizza restaurants in Connecticut (+/- 7.244 million). And, as everyone knows, the best pizza in the country is made right here in Connecticut. This has been stated as the fact that it is by several prominent … [Read more...]