It's a business, but the McLean Depot Train Shop, housed in the former rail depot in McLean, Illinois, also serves as a passion for model train enthusiasts. The Pantagraph newspaper in nearby Bloomington recently published a feature about the train shop and the people who keep it going. Tom Ludlam owns the shop along Route … Continue reading Toy enthusiasts fuel the McLean Depot Train Shop in the town’s former depot
Category: Toys
Decopolis store on Tulsa’s Route 66 to hold a grand opening Saturday
The second Decopolis store, located along the main alignment of Route 66 in Tulsa, will hold its grand opening Saturday. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at 1401 E. 11th St. (aka Route 66). Decopolis, dedicated to the city's celebrated Art Deco architecture, still has its original store at 511 … Continue reading Decopolis store on Tulsa’s Route 66 to hold a grand opening Saturday
Kaiser-Frazer neon sign near Mitchell disappears
A rare Kaiser-Frazer neon sign that stood for decades along Route 66 in Mitchell, Illinois, recently disappeared, and its whereabouts remain unknown. The sign was unique in that it was repainted and neon tubing installed to advertise the Town & Country Motel. But the paint job eventually peeled off, revealing the porcelain Kaiser-Frazer sign underneath. … Continue reading Kaiser-Frazer neon sign near Mitchell disappears
More about the short-lived Little Beaver Town near Albuquerque
A few days ago, Albuquerque television station KRQE produced a story about Little Beaver Town, a long-gone western-themed amusement park on the city's east edge on Route 66 that went bust after just three seasons during the 1960s. Roland Penttila, who has done a lot of research on Little Beaver Town, figures prominently in this … Continue reading More about the short-lived Little Beaver Town near Albuquerque
Midpoint Cafe helps replace child’s lost teddy bear
The owner of the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas, helped a British couple replace their child's rare Route 66 teddy bear after it became lost during on a plane earlier this month. The mother, Riane Martin of St. Helens, England, posted a message March 5 on Facebook: Bit of a long shot but does anyone work … Continue reading Midpoint Cafe helps replace child’s lost teddy bear
Volunteers try to keep Pacific rail museum open
Volunteers with the Route 66 Pacific Rail Fan Visitor Center in Pacific, Missouri, are trying to raise donations to pay off its building that is being foreclosed, according to the Washington Missourian newspaper. Robert McCaskill, spokesman for the museum, said the organization could purchase the building for $29,000. “We have one donor and we’re looking … Continue reading Volunteers try to keep Pacific rail museum open
A sweet old look to a new Waynesville building
This article was going to be primarily about a new candy shop in downtown Waynesville, Mo. More on that later. But first, it's intriguing how the shop's landlord transformed a vacant lot with a new building that manages to sport an attractive but old-fashioned look. It is Roubidoux Square at 115 N. Benton St. (map … Continue reading A sweet old look to a new Waynesville building
Man building miniature Route 66 of Legos
A man from Ozark, Mo., will re-create the length of Route 66 at the Ozark Empire Fair next month by using nothing by Lego pieces, reported the Springfield News-Leader. Kendall Yost owns more than 1 million Lego pieces, and has created miniature versions of swimming pools, race tracks, and skateboard parks with them. Yost will … Continue reading Man building miniature Route 66 of Legos
Rail museum in Kingman will likely open in late July
A room at the Amtrak Train Depot in Kingman, Ariz., will be devoted toy trains and other railroad memorabilia when when a local train club opens it later this month, reported the Kingman Daily Miner newspaper. The Whistle Stop Railroad Club repaired some broken-down toy trains and railcars, and now have them operating. More about … Continue reading Rail museum in Kingman will likely open in late July
On the road with a stuffed doll
Today, I received an email from a Spaniard taking in Route 66 with Stabri, a stuffed doll that travels "hand to hand" around the globe, documented by photos and video posted on the Internet. As of Sunday, Stabri and his companions were in Joplin, Mo. Here's another photo of Stabri at Ambler's Texaco Station in Dwight, … Continue reading On the road with a stuffed doll