Despite some foul weather, the Time Machine Hobby Trains are still running on schedule. Rain or shine, if the store is open, the trains will run.

They are in full operation every first and third Sunday of the month from 1 pm to 4 pm. Come see as the locomotives rumble up mountains and cruise through familiar town stations. With over 5,000 square-feet of track, you can easily lose an afternoon witnessing the locomotive action. The next time they will be in action will be February 5. As always there is no admission fee, so bring the kids for some classic toy fun.

Sure the weather outside has been pretty awful lately. If it isn’t snowing, it’s raining just enough to keep you indoors. But just because it’s chilly and miserable outside doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a classic chilled treat inside. Time Machine Hobby has recently put out a selection of the classic Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine from Fundex Games.

First introduced in 1979, this nostalgic toy lets children create treats that are just as fun to make as they are to eat. Just place an ice cube in the Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine, and watch it transform into a delicious dessert with a few turns of the handle. Kids can even flavor their creations with the included Flavor-Aid or with their favorite juice or soda. Stop in to the main counter area of Time Machine Hobby to check out this toy which has been entertaining kids for decades.

At Time Machine Hobby we understand the importance of being environmentally responsible. We know that all of us have to be caretakers of our planet and we’re doing our part by offering a variety of environmentally friendly toys.

“This is an important issue for all of us,” Time Machine Hobby Consultant Dan Kline said. “There are so many toys that eventually end up in landfills, and producing new toys relies heavily on creating new raw materials. That’s why we are very excited when we find quality toys that are made from recycled materials, and are biodegradable. But trust me, we don’t skimp on the fun factor with these toys.”

A line of eco-friendly toys that is brand new to Time Machine Hobby comes from Sprig. Inspired by their collective desire to keep kids active and the planet healthy, Sprig is dedicated to infusing creativity, smart design, quality manufacturing, earth-friendly materials, product satisfaction and responsible business practices into a superior line of fun, kid-powered toys. These new toys pack a ton of fun into their eco-friendly package. We have several Sprig items to choose from including the sea plane and a variety of trucks.

“These things are pretty tough,” Time Machine staffer Dori Romancik said. “I know that some eco-friendly toys have a rep for being flimsy, but the Sprig line is tough, and really fun to play with.”

Another new line of toys gracing the Time Machine Hobby shelves comes from Wow Toys. These figures and vehicles require no batteries whatsoever. They all run on kid-power, that is you pull the vehicle backwards and it drives right out of your hands. More importantly, there are no batteries to replace, meaning there will be fewer batteries decomposing in landfills.

Stop in to Time Machine Hobby and check out the Sprig display in the main counter area, or the Wow display in the toddler area. These are just two examples of how Time Machine Hobby continues to bring you toys that children love in a way that parents can feel good about.

When one thinks of a toy or hobby store there are literally endless images that run through the mind. Action figures, dollhouses and art canvasses usually top the list. One thing that rarely shows up is books. But books are yet another item that makes Time Machine Hobby better than your run-of-the-mill toy store.

We stock a wide selection of books designed to appeal to children from toddler on up to pre-teen. There are copies of educational titles sitting right next to young adult fiction just waiting to come home with someone.

“This really is a source of pride for us as a store,” Time Machine Hobby consultant Dan Kline said. “There are so many different areas of the store that have a firm base in education that it only makes sense that we supplement that with reading material. Parents can pick up one of our science titles and read along with their kids, or they can purchase one of the Choose Your Own Adventure novels and let their children’s imagination run wild. That is pretty much our goal here; to promote imagination and learning while bringing families together.”

For the younger kids Time Machine Hobby currently has The Ultimate Truck Sticker Book and the educational Earth from Eyewitness Books. As children get a bit older they can enjoy books like For Horse Crazy Girls Only and The Rule The World.

So while some might not think of Time Machine Hobby as a children’s bookstore, just the opposite is true. We encourage anyone to come and browse the stacks near the Schleich display; we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.