VERSAILLES, Ky. (LEX 18) — The entrance to the museum portion of Nostalgia Station Toy & Train Museum fills with noise as Winfrey Adkins puts the train display into motion. The museum and store is located in a former depot, which still holds trains today. However, these locomotives are much smaller.
“I tell people that my dad got me started when I was about 3 years old,” said Adkins, the owner of Nostalgia Station. “He wanted me to have a train set, so he bought me an American Flyer train.”
Adkins has long had an interest in trains. In fact, he was contacted to help the Bluegrass Railroad Museum find a place in Versailles, and he’s been building up his museum since 1987.
“I've been interested in trains all my life pretty much,” Adkins shared. “I've been seriously collecting antique toy trains for over 50 years.”
You could say Adkins’ collection is off the rails. While the moving train set takes a lot of attention at first, there are cases lined with trains dating all the way back to the 1890’s.
“This is 1915, so that's pre-World War I,” Adkins said, pointing to some of the sets. That section is dedicated to pre-World War trains. “The engine with the guns on it is [from] 1917.”
Adkins still remembers the conversation that led to this ‘train’ reaction.
“Several friends of mine got together and, just on a whim, I just said, ‘hey, how would you all like to help me open a train museum?”
Mike Stevens was there with Adkins when the idea left the station. “He said, ‘I bought this train station and I want to turn it into a museum,’” Stevens recalled “We all turned around and looked at him, like, ‘OK, he's lost his mind.’ As it turned out it was a great project.”
Stevens has a role as the chief engineer. He’s a part of the team that works behind the scenes repairing the trains, both from the museum, and for other train collectors in the area.
“Winfrey's got clientele that bring trains in,” Stevens said. “It's a service facility, so we help him with that.”
From its services to the train and toy shop and museum, Nostalgia Station is a unique ride to visitors from around the country – and internationally – who have an attachment to toy trains.
“This is a toy, a childhood toy,” Stevens said. “To us it's a hobby.”
“It's just amazing to watch the little children and the adults too that had trains as children,” Adkins shared. “That's why we call it Nostalgia Station, because it brings back so many nice memories of their childhood no matter what age.”
If you decide to make a stop at Nostalgia Station, it’s open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and $1.50 for kids. Little ones three and under get in for free.
You can learn more about Nostalgia Station here.
