Time: Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25
Location: SFU
To Attend: Register!
The final presentation order has yet to be established
I am having problems inserting some of the photos but hope to resolve the issue soon.
Here Comes the Confederation Train by Ken Robertson
| Here Comes the 1967 Confederation Train |
| Summary During Canada’s Centennial Year, in 1967, a unique display train consisting of Canadian Pacific and Canadian National equipment crossed the country from coast to coast. Ken will share the Confederation Train information that he has gathered over close to 60 years of research, models that he has assembled, data provided to ORO decals and Intermountain Railway Co. and DCC/Sound installation. |
| Full Description Following is a photo of the lead locomotives of the Confederation Train. Ken built them by detailing undecorated Atlas FP7a models around 1980. At Trains 2002 Stafford Swain commented that he had never seen them modelled before. They received the Popular Vote Contest for Locomotives. The paint colours were custom blended to match available Kodachrome slides supplied by Jim Parker (North York Hobbies) along with other uncredited Internet photos. Letraset was used for the lettering. This presentation will take us through the concept of the prototype train, development of Robert Swanson’s distinct “Oh Canada” horns and any interesting anecdotes that he can recall. Kevin J. Holland published a comprehensive article in Summer 2017 Classic Trains that encapsulates the history of the Confederation project. He will give credit when credit is do. |
| Biography Ken Robertson is a consulting Geoscientist, specializing in Geophysics. He has modelled in S (American Flyer), HO, HOn3 and N scales off and on since the late 1950’s. In addition to Canadian National and Canadian Pacific he is interested in BC Rail, VIA Rail, White Pass & Yukon and Northern Pacific. He likes to research and replicate distinct Canadian railway display trains and/or special event locomotives. He assisted in rescuing CPR passenger car #52 from the Blairmore Colliery in 1983. Over the years he has been fortunate to meet and spend time with many notable railway historians, modellers and employees across Canada. |
The Pas Manitoba
by Marc Simpson
| The Pas Manitoba – A Small Division Point with Lots of Modelling Potential |
| Summary Marc’s clinic will look at the history, facilities and industries of The Pas Manitoba along with the potential for modelling this compact division point. |
| Full Description The Pas Manitoba is the southern end of the Hudson Bay Railway since the early 20th century. Originally part of the Canadian National Railways system it is now operated by the Hudson Bay Railway. This clinic will cover the history of this division point, key parts of the yard, roundhouse and engine, passenger and freight car servicing facilities. The Pas is also home to numerous rail served industries including the northernmost grain elevators in the province. The potential for modelling the yard and industries will be discussed as the relatively small yard size lends itself to use on layouts regardless of scale or prototype. |
| Biography Marc has been modelling the CN/Hudson Bay Railway since the early 1990’s. He models the Hudson Bay Railway between The Pas and Flin Flon Manitoba. He is a regular clinic presenter and has authored numerous articles in the model press. He is currently Vice-Chair of the Canadian National Railways Historical Association (CNRHA) and clinic coordinator for the RMMBC. |
Engine Driver Throttle
by John Geddes
| Engine Driver – Semi-Realistic Throttle for Prototype-Like Operations |
| Do you want to dynamically control momentum to simulate trains loads? Operate brakes like the prototype? Notch up power? Then you will want to learn about the Semi-Realistic Throttle that was recently added to JMRI’s Engine Driver. |
| Full Description The Semi-Realistic Throttle (SRT) is a new feature of JMRI Engine Driver. It allows the user to control trains in a prototypical manner in the same spirit as the ProtoThrottle. The user can set momentum, train load, braking all from the throttle. The SRT works with any decoder. In this clinic learn the basics of the SRT and see/hear that it works well with even modern sound decoders – that is, using the SRT does not compromise the complex sound algorithms of sound decoders (at least in the case of LokSound which will be demonstrated). Want to operate more prototypically but are not ready to spend $750 on a ProtoThrottle? Check out the SRT for free. |
| Biography John has been a model railroader since childhood. As an electrical engineer, he has always had a strong interest in the electronics and computer side of the hobby. Recently he has spent time experimenting with sound and prototype throttle operations while he continues to build his TransMountain Pacific Joint Line and Van Terminal layout. |
The BC Provincial Museum Train
by Timothy Horton
| The British Columbia Provincial Museum Train |
| Fifty years ago the British Columbia Provincial Museum assembled a special train to tour the province and showcase displays from the age of steam. Tim will share the story of this train and the associated BC Tourism specials, the museum exhibits, the railway equipment, and where it is now, as well as a look at modelling this historic train. |
| The equipment included engines 3716 and 1077, logging exhibits, and ex-CPR rolling stock. Tim will share the story of this train and the associated BC Tourism specials, the museum exhibits, the railway equipment, and where it is now, as well as a look at modelling this historic train. Come and learn about a very special occasion in BC railway history! |
| Biography Timothy Horton has been modelling in N Scale since 1983. He has authored seven books on the PGE/BCR and hosts regular NSMR and PGE/BCR Modellers video meets. Tim is a frequent clinician, has written numerous magazine articles and is a member of the advisory board for N-Scale magazine. He currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent for the 7Th Div PNR-NMRA. |
Model Railroad Tie Handling
by Mark Wittrup
| Model Railroad Tie Handling Clinic |
| Summary Ties are vital to a railroad but often ignored in layout modelling. Ties can add interesting detail to a layout, especially in their transport, and distribution or collection. Further, ties are everywhere and with some attention they can add important detail to a layout. This clinic will look at modelling tie handling and transport as well additional tie details that can be worked into any layout. |
| Full Description Railroad ties are integral to railroad operation and are often forgotten in modelling railroading. In any given year, millions of new ties are distributed and installed, while the same number of used ties are collected and disposed. Whether new or used, these ties need to be transported and handled, which can make for visually interesting train consists and scenes on model railroads. This clinic looks at modelling tie handling, and while largely using Canadian Pacific prototypes as a guide, these ideas are used by most railroads globally. There will also be some other uses and modelling ideas for ties described as time permits. |
| Biography Mark Wittrup is an HO scale modeller who has been modelling for over 30 years with a focus on Canadian Pacific maintenance of way equipment. Mark is an active Calgary Free-Mo participant and an independent board member with the Calgary Model Railroad Society. Mark is also the MOW editor for CP Tracks and has contributed eight articles to that magazine over the years. In his spare time, Mark is a full-time environmental consultant specializing in the environmental and regulatory aspects of mining, especially uranium mining. He has recently done work for the Cando Sturgeon West railyard expansion. |
ANALYSIS PARALYSIS IN MODEL RAILROADING
by Eric Gagnon
| ANALYSIS PARALYSIS IN MODEL RAILROADING |
| Summary ‘Analysis paralysis’ is a term often [mis-]applied to model railroaders who, for various reasons, are stymied in their pursuit of a completed layout – sometimes even a layout that gets past the initial stages! We’ll look at the what’s, the why’s and the how’s of conquering inaction and getting trains and tracks operating the way you’ve dreamed! |
| Full Description ‘Analysis paralysis’ is a catchy term, but it doesn’t really describe what’s at play here – anecdotally, this paralysis affects younger modellers over older ones. This is not intended as ageism. I, too, was young before, and the life constraints are definitely different at that phase of life: job, kids, family, money. I’ve been there! Hopefully now I’m older and wiser, and able to provide a modicum of guidance. How one modeller stopped worrying and started building a layout. I posed a question about ‘analysis paralysis’ and received 100+ responses in 18 hours. Clearly a hot topic in the minds of many model railroaders. Having carefully reviewed the responses, I’ve been able to organize this presentation into three sections. Firstly, screening out societal pressures that apply to all hobbies; threading the themes that apply to model railroading specifically; then a helping of hopefully helpful advice for going forward. I don’t want to just garner information from model railroaders, I want to provide some help. Maybe a little push to channel the paralyzed modeller’s energies to some measure of success. Dammit Jim, I’m a model railroader, not a therapist!” |
| Biography Eric Gagnon was born in Montreal, Quebec and has lived in Kingston, Ontario most of his life. Much time was spent trackside when not in school, college or practising as a medical laboratory technologist. Married with two children and three grandchildren, Eric is also an HO-scale modeller, musician, avid reader and blogger, having launched his Canadian railfan blog Trackside Treasure in 2008. Eric’s first book Trackside with VIA:The First 35 Years, published in 2011, was followed by two more in 2012: Trackside with VIA:Cross-Canada Compendium and Consist Companion. In 2017, Eric published his fourth book, Trackside with VIA – Research & Recollections, followed by his two-volume Trains & Grains series in June, 2018, then two books on Kingston’s waterfront history – Smoke on the Waterfront in November 2020, and Stories on the Waterfront in August, 2021. |
Design of the Town of Big River
by Cal Sexsmith
| Design of the Town of Big River |
| Summary Big River was a Canadian National branchline terminal in north central Saskatchewan. The main reason for Big River’s existence then and now is a series of saw mills. Other products shipped out by rail include grain, cattle and fresh fish. Big River was also the jumping off point for horse drawn freight swings, cat trains and ice road truckers taking goods into Saskatchewan’s far north. |
| Full Description Originally a company town owned by the Ladder Lake Lumber Company, Big River is not a typical Saskatchewan small town. During the World War I period the sawmill was the largest in the British Commonwealth. Unfortunately it later burned to the ground and the lumber company abandoned the town in the 1920s. Several of the company houses built at that time are still in existence and occupied. Over the years there have been at least four major sawmills at three different locations, all but the current mill were eventually destroyed by fire. The current mill. Built in the 1970s, is at Bodmin five miles south of Big River proper. There have also been many smaller mills in the area as well. There is also an active fresh water fishery operating in northern Saskatchewan that ships fish across the continent. At one time there was a fish processing plant in Big River that shipped by rail until at least the mid-1950s. While there is some farming in the area it is quite limited by Saskatchewan standards and in some years more grain was shipped in for animal feed than was shipped out. Cattle ranching and bee keeping are also carried out and hay is an important crop with bales being shipped to southern Saskatchewan especially in dry years. The Big River was dammed several miles downstream of the town and small tug boats moved log booms to the sawmill. In the spring locally made wooden barges were loaded with supplies for northern Saskatchewan and hauled to the dam by tug boats. The dam was then opened flushing the barges into the Cowan River, which flowed to the Beaver River and then to the Churchill River. When the barges arrived at their destination they were unloaded and dismantled for their lumber. The barge operators then returned home by canoe. In the winter supplies were hauled north, and fish south, by horse freight swings. The freight swings were later replaced by cat trains and eventually ice road truckers. In this clinic I will show how I used a variety of resources including railway documents, site visits, interviews with residents and the internet to recreate a map of the railway facilities and then converted that map into a track plan that will fit my space. I will also discuss how the town operates as a key part of my layout. |
| Biography I am a lifetime model railroader and retired Civil Engineer. I am a Director and Secretary of the Layout Design Special Interest Group and a Director of the Saskatchewan Railroad Historical Association. I am currently building a layout set in Saskatchewan’s forest fringe in the 1960s in a two car garage. |
Nakusp and Slocan Ry circa 1906
by Dave Marecek
| Nakusp and Slocan Ry circa 1906 : design, build and operate clinic |
| Presentation on the design and build of the Nakusp and Slocan Railway (N&S) circa 1906 Video of model railway operations from Nakusp to Sandon including barge ops at Nakusp and Rosebery |
| Full Description The Nakusp and Slocan Railway (N&S) was a historic railway in southeastern British Columbia, operating as part of the CPR from 1894 until its closure in 1988. Initially established to support the mining boom following the discovery of silver in the Slocan Range in 1891, the railway connected Nakusp to Three Forks and later extended to Sandon. Presentation will focus on the design that reflects the key operational features of the N&S circa 1906 with the primary focus on proto-operations for 3 engineers Design constraints based on modelling in G scale indoors will be discussed Design process using Trainz SW to simulate operations will be discussed Video will explore current train ops from Nakusp to Sandon including rail barge ops at Nakusp and Rosebery |
| Biography Dave has been a modeller since childhood and has modelled in O, HO, N, G and virtual scales. Dave’s models are based on historical prototype information for a specified year and he focuses on proto ops following TT&TO from Employee Time Tables. Dave is from the West Kootenays, which is reflected in his modelling. After years of modelling in G and Virtual scales, a move to a new house in Vernon has created the engineering challenge of moving the outdoor G Scale railway to a basement layout. |
Extreme(ly) Realistic Weathering
by Matthieu Lachance
| A New Approach at Extreme(ly) Realistic Weathering |
| Sometimes, you want to replicate something that can’t be done with regular model railway techniques. Follow me as I replicate a derelict kitbashed ex-CN CC&F Snowplow using armour modellers’ tricks! |
| Description With the rise of excellent armour modelling channels on YouTube such as Nightshift (Martin Kovac), we have no choice but to widen our horizons. For years, I wanted a perfect rendition of a signature piece for my layout: an ex-CN snowplow rotting away on a siding of Charlevoix Railway. What was impossible with model railroading weathering techniques is now possible by We will follow the steps to kitbash a HO Walthers Russel snowplow into a CN CC&F model built in the 1950s using 3D printed parts and scratch-built details. Then, we explore how techniques used by tabletop gaming and armour modellers to replicate extreme rust effects, chipping, crackling and peeling paint, broken windows and many other advanced methods to create an accurate replica of an old, abandoned CN snowplow. |
| Biography Matthieu Lachance is a practicing architect from Quebec City and has been a modeller for 35 years with a focus on CN and Charlevoix Railway. Since 2010, he maintains a railway modelling blog called Hedley-Junction where he shares his thoughts and work from a designer perspective. He has been a clinician at Hindsight 20/20 Virtual RPM and St. Louis RPM. |
Workin the Zed Line by Brian Stokes
| Workin’ the Zed Line: A modellable modern prototype |
| In its heyday the “Zed Line” industrial spur stretched for miles from CN’s Camrose Sub serving customers right into south central Edmonton. Today just a handful of customers remain, but the operations, equipment and industries offer great modelling opportunities. Join a former CN manager for a tour of the real Zed Line and how it could be modelled in a spare bedroom. |
| Full Description The Z-Line industrial spur is operated three times a week by “The Scona,” a regular overnight assignment based out of Edmonton’s Clover Bar yard. The motive power, rolling stock and customers all present interesting modelling subjects. For those into operations, the assignment features switchbacks and grades, short trains, diverse customers, dodging mainline traffic, and a time crunch to get the work done within an 8-hour shift. Your clinician worked as a Transportation Manager for the Z-Line’s servicing yard and spent many nights working with and shadowing the crew along the spur. We will take a tour of some of the more interesting aspects of the prototype and how it could be translated into an operations-based layout in a small space. |
| Biography Brian is a lifelong model railroader with a keen interest in prototype modelling and operations and a recovering railroad employee. His primary modelling interest is the CPR in the Kootenays in the steam-transition era, and he is currently constructing a large N scale layout based on that prototype. His railroad career included two years as a Transportation Manager for CN overseing train operations in various Edmonton-area terminals and working as a conductor across the country. |
Modelling Vancouver’s Steel Industry by Rob Badmington
| Modeling Vancouver’s Steel Industry |
| Summary Maybe Not What You’re Thinking Without belching smokestacks, the steel industry in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland offers many interesting and surprising connections with the railway industry.This clinic offers many ideas for lineside industries and open loads. |
| Description At the 2024 PNR Regional Convention, Rob gave a presentation on his New Westminster Southern layout which is based on the various railway lines that cross the Fraser River on the New Westminster Bridge. The layout is reaching the stage where switching-intensive operations are being developed. Plenty of industries line the routes, and quite a number of them are related to the steel industry. Much of the traffic is carried in open cars, leading to a variety of open loads being modelled. This clinic will show photos of many of these industrial sites, the products they handle, and how they can be represented on a layout. |
| Biography Rob has been fascinated by all things railroad since his first childhood train trip. This led to a 35 year career in the Engineering and Purchasing functions at both major Canadian railways. When not working on his model railroad, Rob edits Highball!, the 6th division newsletter, and enjoys op sessions, travelling and train riding whenever he can. |