Steve Boyko asks Morgan Turney ten questions (and he gets them all right!)

Our own Morgan Turney, sporting one of his endless supply of pink hats, poses at his Canadian Railway Modeller booth at a convention.

Steve Boyko is one of our favourite bloggers. His blog, "Confessions of a Train Geek" has a wide readership, and he gave us an excellent presentation about Manitoba's grain elevators at one of our meetings.

One of the features of his blog is his "10 questions" series, modelled after the "Interesting Railfan" series in Railroad magazine. He asks each railfan 10 questions, some standard and some customized for the particular person. He's interviewed many prominent rail fans and model railroaders, including our own John Longhurst. 

Last week,  Steve interviewed WMRC Program Director Morgan Turney for this series, and it's an interesting read! Who knew that Morgan also builds bird houses? You can read Steve's interview with Morgan by going to http://blog.traingeek.ca/2016/02/10-questions-for-morgan-turney.html.

Winnipeg Model Railroad monthly photo contest deadline is drawing near

Send in a spiffy photo like this to our monthly photo contest and you may win a cash prize, and have your image published on the cover of The Lantern!

The deadline for the WMRC's monthly photo contest is only days away! You only have until midnight, March 1st to enter. This month's theme is a photograph of a model in any scale from their layout (or from anyone else's layout). 

In past contests, almost all of our submissions have been of prototypes. After all, we are the Winnipeg MODEL Railroad Club, so it's refreshing to have one of our monthly photo contests concentrate solely on the model aspect of our hobby. 

The winner will receive a cash prize and have their photo published on the cover of the March issue of The Lantern, the official publication of the WMRC. It would help the editor out a lot of the photo you submit is in a vertical format (NOT like the image used in this post). Send all entries to Robert Weaver at weaverflowers@gmail.com.

Soldering clinic to be held at Warehouse Hobbies on February 29

Warehouse Hobbies will be holding a soldering clinic on Monday, February 29 from 7:30PM to 9:30PM. They'll be covering a wide range of topics, such as safety, tools, and several techniques for connecting wire to wire, feeder wire to bus wire, feeder wire to trail, and wire to decoder.

This will be an excellent clinic for beginners and experienced hobbyists alike. If you're all thumbs when it comes to soldering, of if you don't know one end of a soldering iron from another, then this clinic is for you! If you're a veteran solderer but need help with more sophisticated techniques such as soldering wiring to decoders, then this clinic will be a great asset for you as well.

The cost of the clinic is $10.00, and that includes a $5.00 voucher for any product sold at Warehouse Hobbies. You can register at Warehouse Hobbies, 265 Rouge Road in Winnipeg, phone them at 204-837-7887, or send an email to fheadon@shaw.ca

Aaron Woloshyn displays maintenance of way car at Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's model display

An interesting entry in the WMRC's monthly model display was Arron Woloshyn's model of a MOW car, complete with an operator! It's the first of many cars that will eventually become and entire MOW train.

This was usually the second or last car on a continuous welded rail (CWR) train. The operator controls risers in the posts that help guide the ribbons of the rails off the cars that holds them onto another car that feeds them through funnel shaped rollers that drop them onto the side of the tracks.

The model started out as an ordinary flatcar. The posts and control panel were scratch built from styrene. After it was painted CN orange, decals from various sets were applied. Aaron covered the surface with ballast, as ever year on the prototype has a fairly large amount on the deck for the many miles of rail that slide over the car every time it's used.

The "'operator" was once either a mailman or a policeman. Aaron painted his shirt and feet black, painted an orange vest with stripes. To create the hard hat, he simply dipped his head in yellow paint!

Our monthly model display is open to anyone who wishes to display whatever they've been working on. It is not a contest, but the names of the modellers are collected and one is picked at random to receive a gift certificate from a local hobby shop.

To qualify for the prize, you model must show signs of assembly and weathering. Each entry must include your name and a short write-up describing the work that has been accomplished to date. Only one entry per person, please!

Suzanne Lemon wins Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's February photo contest

Former WMRC President Suzanne Lemon was the winner of the club's February photo contest. The theme was "Prairie Sentinels". Nine entries were submitted.

Suzanne received a cash prize and her image was posted on the cover of The Lantern, the official publication of the WMRC. Next month's theme is a photograph of a model in any scale from their layout (or from anyone else's layout). Entry deadline is midnight March 1, 2016. Send all entries to Robert Weaver at weaverflowers@gmail.com.

Morgan makes a "shake-a-box" kit

At our last meeting's model display, WMRC Program Director Morgan Turney submitted this "shake-a-box" kit he has been working on.  Morgan, who is also our annual model contest chair,  submitted it to serve as a subtle reminder to all of our members that our spring open house annual model contest is only two months away!

 This year's model contest special event is to make a "shake-a-box" kit, which is a slang term for any Athearn blue box kit,  but it could be any kit from any manufacturer, in any scale. Kits were once the staple of every model railroader, as they were easy to build and cheaper than buying ready-to-run models, but they have fast disappeared from the model railroading scene when prices for many ready-to-run models became cheaper than kits.

But there are still plenty of kits around, and this special event celebrates the proud tradition of actually building a piece of rolling stock! An extra ten points will be given to anyone who includes the WMRC 60th anniversary decal on their model.  If you don't have a decal, we have them for sale, and you can pick them up at our next meeting!

Make a visit to New York City's High Line Park at Friday's Winnipeg Model Railroad Club meeting

A spectacular view of New York City's High Line park in the springtime.

Our resident globetrotter Tommy Kucera will present a short program on High Line Park in New York City. The High Line was a New York Central elevated freight line serving the Lower West Side of Manhattan. Abandoned for many years, the remaining 1 1/2 miles was converted into an elevated public park, preserving many features of the old freight line. Tommy will cover the history of the line and the park as well as presenting his personal 'walking tour' of the park. 

Award winning photographer Felix Lesiuk will also give a presentation on his recent rail fanning adventures he's had with his good friend Louis Lenz. 

Please note that due to health problems, Gerrit Vanderklok's presentation on the Digitrax Digital Command Control system has been cancelled. It will be rescheduled for a later date.

The fun begins at 7:30 PM at the Charleswood Legion, 6003 Roblin Boulevard on Friday, February 12. The canteen will be open, and we'll have our ever popular model display and the 50-50 draw. Hope you see you there!

More images of the No. 1 Northern division's Free-Mo group at Trains N treasures

The No. 1 Northern Division Free-Mo groups head honcho Ian Plett has supplied us with even more images of their module layout in action at Trains N Treasures. The layout will be on display until April 1, when it will be moved for display at the WMRC's annual spring open house.

Trains N Treasures is having a pirate theme all this month, with the help of Unique Events, who are best known for their work at Boo at the Zoo. A tunnel has been added to their ride-on train layout. Attendants who come wearing pirate gear  will be entered in a contest for a family pass. 

Trains N Treasures is located at 3059 Ness Ave. Their hours are 10AM to 8PM on Saturday, and from 10AM to 6pm on Sundays. Tickets are $5, re-rides $3.50 and those under 3 free but (must ride with an adult).

Free-Mo group displays at Trains N Treasures

A CN freight comes out of a tunnel on the No. 1 Northern Division's Free-Mo Group layout.

The No. 1 Northern Division's Free-Mo Group has set up a display at Trains N Treasures (formerly known as the Holiday Express Ride-On Train). Their display will remain at Trains N Treasures until the first weekend April, when it will be set up at the WMRC's annual spring open house.

The Free-Mo Group has many members who both belong to the WMRC and the NMRA. Ian Plett, who is a dual member, is the current president  of the Free-Mo Group. He accepted an invitation to set up at Trains N Treasures from operators Maurice and Susan Dorge.

The Dorges, who also run the Manitoba Mega Train Show, set up the Holiday Express in December 2015 in the former Safeway building at 3059 Ness Avenue. It featured the popular ride-on train from the Mega Train Show in a Christmas setting. After the holidays, they decided to keep it running and change the name.

Trains N Treasures offers secure rental space for artisans, crafters, home based businesses, antiques and vintage items. If a person wants to see or purchase an item from within a cabinet, the staff will open the cabinet and complete the sale.  Twice a month a cheque or an electronic money transfer will be sent to vendors.

Trains N Treasures is open Saturday from 10:00AM to 8:00PM, and on Sunday from 10:00AM to 6:00 PM. For more information about Trains N Treasures,  go to: http://www.vectorgardentrains.ca/trains-n-treasures/

 The Free-Mo group's CN freight rolls into town on the layout on display at Trains N Treasures.