Winnipeg Model Railroad Club mourns death of former member Dan Kirlin

This most recent picture of Dan Kirin was taken in 2015 at the S Scale Can-Am Social in Lowbanks, Ontario. Dan is in the second row, between the man in the white shirt and the man in the beige shirt. 

We just received news that former WMRC member Dan Kirlin passed away yesterday. He suffered a massive heart attack while he was mowing his lawn. He would've bee n60 years old in October. 

Mike Salfi, a friend of Dan's, reported on the CanModTrains chat group that Dan had been short of breath and had gone to the doctor. He was told that his heart was strong  but he had a defective valve, which was to be replaced later this summer. 

Dan was a very active member of the club in the late 80's and in the 90's. He was one of the few S gauge enthusiasts in the club. He and the late Al Meacham started an S gauge modular group which they displayed at several of the WMRC's open houses.  

While he lived in Winnipeg, he worked as a manager for a local Red Lobster restaurant. He also opened a hobby shop called Kirlin Scale Models in St. Boniface. Dan closed his shop and moved to southern Ontario, where he continued Kirlin Scale Models as a mail-order operation. Local model railroader and former WMRC member John Morris, operator of Morris Locomotive Works, was known to do business with him. 

Andy Malette, one of the members of the S Scale Can-Am group Dan belonged to, said, "Dan was always friendly with me and helped me when I first got into S scale. Dan was always full of ideas and projects. He was more involved in S scale in the 1980's and 1990's.  I saw some of his diesels which had won contests at an NASG convention in S Gaugian. Whenever I needed drawings and if Dan had them, I got copies just for the asking."

It's been a sad year for Winnipeg's model railroad community. Former WMRC member Brian Schuff commented on his Facebook page that former WMRC President Ken Regula and Ken Martin, former owner of Ye Old Hobby Shop and Warehouse Hobbies, have also passed away recently. 

Funeral arrangement have been made at the Henry Walser Funeral Home, 507 Frederick Street, Kitchener, Ontario. Visitation hours are on Sunday, June 26 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM and from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. WMRC member Marcel Blair will be attending the funeral. The service will take place on Monday, June 27 at 4:00 PM. To view Dan's obituary, please click here. 

 Dan Krilin (left) is seen talking to Gerry Prystai during a WMRC meeting in the early 1990's in the CN veteran's room in the basement of the Via Rail station.  

Photo courtesy of Dave Downie. 

Dan Kirlin (center) is seen talking to John Morris at the same meeting. 

Photo courtesy of Dave Downie.