The CP Holiday Train is coming to town!

All aboard for the CP Holiday train! It will be stopping in Winnipeg at the railway crossing at Panet Road and Molson Street on Monday, December 3 at 9:00PM. The stage will open on both sides. The 45 minute show will feature Terri Clark, Kelly Prescott and Sierra Noble.

The train will also be in Whitemouth at 6:45PM on December 3. It will also stop at Portage la Prairie on December 4 at 3:15 PM,  Carberry at 5:30PM, and Brandon at 6:45PM. On December 5, it will visit Virden at 10:15AM.

The CP Holiday Train program launched in 1999 and has since raised more than C$14.5 million and gathered 4.3 million pounds of food for communities along CP's routes in Canada and the United States. Every pound and dollar raised at each stop stays with the local food bank to help feed those in need in that community.

The train will arrive at the scheduled event time and depart immediately after the show. Please give yourself extra time getting to the event to compensate for crowds and traffic. Make sure to keep a safe distance of 50 feet away from the train while it’s moving so we can safely continue our journey.

All events are free. CP requests event attendees to bring money or a heart-healthy donation for their local food bank. CP is also encouraging fans of the train to donate heart-healthy food, as everyone should have access to healthy, nutritious food, regardless of circumstances. This supports the mission of CP Has Heart, a program dedicated to improving the heart health of men, women and children in North America. To date, this program has raised over C$15 million for cardiac care and research.

Winnipeg Model Railroad Club mourns passing of member Gord Stimpson

WMRC member Gord Stimpson passed away on November 21 at  St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, MB, at the age of 83.  Gord grew up in Kelwood, Manitoba and later moved to Winnipeg where he met his wife Marlene. They had three children and five grandchildren.

Gord and his family moved to Brampton in 1963. They moved back to Winnipeg in 1974.  Besides being a model railroader, Gord was also an avid singer, carpenter, outdoorsman, gardener, a pickler of fruit and root vegetables, and a lover of tropical fish.

 A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 28 at the United Church in Meadowood at 1111 Dakota Street. Donations in his memory  may be made to either the United Church in Meadowood or the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba.

Exclusive images of the CP holiday train

We have some exclusive images of the CP holiday train, taken by our intrepid photographer, Felix "scoop" Lesiuk, who caught the train heading east just outside of Winnipeg on November 14. It has both the U.S. and Canadian sections, which is why is so long and has two different stage cars.

The CP holiday will be coming to Manitoba early next month! We will be posting the schedule shortly on the site and on our Facebook page.

Winnipeg Model Railroad Club creates new members-only Facebook page

The WMRC has created a new members-only Facebook page called the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club Chat Room. This is a members-only page where we can discuss and share all sorts of topics about the hobby that we all love! But you have to be a member to join in on the fun! You can join up by going to https://www.facebook.com/groups/750121262009047/

Two models entered at Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's monthly model display

Christopher Robinson and John Bate submitted two entries for the WMRC's monthly model display this month. Christopher entered a Grand Trunk GP-38 that was originally his father's engine. He weathered it using several coats of acrylic paints. One technique he used was to apply a thick mix of medium grey paint on one side, letting it set for ten minutes, then running it under the tap with cold water.

He also installed a TCS T1 decoder, which required some cutting and filing on the inside of the shell and the chassis. He plans to install LEDs for headlights, front and rear.

John Bate submitted a N scale model of a company house (complete with an outhouse). This was a City Classics kit, which he also weathered.

Learn how to use the NMRA gauge at November's Winnipeg Model Railroad Club meeting

WMRC Past President Larry Leavens will demonstrate how to use the NMRA gauge. When building a model railroad, clearances are an important part of the design. The NMRA clearance gauge is a handy tool to have to easily measure them. It is useful to ensure steps and other low hanging parts of your train will clear buildings and scenery along the line. It is also used to fine tune your track work to help ensure flawless operation of trains.

John Bate will talk about the NMRA National Convention that was held in Kansas City this past summer. John was a clinician at the convention and he'll talk about what he saw and what he did while at the event. The annual NMRA National Convention is the biggest single model railroad event each year and Kansas City is a “hot bed” for the hobby. By all accounts, the convention was a huge success.

The meeting starts at 7:30PM on Friday, November 9, in the Tank Room at the Charleswood Legion, 6003 Roblin Boulevard. The canteen will be open, and we'll have a 50/50 draw and our monthly model display. Not a member? Not a problem! Guests are always warmly welcomed!

Portage La Prairie CPR station holds grand opening Sunday November 4

Portage La Prairie Heritage and the Portage La Prairie Model Railroad Club are hosting the grand opening of the restored CPR station at 251 3rd Street NE in Portage La Prairie from 2:00PM to 4:00PM on Sunday, November 4. Model railroad layouts will be on display and cake and refreshments will be served.