The 2020 Manitoba Mega Train Show has been cancelled

The 2020 Manitoba Mega Train show has been cancelled. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizers don't feel it is safe to run this year. The maximum allowable numbers for an inside event are too low to host the event, the logistics are far too difficult, and the health risk to everyone is too high.

If you have booked a table, the organizers will be in touch with you directly, and the money will be returned to you. The next Manitoba Mega Train Show is scheduled for Sept 25 & 26, 2021.

Portage La Prairie Model Railroad Club to hold open house this Saturday

The Portage La Prairie Model Railroad Club will be holding their annual open house on Saturday, July 25, from 10:00AM to 3:00PM. The club features three working layouts, including a Lionel display which you can operate yourself, plus several displays. The club is located in the renovated Portage La Prairie CP station on 251 3rd. Street NE, across the street from the CP yards.

Stormy train images along the CP main line

Our longstanding contributor Felix Lesiuk sent us some striking photos he took along the CP mainline along highway 221 near Rosser, Manitoba. Highway 221 has been a longtime favorite spot among Winnipeg rail fans, as it's close to the city and it hugs the CP mainline from the perimeter to Marquette, Manitoba.

These photos were taken as a storm was brewing, and we applaud Felix's courage in braving the weather to take them. He even captured a lightning bolt in one of them!

NMRA holds week long virtual model railroad convention starting July 12

The NMRA is bringing a complete week long national convention right to your home! In place of the cancelled national convention which was to be held in St. Louis, Missouri this summer, the NMRA-X team is holding Gateway-X, the first ever virtual national model railroad convention.

Starting on Sunday, July, 12 at 8:00AM eastern standard time and running through to Saturday, July 18, you able to view all 105 hours of content via the NMRA Facebook page at https://bit.ly/NMRAFacebook and their YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/NMRAYouTube

If you can't tune in live, all presentations will remain available on the Facebook page. Each individual presentation will be uploaded to the YouTube channel once editing has been completed. For full details about the convention, go to: https://bit.ly/GatewayX

The Assiniboine Park Steam Train needs your help

With the Assiniboine Valley Railway and the Prairie Dog Central Railway suspending operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the only train ride available is the Assiniboine Park Steam Train. Unfortunately, ridership on this authentic stream train is way down, and they need your help! They need at least 12 passengers per ride to break even, so why not go down to the park and take a ride?

They're open from noon to six every day, and a ride costs only $3.25. To book a ride, please call  204-831-0197 and leave a message. If you do not receive a call back on the same day, then that means that the train is not running that day.

To view the news story posted by CTV Manitoba, click here.