Neil Carleton multiple award winner for his campground diorama

Neil Carleton (L) is seen receiving the award for best in show for his Prairie Grove Campground diorama from Marvin Fetch at the WMRC's AGM and annual banquet held on May 9.

Neil Carleton won two awards for his Prairie Grove Campground diorama at the WMRC’s annual open house and train show. The awards were presented to him at the club’s AGM and annual banquet held on May 9.

Neil won best in show for his diorama he submitted in the special event category, which was to create a diorama on a 9x12 picture frame. He also won the club’s first people’s choice award for the same model. This award, initiated by former WMRC secretary Marvin Fetch, let visitors to the club’s open house vote for their favourite model. Neil won hands down in this category. Marvin noticed that during the voting the visitors were very impressed with Neil’s creative use of LED lighting on his diorama. 

Neil Carleton also received the club's very first people's choice popular vote award for the same diorama.

 

 

Neil packed a lot of detail inside a picture frame! 

A closeup of the campground scene on Neil's diorama.

 
 

Bob Harrison awarded the WMRC's President's shield

Bob Harrison (R) receives the president's shield award from WMRC president John Bate at the club's AGM and annual banquet, held at the CN Campus in early May.

Past President Bob Harrison was the recipient of the WMRC's president's shield award. The award is given annually to a member who has given exceptional service to the club. 

Bob was a fairly new member to the WMRC when became President during a challenging time for the club, which included guiding the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic. He showed outstanding leadership qualities while maintaining a friendly, congenial manner. 

Bob continues to be a very active member of the club, assisting past President Larry Leavens in the production of The Lantern, the official publication of the WMRC.
 

There is no garage sale at Moe Smith's place this weekend

On a recent post that has been removed it was stated that WMRC member Moe Smith was holding a garage sale which included model railroad equipment this Sunday, when in fact the garage sale was held last Sunday. We apologize for any confusion or misunderstanding this post might've caused.

Murray Brown sweeps awards at WMRC banquet

Murray Brown is one of our newest members. Although he joined the club just last year, he has become one of our most enthusiastic members. For the club’s special event model contest, he placed second for his accurate and well researched diorama of a level crossing at Meadows, Manitoba. He won third place in the annual photo contest for his photo of the CN Symington yards repair shop.

He won the Robert Weaver memorial award for an article he wrote that was published in The Lantern, the official publication of the WMRC. Murray also found the time to rewrite a draft of the club’s constitution. We need more members like Murray Brown!

 

 

Murray travelled to Meadows, Manitoba to take on-site photos and measurement of the level crossing at mile 22.4 on the CPKC Carberry subdivision to help him create this accurate diorama.

 

 

Murray's striking, almost monochromatic image of these wheel sets at the CN Symington yard won third place in the WMRC's annual photo contest.
 

 

WMRC members partied hearty at the CN campus during the club's AGM

WMRC past President Bob Harrison looks like he's having a blast operating the railroad simulator at the CN Campus during the club's AGM. Photo by Neil Carleton.

What a party! The WMRC's 2024 AGM was held at the CN campus last night, and everyone had a wonderful time! After a great meal courtesy of CN and catered by The Olive Garden, we went on a two hour tour of the campus, which included a visit to their 60' x 8' HO layout. The highlight for everyone was when we got a turn working the train simulator, and got to pretend that we were engineers in training!  

Here's what Bob got to see as he took the controls of the engine. Photo by Neil Carleton.

 

Here's a view of CN's massive HO layout that they use for training purposes. It's so big that we couldn't fit it all in the frame!

WMRC Past President and current Lantern Editor Larry Leavens watches as a new CN employee gets a lesson on how to operate a switch. Photo by Neil Carleton.

 

Members were divided up into groups and assigned a tour guide to take them through the CN campus facilities. This group is watching a demonstration on how CN employees learn how to operate couplers.

The CN guide holds a plastic latch form a coupler, which is used in training new CN employees how to operate couplers in various conditions.

 

 

 
 

WMRC to hold 2024 AGM at CN campus

The WMRC will beholding its 2024 AGM and annual banquet at the CN Claude Mongeau National Training Centre. CN has graciously offered to host and cater the event for the WMRC at no cost to the club or its members.

The date has been moved from its usual Friday date to Thursday, May 9. The doors will open at 5:30PM. Dinner will be served at 6:00PM. The CN Claude Mongeau National Training Centre, also known as the CN Campus, is located at 650 Pandora Avenue East in Transcona. 

CN will provide the members attending a tour of the facility. The WMRC will be presenting its awards and holding their usual raffles at the AGM. Please note that this is a members only event. As this is a catered event, members have already been contacted in advance about their intentions to attend.