Come join all the fun on Saturday, October 3rd and Sunday, October 4 between 9 and 5 at the Red River Exhibition Place, 3977 Portage Avenue. Admission is just twelve bucks, youths between the ages of four and twelve get in for six bucks, and kids under three get in for free!
The Tyro award is a special presentation given to a member not only for their extraordinary modelling skills, but also because the modeller is a first time recipient of any WMRC modelling award. Given his skills as a modeller we're sure so see many more awards given to him in the future!
There will be FREE hot dogs, drinks and popcorn and huge discounts in the store! The Manitoba Transit Heritage Association will be bringing one of their vintage buses for you to explore. Come on down to 301 Bowman Avenue this Saturday and join in on all the fun!
Long time WMRC member walked off with a slew of photography awards at our annual banquet held last month. Cliff won the prestigious Peter Abel Award model special event for his photo of a model of a CP 5804, third prize for his photo of a model of a KCS F-unit, third prize in the special event for his photo of the Willow Creek Trestle and third prize in the prototype category for his photo of the CN Cescon Siding Orange bridge. Cliff is one of the club's top photographers and has been a constant award winner for many years. Congratulations, Cliff!
At our members-only layout hop last month we dispatched our chief correspondent Murray Brown to investigate Graham Leather's layout, and the results were very impressive! Graham inherited this layout from his father, the late, great Norm Leathers, who was a WMRC members for almost 70 years. Graham has not only maintained the layout but has made several changes and added his own person touch.
Long time fans of Norm's layout will notice the seismic shift from running the Pennsylvania Railroad to Great Northern and . Even the huge UP articulated steamers run great on this layout! WMRC membership has many privileges, and one of them is joining in on the fun on our layout hops. So if you want to see some of Winnipeg's finest layouts in action, then join up!
Manitoba’s last Canadian Northern Railway turntable bridge was removed in Dauphin, Manitoba at the site of the original 15 stall roundhouse, in August 2025. Funding is needed at a project estimate of $75,000 to help commemorate the community members who initially preserved the turntable in 1993 and the history of rail employees of Dauphin over the past 130 years with a monument to this structure.
The City of Dauphin will accept donations by cheque, cash or debit and provide a subsequent tax receipt for your donation. Their mailing address is 100 Main St. S, Dauphin, MB R7N 1K3. You must provide a return address and write “turntable” in memo if paying by cheque. They have also agreed to match funds up to $10,000 for this project. Donations of over $250 will have recognition on a donor wall which will accompany the structure.
The original structure, dating back to 1906, was an 84 foot, approximately 40 ton steel structure that originally moved steam locomotives into the roundhouse for daily repair and storage and later acted as a means of rotating and changing the direction of diesel locomotives in a limited space. In 1997 this site was purchased by the Town of Dauphin from CN with the financial help of 17 community members .
Prior to the removal the Dauphin Rail Museum requested an approximate 23 foot portion of the bridge and driving motor be preserved to allow for the design and installation of a memorial to this structure in CN Park, just adjacent to CNR Place. The Dauphin railway station is a Manitoba Historic Site and an historic railway station of Canada, originally built in 1912 by Canadian Northern Railway and is known as Manitoba’s most beautiful rail Station.
With a financial contribution from the City of Dauphin, the Dauphin Rail Museum consulted with Stantec Architecture Ltd. in Winnipeg to develop a visual rendition of the monument. This structure will create a distinct interactive and interpretive historic structure not seen in Manitoba which will be more accessible to the public than its previous location.
Dauphin’s rail history dates back to 1896 where the first train arrived on the Lake Manitoba Railway and Canal Company that was owned and operated by Sir William Mackenzie and Sir Donald Mann. This event sparked a moment that changed the landscape of immigration, settlement, agriculture and commerce. Their efforts would culminate in a 9,500 mile transcontinental system called Canadian Northern Railway. Dauphin is the birthplace of that railway.
The Dauphin Rail Museum exists to preserve, interpret and present the rich railway history of Dauphin and the Parkland area.
Every year we give away a Thomas set at our annual open house and train show. We don't charge for the tickets. To get a ticket all you have to do is to show up. Come on down to our next open house in 2027, and you might win too!
Felix Lesiuk was the big award winner at the WMRC's annual banquet, held at the Canad Inns Destination Centre Polo Park earlier this month. He won both best in show for his photo, titled "Evening Rain" featuring the Prairie Dog Central, which also graced the cover of the May issue of The Lantern, the official publication of the WMRC.
He also won best in show for his modelling efforts for is diorama, titled "Country Road Trestle over Speeder at Signal". To top it off, he also won the photo contest special event for his photo of a train crossing a bridge in Bismarck, North Dakota. Congratulations, Felix!
WMRC Social Media Director Paul Ullrich was awarded the President Shield award for rebranding the club's image with his graphic design work. He has redesigned the club's logo, the logo for The Lantern, the club's official publication, the poster for the spring train show and the stickers the club hands out at train shows.
This is the second time Paul has won this award. In 2016 he won the award for his work as social media director for the club in creating the blog and the Facebook page.
Last Sunday's Railway Day in the lobby of the Via Rail station was well attended, and everyone had great time! The WMRC was in full force at the event. President John Bate and past president Larry Leavens manned the John Allen Timesaver switching layout. Past WMRC treasurer and current Winnipeg Railway Museum President Gary Stempnick brought along his portable N Gauge layout.
WMRC secretary Brent Karr and Vice President Marvin Fetch displayed tour newest attraction, the Thomas the Tank Engine interactive layout, WMRC secretary Brent Karr and Vice president Marvin Fetch displayed our newest attraction, the Thomas the Tank Engine interactive layout, which was Brent's idea, and built by Brent, Gino Kost and Larry Leavens. WMRC spring program chair and webmaster Murray Brown brought along his Z scale layout in a steamer trunk and took pictures of everything!
Doors open to our members and their guests at 5:00PM. Cocktails and dinner (buffet style or order from the menu) will start at 6:00PM, and the AGM will begin at 7:30PM. We’ll have plenty of our famous raffles featuring some great model railroad equipment, including our popular “arm's length” raffle ticket prizes, where you buy your arm’s length of tickets! Hope to see you all there!
The WMRC will be there with two of their most popular interactive displays from their recent open house, the Thomas the Tank Engine layout and the John Allen Timesaver. Admission is free! Come on down to the Via Rail station lobby at 123 Main Street on Sunday, May 3 between 10AM and 4PM.
The Peg City Rail Joiners Club will be hosting Dave Pomarenski for the first in a series about N scale T-Trak modules. Part one will be the introduction, starting from the module. The meeting takes place at the Frog and Diamond Hobbyworks, 361 Bowman Avenue, on Monday April 27th, from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.
Come on down to the Charleswood Legion today between the hours of 10 and 4. Admission by donation, proceeds go to St.Amant.
The Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's annual train show and open house is happening today! Come on down to the Charleswood Legion, 6003 Roblin Boulevard between 10 and 5 to see six operating layouts, three interactive displays, award winning models and photographs, free how-to clinics and a chance to win a Thomas the Tank Engine train set! And you can even come back tomorrow from 10 to 4! Admission by donation. Proceeds go to St.Amant.
The Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's 2026 train show and open house is happening tomorrow! Where else can you see six operating layouts (including our new Thomas the Tank Engine layout pictured above) three interactive displays and free how-to clinics all under one roof? This is a once a year event that you can't miss! Come on down to the Charleswood Legion, 6003 Roblin Boulevard, on Saturday, April 18 from 10 to 5 and on Sunday, April 19 from 10 to 4. Admission by donation, proceeds go to St.Amant.
