The 2024 CPKC Holiday Train is coming to town!

 

You better watch out, you better not cry! You better not pout, I'm telling you why! Because if you do, your mom and dad (or your wife) won't let you see the CPKC Holiday Train this year!  

The train arrives in Manitoba on December 3rd. It's first stop is in Whitemouth, at the Whitemouth Hotel on Railway Avenue, at 7:00 PM. Then it arrives in Winnipeg on Panet Road and Molson Street at 9:15PM.

On December 5 the train will stop at Portage La Prairie at the CP station at 309 1st street NW Portage La Prairie from 3:00PM to 3:30PM. Then it will stop in Carberry at 4th avenue between Main Street and Simcoe from 5:15PM to 5:45PM. It rounds out the day stopping in Brandon at the field south of the CPKC tracks north of Rosner Avenue East, west of the Rosner Avenue rail crossing, from 7:00PM to 7:30PM.

On December 6 it will make its final stop in Manitoba in Virden, on the north side of tracks on 5th avenue South between Lyons street and Ashburn Street from 10:30AM to 11:00PM.

Musical guests for all of these stop are Tyler Shaw and Shawnee Kish. The Holiday Train generates critical support through the program’s support of local food banks.

 

The WMRC photo contest special event for 2025 will be the Empress

WMRC photo contest chair Larry Leavens has announced that the special photo event for the 2025 spring open house will be “The Empress”, CPKC’s steam locomotive 2816.  It will be in Winnipeg on display on July 6 from 12PM to 4PM at 949 Jarvis Ave. The train will arrive at 9:00AM on July 6. On July 4 it is moving from Thief River Falls, Minnesota to Winnipeg. On July 7 it will travel from Winnipeg to Brandon. On July 8 it will go from Brandon to Moose Jaw.

CPKC limits the speed of their heritage passenger fleet to 50MPH, but other than the mainline they might not be going that fast. The roadbed on the Emerson sub is not up to the standards for carrying passenger cars, so 40MPH might be a better estimate.

For those wishing to follow the train across the border, the CPKC line closely parallels highway 59 in Minnesota from Thief River Falls to Lancaster. There is no information available as to when it is running on July 4.

The Emerson sub doesn’t parallel any roads after it closes the border into Canada, but there are many level crossings available for photo shoots on highways 201, 205, 23, 305, 311 in Niverville and 210.

There are many photo opportunities after it leaves Winnipeg, especially along highway 221 to Marquette, along highway 26 by Poplar Point and High Bluff, in Portage La Prairie and Town along the Trans Canada such as MacGregor, Austin and Carberry.
   
CPKC strongly cautions that everyone should keep clear of railway property and the right of way, which extends 15 metres (50 feet) from the centre of the tracks on either side. It is unsafe and illegal to be on railway property. Please keep in mind that if you’re rail fanning in places other than level crossings you might be trespassing on private property belonging to others.
 

Janzen's Paint and Decorating stores in Manitoba also carry model railroad supplies

 

 

WMRC Vice President Ian Plett sent us these images of the model railroad equipment in Janzens' Paint and Decorating in Steinbach, Manitoba.

We're getting more and more great leads on where to get model railroad supplies in Manitoba, and all across Canada! In Steinbach,  Janzen’s Paint and Decorating has a pretty good stock. They carry mostly HO but they also have few items in N gauge. They have stores in Brandon and Winkler that also carry model railroad equipment.

In other places in Canada, you can also check out Pacific Western Rail Systems in Surrey, B.C. , Otter Valley Railroad in Aylmer, Ontario and Canadian Express Line in Brighton, Ontario. 

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.

The CP Holiday Train is coming to town!

You better not shout, you better not cry! 

You better not pout, I’m telling you why:

The CP holiday Train is coming to town!

So you better be good, or else your parents (or your wife) won’t let you go see it!

The train pulls into Manitoba on Friday, December 2. Performing on the train this year is Juno award winning country star Dallas Smith. 

The train first arrives in Whitemouth, on Railway Ave. across from Whitemouth Hotel at 6:45 PM. The show lasts from 7:00 PM to  7:30 PM.  Then it barrels down to Winnipeg, arriving at Molson St. (Panet Road and Munroe Avenue) at 9:00PM. The show starts at 9:15PM and ends at 9:45 PM. 

It arrives on Saturday, December 3 at Portage la Prairie, Opposite the Centennial Arena, 390-1st St. NW at 3:45 PM. The show goes from 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM. Next stop is Brandon, by Assiniboine Ave, west of the 8th street overpass at 6:45 PM, with the show going from 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM

The last Manitoba stop is at Virden at 10:15AM on Sunday, December 4, at the north side of tracks on 5th ave S between Lyons Street & Ashburton Street. The show goes from 10:30AM to 11:00AM.

Since its launch in 1999, the CP Holiday Train has raised more than C$12 million and 3.9 million pounds of food for communities in Canada and the northern U.S. Everything raised stays with the local food bank. Please bring heart healthy donations. Heart health education and awareness is a tenet of CP's community program, CP Has Heart. 

Follow its journey over social media, and post images. Capture the spirit of the train, holiday entertainment and the spirit of giving and enter the Capture the Spirit photo contest to win a ride on next year’s train. #CPHolidayTrain & #HealthyDonations

Please give yourself extra time getting to the event to compensate for crowds and traffic. Also make sure to keep a safe distance of 15 feet away from the train. For information, photos, and a route map visit www.cpr.ca/holiday-train

Brandon Hills Model Railway Club to hold open house on Satuday, April 11

    Our good friends at the Brandon Hills Model Railroad Club will be holding an open house on Saturday, April 11. The open house is being held in conjunction with the Brandon General Museum and Archives. The open house will be held at the Brandon General Museum and Archives, which is located at 19 - 9th. Street in Brandon. Hours are from 10 am to 5 pm.

    The club has three operating layouts at the museum in HO, O and N gauge. They are also open to the public every Saturday from 10 am to noon. More more information on the Brandon Hills Model Railroad Club, please click here.

The CP Rail Holiday Train is coming your way!

   It's that time of the year again! The CP Rail Holiday Train is coming to Manitoba, and it will be making five stops in our province. The CP Rail Holiday Train is North America's longest rolling food bank fundraiser and since they started in 1999, the program has raised close to $9.5 million and 3.3 million pounds of food.  Over the three weeks of the program, musicians will play more than 150 concerts from a boxcar we've turned into a traveling stage.

   The concerts are free, but you are encouraged to bring a donation for your local food bank -- either a non-perishable food item or a cash donation. All contributions will stay in your community.

   Their first stop in Manitoba will be on December 3 at Whitemouth on Railway Avenue, across from the Whitemouth Hotel, at 6:45 PM. They arrive that same night in Winnipeg at 9:00 PM at Molson Street, between Panet Road and Munroe Avenue.

   On December 4, they arrive at Portage La Prairie, opposite the Centennial Arena at 390 1st. Street NW at 4:45 PM. They roll in to Brandon that same night at 7:45 PM by Assiniboine Avenue, west of the 8th. Street overpass.

   Before heading to Saskatchewan, their last stop in Manitoba will be at Virden on December 5 at 9:15 AM, on the north side of the tracks on 5th. Avenue South between Lyons Street and Ashburton Street.
 
   Entertainment for the Manitoba leg of the trip will be provided by Roxanne Potvin and Odds.

  The full CP Holiday Train schedule is now available on cpr.ca.

   Supporters can also join the Holiday Train on Facebook and follow the two trains on Twitter, and Instagram @CPHolidaytrain #CPHolidayTrain. For additional information, photos, a route map, and downloadable pictures of the two trains, visit: www.cpr.ca.