Cliff Davidson multiple award winner for his model and prototype photography

Cliff Davidson (L) receives the Peter Abel award from photo contest chair Bart Hasselfield at the WMRC's annual banquet held last month.

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!

Cliff is seen receiving the award for third place in the model photography category from WMRC president John Bate.

Peter received third place in the special event photography category for his photo of the Willow Creek Trestle.

Peter also received third place in the prototype category for his photo of the CN Cescon Siding Orange Bridge.

Buy a WMRC T-Shirt and become one of the beautiful people

WMRC contest chair Ian Plett is looking good in his brand new WMRC 70th anniversary T-shirt.

Do want to be a fashion plate? Do you want to be a trend-setter? Do you want to be a babe magnet? You can't afford an Armani suit? Then come to the WMRC's next meeting and buy one of our spiffy new 70th anniversary T-shirts at our next meeting! They're on sale for just $25 each, and there's a limited supply, so come on down to 6003 Roblin Boulevard at on January 9 at 7:30PM, buy a T-shirt and join all of the beautiful people pictured here showing off their WMRC T-shirts!

WMRC webmaster Murray Brown is looking good too!

                                  So does WMRC Lantern editor and past president Bob Harrison!

Marvin Fetch say he feels 50 years younger in his new WMRC 70th anniversary T-shirt!

Cliff Davidson has never looked better wearing his WMRC 70th anniversary T-shirt!

Cliff Davidson sweeps WMRC prototype photo contest awards

Cliff Davidson won two awards for his photo of a CN freight train in the Assiniboine Valley at the WMRC's annual photo contest.

Long time WMRC member Cliff Davidson walked away with five awards for four of his photos in the WMRC’s annual photo contest, held in April at the club’s spring open house. The award was presented to Cliff at the club’s annual banquet, held in May.

Cliff won best in show for his image titled “Along the Feather Canyon”. He won first prize in the prototype category for his image titled “CN in the Assiniboine Valley", second prize for his image titled “Reflections” and honorary mention for his image of the “Keddie Wye”, a popular rail fanning spot in northern California. He also won the people’s choice award for “CN in the Assiniboine Valley”.

Cliff is a seasoned rail fan photographer who frequently barnstorms all across North America and always brings home such unique and fantastic railroading images. We’re delighted to share them with our members and all of our readers from around the world.

Cliff won the best in show award for this image of a UP freight in the Feather River canyon.

 

Cliff won second prize for this image,  appropriately titled "reflections".

 

Cliff also won honorable mention for this image he took at the Keddie Wye.

 

WMRC members old and new reunite at the CPKC Final Spike steam tour event

Seen at the CPKC Final Spike steam tour stop in Winnipeg from right to left are WMRC President John Bate, his wife Karen Bate, Karen's sister, Larry Leavens, and Luca Maytas.

What a party CPKC threw in Winnipeg on July 6! And nothing brings model railroaders and rail fans together like a classic steam engine like the 2816 Hudson, which was displayed in Manitoba for the first time in 17 years. 

It was a model railroaders and rail fans homecoming day, as members old and new flocked to the CPKC rail yards to view this magnificent engine and its consist, which included and SD70 in heritage fleet colors, an F7 AA lash-up and a fleet of classic passenger cars painted in CP maroon and black livery.

It was truly the railroad lovers event of the year, or any other year, as thousands of people stopped by to view the train for the four hours it was on display.

 

 

Cliff Davidson, John Morris and Brian Schuff chat with a CPKC rail worker who was part of the staff of the final spike steam tour.

 

 

Tommy and James South, former youth members of the WMRC, are all grown up! Tommy is living the dream working as a conductor with CN Rail.

 

 

Long time members Gary Stempnick and Norm Leathers also attended the event. Norm is recovering from a hip injury, but nothing was going to stop him from seeing The Empress!

 

 

Five great entries for the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's annual photo contest's prototype category

 WMRC members Cliff Davidson, Christopher Robinson and Dave Downie submitted these great entries for the club's annual photo contest in the prototype category at our AGM, which was held via Zoom on May 14.

Cliff caught this striking image of a CP lash up at sunset (pictured above). He also took this photo of a CP freight rolling under the overpass at Portage La Prairie (pictured below). WMRC program director Dave Downie submitted photos of a structure in Beacon, New York that he took in 1980. He also sent in this image of the Milwaukee Road's famous observation car when it passed through Portage in 2007. Christopher Robinson submitted this pastoral scene of a turnout at a lakeside. Great work, guys!

More great photos from the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's annual photo contest for 2021

Felix Lesiuk submitted this timely and humorous "social distancing" locomotive for the photo contest.

We had such great photos submitted for our annual photo contest that we decided to post more of them! The model contest was held at the club's virtual GM, which was held on Zoom on Friday, May 14. This week we're featuring the model contest entries. 

Felix Lesiuk tickled our funny bone with a "socially distant" BNSF Geep wearing a mask. Christopher Robinson submitted two o=images of his great Algoma Central model work. Cliff Davidson showed us a CP and a Kansas City Southern (soon to be CP?) unit coming out of the same tunnel. Ed Hector sent in a model or a water tower that he's been working on. 

Cliff Davidson finds some rare motive power in Winnipeg's CP yards

 While scouting Winnipeg's CP rail yards, long time WMRC member Cliff Davidson captured some great images of some rarely seen motive power. He got some shots of a Progress Rail engine, a BNSF engine sporting 25th anniversary colors, and a nifty CP heritage unit. 

 

Ian Plett and Cliff Davidson winners in Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's annual photo contest

Cliff Davidson won the WMRC's annual model photo contest's model category with this image.

We are pleased to announce that long time members Cliff Davidson and Ian Plett won top prizes in the WMRC's annual photo contest. Cliff won first prize in the model category with his photo of a CP Alco passing though a bridge. Ian won in the prototype division for his image of a CN locomotive backing a unit grain train into the Peterson grain elevator in Morris, Manitoba.

The WMRC has been fortunate to have may excellent photographers among their membership. Some have gone on to win awards in other competitions and have had their works published in many of the major model railroad and rail fanning publications. Congratulations to Cliff and Ian for their fine work!

Ian Plett's entry of a CN locomotive won first prize in the prototype category for 2019.

Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's January meeting features modelling Fowler box cars

We start the new year with 2 clinics from a pair of long time WMRC members. First off, Marcel Blair will conduct a clinic about modelling the Fowler box car. Marcel will talk about the history of the Fowler box car and then talk about how he creates his models.

Next on tap we'll have Cliff Davidson will hold a clinic titled "The summer of 2018".  Cliff loves to rail fan and he did a lot of rail fanning last year. He will entertain us with just a few of the highlights of what he was able to catch at track side.

The meeting starts at 7:30PM on Friday, January 11, in the Tank Room at the Charleswood Legion, 6003 Roblin Boulevard. Wheelchair accessible. 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!

Exclusive photos of the CP Holiday Train In Portage La Prairie

 WMRC Social Media Director Paul Ullrich went rail fanning with WMRC Past President Larry Leavens and WMRC Divisions Manager Gino Kost and caught these photos of the CP Holiday Train when it arrived in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. A few other club members were also present, including Cliff Davidson, Felix Lesiuk and Louis Lenz. Enjoy!

Felix Lesiuk spots twin VIA 40th anniversary units

 
By Felix Lesiuk

Louis Lenz and I headed out on Thursday, August 2. The weather started off with some rain and the rest of the day was spent with the sun darting in and out of the clouds. Not too hot, not too cool and a slight breeze to keep the bugs away. A perfect rail fanning day.  We bumped in to Cliff Davidson, who was also heading west and rail fanning. He informed us that VIA had tweaked its schedule and was running a bit earlier now. That would explain our surprise of seeing VIA's No 1 heading west at Harte around one o'clock. Super early!

That surprise was complimented by the fact that the westbound had a pair of wrapped 40th anniversary units on the lead. Awesome! The chase was now on. Thankfully VIA was following a freight and CN was fairly congested with traffic. We beat it to Moffat and caught it in Rivers coming into town and leaving. Nice! CN traffic was steady and we even caught sight of some elk near Moffat.  The new VIA schedule might make it possible to catch both at Rivers more easily (I hope).
 

Tour California with Cliff Davidson at the Winnipeg Model railroad Club's March meeting

Cliff Davidson, the WMRC's own gregarious, globetrotting, gallivanting gadabout, has just returned from a whirlwind rail fanning tour of southern California, and has prepared a terrific presentation about all of his adventures. The dapper and erudite Cliff, a legendary raconteur among rail fanning circles, is guaranteed to give us a truly memorable presentation at our next meeting!

Cliff's road trip to the sunshine state included such hot rail fan sites as Napa, Lodi, Tehachapi and Caliente, and he's got lots of images and stories to share with us! There are also a few neat Canadian rail fanning scenes that he took along the way. 

We'll also be having a 50/50 draw, our monthly model display, and the canteen will be open!  The fun starts on Friday, March 9 at  7:30 P.M. in the Tank Room at the Charleswood Legion, 6003 Robin Boulevard. Not a member? Not a problem! Guests are always warmly welcomed! Hope to see you all there!

Nick Andrusiak honoured at Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's annual banquet

WMRC President Godfrey South presented Fran Andrusiak, who delivered a tribute to her late husband, Nick Andrusiak, at the WMRC’s annual banquet last month. 

The late, great Nick Andrusiak was honoured at the WMRC’s annual banquet and awards ceremony, which was held last month at the Canad Inn at Polo Park. The club created a special award for digital prototype railroad photography in his name. 

Nick’s widow, Fran Andrusiak, gave a moving tribute to her late husband at the banquet and presented the award named after Nick to its first recipient, WMRC secretary Cliff Davidson. 

Fran Andrusiak presented the very first Nick Andrusiak memorial award for digital prototype railroad photography to Cliff Davidson at the club’s annual banquet and awards ceremony.

Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's 2016 spring open house was a great success!

The expression on James South's face says it all! Everyone had a terrific time at the WMRC's spring open house held last weekend. It was the most successful open house we've had in over 15 years, and we'd like to extend a big THANK YOU to everyone who visited and everyone who displayed!

 No. 1 Northern Division's Free-Mo Group Superintendent Ian Plett made sure everything ran smoothly on their layout this past weekend.

 The Assiniboine Valley Railway's President Len LaRue displayed three of the group's magnificent custom made cars at the show, including this woodside caboose built by the late, great Peter Abel.

WMRC Secretary Cliff Davidson displayed this nifty N gauge layout that he built on a 2" thick piece of blue styrofoam.