Learn all about the Prairie Dog Central's No. 3 locomotive and Manitoba T-Track at the WMRC's March meeting

We have two great presentations on tap for our March meeting. Luca Maytas will give us a brief history of the Vintage Locomotive Society’s Prairie Dog Central number 3 locomotive. He’ll give a brief explanation on how it works so everyone can have a basic understanding of steam locomotive components. Then he’ll show how they removed and replaced the boiler tubes after it was taken out of service in 2023, which took almost two years to complete. He’ll also show all the work they’ve done over the last few months to return it to its early 1900's appearance.

Then Eric Dawson will make a presentation about Manitoba T-Track, the province’s newest and most innovative modular group. T-Track N scale modules are small enough to fit in a briefcase and are often assembled together on banquet tables. They’ve displayed at the Manitoba Train and Hobby Expo, the Portage Model Railroad Club’s spring and Christmas open houses and the WMRC’s spring open house. 

The fun starts on Friday, March 13 at 7:30 in the Tank Room at the Charleswood Legion, 6003 Robin Boulevard.  The canteen will be open, and we’ll have our usual model and photo display, plus our 50-50 draw. Guests are always warmly welcomed. 

 

 

Manitoba T-Trak is the newest modular railway club in town

 The crew of Manitoba T-Track are seen displaying at the Frog and Diamond's open house on July 6.

There’s a new N gauge modular railway group in town, and they’re looking good! Manitoba T-Trak was formed last year by Johannie Matusalem, Eric Dawson and Sean Morris.

This is not a group that has huge, hulking modules that have to be transported by truck and trailer and take several people hours to set up. T-Trak modules are very small. A standard module is only 12” wide, and the length can vary from 8 1/2” to 14 3/8”. A single module an easily fit into a briefcase. A typical modular display can easily be set up and run on a banquet table.

The group has already displayed at he WMRC’s annual spring open house and at the Frog And Diamond Hobbyworks open house this summer. They’re also going to be setting up at the Manitoba Mega Train Show in September. So drop by and take a look at this truly unique modular group when you go to Mega Train!

 

 

This corner module is just 14 3/8" square. The module next to it measures 12" x 14 3/8".

 

 

 

T-Track member Johannie Matusalem is justifiably proud of this farm module that she created. She has plans to make it an alien encounter theme!

 

 

The entire modular layout fits easily on a banquet table.