Winnipeg Model Railroad Club mourns passing of Karl Purchase

 Karl Purchase (right) is seen here with his son Matt in a scene from a CBC news story that was broadcast nationally last April.

Former WMRC member Karl Purchase passed away on June 14, 2019. Karl was born in Corner Brook, Newfoundland served with the RCMP for 30 years in Manitoba. He will always be remembered in the model railroading community for his love for the Newfoundland Railway and his home town of Corner Brook, which he modeled with such astounding and painstaking accuracy.

The layout, with scenes that he made entirely from memory, fills two rooms and spans two different levels. It took him 20 years to complete it. Karl’s layout was featured prominently in Railroad Model Craftsman in 1983, prior to the NMRA national convention held in Winnipeg.

Karl was just featured in the national media in April of this year when his family used his layout to help reignite his failing memory Karl hadn’t seen his layout in over a year, and was living in a personal care home after breaking two hips. You can access this story by going to:
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/nowornever/for-this-newfoundlander-a-trip-down-memory-lane-in-a-model-train-1.5084309

Using a model railroad as therapy

Karl Purchase and his son Matt view photographs of Corner Brook and Karl's layout. 

Former WMRC member Karl Purchase was featured in a story that was broadcast nationally over CBC. Karl is well known among the local model railroad community for his impressive recreation of his native town of Corner Brook, Newfoundland that he modeled in his basement. The layout, with scenes that he made entirely from memory, fills two rooms and spans two different levels. It took him 20 years to complete it.

Karl is 71, and his memory is fading, and until recently, he hasn’t seen his layout in over a year. He has been living in a personal care home after breaking two hips. Friends and family hope that viewing his layout will reignite his memories.

This is a remarkable story of how model railroading can have therapeutic values. To read the story and view the videos of Karl’s layout, please click here.