Winnipeg Model Railroad Club mourns the passing of MMR Ron Einarson

Ron Einarson is seen receiving his Master Model Railroader certification from fellow MMR Moe Smith at the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's annual general meeting and banquet in 2017.

Ron Einarson MMR died suddenly on November 18, 2022 at Grace Hospital in Winnipeg after contacting Covid and undergoing hip surgery.

Ron was born in Winnipeg on September 25, 1949. He attended Grant Park High School and graduated Grade 12 from United College. He worked 43 years for the Federal Government in Winnipeg. 

Ron was a member of the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club since 1983, and was a member of the NMRA for almost as long. He also served as superintendent of the No.1 Northern Division and as the President of NMRA Canada. He served on the board of the WMRC as recording secretary. Ron achieved a a lifelong dream when he was designated Master Model Railroader (MMR) #593 in 2017.

Before the reorganization of the #1 Northern Division in 2008, he was the President, chief cook and bottle washer and tub thumper for the NMRA. Ron single-handedly kept the NMRA alive in Manitoba when no one else wanted the job. Every month he set up the NMRA display at the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's meetings and held clinics. One of his popular features was the "tool of the month”. 

Ron was the heart and soul of the WMRC and the No.1 Northern Division. He was front and centre at every WMRC open house and TLR regional convention held in Winnipeg, giving his time and talents to help make them a success. Ron organized the layout hop for the 2010 TLR convention held in Winnipeg.

Ron's love of life and enthusiasm for the hobby was truly infectious. He was a blood donor with  over 50 donations. He was a tireless volunteer, a highly skilled model railroader and a great friend.

Ron had been suffering from dementia for several years and was unable to attend meetings of the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club. He had been residing at the West Park Manor Personal Care Home shortly before his death.

He is survived by his wife Yvonne of 49 years, son Neal and daughter Louise, his grandchildren Amber, Eddie, Zoe and Link, his brother John, his sister-in-law Marilyn and numerous nieces and nephews. Ron was predeceased by his parents Helen and John Einarson, in-laws Elsie and Eddie Attwater, Grandmother Olivia Einarson, as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins.
 

 

No.1 Northern Division's Free-Mo group to display at Dawson Trail Days in Ste. Anne, Manitoba

The No. 1 Northern's Free-Mo Group will be setting up this 36' x 10' dog bone shaped HO modular layout at Dawson Trail Days in Ste. Anne, Manitoba during the Labour Day Weekend.

The NMRA No. 1 Northern Division’s Free-Mo group will be displaying their HO modular railway at Dawson Trail Days. The layout be set up in the town’s curling rink.

The event is being held on the Labour Day long weekend on September 3, 4, and 5, 2022 in Ste. Anne, Manitoba. The three day festival is named after the historic Dawson Trail that crosses Ste. Anne. features baseball, a parade, music and a kid’s zone, youth tales competition and a fireworks display.

 

 

Neil Carleton is keeping busy creating a new Free-Mo module

WMRC vice president and NMRA No. 1 Northern Division Superintendent Ian Plett recently emailed members, asking them how they  “spent their summer vacation”. Long time member Neil Carleton sent some images of the excellent module he’s created.

Neil had originally planned his module for display at a train show in Regina, which was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns. It’s built to the original NMRA specs but using code 83 rail and with his existing two foot adapter modules, it will fit in with other free-mo modules.

The streetcar tracks are girder type to allow a clear groove for the wheels. They are soldered to copper pc board ties and the tinted spackling is troweled on using home made tools, to leave the rail heads a bit proud of the road to allow for cleaning. He painted and weathered the road.

The overhead wire works. The Bachman streetcar is switchable from two rail to one rail and overhead. The poles are brass and connected to the wiring bus. The power goes to the span wires attached to the poles and are soldered to the running wire using lost wax brass castings. The span wires are not soldered to the poles to allow slight adjustments.

He used a special tool to bend the girder track and some turnouts, so the next modules will have loops to allow continuous running. He used information online at East Penn Traction Club and Trolleyville School as well as a multipart article he downloaded from Model Railroader.

The poles and small brass parts were sourced from a fellow in Ohio. The track is from Custom Traxx. A few other pieces came from Micromark. The sanding tower is a Kanamodel kit as is the water tower. The oil tanks are ABS plumbing pipes with added details. The lunch stand is a Bar Mills kit.

Winnipeg Model Railroad Club to hold its 2019 open house on April 6 & 7

This is the biggest model railroading event of the season! Come to the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's annual open house! We've been throwing this annual party for many decades, and everyone's guaranteed to have a great time! We'll have several great layouts in action, including the NMRA No. 1 Northern Division's Free-Mo layout and the whimsical Lionel giraffe train, which is always a kid favorite!

There will also be plenty of displays and demonstrations, including our award winning annual model contest and photo contest entries. The canteen will be serving gourmet hot dogs, chips, pop, donuts and coffee.

It all happens in the Tank Room at the Charleswood Legion, 6003 Roblin Boulevard from 10 to 5 on Saturday, April 6, and from 10 to 4 0n Sunday, April 7. Wheelchair accessible. Admission by donation. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to support St. Amant. Hope to see you all there!

Come see Santa at the NMRA Christmas train show this Saturday!

The National Model Railroad Association presents their first annual Christmas Train Show! Bring the kids to meet Santa Claus, and stay for all the layouts and displays in a Christmas setting!

Santa Claus is going to have some very good company at the show! Joining jolly St. Nick will be the No. 1 Northern Division’s Free-Mo HO gauge modular layout, WinNtak’s N gauge modular layout and the Lionel train O gauge “Giraffe Car” layout. 

Multiple award winning modeller Ron Einarson will be holding a modelling workshop. Fred Headon of Warehouse Hobbies will be on hand to offer all sorts of model railroading and modelling advice. Fred is the Canadian Director of the National Model Railroad Association and is a certified Master Model Railroader (MMR). 

There will also be a model railroad flea market, featuring a variety of model railroad equipment in various gauges for sale.

This is the last train show of the year, and it looks like it's going to be a good one! The show is being held on Saturday, November 12 at Whyte Ridge Baptist Church, 201 Scurfield Boulevard. Hours are from 10:00AM to 4:00PM. Handicap accessible. Admission by silver collection. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to St. Amant.

NMRA Canada's first Winnipeg public train show was a resounding success

    A crowd of enthusiastic youngsters take turns trying their hand at operating an N scale layout at NMRA Canada's train show last Saturday.

Over 250 very happy people attended NMRA Canada's very first public train show last Saturday. Although the show was scheduled the day after Halloween and at the same time as one of the biggest comic book conventions in Western Canada, the event still managed to draw a surprisingly large crowd of train lovers, and raised a respectable amount of money to be donated to St. Amant.

The No. 1 Northern Division's Free-Mo group, which had the largest display at last month's Manitoba Mega Train Show, had the largest display this time as well. The group (dubbed the "blue shirt guys" by the show's visitors) received many compliments not only for their layout, but their willingness to share all aspects of their hobby and answer any question the viewers had about their group, and of model railroading in general.

Veteran model railroaders Ron Einarson and Rob Gairns held popular clinics. WMRC blog editor Paul Ullrich (using his alter ego as "The Giraffe Car Man") wowed the kiddies once again with his hands-on Lionel layout. There was also a hands-on N Scale layout, and a G scale display run by Manitoba Mega Train organizer Maurice Dorge. 13 year old Michael Leader, the group's youngest member,  was also on hand to run the John Allen Timesaver Module.

No. 1 Northern Superintendent Dennis Rietze ran a demonstration on how to run a model railroad with a cell phone. He was also interviewed by CTV News Winnipeg, which ran the segment on their Saturday evening news program. Several NMRA members were also on hand to promote the organization and its many benefits to model railroaders.

It was also great to see a lot of old, new and familiar faces at the show, such as former Elmwood Hobby Works proprietor Vern Gibson. There were lots of families and plenty of kids , who stayed for many hours enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby!


    Ron Einarson held clinics all day, displaying many of his award winning models.


    Lookee here! Could that be our old friend Kent, the former WMRC Lantern Editor with his son, enjoying WMRC blog editor Paul Ullrich's portable Lionel display? It sure is!

       Two of the "Blue Shirt Guys" (not to be confused with the Blue Man Group), Alan Graham (Centre) and No. 1 Northern Treasurer Sid Greenstone (L) promoting the many benefits of NMRA membership at  the show.

Learn how to operate a model railroad with a cell phone at the National Model Railroad Association's train show in Winnipeg on November 1

Want to learn how to run a model railroad with a cell phone?  That's one of the the exciting clinics and demonstrations that the No. 1 Northern Division of the National Model Railroad Association is holding at their annual train show this November 1st at Whyte Ridge Baptist Church, located at 201 Scurfield Boulevard.

There will be several operating layouts, including the No. 1 Northern's Free-Mo HO layout, a portable N scale layout, the Lionel 027 Giraffe car layout, and a G scale layout! You can also test your skill at switching with the John Allen time saver module. There will also be continuous video presentations during the show.

Admission is by donation, and the church is handicap accessible. Hours are from 10AM to 4PM. Hope to see you all there!