British Columbia, Canada
August 2003
British Columbia Society of Model Engineers
Raye Hickok with the club Northern.
This loco was built in England in 1936 and still retains its original copper boiler.
Walt McGowan's brand new Santa Fe F7
A Battery Electric built by a team lead by Lindsay McDonnell
John Turner's Southern Pacific Mikado 3212
Paul Roy's Canadian Pacific F7 from the same team
The BCSME F7 also built by the same team
The Vancouver, BC metro area has a large population of Asian people. A story on the railway had been run in a local Asian community newspaper the prior week which resulted in a large number of visitors for the Train meet weekend. Many wanted to read the writing on, pose for photo's with and ride behind the China Rail pacific. Lindsay McDonnell photo.
An older series of photo's from the same track can be seen here
To see their web site, click here
West Coast Mini Rail
An interesting track in a beautiful setting, surrounded on three sides by mountains. The track is horseshoe shaped with a balloon at one end and a Y at the other. There are three stations with the one shown, new for 2003. This view shows China Rail "Victory" class Pacific #681 hauling a good load of passengers with a cameraman from Shaw Cable filming from the tender.
Janet Mayberry photo taken from the last passenger car.
The facility is also home to an increasing collection of prototype equipment including one of the most famous locomotives in the world, the 2860 "Royal Hudson" Sadly the loco is no longer in operating condition but the award of the 2010 Winter Olympic games to the region should help ensure it's operating future.
There is a working telegraph with paper orders issued for the miniature trains
Chief Dispatcher, Paul Roy issues paper orders to Janet Mayberry prior to departure for all stations to Silver Fox depot via Sweet Apple and Mason Stations while John Osler rolls north heading for Mason Station.
A beautiful three truck shay built by Dennis Thulin from North Vancouver. Built to his own prints after studying several prototype loco's.
No castings, scratch built.
This crane was also on display
This prototype traveling post office is completely authentic both inside and out, even down to the period letters in the mail slots and the tap tap tap of the telegraph.
The facility is open every day. These two loco's do the majority of the work
Paul Roy's Canadian Pacific F7 was also in attendance
One of the prototype exhibits
An interesting contrast in front ends, Lindsay McDonnell's British Railways "Britannia" class Pacific and the China Rail "Victory" Class Pacific.
The back tip of the Y meets the prototype rail connection to the BC Rail main line.
Running round the Y was a new, fun and nostalgic experience for most visiting engineer's
To see their web site, click here
One of these aircraft appeared overhead on Saturday afternoon.
It is a 1940's Martin "Mar's" flying boat converted for use as a Water Bomber.
The wing span is in excess of 200 feet, the aircraft is powered by four R3350 Wright Cyclone engines.
One of only two left in the world...
To read more about these amazing aircraft click here and here
A poignant reminder of the dire situation in the BC interior with over 800 wild fires burning the week of the train meet.