The guest speaker at the Banquet is Jim Cullen, a life-long railway enthusiast based in Calgary, Alberta. His presentation will focus on the lighter side of railway preservation and feature anecdotes on some of his railway museum misadventures in Canada and the US, some memorable personalities, and what the future holds for railway preservation.
Jim has been part of the Western Canadian railway preservation scene for the past thirty years and has volunteered with many railway museums in the region including leadership, operating and collections roles at Heritage Park Historical Village, Champion Park, and the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel (now the Cranbrook History Centre), and as a director at the California State Railroad Museum Foundation in Sacramento. A consultant since 2003, he has led many planning projects with numerous museums, historic sites and non-profit organizations.
Volunteers are needed to judge and staff the Contest Room to provide security for the entries. Model contest judges earn 2 time units towards their AP Association Volunteer Certificate. Contact the Contests Chair, Jim Little to assist in this very important function.
209 Van Horne Street South, Cranbrook BC V1C 6R9 (250) 417-0444 cranbrook@prestigehotels.ca
Please call the hotel to take advantage of the event rates with the event code "Kootenay Express". On-line booking with the event code is not working. We are sorry for any inconvenience.
Best Western Cranbrook Hotel
1019 Cranbrook Street N
Cranbrook, British Columbia V1C 3S4
1 (800) 780-7234
**** Will not take reservations until Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort is full ****
Elizabeth Lake Lodge
590 Van Horne St S
Cranbrook, BC V1C 4W7
(250) 426-6114
The Cranbrook History Centre is a museum and archive dedicated to the research, preservation, and restoration of heritage pertaining to the history of Cranbrook and the Canadian Pacific Railway. It is located adjacent to both active railway operations and the Convention Hotel.
This museum houses an impressive collection of 28 pieces of passenger rolling stock from the age of continental rail travel. Included are 7 cars from the famous 1929 Trans Canada Limited, the CPR’s premier all sleeper train. The Trans Canada Limited (TCL) was introduced just as the Roaring ‘20s crashed into the Great Depression. The result – the train ran only one season before being discontinued and the cars re-purposed to other trains. These cars represent a significant part of the CPR heavyweight fleet, and with modifications and re-buildings, served through the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and early 60s.
Your convention nametag will allow unlimited access to the museum and rail cars during the days of the convention.
Sit back and enjoy the comfort of a guided motor coach on a short journey to Kimberley where you will switch and ride the rails through the Mark Creek valley. You will learn the history of Kimberley, the Sullivan Mine, and about life as a miner.
While in the Underground Interpretive Centre, you will listen to a miner guide describe hard rock mining and demonstrate some of the equipment used in the Sullivan Mine. You will then visit the Mine Powerhouse which features the huge compressors and generators that powered the mine. Board the train again to learn more about Kimberley and enjoy scenery and glimpses of occasional wildlife as you travel back to the station.
Once back at the station, remember to explore the Orpheum Theatre, the North Star Schoolhouse, the Miners Cabin and the Caboose as part of your adventure into history.
We are in discussions with Teck and hoping to be able secure a tour to get an in-depth look at one of the many coal mines in the area owned and operated by them.
This tour would be via guided motor coach, so a fee will be attached. We have asked for a behind-the-scenes look at a working coal mine and watch as coal is loaded into train cars for shipping.
Please make sure to watch the website for the announcement of this great opportunity and ticket availability.
This tour is designed for those SERIOUS modellers that want to get down from the platforms and vestibules and focus on the details of the exterior of the cars. The museum has graciously given permission to get down in the dirt to record details of the cars with a camera, note pad and tape measure.
Museum board members as well as members of the local Railway Club have volunteered to act as tour guides. This tour will be limited in numbers and will only be available once or possibly twice depending on interest. There is no charge for this once in a life time opportunity, but please remember you must sign up for a ticket on your registration form if you are interested in getting Down ‘n’ Dirty.
NOTE:
The tour will require the physical agility necessary to get down and back up, and to crawl around under the cars, quite literally, in the dirt.
https://www.cranbrookhistorycentre.com/attractions/canadian-museum-of-rail-travel/
More information coming soon....
| Clinic Topic | Presenter |
|---|---|
| The Making of Johnson Landing Diorama | Dale Sproule, MMR |
| Rail: From Mill to Mainline | Rob Badmington |
| Wiring Your Layout | Kevin Rudko |
| Signals For Your Layout | Kevin Rudko |
| Scratchbuilding CPR Signals | Roger Walker |
| T.B.A. | Mike Barone |
| T.B.A. | Adolph Hungry Wolf |
| T.B.A. | Rich Mahaney |
| T.B.A. | Doug Burton |
| T.B.A. | Stirling Millar |
| Railroad Advertising in the National Geographic | Paul Hobbs |
| You Thought Prototype Research Might Be Fun | Paul Hobbs |
| TTX - An Unnoticed Giant | Paul Hobbs |
The Convention will have full Achievement Program Evaluating, Regular Contest (both Non-Rail and Rail), and an area for Prototype Display with the following restrictions:
The SPECIAL CONTEST this year will be a “THUMBS CONTEST” based on either a piece of rolling stock (no Motive Power) or structure of the entrant’s choice. Structures must be no larger than 6”x 6”
ALL Entries for AP evaluation and/or Contest MUST be on legibly filled out NMRA Forms #901 AND #902.No exceptions. These are available on the NMRA Website
Models may be submitted for judging in the following regular contest categories:
To enter the Model Contest, entrants must complete separate NMRA From 901 AND 902 for every model submitted.
These forms will be collected in the Contest Log Book in chronological order with the Contest Claim Check attached. Entrants will be required to sign the claim check at the time the model is returned to them in good order at the end of the contest. Proxy entries will be accepted.
For any contest model to be formally judged, the entrant must, at a minimum, complete and submit the model with a NMRA Form 902 and or written description, depending on which category is being entered. This form may be accompanied by supplemental information, plans, photographs, etc., that the entrant feels will help the judges appreciate the model.
Failure to provide a Model Contest Entry Form will result in the model not being formally judged as part of the Model Contest. In this case, the model can still be displayed as a Showcase (display) item that will be a candidate in the Popular Vote portion of the contest, along with any other models submitted for display only.
A plaque will be awarded for Best of Show, Levity and Ingenuity. A plaque and blue ribbon will be awarded to first place winners in each category. Ribbons will be awarded for 2nd and 3rd place finishers. Honorable Mention Certificates will be awarded for models which score over 87.5 points, but do not place among the top three in any category. Models achieving 87.5 points or better will receive an Achievement Program Merit Award, regardless of what place it finishes in.
Models achieving 87.5 points or better will receive an Achievement Program Merit Award, regardless of what place it finishes in. Only NMRA members in good standing are eligible to receive AP Merit Awards.
Remember that some AP certificates require some qualifying models to receive a Merit Award. This is a perfect opportunity to complete those requirements. Go to the NMRA website to view the requirements. If you have questions about the NMRA Achievement Program, contact either:
All registered convention attendees and accompanying family will be eligible to participate in the Arts & Crafts Contest. The contest categories will be:
To enter the Arts & Crafts Contest, entrants must complete a separate NMRA Form 901 and 902 for each entry submitted.
Awards shall be given for first, second and third place in each category.
All registered convention attendees will receive a ballot form in their registration packet and will be eligible to participate in the Popular Vote Contest. All contest models, photographs, trains, craft items and display-only items are eligible for the popular vote and will be identified with a numbered tag for this purpose.
Modules will be considered to be models in the Popular Vote Contest.
A Popular Best of Show plaque will also be awarded for the item that receives the most votes regardless of category.
We hope the above contest opportunities encourage all convention attendees to participate in at least one contest. Certainly everyone can participate in the People’s Choice Contest just by completing and submitting their ballots. For those who do not wish to enter any of the formal contests, we ask you to bring and display examples of your craftsmanship for the mutual pleasure of all attendees.
The Non-Rail room is open to all registered convention attendees. Please always wear your Convention ID name tag.
The Non-Rail program is going to be fun! We are going to have many entertaining projects for you to participate in as well as the usual relaxing puzzles, book exchange, colouring pages and cards. We will be having a Movie night on Thursday evening and Bingo night Friday evening. Bring your sewing machine or your knitting needles to work on your own projects if you’d like!
We are planning a “High Tea” on Friday afternoon. (Cost tba) In order to attend this High Tea, we must dress in our finest outfits, gloves optional….. oh just kidding! Wear whatever you like but you might enjoy making a “Fascinator” on Thursday and a glittering broach to compliment any outfit (small fee)!
We are thinking about a road trip out to the town of Kimberley for a little shop hopping and self-pay lunch on Saturday. There are wonderful Tours (Pay) in the works. Hopefully they won’t interfere with our in-house fun too much!
The Arts and Crafts Contest is open to all convention registrants! Entries can be turned in during the scheduled contest room hours (see program for exact times). The results will be announced at the Awards Banquet on Saturday evening. Check the Contests page for rules and forms.
REGISTRATION FEES – CANADIAN DOLLARS
Full Fare: $124.00/person
Includes convention, train show, Meet & Greet ice cream social, clinics, layout tours, contests and unlimited access into the Railway History Centre in Cranbrook (after Feb. 28, 2019 fee increases to $139)
NMRA Rail Pass: $20.00 6-month membership for all Full Fare non-NMRA Canadian members
Companion/Youth: $65.00/person - Accompanying Full Fare registrant, as per above list of activities
Banquet: $38.00/person - buffet dinner
PROTOTYPE TOUR FEES – CANADIAN DOLLARS
Guided Bus Tour: $49.00/person - Sulivan Mine and Powerhouse, Kimberley, BC
Guided Bus Tour: TBA - Teck Coal Mine,Sparwood, BC
Railway History Centre: N/C - Down ‘n’ Dirty tour, Cranbrook, BC (special interest access to study train details – you must register ahead of time as numbers are limited)
NON-RAIL TOUR – CANADIAN DOLLARS
High Tea: $25.00/person – all registrants are welcome
OR
Download the Registration Form
Mail the form to:
Kootenay Express 2019, c/o Lori Sebelley, 44694 Ashbury Place, Chilliwack, BC V2R 2Y6
Make cheque or money order payable to Kootenay Express 2019
| Title | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Ed Molenkamp | Chairperson, Advertising | |
| Lori Sebelley | Registrar, Advertising | |
| Dave Robinson | Treasurer | |
| Larry Sebelley | Prototype | |
| Brian Stokes | Clinics | |
| Jim Little | Contests | |
| Eugene Kits | Website | |
| John Martin | 7th Div. Liaison | |
| Sandra Lusk | Layouts | |
| John Koob | Public Show | |
| Suzy Madsen | Non-Rail Program | |
| Rob Badmington | Advertising | |
| Doug Burton | AP Coordinator |