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
| Registration | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm | ||
| PNR Board of Directors Meeting | 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm | Van Horne Room | |
| Ice Cream Social (Meet & Greet) | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | Fernie Room | |
| Registration | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | ||
| Non-Rail (Welcome & Game Night) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Lady Agnes Room |
| Sullivan Mine and Powerhouse | 8:00 am to 12:00 pm | Hotel Lobby | |
| Non-Rail | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | Lady Agnes Room | |
| Non-Rail | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Lady Agnes Room | |
| Layout Tours | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | ||
| Sullivan Mine and Powerhouse | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Hotel Lobby | |
| Clinics | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Fernie/Van Horne Rooms | |
| 6th Div AGM | 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm | Fernie Room | |
| Clinics | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Fernie/Van Horne Rooms | |
| Non-Rail (Movie Night) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Lady Agnes Room | |
| Contest/Display Room | 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Baker Room |
| Canfor Forest Products – Radium Hot Springs | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm | Hotel Lobby | |
| NMRA Canada AGM | 9:00 am to 10:00 am | Fernie Room | |
| Non-Rail | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | Lady Agnes Room | |
| High Tea (Non-Rail) | 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | Lady Agnes Room | |
| Layout Tours | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | ||
| Railway History Centre – Down ‘n’ Dirty Tour | 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm | Museum Lobby | |
| Railway History Centre – Down ‘n’ Dirty Tour | 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm | Museum Lobby | |
| Clinics | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Fernie/Van Horne Rooms | |
| Contests/Display Room | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Baker Room | |
| Non-Rail | 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Lady Agnes Room | |
| Non-Rail (Bingo Night) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Lady Agnes Room | |
| Clinics | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Fernie/Van Horne Rooms | |
| Contests/Display Room | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Baker Room | |
| PNR Annual General Meeting | 8:30 pm to 10:00 pm | Fernie Room |
| Modelling With The Masters | 8:30 am to 1:00 pm | Fernie Room | |
| Clinics | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | Fernie/Van Horne Rooms | |
| AP Evaluation | 9:00 am to 11:00 am | ||
| Non-Rail | 9:00 am to 10:00 am | Lady Agnes Room | |
| Non-Rail (Shops & Stops) | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | Kimberley | |
| Cranbrook Model Train Show | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | ||
| Contest Judging | 11:00 am to 1:00 pm | Baker Room | |
| Clinics | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Fernie/Van Horne Rooms | |
| Show & Share | 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | Baker Room | |
| Non-Rail (Shops & Stops) | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Cranbrook | |
| Banquet / Keynote | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Banquet Room (Fernie, Baker, Van Horne) |
| Cranbrook Model Train Show | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm |
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.
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.
Thursday, May 30 at 8:00am or 1:00pm. $49.00/person Limited space still available
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.
Friday, May 31, 2019 at 1-2 pm and 2-3pm. A few limited spaces availableNOTE:
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/
Canfor is a leading integrated forest products company based in Vancouver, British Columbia (BC) with operations in BC, Alberta, Quebec, Washington State, and North and South Carolina. Canfor produces primarily softwood lumber and also produces oriented strand board (OSB), remanufactured lumber product, bleached chemi-thermo-mechanical pulp and specialized wood products. Canfor also owns a 50.2% interest in Canfor Pulp Products Inc., which is one of the largest producers of northern softwood kraft pulp in Canada and a leading producer of high performance kraft paper.
This guided bus tour will take us to Radium so that we can tour through the sawmill/planermill and the train car loading facility. On our journey home, we will stop in Invermere for a no host lunch at Huckleberry's Family Restaurant
Friday May 31 at 8:00am – $49.00. Participant limit – minimum 30, maximum 40. The cut-off date for registering is Tuesday, May 7 by midnight PST. This is an absolutely firm date and time.
https://www.canfor.com/our-company/our-communities/radium-hot-springs
We have eight personal layouts available to visit while attending the Convention and one pre-convention location south of Calgary for those travelling from the East. More details and directions for the personal layouts will be made available in your registration kit.
Wednesday, May 29, 2019 9:00 am to 6:30 pm
Thursday, May 30, 2019 1-4 pm
This session includes 4 layouts at 3 locations in Cranbrook within a short walking distance of each other. Parking is also available at each location.
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Friday, May 31, 2019 1-4 pm, 1-5 pm
There are 4 layouts (2 outdoor, 2 indoor) available for viewing Friday afternoon. No registration is required.
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More information coming soon....
| Modelling With The Masters | Fred Headon, MMR and Jack Hamilton,MMR | This session is designed to introduce attendees to laser-cut kits and their construction. The kit will be an introductory laser-cut kit for a small track-side bunkhouse that could also be used as a lineside or industrial storage shed. It is generic enough that it will fit on anyone’s model railway.REGISTRATION FEE is $50.00 with choice of N, HO or O-scale kit. You must state which scale you wish when signing up. This clinic is limited to 24 participants.The cut-off date for registering for the Modelling with the Masters session is Saturday May 4 by midnight PST. This is an absolutely firm date and time.Once you are registered, along with your confirmation, a supply/tool kit list will be sent to you. |
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| The Making of Johnson Landing Diorama | Dale Sproule, MMR | This clinic is meant to show my approach to building a 15” X 36” diorama, with a harbour theme. The module was built to be easily removable from my existing layout harbour space. I start with a discussion of the framework making up a removable module then move onto scratchbuilt structures, tools, shingling, water, LED’s in different uses, sound modules and more ..... all of the elements that, when brought together make Johnson Landing. |
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| Rail: From Mill to Mainline | Rob Badmington | Rail is the most fundamental component of railroads, and this clinic will take you on a photographic journey through every aspect the product. See how rail is made, transported, welded, installed, maintained, cascaded, repurposed, and ultimately, recycled. The presenter spent much of his career with both major Canadian railways in the engineering and purchasing functions, dealing specifically with rail. Some of his behind-the-scenes photos cannot be seen anywhere else. |
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| Signalling Systems | Kevin Rudko | In this two part presentation, the vast field of railway signalling will be introduced for a model railroader audience.Part 1: Prototype Signal Systems. The presenter will explain what signals are, list the different types of systems used by railways, and how they relate to operations. CROR signal aspects will be explored with examples of real world scenarios.Part 2: Modelling Signal Systems: The presenter will discuss strategies for implementing signalling on your model railroad and present a case study to apply signalling to an existing layout. | |||
| Scratchbuilding a CPR Signal | Roger Walker, MMR |
This clinic consists of a slide presentation illustrating every step in building a CPR intermediate signal with one head. I measured the signal between Sunalta and Brickburn (just west of Calgary), and my drawings will be handed out at the clinic. Basic materials consist of readily available brass structural shapes (tube, C-channel and flat wire), one red/green LED, and some scrap pieces of styrene. The total cost of one signal, including the LED, is less than $10. I used only basic tools, including a simple drill press and a Canadian Tire soldering iron. The signal consists of four basic parts – a base, a mast, a ladder and a signal head. To hold everything in place during soldering, many simple jigs were made out of scrapwood. The clinic will emphasize the construction of the jigs, and how they were created and used to keep the rungs of the ladder even, and the ladder parallel to the mast. The use of custom designed simple jigs can be applied to many other projects. The resulting signal does not have the very fine detail of some commercial signals, but it is faithful to the CPR design and looks great on a layout.
 RogerWalkerHandout.pdf |
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| Casting with RTV Molds From Masters to Finished Project | Mike Barone | ||||
| Railways in Southern BC | Adolph Hungry Wolf | ||||
| Different Tools I Use | Doug Burton |
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| Railroad Advertising in the National Geographic | Paul Hobbs | ||||
| You Thought Prototype Research Might Be Fun | Paul Hobbs | ||||
| TTX - An Unnoticed Giant | Paul Hobbs | ||||
| Gentle Introduction to Arduino Programming | John Bate | ||||
| And Then There Were Seven! | Kevin Feeney | An examination of accounting changes and other factors that led to the reduction of the number of Class 1 RRs in North America from 137 to just seven in the last 71 years. | |||
| From Garden to Layout - Don't Throw That Out | Walt Huston | Deciduous trees of any size can be built using trimmings from your garden such as Azalea bushes, my favorite. I show you how to attach Woodland Scenics Fine Leaf Foliage to the trimmings to make trees that a scale bird could actually fly into. |
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| Weathering With Pan Pastels | Kurt Laidlaw |
Panpastel_Handout.pdf |
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| A More Prototypical Approach to Car Forwarding Software | Greg Madsen | Traditional computer based approaches to car forwarding on a model railroad can easily generate lots of activity, however the car movements are often random rather than being along a specific route to fulfill a prototypical shipment. These unrealistic car movements are a common criticism of such programs. Individual Car Cards and Way Bills (CC/WB) on the other hand, can easily represent the richness of prototype shipments, but they require a lot of manual work to create, modify, use, and set up between operating sessions. This clinic will discuss the progress on a new computer program I have written to overcome both of these limitations. The goal was to maintain the richness of the prototypical shipment based CC/WB system while eliminating all of its manual set up work between sessions. By simulating multiple days, it is easy to compare different operating scenarios as it is all just data inside a computer program. This is very useful for tuning car traffic on an existing layout, and can even influence new or expanded layout design by simulating a layout before it is even built. |
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| Second Lives of Cabooses | Rich Mahaney | ||||
| How To Design and Deliver Interesting Clinics! | Rich Mahaney | ||||
| Ethanol/Crude Oil Traffic Modelling | Rich Mahaney | ||||
| Tank Cars 101 | Rich Mahaney | ||||
| Selecting Industries | Rich Mahaney | ||||
| Making Stencils for Fascia and Models | Rich Pitter | Craft technology permits model railroaders to make individualized stencils to decorate their layout fascia or customize commercial buildings. Although not exhaustive on tools available, the presentation describes how you can make and apply your own custom stencils and identifies some stencil cutting tools. | |||
| Building A California Basement in Saskatchewan | Cal Sexsmith | ||||
| Planning and Building a Prototype-based Layout | Cal Sexsmith | ||||
| Working with Wood and Details: Things I've Learned Along the Way | Mort Spelman | ||||
| TBD | Brian Stokes | ||||
| TBD | Al Turnbull | ||||
| Planning and Building my Layout - Coal Creek Lumber Company | Russell Segner | This clinic will use my layout constructed over the last 15 years to demonstrate many ideas useful in designing your personal railroad empire.The Coal Creek Lumber Company is a freelanced Sn3 model railroad describing railroad logging and mining in the Pacific Northwest. The various major elements I have incorporated are based on specific locations and prototype operations. The layout was planned and built to provide specific scenes for photography and the track plan allows interesting and challenging operations.The clinic will focus on the Layout Space, Theme, Period, Operation, & Motive Power.Photos and videos of my layout will illustrate these elements. |
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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: $139.00/person
Includes convention, train show, Meet & Greet ice cream social, clinics, layout tours, contests and unlimited access into the Railway History Centre in Cranbrook
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
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 |
