Calling are miniature train enthusiasts, the B.C. Farm museum will be hosting “Train Days” starting Saturday afternoon, Aug. 3, and running until Monday, Aug. 5.
Organizer Laurie Griffiths said the displays have been chugging along for nearly a decade now, put on annually by the Fraser Valley G Scale Friends club.
“We’ll layout 16 by 30 foot displays with two tracks. Some run with track or battery power, but a lot of the guys use actual steam engines,” Griffiths said.
Griffiths own personal loop tracks will also be set up as well as a small model village to enhance the viewing experience.
“We don’t have a usual spot to set up so it’s nice for us to have a place to display everything,” Griffiths added.
“It’s a nostalgic thing for some people I think, who remember trains that used to run by their house when they lived on the prairies. Older folks tend to bring out their kids and grandkids.”
To celebrate BC’s history on Aug. 5, the farm museum will be holding Old and New Day alongside the model railroad displays.
Older artifacts at the museum will be paired with new versions of the same item to celebrate the province’s evolution.
Hilary Ruffini, librarian and coordinator at BC Farm museum, said there will be a few life-sized vehicles that train-enthusiasts might like to see as well.
“We’ll bring out our 1919 Model T and Titan tractor. It’s the day where we open up carriages and people can go in and take a picture,” Ruffini said.
To go along with the Old and New Day, she said a possible electric car will be parked next to the Model T.
There will also be balloons, prizes, and a scavenger hunt that will take families all around different corners of the complex.
“Well have a small display of Kodak cameras and the stories that go with them. We’ll put out a 1913 map of B.C. people can lean over and look at,” Ruffini added.
Read More: Annual Train Days at BC Farm museum a Comicon for model train buffs
The BC Farm Museum houses one of the largest collections of agricultural artifacts in the province, and unlike other museums which have many items in storage, the entire collection is on display.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 9131 King Street.
Admission is by donation for B.C. Day; the museum suggests $5 per family.
For more information, visit www.bcfma.com or email bcfm@telus.net, or call the museum at 604-888-2273.
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