Marjorie Roden

Special to the Herald

“This is the first time in Western Canada there’s been a (model) train show since February of two years ago, when everything was shut down because of Covid.”The statement from Vince Parker, secretary-treasurer of the River Crossing Model Railroading club of Prince Albert, shows the importance in club society of Saturday’s gathering at the Midtown recreation centre.

“We have layouts here from Saskatoon and from Martensville, and some representation from Melville,” Parker added.

The impressive displays from Prince Albert, including one representing the community of Prince Albert itself, greets people as soon as they enter the building. A large part of it represents the pulp mill, which Parker had designed himself. Another member, Lorne Green, also “worked on a piece on the other side, the farm scene. Some other fellows embellished on it, with a fire!”

As is the case with many hobby shows of this nature, there’s generally items related to the hobby for sale. Such was the case of the sizable collection being sold, in parts, by Dianne McDuff.

“My father had passed, not too long ago, and he was a collector,” McDuff said. “The guys said, ‘bring your dad’s stuff and see if you can sell some of it’, so that’s what we’ve been doing. They’re a great bunch of guys.”

The show was one to be enjoyed by many generations, including within the Leblue family. Dwight brought his two daughters, Samantha and Alexandra, to the show, and both young women seemed to appreciate the show.

“It’s nice and it’s beautiful,” Samantha said, referring to some of the scenes re-created in the model railway displays.

“They put a lot of hard work into it,” Alexandra added.

Their father Dwight had other reasons for being at the show.

“I’m looking for inspiration, myself, because I want to build mine eventually,” he said. “I have all this different stuff ready to go. I just need the hours and the table to make it on.”

The family is based in Prince Albert, but Dwight is originally from Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan.

“You’ve got to take inspiration from what you know,” Dwight said. “You’ve got to take it from where you come from, and when I make mine, it will look like my hometown of Hudson Bay!”

The show concluded on Sunday.