The Moose Jaw branch of the Western Development Museum (WDM) will be hosting its annual model train show this Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24 on the museum grounds.
On each consecutive date, the train show will run from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and admission will be charged at the same standard rate with WDM members enjoying free admission.
“We’re partnering with the Thunder Creek Model Train Show, so there will be a whole bunch of model train exhibits throughout the galleries,” announced Alexis Jones, the museum’s program co-ordinator.
The permanent train modules displayed at the WDM follow the evolution of a fictitious small prairie town called Thunder Creek over a number of separate eras, which is where the name for the club is derived.
These four time periods reflect the changes experienced in the town as it grows and evolves over time, which reflects the actual course of many small-town rural communities across Saskatchewan.
The Moose Jaw Thunder Creek Model Railroad Club Inc. was founded in 1967 by Rick Percy.
The club’s original five members were all employed at CFB Moose Jaw, and the earliest meetings were held at a member’s home. Today, the club has approximately 20 registered members and at its height hosted around 27 members.
Today, the model railroad club maintains a permanent series of displays at the WDM’s Moose Jaw branch, and members meet every Tuesday from September to June at the museum.
On May 1, 2022, the Town ‘N’ Country Mall provided the club with a permanent space to host a semi-permanent model train display. Then, on Nov. 1, 2022, the mall provided a second space where club members could work on displays, hold meetings, and store additional materials.
The space at the Town ‘N’ Country Mall is open to the public most Fridays and Saturdays from 1 – 5 p.m. excluding holidays or if the club is currently engaged in rotating exhibits off-site.
At the WDM, the club maintains a permanent display and each year the annual model train show is open to the public for enthusiasts and curious guests alike.
For the duration of the event, a concession will be available at the museum and will run from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Due to limited payment options, the concession will be a cash-only vendor.
The WDM is the largest human history museum in Saskatchewan and features a collection of over 75,000 artifacts across four locations. The Moose Jaw branch specializes in the history of transportation.
The museum is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. During the winter months, the museum is closed on Mondays from January to March and on stat holidays from October to April.
For more information, visit the museum’s website at WDM.ca/Moose-Jaw. Alexis Jones can be reached at 306-693-5989 or at ajones@wdm.ca.
The Western Development Museum is located at 50 Diefenbaker Drive.
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