Real Rails 2025!

This October 17-19 it's Real Rails 2025 in Burlington, ON. If you remember the 1983 NMRA convention in Winnipeg, or remember someone who remembered it, it was one of the largest rail enthusiast conventions held in Canada. "Railway Jamboree 83" filled the Winnipeg Convention Centre, reportedly with 11,000 paid admissions over seven days. My Dad was there with my uncle, visiting my aunt and uncle in Portage la Prairie with my Mom, having arrived by VIA Rail. 

But now, it's 40+ years later, and Real Rails 2025 is billed as a joint railway historical association three-day convention! Registration opened April 1, with discount registration rates are in effect until June 30. This is promising to be one of the most comprehensive rail enthusiast get-togethers, with a weekend full of events. Held at the Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel & Conference Centre, the area's largest hotel and conference facility under one roof, the lineup includes:

• Prototype Tours - TMC, OSR, HCRR, Metrolinx and more
• Speakers - see below
• Hobby Manufacturers' Displays 
• Product Sales 
• Model Displays 
• Modular Displays 
• Banquet - Saturday, keynote speaker Adam Meeks of CPKC's Steam Program
• Huge Train Show - Sunday

The Canadian Pacific Historical Association, together with the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Railway Historical Society, the Canadian National Railways Historical Association, and the VIA Historical Association are inviting enthusiasts to the largest railway convention of the millennium in Canada. 

Contacted in December, 2023 by VHA Secretary & Archivist Chris Greenlaw, I was interested in presenting but both Burlington and the event seemed so far away (!) But as we talked, the lineup that was emerging was too good to miss. Registered...check! VIA ticket and hotel booked...check!  Here's a list of the speakers corralled by each of the sponsoring organizations. A nice mix, trending toward the mid-20th century, subject to change:

My goals for this convention - to make it there and home and not be shanghaied by VIA Rail. To make a momentous Manitoba mafia meeting! To get through my PowerPoint with zero technical issues. To learn lots!  To put some names to some faces. Notable railfans/modellers who have already registered: Andrew Chisholm, Emmerson Case, Michael Pasch...

For my presentation, of course there will be a more descriptive title than the tentatively-assigned 'VIA Consists'. Here's an AI-generated image (above). The real title and subject of my presentation? Hmmmm...I had a few ideas prior to launching an online poll. Call it 'market research' or 'know your audience'. Survey said:

There is strong interest in the first five years, and the last 25 years! I've heard it said that "you should write what you know" and that extends to "talk about what you know" not necessarily what "you have the best quality photographs to illustrate". My photography for the first five years of VIA was strictly 110-format. So I hope no-one shows up for this talk expecting Steinheimer! I had a good chat with fellow presenter Brian Schuff of Winnipeg about our two talks, and whether there would be any sort of symbiosis, synergy or superimposing between them. Super Continental-ing? A good chance!

Long before October, I'll be presenting on Analysis Paralysis in Model Railroading. (Remember, it's not really paralysis due to analysis, it's paralysis caused by a host of potentially daunting factors). I'll have to get over my presentation paralysis because it's only a week away!

This coming week, the PowerPoint is for our hometown Associated Railroaders of Kingston, and on May 1 for the Railway Modellers Meet of British Columbia virtual clinics. Registration required, all listings are Pacific Time:

May 1, 2025

Matthieu Lachance - Extreme weathering on a CN snowplow. 19:00 to19:45 
Eric Gagnon - Analysis Paralysis 19:45 to 20:30 
Chris Vanderheide - Modelling CP’s Sudbury Ore Cars with 3D Printing 20:30 to 21:15

May 15, 2025

Jason Baxter - CN Caramat Subdivision layout tour 19:00 to 19:45 
Cal Sexsmith - Modelling Big River SK in HO 19:45 to 20:30 
Joe Green - Modeling C&O Prototype Scenes 20:30 to 21:15

Running extra...

Happy Easter to Trackside Treasure's readers!

--Eric

First past the post...A new feature here on Trackside Treasure...after each post I'll mention someone who's made a positive impression this week. Steve Bradley advertised three of Ian Wilson's CNR books online this week - I was on that listing like a tick on a hound, like a fan tripper to a photo line, like a cinder to an eye! Thanks to Steve for speedy service and helping me add these excellently-researched volumes to my library.