2020 Toronto CARM Convention - Clinics

POSTPONEMENT

The 2020 Toronto CARM Convention clinics will be presented in our convention activity room from 2 pm to 5 pm and from 7 pm to 11 pm on Friday May 8, and from 8 am to 11 am on Saturday May 9.

The convention activity room location will be announced in March.

The proposed presenters and topics are:

• Gerald Harper: Resurrection of the Anyox Railroad
• Andrew Malette: Building Models in Brass Using Soldering Techniques
• William Waithe: Model Railway Operations Using Computer-Generated Switch Lists
• Mike Walton: The Formby Gorge Railway
• David King: Scenery Lighting using NeoPixels and Micro-Controllers
• Richard Morrison: Evolution of a model railroad
• Walter Reid: History of GO
• Edward Freeman: Introducing Ontario's Northland Railway
• Richard McQuade: From Wood to Steel: The Evolution of Passenger Cars on the CPR from 1860 to 1920
• Robert Langlois: Battery Powered Locomotives

Clinic Abstracts

• Gerald Harper: Resurrection of the Anyox Railroad

  The author has undertaken extensive research on the little known Anyox Railroad. The railroad may have set an all-time record for tonnage hauled by a narrow-gauge railroad in North America. From its start-up in 1914 until it closed down near the end of 1935 the railroad hauled at least 25,173,314 long tons of mineral freight traffic exclusive of logging trains, multiple daily passenger trains and miscellaneous other loads. Nine miles of three-foot gauge main line, one mile of bridges and trestles, six miles electrified, grades of 2.5% and a climate with 250 inches of precipitation a year.

This talk will explore the background to these figures and show what a remarkable operation this was. This achievement was even more remarkable considering that the motive power was an eclectic mix of steeple cab electric locomotives and 0-4-0 and 0-6-0 saddle tanks. The author's On3 layout and scratch-built unique locomotives will supplement history in bringing reality to this hidden railroad serving the "Hidden Creek Mine" at Anyox in Northwestern British Columbia.

• Andrew Malette: Building Models in Brass Using Soldering Techniques

  This clinic will discuss the art of soldering using various soldering techniques and demonstrate how to build a brass model steam locomotive boiler. It's easier than you think!

• William Waithe: Model Railway Operations Using Computer-Generated Switch Lists

  This clinic will include a brief overview of various systems commonly used to direct rail traffic and shipping of goods (car forwarding) on model railways, followed by a demonstration of building a database in a car forwarding program (Ship It). The author has over twenty years of experience using this particular system for industrial freight operations and can vouch for the delight and creative satisfaction of building and operating a successful database. The advantages and disadvantages of using computer generated switch lists will be discussed.

• Mike Walton: The Formby Gorge Railway

  The Formby Gorge Railway runs through a beautiful garden over bridges, through tunnels and in front of waterfalls. The 45mm gauge trackwork is designed for live steam and battery operation. The line was first planned in 2000 to blend in with the prize winning English Country garden then being developed. Just as with a real railway, the landscape was surveyed to establish the 1 in 100 grades appropriate for live steam operation. The lie of the land is perfect in that the steaming tracks on the patio are at a perfect working height for raising steam in preparation for the journey ahead. After leaving the patio the trains meander through the garden at ground level often buried in the undergrowth. It is a truly whimsical railway through a garden where the plants and landscape dominate the scene. The presentation describes the construction and operation of this very special railway.

• David King: Scenery Lighting using NeoPixels and Micro-Controllers

  During this clinic we will explore how to use Micro-Controllers for layout lighting. We will look at overall scenery lighting and creating effective lighting decisions using NeoPixels in ways that can't be accomplished or easily done using LEDs or conventional lighting methods. Using NeoPixels will allow you to create a more realistic scene than you have been able to create previously. We will also explore the differences of using different Micro-Controller languages for programming from Arduino to CircuitPython. If you gain nothing else from this clinic you should have your eyes and mind opened up to the vast growth and applications of adding this to your skill set for model railroading and beyond.

• Richard Morrison: Evolution of a model railroad

  Richard will relate how he got interested in model railroading, lost interest, then regained it when he cleaned out the basement and suddenly had a big empty room. Then children and pets forced the layout from the basement. Finally, in 2007 he built a structure for the layout in the driveway beside the house, where a carport or garage would normally be. The layout was originally 56 square feet and was later expanded. The presentation will describe the many alterations, renovations and changes which resulted in the present layout.

• Walter Reid: History of GO

  This clinic will take you on a visual journey from the humble beginnings of GO Transit to the commuter system other transit authorities in North America use to model their systems against. We will focus on the rail service from the beginning to the upcoming electrification plans.

• Edward Freeman: Introducing Ontario's Northland Railway

  A review of the landscape, settlement, and railway transportation into Northern Ontario with an overview of construction, mining camps, and rolling stock.

• Richard McQuade: From Wood to Steel: The Evolution of Passenger Cars on the CPR from 1860 to 1920

  The latter half of the nineteenth and first decades of the twentieth centuries witnessed the evolution of passenger cars from small, virtually all-wood, uncomfortable cars to large, comfortable all-steel cars. This included changes in construction materials and techniques, cars’ sizes, weights and capacities, and the development of a variety of types of purpose-built cars for the comfort, convenience and safety of passengers. Based on research done for his book, From Wood to Steel: Canadian Railway Passenger Cars from 1860 to 1920, Richard will examine five distinct stages of these developments in passenger car technologies as they applied to CPR’s passenger car fleet.

• Robert Langlois: Battery Powered Locomotives

  Robert will introduce the various technologies used to power and control model locomotives. These technologies will include battery types, battery recharging strategies, wireless DCC and track wiring options. There will be a brief survey of costs, manufacturers and installers with emphasis on S-Cab. Handouts will be provided to clinic attendees.

All clinics are subject to change.