The committee has put together several options for Friday afternoon
Please note you can only take one tour or operating session as they are all on Friday afternoon. There is no additional cost for the operations sessions or to attend a tour. However you need to provide your own transportation.
Operating Sessions
There are two operating sessions,
John Johnston’s N Gauge Grand Trunk Southern
Homes Club Hamilton HO Layout.
Please click here to go to the operations Page. Operations Sessions
Tours
Fast Tracks has offered to provide a tour for up to 20 people at their facility in Port Dover. You will be required to find your open transportation to Port Dover which is about 1 hr and 15 mins from the college. We will be adding a sign up once all the details are complete.
Hamilton Tour.
Special: Walking Tour of Downtown Hamilton’s Railroad sights
Guide: Ron Johnson
The area around city hall has a fascinating collection of model and prototype railroading packed into only a few blocks. Most of the sites are visible to the public but this guided tour will pack the maximum interest into the minimum of steps.
Dennis Lee layout. When Mr. Lee passed away, there was an outcry to preserve his basement layout. Surprisingly, this happened, better than could be expected. Members of the Dundas Valley Modular Club rebuilt the rectangular basement layout into a downtown display area in the lobby of the new Braley Building at Main and Bay Streets. Containing a large collection of buildings and rolling stock the track plan is divided into two separate layouts behind glass partitions. Visitors can press a button to activate trains. Important: This medical building can be viewed independently but is only open Monday-Friday until 4 pm.
The Bruegel-Bosch Bus. Displayed in the Art Gallery of Hamilton, immediately beside the Braley building, the unique art installation, inspired by a combination of the two medieval Dutch artists, the contents the Walthers catalogue, a vivid child-like vision and a genuine Volkswagen Van, all mounted with a view of the Hamilton City Hall. While a full size skeleton drives the vehicle, the train end includes a turntable, packing house, etc. This will change forever your concept that model railroading is an art. Important: The bus can be seen independently during opening hours Thursday-Sunday 11-4. The gallery is free for items on the second floor, where the bus sits. Canadian artist Kim Adams has assembled other works utilizing HO train parts in new and different ways. The gift shop sells books and cups with the bus motif.
*TH&B/GO Station A few blocks away is the unique art deco railroad station which hosts hourly GO trains and CPKC freights. The restored lobby connects to local and commuter bus services. From the north trains emerge from a short tunnel, ideal for those who want a prototype for a hidden deck. The whole area has been duplicated by highly detailed structures on the HOMES club layout The building also holds the TH&B museum.
*The Birdcage Ferguson Street, just east of downtown was the location of CN trackage which ground up the side of the mountain—now a hiking trail. The station that located in this spot has been torn down, but t was replaced by similar structure which looks like a station, assuming the station was a birdcage. Who built this, or why, remains a mystery. North of King is a wall mounted mural of a CN mogul flipped on its side at that very spot.
