All aboard!
It’s back for another year: Burnaby Central Railway is chugging along its tracks to delight families with its two-mile ride through Burnaby’s Confederation Park. Bring your kids, bring your friends, and definitely bring anyone you know who’s a train enthusiast because the train leaves the station soon!
A HISTORY FILLED WITH PASSION
The Burnaby Central Railway is run by the British Columbia Society of Model Engineers. It began back in 1929 by a group of miniature railway enthusiasts whose hobby was fuelled by their love of mini locomotives.
They occasionally met at their members’ homes whose property contained tracks, so they could run their trains. In 1975, the group went public at the Burnaby Village Museum’s track. But, they found it was too small for their vision, and relocated. Their current location is now in Confederation Park where we enjoy their annual train season.
CHOO CHOO!
The British Columbia Society of Model Engineers have 7 locomotives altogether, as well as around 30 passenger cars. Additionally, the trains themselves are big enough to carry 20 or more passengers. Visitors can expect to go on a 10 minute outdoor ride throughout the woods, complete with bridges, tunnels, crossovers, and spirals.
All the engines are hand-built, and lovingly crafted out of passion for trains. They are real 1/8 scale replicas and act as true trains do, powered-up with steam engines that are fired primarily on propane.
The new season opens this Friday on April 18 at North Burnaby’s Confederation Park. After this, you can catch a ride on Saturdays and Sundays from Easter to Canadian Thanksgiving. They run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Costs are $4.50 for a single ride for riders 3 and up. You can also invest in a $40 10-ride pass that can be used over multiple days. And it doesn’t expire! Last call for tickets is 4:30 p.m., so make sure to get yours early in the day!
