British Columbia Society of Model Engineers

The British Columbia Society of Model Engineers (BCSME) is a volunteer model engineering organization based in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Formed in 1929 by a group of miniature railway enthusiasts, many of whom built miniature locomotives in their home workshops, the club initially ran its trains on private tracks before establishing its own public railway. Since 1993 it has operated the Burnaby Central Railway, a miniature railway open to the public in Confederation Park in North Burnaby. The railway is one of Canada's largest miniature railways open to the public and is described by the club as comparable to the best in the world. The club's public railway began as a temporary ground-level 5-inch and 7.5-inch gauge track at Burnaby Heritage Village in 1973, named the Burnaby Central Railway. Its success led to a permanent track that opened in 1975. After outgrowing that single-loop site, the club relocated to a 7-acre former municipal works yard in Confederation Park, closing the original track in late 1991 and opening the new railway on July 1, 1993. The site was landscaped with 8,500 loads of fill from the Cassiar Connector highway project, creating four hills, and the main line now exceeds two miles, with tunnels, bridges, crossovers and spirals added over the years. BCSME is run entirely by volunteers. In its first 30 years at Confederation Park, the club reports 210,000 volunteer hours, 1.2 million train rides and 6,000 birthday parties. The railway offers public rides, birthday parties, special events and a garden railway, and the club continues to develop the site with plans for signalling systems and a raised track for 1/12 and 1/16 scale models. The organization also maintains a model engineering hobby focus, with members building and operating miniature locomotives and rolling stock.

The British Columbia Society of Model Engineers was formed in 1929 by a group of miniature railway enthusiasts, many of whom had home workshops where they built miniature locomotives in their spare time. At that time the club did not have a track of its own, and members met from time to time at tracks on private property to run their trains. The members wanted to share their work with other enthusiasts and the public and to rekindle memories of the era when most people travelled long distances by train. They searched for a property of their own. In 1973 the club built its first open-to-the-public miniature railway, a temporary ground-level 5-inch and 7.5-inch gauge track at Burnaby Heritage Village, which they named the Burnaby Central Railway. It was such a success that the BCSME was invited to build a permanent track, which opened on July 1, 1975 at the Burnaby Village Museum. The railway operated for 15 years, but by 1990 the club had outgrown the single-loop track and the site was not large enough to meet its needs, with no room for expansion. Burnaby Parks assisted the club in relocating to its present 7-acre site, which had been used as a municipal works yard. In late 1991 the club closed its original track, and after almost two years of work it opened at the current location in Confederation Park on July 1, 1993. Landscaping of the site included 8,500 loads of fill from the Cassiar Connector highway project, used to create four hills that add interest and variety to the ride. Over the years the club added more track, and there is now over 2 miles of main line on which to run trains. Tunnels, bridges, crossovers and spirals have been added as money and donations of manpower and material became available. The Burnaby Central Railway is described as a work in progress, with ongoing planning and development including signalling systems and a raised track for 1/12 and 1/16 scale models. In 2023 the club marked the 30th anniversary of the Burnaby Central Railway at Confederation Park. Over those 30 years the club reports 210,000 volunteer hours, 1.2 million train rides and 6,000 birthday parties. The club states that it is today one of Canada's largest miniature railways open to the public and comparable to the best in the world. Model engineering is a hobby with millions of participants across many countries, but most miniature railways are built by individuals on private land and are not always available for public enjoyment; BCSME's railway is a notable public-facing example.

• 2023

  The club celebrates 30 years of the Burnaby Central Railway at Confederation Park, reporting 210,000 volunteer hours, 1.2 million train rides and 6,000 birthday parties.

• 1993

  The Burnaby Central Railway opens at its current 7-acre site in Confederation Park on July 1.

• 1991

  The club closes its original track in late 1991 after outgrowing the single-loop site.

• 1975

  A permanent track opens on July 1 at the Burnaby Village Museum.

• 1973

  The club builds its first open-to-the-public miniature railway, a temporary ground-level 5-inch and 7.5-inch gauge track at Burnaby Heritage Village, named the Burnaby Central Railway.

• 1929

  A group of miniature railway enthusiasts forms a model engineering club, the British Columbia Society of Model Engineers.

A volunteer-run, public-oriented miniature railway and model engineering club, positioned as one of Canada's largest miniature railways open to the public.

• Burnaby Central Railway miniature railway

  A public miniature railway with over 2 miles of main line, tunnels, bridges, crossovers and spirals, operating in Confederation Park, Burnaby.

• Garden Railway

  A garden railway attraction at the BCSME site.

• Birthday parties

  Birthday party packages hosted at the railway; 6,000 parties reported in the first 30 years at Confederation Park.

• Special events

  Special events held at the railway.

1. 1British Columbia Society of Model Engineers |bcsme.org
2. 2Our History | British Columbia Society of Model Engineersbcsme.org
3. 3Celebrating 30 Years at Confederation Park | British Columbia Society of Model Engineersbcsme.org
4. 4British Columbia Society of Model Engineerswikidata.org