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Post by boxcarwilly on Dec 4, 2015 12:15:32 GMT -5
Supertrain 2016 will be held at the Genesis Center in NE Calgary, Alberta on April 16 and 17. This is Western Canada's biggest model train show and again this year I will be participating and I anticipate taking my entire layout which amounts to 30 ft by 10 ft. Since I am likely going to be the only z scaler there, it sure would be nice if some of my fellow Zer's from the North Western States come and be part of the show this year. It gets awfully lonely being the only Z scale modeller here since I am now only one of two in this area and the other fella doesn't display his layout at the show. I have included a link to the Supertrain website and down the left side you will find the request for an application to participate. Click on this and it will bring up the application. If you would like to come, please fill it out and submit BEFORE December 15. Speed is of the essence since space fills up quickly and even though the venue is bigger then in years past, last year there were clubs and individuals who could not be accommodated. This is an excellent opportunity for AZL to display their products and show people just what Z scale is all about. Rob and Hans, now is the time to promote Z scale to the Canadian public and perhaps get more people interested in it. I'm sad to say there aren't many of us Zer's in all of Canada and I don't know why, but I think it's time for a change. I do know from one of the organizers of the show that an invitation has been extended to MTL and Intermountain so maybe you guys should get in on this. You can use the same application request but it must be submitted by Dec. 15. A link to one of the hotels in the area will be provide for you to make reservations for your stay as soon as one is made available. Discounts will be arranged for show participants. I really hope that I won't be alone again this year. It's tough carrying the weight of Z all by myself. It would be nice to have a chorus to sing about it instead of being a soloist. Here's the link: www.supertrain.ca, C U There |
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Post by boxcarwilly on Dec 4, 2015 12:19:08 GMT -5
Here is the link to make reservations at the Glenmore Inn for the show. The sooner you make your reservation the better as the rooms go fast. www.glenmoreinn.com |
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Post by markm on Dec 4, 2015 19:33:55 GMT -5
Willy,
Looks like a great show. I wouldn't mind see it, if one can get there by train from Vancouver. But I have to tell you, every time I read the name, this is the first thing I think of:
Mark
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Post by markm on Dec 5, 2015 12:04:16 GMT -5
Willy,
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but there doesn't appear to be any rail service in Calgary.
Mark
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Post by boxcarwilly on Dec 6, 2015 14:13:31 GMT -5
Mark:
Unfortunately there isn't any rail service to Calgary unless you are prepared to take a freight. Passenger service to Calgary was ended many, many years ago by Via Rail. The closest you can get is Edmonton from Vancouver and then take a bus down to Calgary. The Western Continental only runs 3 days a week from Vancouver I believe and it's very, very, expensive. Almost as expensive as the Rocky Mountaineer.
It's cheaper to fly in as the airport is not far from the Genesis Center or to drive.
Hey, I just thought of something, if you fly in Mark, I can make arrangements to pick you up at the airport on the Friday night or afternoon, and then take you to the Glenmore. Then we can figure out how to get you from there to the center on both Saturday and Sunday and then I could drop you at the airport on the Sunday after the show and we tear down my layout. There is talk of the CMRS running a shuttle bus service from the inn to the center and back on both Saturday and Sunday but nothing is confirmed yet.
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Post by markm on Dec 7, 2015 9:30:56 GMT -5
"Willy",
Thanks for the offer. I'm still investigating, but I'm amazed how hard it is to get there from here. From any airport within 100 miles of me, the airlines want to route me via Mexico (only a U.S. carrier would think Houston is the shortest route from San Francisco to Calgary) and the Coast Starlight to Vancouver would be faster! And so far, I blow all my 2016 railroading travel budget and start eating into 2017.
Just have to see what I can work out.
But I do agree with you that an AZL presence would further Z in Canada.
Mark
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Post by boxcarwilly on Dec 7, 2015 12:09:56 GMT -5
Via Mexico!  ? Have you considered WestJet or Air Canada? I don't know if either fly out of any airport close to you, but if they do, perhaps you might get a flight from there to here. If by some miracle you do get here, I thought that perhaps I'd make you an honorary member of my group, that way, you don't have to pay admission to get in for either day, you can hang out with us as much as you want, and you'd have all the time you need to tour the show. It would be super (no pun intended) to have you join us. When you have a way to get here, let me know and we can work out the details further. Hope you can make it. |
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Post by BAZman on Dec 7, 2015 13:20:22 GMT -5
Mark, best was SFO, Air Canada/United for $340 via Vancouver. 2.5 hrs
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Post by markm on Dec 7, 2015 16:29:08 GMT -5
My comment about Mexico was sarcasm. but only slightly. While my preferred airports got their "international" label as a result of Air Canada flights to Vancouver, these days Air Canada wanted to route me through Los Angeles?!? Still better than the U.S. carriers who wanted to route me through Phoenix or Dallas or Houston: just a stone's throw from Mexico. I was thinking about visiting family in Montana and taking a bus from there, but it seems that Canada doesn't allow much to cross the border from Montana. I was thinking about the Starlight to Vancouver and flying from there.
I have to be honest, after the first quarter million air miles, I found that airplanes had lost much of their charm so I haven't been working real hard in that direction. Thanks Jeff for the lead.
So we'll have to see.
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Post by boxcarwilly on Dec 7, 2015 22:01:33 GMT -5
Ya I see what you mean about the sarcasm. Here we say Inuvik or Tutyuktuk. It's and Eskimo thing. If you're thinking about coming to Montana, it's just a 2.5 hour drive to Calgary from the border. But don't go through Coutts, that's a very heavily congested crossing at it take hours to get through. Better to come through the other crossing west of Coutts. You could rent a car or borrow one to make the trip. I don't know about bus travel from down there. I'm not sure but I think WestJet has direct flight from San Fran to Calgary, but I can check that and get back to you. My step daughter is a flight attendant on WestJet. The other thing you could do would be to rail it up to Vancouver and rent a car there. From Vancouver it's just 13 hours if you do it all at once, but at that time of year, the weather in B.C. is very iffy at best.
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Post by domi on Dec 8, 2015 5:28:29 GMT -5
Well, in my opinion the best way is to train for a private pilot licence and rent a Cessna 172.  Dom |
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Post by boxcarwilly on Dec 8, 2015 12:02:05 GMT -5
Mark, WestJet does fly direct to Calgary from both L.A. and San Fran. Hope this helps.
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Post by markm on Dec 9, 2015 8:07:18 GMT -5
Thanks all.
It's too late for this year, Supertrain ought to consider involving Via Rail in creating a couple of Railfan specials to the show. Via Rail claims they are the only railroad to regularly run RDCs (although I think Brazil is still running one on their Literal service). Why not one to Supertrain? I know here the railfan specials like the run through the Feather River valley (UP) are quite successful and profitable. And I for one would be most interested in an RDC trip between Vancouver and the show.
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Post by boxcarwilly on Dec 9, 2015 12:33:55 GMT -5
That's really too bad that you won't be making the trip Mark. I was really looking forward to seeing you. Re: the Via Rail, this idea was proposed several years ago by the CMRS and Via turned it down sighting too much freight traffic on the line from Calgary, through Revelstoke and down to Vancouver, the cost to run even one RDC and the fact that the only RDC's still running with Via are the Halifax to Digby line. Also, it would be competing with the Rocky Mountaineer which runs excursions from both Calgary and Edmonton to the coast through the spiral tunnels east of Field or through Jasper depending on where you start from and it's extremely expensive and doesn't run at the same time as the show. The only way to get here is to drive or fly. Perhaps next year, but I won't be taking my entire layout next year. It's just too expensive to move when you add the cost of renting a truck, sometimes hiring extra help, and fuel. I'm anticipating this year to spend about 450.00 to do the show. But the bottom line here is, the looks on people's faces as they see what can be done with something so small sort of evens it all out.
I tell you what, I'll take a bunch of pictures and email them to you since I can't post them on here due to copyright problems. Then you can post them for me. Will that be OK?
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Post by Rob Albritton on Dec 12, 2015 19:00:10 GMT -5
I tell you what, I'll take a bunch of pictures and email them to you since I can't post them on here due to copyright problems. Then you can post them for me. Will that be OK? This sounds odd - what are the "copyright problems" Confused, -Rob(A) |
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? Have you considered WestJet or Air Canada? I don't know if either fly out of any airport close to you, but if they do, perhaps you might get a flight from there to here. If by some miracle you do get here, I thought that perhaps I'd make you an honorary member of my group, that way, you don't have to pay admission to get in for either day, you can hang out with us as much as you want, and you'd have all the time you need to tour the show. It would be super (no pun intended) to have you join us. When you have a way to get here, let me know and we can work out the details further. Hope you can make it.
