The Parksville museum is hosting an interactive two-day event to highlight the history of the E&N railroad and display model trains from groups around the Island.
On Friday, Aug. 17 and Saturday, Aug. 18, the museum, located at 1245 East Island Hwy, will be bustling with miniature model train displays, historical exhibits, speeder cars and music.
Clubs participating in the event include the Vancouver Island Garden Railway Club, The Oceanside Model Railroaders, the E & N Division of the Canadian Railway Historical Association and acclaimed model train hobbyists Steve Stark from Nanoose and Malcolm West from Qualicum.
Stark and West are both published in major hobby magazines for their model train layouts and will have tables set up at the museum to showcase photographs of their work.
The president of the Canadian Railway Historical Association and his father will be at the event with historical railway artifacts and speeder cars.
Leona Matte, Parksville and District Historical Society president, said Railway Days is a good way to get people to come out and see the museum. She said the goal is to put on one event each month.
“We’re trying to make the museum more of a community hub by putting on things like (Railway Days) which is a family event that celebrates the local history as well as the history of the Island and railroads,” Matte said. “There’s a lot of people really passionate about railroads so that was another reason to look into something with railroads.”
Jim Bennett, founder of the Oceanside Model Railroaders, said his group is excited to be a part of Railway Days and that they will have their miniature model train layout at the event.
MakerSpace, a hobbyist club that meets every Wednesday from 6-9 p.m. in the basement of the McMillan Art Centre, will also have a table set up to display how micro-electronics tie into model railroading.
Railroad Days will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 17 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 18.
The event is by donation and complimentary hot dogs and beverages will be offered.