Canadian Prairie LEGO® Train Clubs

The Canadian Prairie LEGO Train Clubs (CPLTC) is an affiliation of the Northern Alberta LEGO® Users Group (NALUG) and the Southern Alberta LEGO® Users Group (SALUG).  This offshoot was created in July 2003 to ease co-ordination both between NALUG and SALUG and with other train clubs around the globe.  The CPLTC is only one of dozens of groups that promote LEGO® trains as a hobby, and is applying to become a member of the International LEGO® Train Club Organization (ILTCO).

Annually, the affiliate LEGO® clubs put on a minimum of two major public train shows.  We are regular attendees of the Great Edmonton Model Train Show (in Edmonton, Alberta) and Supertrain (in Calgary, Alberta).  We also attend other train shows on the Canadian prairie as time and opportunity permit, such as the Prairie Rail Workship. Here are the train shows we have participated in, listed in reverse chronological order:

 

Supertrain 2004	February 14-15, 2004, Calgary, Big 4 Building Stampede Park,  The next show on the horizon
Great Edmonton Model Train Show 2003	September 30-21, 2003, Mayfield Inn Trade Centre, Edmonton Attendance: 8000
Layout Size: 40'x13'	NALUG placed 3rd Coordinated by Kevin Maynes
	Main feature:  DCC (Digital Command & Control)  Other features:  Both DCC and standard track loops, sliding transfer table (to change cars from layout to hidden storage and vice versa), true to life Whyte Avenue buildings including train station and automated trolley, large industrial buildings, office buildings including a great facsimile of the Peace Hills Trust tower, vegetation section separating populated areas, repeat appearance of the bascule bridge, working pump-jacks and a functioning rail car dumper.   Click here for details and photos...
Prairie Rail Workshop Annual Spring Show 2003	February 23-24, 2003, Saskatoon, Prairieland Exhibition Grounds
Layout Size: 15'x9'	NALUG placed 3rd Coordinated by Andrew Forbes
	Main feature:  Our first Saskatchewan show!  Other features:  Several modern office buildings and industrial structures. The track spanned a gap in the tables across a Technic bridge, which was simply a fixed section of the bascule bridge. Only two of our members were able to make it, but they still made a great display.
Supertrain 2003	February 15-16, 2003, Calgary, Big 4 Building Stampede Park Attendance: 17129
Layout Size: 27'x10'	SALUG placed 2nd Coordinated by Adam Murtha
	Main feature:  SALUG's first show! Other features:  First layout of ours to include a cross-track (which was the source of much entertainment just before tear-down), first since 2000 to include a monorail layout, first time majority of participants from SALUG instead of NALUG, crowd-pleasing 'big ball machine' and a wide variety of buildings and trains from across the province.  Click here for details and photos...
Great Edmonton Model Train Show 2002	September 28-29, 2002, Edmonton, Mayfield Inn Trade Centre Attendance: 8200
Layout Size: 26'x14'	NALUG placed 1st Coordinated by John Koob
	Main feature:  Motorized switches and control panel.  Other features: A working dual-track bascule bridge, seaport container ship with yard and warehouse, working roundhouse, two grain elevators, the usual kid's play area, and an elevated town.  The town itself featured historic Whyte Avenue including the Princess Theater with lighted marquee, 'glass'-enclosed shopping mall near an enlarged James Jessiman memorial park, detailed office towers with a mindstorms controlled passenger elevator and functional minifig escalator in the subway station.  Click here for details and photos...
Great Edmonton Model Train Show 2001	September 22-23, 2001, Edmonton, Mayfield Inn Trade Centre Attendance: 6700
Layout Size: 20'x10'	NALUG placed 2nd Coordinated by James Brown
	Main feature:  7' Technic tower crane.  Other features:  Mountain with tunnel, trestle bridge and working funicular, (cogwheel inclined railcar) many great buildings including a barn, historical tan tavern and the now standard James Jessiman memorial park and grain elevator, an automated roundhouse, plus a two oval kid's play area.  With 9-11 fresh on everyone's minds, we included LEGO® flags at half-staff. Click here for details and photos...
Supertrain 2001	February 17-18, 2001, Calgary, Big 4 Building Stampede Park  Attendance: 13322
Layout Size: 64'x24'	NALUG placed 2nd Coordinated by Steve Chapple
	Main feature:  Arch bridge with incline.  Other features:  Massive mountain with multiple tunnels and incline, kid's play area with three 4' x 8' ovals and ~10,000 pieces (provided by The LEGO® Company), large switching yard, three very long loop layout with high speed straight-away, many great buildings including a repeat appearance of the James Jessiman memorial park and grain elevator.  Thanks to a track loan from James Powell, this was likely the largest LEGO® train layout in Canada ever. Click here for details and photos...
Great Edmonton Train Show 2000	September 16-17, 2000, Edmonton, the Hangar on Kingsway Attendance: ~4800
Layout Size: 10'x8'	NALUG placed 2nd Coordinated by Michel Magnan
	Main feature:  Our first show!  Other features:  Almost every stock Lego train set from 4.5V, 12V and current 9V, through truss bridge, monorail around entire layout including arch bridge, two (interconnected) donut layout, the first appearance of the James Jessiman memorial park, mining area tunnel, and an - intermittently - functioning grain elevator. Click here for details and photos...

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Thanks to Matthew D. Bates for the use of his Track Designer application for designing LEGO train layouts. Visit The LEGO Train Depot for a free download of Track Designer.