NEWS AND EVENTS

The Kettle Valley Railway is all prepared for the tourist season

Recently the Central Okanagan Railway Company (CORC) played host to modelers from Vernon and Kelowna who pitched in and helped ‘de-bug’ the KVR layout.  Robert Moore and his group pulled in at 11:00 and, following a familiarization tour and a working lunch at the Blind Angler, the real work got under way.  The local attraction was cleaned, tested and successfully prepared for the up coming tourist season.

The work parties ran trains from Grand Forks in the east, through the Okanagan over the famous Myra Canyon, down into Penticton, Summerland and up again into Merritt.  It seems to be true that children, of all ages, still delight in watching trains of any size.  Visitors to the museum watched and asked questions while slow freight trains took sidings and passenger trains such as The Kootenay Express swooshed by at a speedy 30 MPH.  Not a bad clip in these mountainous conditions. 

The CORC modelers had completed a significant upgrade in the display during the winter by switching from an obsolete analog system to the now standard Digital Command Control system.  This innovation offers the group the flexibility they need to first: present a historically accurate model of the Kettle Valley Railway (within the limits of space and money of course) to Peachland visitors and second; a significant challenge to the members on their monthly operating evenings.  

By late afternoon the visiting hoggers had proven the system and headed up north again still talking about drawbars, slack action and sanding the rails.  About controllers and consists and double-heading.  They’ll be back in Peachland again though for the 10th Annual Hobby Show in the fall but in the meantime CORC is ready to play host to the world all through these summer months.  

Don Wilson. curator and local historian, (center) introduces a couple of visiting railroaders to the intricacies of Penticton Yard during an operations test held recently at the Peachland Museum.  The trains have delighted huge numbers of young and old over the years and now they should be even better this tourist season.

Rebuilding the KVR

After nearly 5 years in its present configuration the members of the Central Okanagan Railway Company were unanimous that a serious layout update was required.  Through their donations, members of the public were our principle means of support and we clearly weren’t offering what’s now considered the latest in technology and scenery. As a result we held a serious ‘bashing’ evening in mid December 2008 at which time it all came down except the exterior walls and frame.

 The goals were well defined:  (1) Use the Digitrax DCC operating electronics exclusively.  No mixed DC program. (2) Open the track up so viewers could see more trains while at the same time offer more short tunnels and trestles typical of the KVR. (3) offer public input buy using a simple “push to start” system.

After just over 5 months of installing completely new wiring and controls, using 200 feet of new track and turnouts and burning up over 300 pounds of Hydrocal, 3 quarts of glue and $300.00 worth scenery materials we had things running again.

The mayor of Peachland cut the ribbon to start our 2009 season on 12 June 2009.

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Summer Schedule

Bursary Program

Peachland, British Columbia V0H 1X7

2009-07-20

The Central Okanagan Railway Company of Peachland, established in 1997, is pleased to announce the awarding of the Ken Barwise Memorial Bursary on Friday June 19th, 2009.  Ken a long time member of CORC and a decorated Korean War veteran, passed away last year.  A real hero at a time when the word hero is often over used.

Mackenzie Bennett of Peachland, a recent graduate of Mount Bushery Senior Secondary School, received the cheque for $500.00 to further her education at UBC Okanagan where she intends to study nursing.  She is also a member of 090 Peregrine Squadron of The Royal Canadian Air Cadets where she has reached the rank of Master Warrant Officer.

Peachland Mayor Keith Fielding and Central Okanagan Railway Company President Ernie Bradley officiated at the presentation accompanied by Mackenzie’s proud mother and father.   They also cut a ribbon to officially open the newly renovated Kettle Valley Division of the Central Okanagan Railway.

Funds in support of the annual bursary are raised during the clubs annual Hobby and Craft Show in Peachland.  The next one being held on 3 October 2009.