We have many! Check out our work party progress here. Our priorities include:
- A mini shed for the wheelchair car – almost complete – more here
- Track Post switch levers for several track switches (Rick/Dan leading)
- A re-rail plate to speed up getting de-railed trucks back on the track
- Climax frame and the Climax follow-on car (Dan leading)
- complete ballasting. Get another full truck of 5/8- gravel for future use.
Our projects (click underlined for more info)
Tractor seats for Loco#1 – underway June 20
- Fine-tuning after Converting our gas locomotive to hydraulic power: Almost Done!
- Infrastructure Projects. With a grant from PR Community Forest announced in June 2024, and expected for completion by Sep 2025:
- Lean-to shed extension: Completed
- Minor follow-ons: new lock for the door, decide on mural, photos or battens
- Paving of the station: Completed
- Minor follow-ons: two 24x24s ready to install at the exit.
- Gutters: Completed connected to the station gazebo water tank (provides water to visiting steam engines and the garden);
- Electricity to the old shed and station, Completed
- Wheelchair car shed Under way! click here
- Lean-to shed extension: Completed
- Track additions
- Install more switch stands, (we have four ready to go)
- Load-point repair,
- Ballast the track,
- Install more 36″ fencepost repair bars when needed (all ok May 1 2025)
- A re-rail plate
- move the bell,
- Maintenance of our rolling stock, track and displays:
- wheel grinding or replacement; track leveling,
- New bumpers for the hand cars
- safety rail for the easy-access car
- Waterwheel repair (the wheel needs a rebuild, Russ is the lead)
- More Hand cars and bigger wheelchair car wheels We have four handcars, and we need two more like the last four we built. For the eight 4.5″ wheels wheels, we’d like to get them from the wheelchair car, and replace those now on the wheelchair car with 5.5″ wheels to provide better stability.
- 2.25 Scale Climax Locomotive and follow on engineer/passenger car
- 4′ Bench-e-loco modifications Dan’s 4′ bench e-loco is on indefinite loan to the PVRail. It is currently powered by the two four-motor trucks intended for the Climax project. When those trucks are transferred to the Climax, we will buy four new motors to power the original trucks on the 4′ e-loco, store it in a PVRail shed and use it whenever needed. A child-attracting front end to the bench loco was built. That story is here
- A Garden Scale (G-Scale) Railroad
- A Model Show for local model-building hobbyists, to be held annually at first, perhaps at the same time as one of our events. A Facebook Group has been created here.
- Any farming or logging models, or interesting visual items for riders (birds, animals etc) to be deployed along our track to enhance the riding experience
- Next task: Get a project leader. Just an idea so far.
Forestry Heritage Projects
- Next task: Get a project leader. Just an idea so far.
- Smokestack and plumbing for the Donkey #1619.
- PR Company Diesel loco, paper car and track This possible project was added late Jan 2025
- Full-scale Climax steam engine (Anderson Sawmill)
- Railroad Heritage display on our shed wall (opposite Quonsets)
- Mill logpond former logdump system (stored near the new logdump)
- Complete the Anderson Collection project
- Next task: Find if there is a replacement for the City Rep
- Society Policy review (Safety procedures and documentation, Rail operations, “Manager of the day”, Overall society activity, Project Priorities, Pumpkin Garden, recruiting/recognition, etc)
More about many of the above Projects
2.25 = 12″ Scale Climax Locomotive
Our model Climax locomotive is being built, similar to one that ran here in the 1920s. The plan and report are here in .pdf format, for viewing or downloading.
See more on the Climax project here
Converting our main gas locomotive to hydraulic power
Our cone-to-flywheel drive system was worn out and was causing us significant resources to maintain it. We completed a project led by Russ Evans to convert the loco to a hydraulic drive. Fine tuning to complete air and electrical continue Initial plans are the Plan and Report.
More photos here:
Building more handcars and upgrading the wheelchair car wheels
The wheelchair car was built with 4.5″ wheels and small flanges. Stability will be improved if we can refit with 5.5″ wheels and .25″ flanges.
There is room for the larger wheels inside the 1.6-scale trucks. To make it easier, we should measure the axle length, ideally buy the axles with the wheels, and get a key slot connection.
We need two more handcars to meet the demand on busy days. Below are photos of the two we made in 2013, (made two more in 2015)
Linking the wheelchair car upgrade with the Handcars project saves buying the handcar wheels.
Smokestack and plumbing for the Donkey #1619.
Next task: complete the design, buy the metal, and build. Not a high priority, ideally we should have a new volunteer to participate..
More about the Farmers Market Donkey here http://qathet.prfhs.org/steam-donkey-1619-display/
Garden Scale (G-Scale) Railroad
Download a pdf copy of our Garden Scale Railroad Plan and Report here
or see the whats new in the Garden Railroad page
Geoff’s logging locomotives. We are making a plan to have a portable display case to house these.
An Example layout borrowed from the internet
Next task: We need a new member to take the lead; we have several members willing to help.
Track Additions
Track Switch For more rolling stock storage, we need to install a right-hand switch and lay 30′ of track using wood ties to connect the station with a new lean-to on the north side of the old shed. Switch completed Dec 28, ready to install.
Switch Stands We need a few more switch stands to avoid the kick-it-over method. Karl and Rick are part-way making these.
Load-point repair. We need to repair this track. Dan plans to bring down some metal tie-strips to straighten this.
Ballasting Bring Dan’s Gondola car down for a month and ballast the track (this is not Dan’s … need a photo!) We have lots of ballast (5/8th minor) from Select; T&R also offers more at nice discount
A re-rail plate for re-railing trucks is needed. To be fabricated by the metal work team.
More 36″ post-repair bars with two holes, for repairing fence posts
post-repair bars stored here
If the group wants to do it: move the bell and lights from the crosswalk sign, mount them on the east end of the shed, and ring them when the train is arriving to signal to folks near and far that the train is arriving and the next train will be loading soon.
Full-scale Climax steam engine (Anderson Sawmill)
The Anderson collection has two of these steam engines that helped power the Anderson sawmill. We’d like to build a display using this climax, hopefully with a belt to a machine from the Anderson collection.
Complete the Anderson Collection project
The assets on McLeod Road are disappearing in the weeds!
PR Company Diesel loco, paper car and track
Dan learned in late January 2025 that a PRCo loco, paper-roll car and track from the mill are being disposed of.
Chris Orlinis hosted Dan, Russ, Bob and Dave on Feb 14, 2025 to see the assets. Chris is leading the project to clean up the mill site.
We had hoped the locos might be from the 3′ gauge railroad from the 1940s, but not so.
The only 3′ gauge assets we saw were these flatcars.
Lots of track, in two weights, but appears to be all the regular 4’8″ gauge
Our intent is to write to the owners and suggest one or both of these locomotives be set aside for a future heritage display.
Historical Display on the shed wall
In 2023 Juhli and Dave discussed a history display project on the south shed wall: Railroad history of the qathet
Region., plus the history of farming in the qathet Region,
The model-building section of the Forestry Heritage Society is ramping up its activity in 2024 and is eager to attract new members who would like to participate.
Interested? Email: info@prfhs.org, or call Dave @ 604-413-1224
Possible volunteer? Info sessions Sundays, 12:15 to 12:30 and 2:30 to 3 pm