Model railway ‘conductor’ recognized as best tourism volunteer

BOISSEVAIN – A model railway hobbyist has been named volunteer of the year by Tourism Westman for preserving and enhancing a remote-controlled train exhibit in Boissevain.

The aficionado, Stan Peck, was recognized in June for his commitment to the miniature Model Railway exhibit at the Irvin Goodon International Wildlife Museum. Peck has helped transform the railway into a “cherished tourism experience” and played a “vital role in strengthening Boissevain’s tourism offerings” through years spent bringing the model to be added to the museum, the 2026 Tribute to Tourism Awards said.

The miniature railway track, decorated with tiny replicas of landmarks such as a local church, historic brick buildings and the Flin Flon mine, was officially opened as an exhibit at the museum last year. It is operated by volunteers such as Peck and his wife Sharon.

Municipality of Boissevain-Morton municipal executive assistant Melissa Perkinssaid that Peck is a stand out contributor.

“There are a lot of people involved, but none to the level of Stan and Sharon. Like we’re talking thousands of hours of volunteering time,” Perkins said. “Our community is extremely fortunate to have him here in this role.”

Peck was involved in several years of reconstruction efforts that led to the model railway to be added to the museum. The railway was originally built by the late Earl Patterson, who passed away in 2018, and in 2021 the railway was relocated into the museum. A series of tasks was required to make the exhibit possible, such as cutting the 100-foot-long winded railway into pieces so that it could fit through doorways, moving it, reassembling it, reconnecting the train rails, preserving hand-made displays and rebuilding pieces that had been damaged in the process.

The process took two years to get the remote controlled railway running again.

“Boissevain is a railway town and that’s part of what makes it so special,” Perkins said. “This has almost breathed fresh air into this museum. It contributes not just to this exhibit but the quality of life of the community.”

Stan, 73, said he is “physically limited” with bad knees and can’t restore cars like he used to, but he still wants to work with his hands and build things. The museum lets him exercise that desire.

“This is something I can do,” he said.

Stan grew fond of trains as a young boy. His father worked on trains, leading him to grow up around railways and take interest in the machinery.

“I remember when I was three years old, going to B.C. in a hammock on a passenger car, going around a corner and looking at the steam locomotive in front of me, I loved steam engines from that day on,” Stan said. “I love the mechanism. I love the movement. I love the wheels.”

Wearing a striped black-and-white conductor’s hat last week, which was given to him by the museum, Stan said his passion continues today after getting his first model train set when he was 12 years old.

“Sometimes I wonder if it’s genetic,” his wife, Sharon, said. “His dad loved the trains. And his uncle worked at the trains. And our grandson is really into it.”

Stan was one of the three founding members of the original Boissevain Model Railway Museum. He previously had his own model railway on show along with Patterson and Jake Rempel. However the building was damaged by severe weather, and parts of the displays were damaged as a result. The building needed to be evacuted at that time, and Stan helped to relocate Patterson’s exhibit over to the Irvin Goodon Wildlife Museum.

Going forward, Stan said he will replace some train tracks to improve the railway, and continue cleaning the tracks to keep the trains running smoothly. He and Sharon will continue adding to the atmosphere of the railway, with miniature trees and shrubs, and by introducing hydro lines to existing hydro poles — but they vow to keep the main features of the exhibit original to how it was built by Patterson, whom they call a genius.

The late resident replicated several Manitoban landmarks before passing away. Patterson matched the interior of several replicas to their life-size equivalents, and even received blueprints of the Churchill Port to guide his model on the railway that still towers today, Stan said with enthusiasm.

The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from the May long weekend until Labour day, and for the rest of the year it can be accessed by scheduled tours through the museum.

» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com