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The Burnaby Central Railway is a great attraction in the North of Burnaby. It is located on Penzance Drive on the Westside of Confederation Park and run by the British Columbia Society of Model Engineers who built a handful model train tracks.
Ridable model train
The society members built several loops for ridable model trains. The cargo cars have the size of a small chair and are big enough to sit on. For less than $5 one can buy a single ride ticket. The ride will take you all around their six acre property. The track includes various junctions, bridges and tunnels. The engines are either running on diesel or steam-powered. To get onto one of the steam trains, ask the personel at the front of the train station’s queue. By default, they will get you onto the next arriving diesel train.
Other model trains
Besides the rideable model trains, there are a couple indoor and outdoor courses for smaller remote-controlled model trains to watch. In 2018 the society celebrated their 25th anniversary of being at the current location and their tracks are anything but finished. There are plans to expand or rebuild existing parts on all line sections.
Plan your visit
The Burnaby Central Railway is open most weekends of summer and there is no entrance fee. To have the perfect visit no sun is needed, however, a rainy day is likely not the best day to stop by. A quick visit will last about 45 minutes, but - depending on your interest - you may spend additional time talking to one or more of the welcoming society members. They happily share their knowledge about how the trains work and they may even bring you to their workshop where the train engines are stored and maintained.