Family Fun for All Ages!
Welcome to the Burnaby Central Railway, a unique 1/8 scale, ride-on miniature railway built and operated by the volunteers of the BC Society of Model Engineers.
Located in Confederation Park: 120 North Willingdon Avenue, 5 blocks north of East Hastings St in Burnaby, BC.
Our railway is open to the public for rides from 11am to 5pm (last ticket sales at 4:45pm) on Saturdays and Sundays from Easter to Canadian Thanksgiving.
Our trains pull multiple cars carrying 20 or more passengers on a 2-mile, outdoor ride through the woods, with bridges, tunnels, crossovers, and spirals. A single ride takes approximately 10 minutes.
Our engines have all been hand built from drawings, patterns and castings, then machined, welded and fabricated into finished locomotives. The steam engines are true 1/8th scale miniatures and not merely outlines with a hidden gasoline or electric motor. They huff and puff just like their full-size counterparts. Our steam engines are mostly fired on propane, as the special “steam” coal suitable for small locomotives is rarely used now in Canada.
Our society also runs battery-electric and diesel locomotives, ready to go into quick service when the crowds arrive. Altogether, we own seven locomotives and 30 or so passenger cars. On special occasions, you may also get to ride behind visiting locomotives from other miniature railways around North America.
The Garden Railway, one of the largest Gauge 1 garden railways in Greater Vancouver, opened in 2018, and is available for viewing to all our visitors.
Lastly, a raised track is under construction, which you will see as you ride the main routes.