The Pacific Rails show was held this past weekend in Victoria, BC (Canada). It's one of the bigger model railroading shows in the area, with a good number of layouts to see.

I love these kinds of shows where you can see some incredibly detailed layouts. On one hand, it makes me wish I had the time and space to do all the things I'd like to do, but on the other hand I get lots of great ideas for my own projects.

One of the most impressive layouts was the Shuswap & Monashee Railway, a fictional world set in 1950's British Columbia. It's amazing how much work has gone into this railway from the Salmon Arm Model Railroad Association. Mind you, this club has two members who have achieved Master Model Railroader status so it's not surprising their layout is impressive.

There are only 380 Master Model Railroaders in the world so having two in one club from a small town in British Columbia is quite an accomplishment.

You can read more about their layout in this article from the Globe and Mail newspaper. And if you're ever passing through Salmon Arm on a Saturday, the layout is open to the public in the Piccadilly Mall.

One of the quotes from a club member really hit home for me:

"My wife doesn't throw anything out that doesn't go by me first," said Bob Gardner, 79, a retired mechanical engineer.

Ain't that the truth?

I've got shelves full of things that any sane person would consider junk - just waiting for the day I find a use for it.

Every so often I think I should just toss it out (some of this stuff is more than 20 years old!) but I just know I'll need some weird part the day after it gets junked.

How about you? Are you a packrat like so many of us model railroaders?

You can read more about the Pacific Rails 2007 show on the official website. There are also some great pictures of some of the railways that were set up at the show.