On February 16, 2006, discussion was closed on this list and a new era began: the inauguration of the Canadian Branchline Miniatures web log at http://www.canadianbranchline.com/weblog.htm

We invite any visitors to head over there and join the interesting discussions!

For three years, the Canadian Branchline Miniatures mailing list was a discussion forum for readers of Ian Wilson's books "Steam at Allandale", "To Stratford Under Steam", "Steam Over Palmerston" and other titles as they were released.

This group provided an opportunity for readers to discuss aspects of CNR steam operations in Southern Ontario during the 1945-59 era as they are presented in the books, as well as the monthly topics published on the Canadian Branchline Miniatures web site. Subjects for discussion involved aspects relating to specific locomotives, train assignments and schedules, railway divisions and subdivisions, industries, stations and terminals, operating practices, and freight and passenger traffic on the Northern and Southern Ontario Districts of the CNR. The aim was to confine discussion topics to those which directly related to the information presented in the series of publications, with a strict adherence to the time frame and locale. Matters relating to other railways and geographical areas, technical specifications of equipment and such, were best discussed elsewhere.

Since the Canadian Branchline Miniatures series of hardcover books began, a steadily growing number of railway modellers are planning and building layouts inspired by the photographs, narrative, track diagrams, time tables, locomotive and train assignments and other information presented in the books. For those aspiring modellers, as well as other people interested in CNR steam operation in Southern Ontario during the 1945-59 era for its own sake, this discussion group provided the opportunity for members to exchange information and ideas with each other and the author.