"E. and N. Railway" Host to Model Railroad Assn.   Vancouver Island residents along the right-of-way of the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway blinked and rubbed their eyes recently when a special train carrying members of the National Model Railroad Association moved over part of the division, from Victoria to Malahat, a distance of 20 miles.   Carrying close to 250 railway fans and their wives and children, the train was hauled by diesel engine 8003, and consisted of a baggage car buffer, two open observation cars of the type used in transcontinental trains through the Rockies; two day coaches and the E&N's business car No. 5. The observation cars were shipped by barge from Vancover to Victoria for the occasion, marking the Third Annual Convention of the Model Railroad Association (Pacific Northwest Region).   Convention meetings were held at the Empress Hotel for three days before the "railway fan special" made its run. Delgates from many parts of British Columbia, and from the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana were on hand for the convention.   Delegates visited the E&N roundhouse, and slow orders were issued covering certain sections of the line to afford the sightseers better views of scenery and installations, including the Canadian Naval barracks at Esquimalt, and the vast Esquimalt drydock, which accommodated the giant liner Queen Elizabeth at one time during the war. A stop was also made at mileage 15 to inspect the smallest tunnel in the Company's entire rail system.   As a souvenir of the E&N trip, each passenger was handed a copy of a special timetable devised for the trip; a brief history of the railway; a glossary of E&N station names and a lithographed drawing of an open observation car, contributed by the Comapny's Department of Public Relations. A special motion of thanks was voted to Superintendent of the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway, A.J. Cowie and his staff for the courtesy and cooperation extended to make the event a success.   Next year's convention of the National Model Railroad Association is to be held at Vancouver.     © 2003 William C. Slim       http://www.okthepk.ca