(rdnewsNOW/Ian Gustafson)

By Ian Gustafson

12,000 feet of track

Train Acres Miniature Railway to hold fundraiser in benefit of children’s hospitals

Aug 22, 2025 | 11:37 AM

If building a miniature railway and the trains to go along with it from scratch was considered an art form, local resident Ernie Beskowiney may have created the Mona Lisa.

What started as an idea approximately 17 years ago formed into over 12,000 feet of track on his property near Benalto.

It takes about 30 minutes to ride all the way around the four-kilometre track, which contains rideable miniature trains that he built with his own hands out of steel, aluminum and some 3D printed items, some of which are exact replicas of real trains.

It’s a culmination of a decade of work that began in 2015 that included over 35,000 hours of work.

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A Canadian Pacific Railway train he built is an exact replica right to the last detail and operates on gas while another is a Canadian National Railway Co. 6060 locomotive, a steam engine.

A video of the steam engine that was posted nine years ago has amassed over 38 million views on YouTube.

“I started at zero and learned how to design. I didn’t even know how to operate a computer at the time,” he said. “I designed every component. I had to learn how to operate the machines, program them, and turn it into a finished product.”

Beskowiney, who’s originally from Saskatchewan, worked as an automotive mechanic, a high school shop teacher, and restored vintage cars for over 30 years.

He got the idea to build the Train Acres Miniature Railway as a fundraising tool for the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation because of the care his grandson received when he was younger.

Prior to his grandson being born, doctors warned the family that the baby may not make it through birth because of health reasons and even recommended they abort the child.

(rdnewsNOW/Ian Gustafson)

However, after he was born he grew up to be not only heathy but also very intelligent. He graduated from high school last year with honours and is now headed to medical school.

Beskowiney explained this was all made possible because of the care his grandson received at the Ottawa Children’s Hospital. This inspired him to give back to the children’s hospitals that are close to him in Edmonton and Calgary.

“It was during that time it really hit me hard that kids don’t have a choice on how they’re born,” he said.

He credits the idea of the Train Acres Miniature Railway to a dream he had where he was riding on trains that he didn’t have yet, fundraising for the children’s hospital.

He knew at that point that’s what he had to do.

“One morning at breakfast with my wife I said I had this dream and she said it’s a very doable dream, let’s go for it,” he added.

(rdnewsNOW/Ian Gustafson)

On Sept. 6 and 7 he’ll open his property, located at 39014 Range Road 30 near Benalto, for the first annual fundraiser.

Those who buy a ticket for $10 per ride will be able to take an expedition throughout the track.

This will mark just the second time the railway has been open to the public after holding a grand opening event in 2024.

Tickets can be purchased online ahead of the event at trainacres.com.

There will be a food truck on site and washrooms will also be available.

(rdnewsNOW/Ian Gustafson)