Well, yes, it might very well also include Alaska, depending on who you ask: please see this quote I posted last time, from wikipedia:
“The Pacific Northwest is a region in the northwest of North America, bound by the Pacific Ocean to the west. Always included are the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. Southeast Alaska, Idaho, western Montana and northern California are often included.”
Case rested.
In Canada, though, we don’t use PNW. We refer to ‘the left coast’ or simply BC, although “lotus land” has been disparagingly used by our eastern cousins. Eastern as in ON, not NY. [:D]
Our PNW would be the area of northwestern BC near the Alaska border. I would have to discount the wiki based on my experience. Having lived across Canada during my military career, I have never heard anyone refer to BC as the PNW. When we are asked to orient ourselves to south of the 49th on the left coast, then we do automatically accept the appelation PNW for the states in that region.
By the way, I haven’t chimed in yet about my own modelling. I tend to mix with western and eastern US roads,although I’d love to finally get a Sunset Selkirk 2-10-4 from the CPR. I don’t model the PNW or lotus land. I like Pennsy and N&W steam, plus a bit of UP and NYC. Well…any articulated engine would be welcome on my layout. I even have a C&O H-8 from Rivarossi.
-Crandell
LOL - happy to use the term as printed with the exception of its use by our BC brethren, who who have their own definition! [;)]
Living in Hamburg/Germany, I cannot exactly call myself a Pacific Northwest model railroader. But I spent certainly the best time of my life in the area you are talking about. I remember even a visit to PFM, back in 1974 - all those wonderful brass locos! Out of reach, then, and also now!