HISTORY OF THE RAILWAY’S
OF THE OKANAGAN
Kylie Mason
The Shuswap and Okanagan
Railway
Originally
proposed in 1883 by Mr. Moses Lumby, with support of Mr. R.P. Rithet of
Enderby, the Shuswap and Okanagan Railway (S&O) was incorporated by an act
of the Dominion Government June 2, 1886. It was not until April 07,1887 that
the Provincial Government passed the S&O Railway subsidy act granting the
S&O $4000 per mile not to exceed $200,000. The S&O was to be built
within three years from Sicamous to a point on Okanagan Lake. When the S&O
Railway subsidy act put into effect November 15, 1887 it was cancelled shortly
after and the act was extended for five years the following year. May 1889 saw
the S&O granted $3200 per mile from the Federal Government (for a maximum
$1,63,000). Finally on May 02, 1890 the S&O was paid the subsidy for $4000
per mile from the provincial government to begin construction of 51.25 miles of
track.
Surveying
and clearing began at Sicamous in April 1890 with Enderby being headquarters
for construction. On April 14, 1890 laying of rails began at Sicamous and
grading was completed to what would become Armstrong on May, 12, 1890. June
1891 brought right of way clearing just outside of city Vernon. Although
construction was still underway on the south end of the line trains began
operating over north end of S&O in July 1891. Rails reached Enderby on July
2. On July 10, 1891 the S&O entered an agreement where after completion the
railway would be leased to the CPR for 25 years. CPR had to operate and supply
rolling stock for the S&O during this period. CPR would pay 40% of gross
earnings to S&O shareholders. Excitement in Vernon grew when in August 1891
rails reached Armstrong, 15 miles of Vernon. Finally on September 12, 1891 at 4pm the rails of the S&O
reached Vernon. The S&O was inspected for use on October 1, 1891. In 1892
CPR built a shipyard at Okanagan landing.
The
S&O followed Mara Lake from Sicamous to Mile 9.5 on a level grade, skirting
the west shore Mara Lake for most of this section. From mile 9.5 to Enderby the
line ascended on a gradual river grade following the Shuswap River. The line
was relatively level from Enderby to Armstrong, following Stepney and Fortune
creeks. From Armstrong to Realm the line acended a 1% grade reaching its
highest point at mile 39. From here the line followed the open valley to Vernon
passing Swan Lake between mile 41 and mile 44. From Vernon to 51.0 CP Okanagan
Subdivision the line ran along the open valley generally following Vernon
Creek.
October
15, 1891 saw the first passenger train run from Sicamous to Vernon, although
the official last spike of the S&O was not driven until May 12, 1892 at
Okanagan Landing. The S&O began full rail operations from Sicamous to
Okanagan Landing the following month. On August 4 S&O was leased to the CPR for 25 years. In May
1893 S&O officially opened for traffic by the Dominion Government of
Canada. S&O acquired the land included in the Okanagan Subdivision right of
way with two land grants from the Dominion of Canada on December 14, 1894, with
the exception of a 0.52-mile long section of land between mile 18.99 and 19.51,
which was held privately under homestead rights. On July 1, 1915 CPR began
operating on a renewed lease, this time for a period of 999 years for the
S&O.
Midway and Vernon Railway
A
second railway to the Okanagan was proposed when on January 31, 1901 John H.
Senker, Edgar Bloomfield and Arthur P. Judge petitioned the Provincial
Government for an Act of Incorporation to build a railway from Midway to the
mouth of Rock Creek, then following the to the head of the West Fork of the Kettle River and
onto the Okanagan Mission Valley to Vernon. The Midway and Vernon Railway
(M&V) charter was granted on May 11, 1901. 1902 brought the passing Midway
and Vernon Subsidy Aid Act, granting $5000 per mile for a railway not exceeding
152 miles in length. Construction had to begin within six months of the act,
and if construction had not begun by January 1, 1904 the act would be
nullified. January 1, 1902 attention was drawn when the first blast of the
M&V was made in a rock bluff above Kalamalka Lake. In 1903 Dominion Act
chapter 57, section 2, granted many railways subsidies including the Midway and
Vernon. The M&V would receive $3200 per mile from the Federal Government.
Combined Provincial and Federal monies amounted to $8200 per mile. By December
26, 1903 one thousand feet of work was completed some five-mile south of Vernon
again above Kalamalka Lake. Although construction was proceeding slowly the
owners of the M&V were putting forth plans to build out from the Midway to
Vernon line to Kamloops and Penticton. A contract made with Atlantic
Contracting Company on May 16, 1904, but this fell through. Grading with small
groups of workers continued and the section of line between Midway and Rock
Creek was completed July 28, 1905, portions of this would become a part of the
Kettle Valley Railway that was constructed in 1911. In 1906 more work was completed between Vernon and
Kalamalka, but this would be the last work on the M&V. CPR would aquire all
debts of the M&V in 1911 as part of it’s plans to run the Kettle Valley
Railway. In 1927 under the Defunct Railway Companies Dissolution Act the
M&V faded into history.
Canadian Pacific and
Canadian National
In
1910 Canadian Northern Pacific (CNP) Railway proposed a rail line from Kamloops
to Kelowna, Okanagan Landing and Lumby. Following up on it’s plans in 1912 CNP
purchased 33.6ha of land in Kelowna for a rail yard. The beginnings of the CNP
line were constructed in Kamloops in 1913. CNP built 2.6 miles from Kamloops
Junction to Kamloops (North shore of the South Thompson River). Originally part
of Clearwater Subdivision, (Kamloops City Spur) this section became the
Kamloops Terminal Subdivision in the mid-1920s until 1953 when it became part
of the Okanagan Subdivision. In July 1914 CNP again announced it’s intentions
to put an end to the operation monopoly in the Okanagan Valley by constructing it’s
own line. CNP put forward it’s plans to build over 148 miles of track including:
Kamloops to Vernon 81 miles, Vernon to Kelowna 35 miles, Vernon to Okanagan
Landing 4 miles, Vernon to Lumby 17 miles, Lumby to Shuswap Falls 10 miles. On
August 5, 1917 CNP received approval to build rail line to Kelowna. In Kamloops
the ‘City Spur’ was extended in 1918 when CNP builds a bridge across South
Thompson River and connected with CPR at Kamloops in 1919. Unfortunately the
CNP fell into financial difficulties and was not able to carry out their plans.
It was not until the CNP was taken over by the Canadian Government Railways,
later Canadian National Railway (CNR), in 1918 that further plans were made to
build.
In
1924, under the ‘Canadian National Railway Branch Line Act’, CNR received
approval to build into Okanagan. Finally in January 1925 work began on CN
Okanagan Subdivision at Campbell Creek. A temporary running rights agreement
with CPR from Kamloops to Campbell Creek was made. These running rights would
become a permanent arrangement between the two railways, under a ‘Joint Running
Agreement’. CNR built from Campbell Creek climbing a 2% grade up the south
bench of the South Thompson River Valley meeting with Monte Creek and following
it to the north end of Monte Lake. From Monte Lake the line skirted the west
shore of Monte Lake then followed Pringle Creek and the Salmon River to Sweetsbridge.
The tracks ascended slightly to O’Keefe before descending into the Okanagan
Valley to Armstrong via the Grandview Bench area. From Armstrong to Vernon the
CNR utilizes a ‘joint-running’ agreement via the CPR. From Vernon to Kelowna
the CNR followed Vernon Creek to Lumby Junction to Kalamalka Lake before
skirting the west shore of the lake to Oyama where the railway crossed the
valley and skirted the east side of Wood Lake and Ellison Lake. From Postill to
Kelowna the railway followed the low-lying Okanagan Valley along Kelowna and
Brandt’s Creek. The Lumby Subdivision follows the Coldstream valley and
Coldstream Creek on a 2% ascending grade to Lavington where it then descends
into Lumby. Running from Kamloops to Kelowna/Lumby CNR trains transversed several
sections of tracks which included:
0.0 to 3.61 CN Okanagan
Subdivision (3.61 miles)
3.61 to 14.36 CP Shuswap
Subdivision mile 127.7 to 116.95 (10.75 miles)
14.36 to 70.86 CN Okanagan
Subdivision (56.5 miles)
70.86 to 85.5 CP Okanagan
Subdivision mile 31.63 to 46.26 (14.64 miles)
85.5 to 119.30 CN Okanagan
Subdivision (33.8 miles)
0.0 to 14.82 CN Lumby
Subdivision (14.82 miles)
On
September 10, 1925 CN reached Kelowna, the following day at 3pm last spike of
CN Okanagan Subdivision was driven at Kelowna Station. In early October 1925
the Lumby Subdivision was completed. 1926 saw the building of the CNR wharves
and barge slip in Kelowna. On February 14, 1926 CN put the Campbell Creek
junction to Armstrong and Vernon to Kelowna section into service. The first CN
passenger train arrived in Kelowna, officially opening the Okanagan Subdivision
the following day. CPR moved freight service to the CN Okanagan Subdivision to
Kelowna from Okanagan Landing August 1, 1926. CPR also moved barge service from
Okanagan Landing to Kelowna. On January 7, 1934 CPR began operating passenger
trains from Sicamous to Kelowna, bypassing Okanagan Landing. Okanagan Landing
would survive as a ship building yard and operational point for the sternwheeler
‘Sicamous’. The last run of ‘Sicamous’ occurred on January 5, 1935; later the ‘Sicamous’
would run during fruit season for a couple of years. Okanagan Landing had lost
the majority of it’s importance. On July 16, 1940 CPR received permission to
abandon from mile 47.25 and mile 51.23, Okanagan Landing. The last train to
Okanagan Landing operated on August 7. And on August 8 the CPR began lifting
rails from mile 47.25 to Okanagan Landing, this included 4.23miles of main
track and 4.38 miles of yard tracks.
The
first diesel locomotive, CPR 7111, to operate in the Okanagan arrived in
Kelowna September 11, 1952. Changes continued in the Okanagan when CPR
discontinued mail service to the Okanagan September 30, 1954. On September 26,
1957 the S&O was dissolved, all assets including land, railway and
undertakings were vested to the CPR. CPR ended coach service to Vernon and
Kelowna train on train 801/802 October 29, 1960. Although the ‘mixed train’
continued only with baggage cars only to Okanagan until October 1961 when
trains became all freight operating as trains 90/91. CNR’s conventional
passenger train (193/194) operated until October 29, 1961 when CNR
Railiner (Rail Diesel Car) service
began as train 693/694. However in April 1963 CNR replaced the Railiner with
conventional train. CNR passenger train service was replaced by bus service
effective October 26, 1963.
1970-1997
May
31, 1972 saw the last CPR barge on Okanagan Lake from Kelowna to Penticton. CPR
removed most southerly trackage in Kelowna including barge slips in November
1972. CNR barge on Okanagan Lake from Kelowna to Penticton continued until
February 15, 1973. In November the
same year CN added freight facilities to Kelowna station to replace old freight
sheds. In February 1974 CNR removed Kelowna the freight sheds barge slips and
most of trackage south of yard in Kelowna. CNR and CPR renewed their CN-CP
‘Joint-Terminal’ agreements between Armstrong and Kelowna and Vernon and Lumby
on February 12, 1977. In 1981 operations in the Okanagan were as follows:
CNR
567 Lumby
to Kamloops Junction Tues, Thurs,
Sat
568 Kamloops
Junction to Lumby Mon, Wed, Fri
854 Kamloops
Junction to Kelowna Sun-Thur
855 Kelowna
to Kamloops Junction Mon to Fri
Kelowna
Yard Engine. Mon-Fri
CN assigned an SW type in
Kelowna until the early 1990s, when GP9u units became standard. These
locomotives were services in Kamloops which meant they returned to Kelowna on
Monday Morning and left for Kamloops with the Friday train. Road locomotives
were GP38-2W locomotives.
CPR
90
Kelowna to Revelstoke daily
91
Revelstoke to Kelowna daily
‘Vernon
Wayfreight’ Vernon to Grindrod return Mon, Wed, Fri
‘Vernon
Wayfreight’ Vernon to Sicamous return Tues, Thurs
‘Vernon
Road Switcher’ Vernon to Lumby return Tues, Thurs
‘Vernon
Road Switcher’ Vernon to Larkin/Armstrong Mon, Wed, Fri
‘Kelowna
Road Switcher’ Kelowna to Winfield Mon-Fri
CP utilized high hood
GP9locomotives until the GP9u rebuilding program and the delivery of GP38-2
units in 1985. The GP38-2s were supplemented by CP GP35s and GP38AC units as
needed.
On
June 9, 1988 CPR removed trackage from mile 46.27 and mile 47.03, the last remnant
of the Okanagan Landing spur. In September 1992 CN created the ‘Okanagan
Division’ as a separate ‘internal-short line’. Under the plan management,
customer service and other employees were decentralized to Vernon from various
CN operation centres. The idea was to centralize Okanagan operations to the
Okanagan in hopes of gaining back traffic lost to trucks and cut operational
costs by streamlining operations. CPR continued to reduce it’s Vernon
facilities when on December 2, 1992 CP Rail demolished the CP Transport
building. The CP Rail ‘station’ moved to retail space at 4607-31st Street
Vernon. In 1993 Operations in the Okanagan were as follows
CNR
454 Kamloops to Vernon
Mon-Fri
455 Vernon to Kamloops
Mon-Fri
564 Vernon to Kelowna/Larkin
turn Mon-Fri
568 Vernon to Lumby turn Mon
to Fri
Under the Okanagan Division
units from 1992 until 1997 came from CN’s pool of SD40, SD40-2 and SD40-2W
locomotives. In 1997 many of the rebuilt CN SD40 locomotives owned by Connell
Finance Co. Inc., GEC Alstom, (GCFX 6030-6079) appeared in the Okanagan
supplemented by CN SD40s. In 1998 CN assigned CN 1650-1653 (Former Northern
Alberta Railways 401-404) SD38-2 locomotives to the Okanagan Division. These
four units remained assigned until 2000.
CPR
‘Day
Switcher’ Vernon to Lumby/Kelowna/Larkin return Mon-Fri
‘Night
Switcher’ Vernon to Sicamous return Sun-Thurs
May 3, 1995 brought a small
change in operations when CNR discontinued use of cabooses in Okanagan.
However, big changes were coming to the Okanagan when on April 1, 1997 CPR
announced it’s intent for a new operator for CPR Okanagan Subdivision.
Shortlines in the Okanagan
On
August 12, 1998 CPR signed a letter of intent with shortline operator Omnitrax of
Denver Colorado for transfer of Okanagan Subdivision. Ominitrax was the
operator of two other Canadian shortlines, the Carlton Trail Railway in
Saskatchewan and the Hudson Bay Railway in Manitoba. November 20 saw the last
CPR train to operate to Lumby and on November 22, 1998 the first Okanagan
Valley Railway (OKAN) train, operating under a 20-year agreement, from Vernon
to Sicamous, consist was:
OKAN 1038 GP-10
OKAN 1049 GP-10
CP 3051 GP38-2
CP 3126 GP38-2
CPLX 382246 Empty Covered
Hopper
CP 384947 Empty
Covered Hopper
FMLX 52324 Empty Covered
Hopper
ITLX 40203 Empty
Covered Hopper
CPLX 387447 Empty Covered
Hopper
CP 387251 Empty
Covered Hopper
CP 434544 Caboose
Returned to Vernon
cabooseless
In
Kelowna the CNR was involved in a redevelopment plan for it’s lands and in
December 1998 CN built a new wye and yard tracks in Kelowna and removed main
yard and additional trackage. On March 10, 1999 CNR announced it’s intention to
rationalized both the Okanagan and Lumby Subdivision. The first Okanagan Valley
Wine Train, operated by Nagel tours of Edmonton, operated from Kelowna to
Armstrong on June 4, 1999. A letter of Intent was signed between CNR and Kelowna
Pacific Railway, KPR’s parent companys are Knighthawk Inc. (65%) a Toronto
based air courier, and Trillium Railway Company (35%), for transfer of CN
Okanagan and Lumby Subdivisions on August 10, 1999. The deal was for a 20 year
lease of the rail lines.
On the return to Kelowna
from Armstrong on September 9, 2002 the Okanagan Valley Wine Train derailed in
Kelowna at mile 118.0. This accident and poor ridership caused the announcement
on June 27, 2003 that the Okanagan Valley Wine train would stop operating. Some
cars have since been sold off while others remained in storage. KPR began
leasing locomotive in the form of deturboed SD40-2 locomotives HLCX 2001 and
2002 from Helm Leasing May 8, 2003. These two served unit April 8, 2005. KPR
sold their M420’s in May 2004 with 3515, 3563, and 3575 leaving May 21st
and 3500, 3504 and 3571 following July 16th. KPR began leasing
locomotives from Locomotive Leasing Partners, EMD Leasing and GATX Rail. LLPX
2038 was the first to arrive July 14, 2004 with other locomotives following:
LLPX 2261 March 2004-
LLPX 2267 March
2004-February 2011, off KPR to SRY October 27, 2004-January 2005
EMDX 183 August 2, 2004-May
24, 2005
EMDX 184 August 3, 2004-May
24, 2005
LLPX 218 August 24, 2004-May
1, 2008 stored since October 2007
LLPX 219 August 24, 2004- May
1, 2008 stored since October 2007
LLPX 2605 November 19,
2004-August 14, 2013 1st locomotive with Kelowna Pacific Lettering
LLPX 2606 December 7,
2004-August 14, 2013 Lettered Kelowna Pacific
GMTX 2632 August 31,
2005-August 9, 2013 Lettered Kelowna Pacific
GMTX 2643 July 11,
2006-August 9, 2013 Lettered Kelowna Pacific
GMTX 2258 September 7, 2010-
August 9, 2013 Lettered Kelowna Pacific
On
March 17, 2008 Knighthawk Inc. became full owner of the KPR after buying out
joint venture holder New York and Lake Erie Railroad for $375,000. In 2008
operations in the Okanagan included:
OKAN
551
Vernon to Sicamous Sun-Thurs
552
Sicamous to Vernon return of 551
554
Kelowna/Lumby turn Mon-Fri
Kelowna Pacific
454
CN Kamloops to Vernon
455
Vernon to CN Kamloops
566
Campbell Creek to Campbell Creek switcher
564
Vernon to Kelowna/Larkin turn
568
Vernon to Lumby turn
A
major blow came for the OKAN on October 31, 2008 when the Owens-Illinois glass
plant closed. 10 months later on August 31, 2009 OKAN ceased operations
returning the Okanagan (OKAN Kalamalka) Subdivision back to CP, the end was
definite when the OKAN offices in Vernon were cleared September 21 and
locomotives were sent back to other Omnitrax operations with 2506 leaving May,
6, 2009 and CKRY 1006 and HBR 3550 leaving November 19, 2009 via KPR and CN. On
June 18, 2010 CPR offered Okanagan Subdivision from mile 0.3 to 16.4 and mile
16.4 to mile 31.63 up for sale for no less than salvage value. Bidding closed
September 17, 2010 after that date CPR would move forward with abandonment proceedings. In early 2011 KPR assigned CNR mileages
to the former CPR trackage between mile 70.86 Armstrong and 85.5 Vernon. KPR operated the Okanagan through three subdivisions, the Armstrong Subdivision from Campbell Creek to Lumby Junction, the Kelowna Subdivision from Lumby Junction to Kelowna and the Lumby Subdivision from Lumby Junction to Lumby. Kelowna Pacific Railway continued to operate until July 5, 2013 when it went
into receivership and suspended regular operations. KPR served the following
businesses when it shut down operations: Tolko mills at Lavington, Lumby,
Larkin and Kelowna, OK Ready Mix, Kelowna, received cars from Lehigh Cement (formerly Tilbury Cement) in Vancouver and Kamloops. Sun Rype,
Kelowna. Also in Kelowna were Knox Mountain Metal, ABC Recycling (Formerly
Action Metal) and a grain transload at Rutland. KPR’s last train left Vernon
August 9, 2013 with LLPX 2606, LLPX 2605, GMTX 2258 and GMTX 2641. Locomotive
GMTX 2632 (would not start for last run) and LLPX 2261 (boarded up) were
abandoned in Vernon. KPR ran one last train to Campbell Creek with LLPX 2606
and 2605 August 14, 2013 returning empty cars to CN at Kamloops. KPR officially
went bankrupt October 24, 2013.
After
the KPR’s suspension of operations CN announced September 27, 2013 that it
intended to restart operations part of the Okanagan rail network from Kamloops
to Lumby. After two months of upgrade work including rail renewal and ballast
work CN resumed operations December 1, 2013 with it’s first train led by WC
3027 and IC 3140.
April 14th, 2014 saw the beginning of CN removing industrial trackage in Kelowna. A $22 million was reached with the Regional District of the North Okanagan (8.13 miles), the District of Lake Country (10 miles), the Okanagan Indian Band (1.57 miles) and the City of Kelowna (for 11.25 miles) to purchase the right of way for a rail-to-trails initiative. On October 11th and 12th the remaining cars from the Okanagan Valley Wine Train were moved from storage in Rutland to Lumby Junction by a hi-rail truck. On November 13, 2015 CN ran a rail pick up train led by CN 5449 to Kelowna for rail removal from mile 88.0 to mile 118.9. Tracks were removed as far as the Kelowna Airport November 18th. The train was in Winfield with CN 5449 and GTW 5945 November 30th. The rail line was dismantled as far as Kick Willie Loop Road in Vernon on October 16, 2016. Removal of track in a number of crossings was completed in November and December 2016.
On April 24, 2017 the Regional District of the North Okanagan announced they had reached a $6.5 million conditional deal to purchase the Okanagan Subdivision right of way from miles 0.32 to 1.2, 1.8 to 23.5 and 25.5 to 30.76 from CP. The section between mile 1.2 and 1.8 was sold to the Secwepemc Nation on December 19th, 2014 and the section from mile 23.5 to 25.5 was purchased by the Splasip First Nation on January 4, 2015. The right of way is another rail-to-trails initiative. CN currently operates train L58751 from Vernon to Kamloops Monday, Wednesday, Friday, (from Vernon to Vernon on Sunday) and train L58851 Kamloops to Vernon Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. CN currently operated from Kamloops to mile 88.0 on the Okanagan Subdivision and from mile 0.0 to 12.4 of the Lumby Subdivision. It is reported CN has removed the rails in Lumby.
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