Kettle Valley Railway facts for kids
The Kettle Valley Railway (reporting mark KV) was a special train line in southern British Columbia, Canada. It was part of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and helped connect mining towns and communities across the region. The railway ran from Midway all the way to Hope, where it joined the main CPR line.
The Kettle Valley Railway opened in 1915. Over time, parts of it were closed down, starting in 1961. The very last trains ran on the western part of the line in 1989. Today, much of the old railway path has been turned into a fun multi-use trail called the Kettle Valley Rail Trail. This trail is even part of the bigger Trans-Canada Trail!
Contents
Why the Kettle Valley Railway Was Built
Connecting British Columbia's Mining Towns
The Kettle Valley Railway was built because it was badly needed. In the late 1800s, many mining towns were growing in the southern part of British Columbia. The main Canadian Pacific Railway line, finished in 1885, went through the Rocky Mountains much further north. This meant it didn't reach these important mining areas.
When silver was found in 1887, many American miners came to the region. They found it easier and cheaper to get supplies from American railways. This made the southern part of British Columbia feel more connected to the United States. Canadian leaders wanted a new railway to keep control of the region and its valuable mining money within Canada.
Building Through Tough Mountains
Building this new railway, sometimes called the "Coast-to-Kootenay" railway, was very hard. Two big mountain ranges stood in the way of connecting the line to Vancouver. It was one of the most expensive railway projects in North America, costing almost $20 million. It took nearly 20 years to finish!
The railway wasn't built all at once or by just one company. Some smaller railway projects were started first. For example, the CPR began the Nicola Valley Railroad in the 1890s. This line connected Merritt to the main CPR line. Parts of other planned railways were later used for the Kettle Valley Railway.
The Main Route and Its Connections
The main part of the Kettle Valley Railway started in Hope. It went up the steep Coquihalla Valley, through narrow canyons, and then connected to other towns like Princeton, Penticton, and Midway.
Over time, more smaller lines were added. These connected places like Copper Mountain to Princeton, and Oliver to Penticton. The Kettle Valley Railway also worked with the Great Northern Railway to share tracks in some areas.
Opening and Operations
The Kettle Valley Railway officially opened for service between Merritt and Midway on May 31, 1915. The first passenger trains started running on that day. Even though it was its own company, the KVR was mostly controlled by the Canadian Pacific Railway. The CPR fully took over the KVR's operations in 1931.
The KVR carried both passengers and freight. Passenger trains like the Kettle Valley Express took people between Vancouver and Medicine Hat, Alberta. Freight trains mainly carried ore from mines, wood products, and fruit from the Okanagan Valley. The KVR was also very important as a "second main line." If the main CPR line was closed by rockslides or avalanches, the KVR could be used instead. This showed how valuable having another railway through British Columbia was.
The End of the Line
Sections Close Down
The first part of the Kettle Valley Railway to close was the Copper Mountain Branch in 1957. This happened because the Copper Mountain Mine closed, and there wasn't enough traffic to keep the line busy.
Another section, the Coquihalla subdivision, closed in 1959 after a big washout. Even though CPR had spent money upgrading the line, they decided to close it for good.
Final Closures
Through-freight service (long-distance cargo trains) stopped across the entire line in 1961. The very last passenger train ran in January 1964. After this, the KVR became a less busy branch line.
All train service stopped from Midway to Penticton in May 1973. The tracks in this famous section, including Myra Canyon, were removed between 1979 and 1980. Other parts of the line also closed as traffic moved to trucks, especially for fruit and wood chips. By March 1989, all train service on the Kettle Valley Railway had ended.
Myra Canyon Trestles
A Popular Trail Section
One of the most famous parts of the old Kettle Valley Railway is the section through Myra Canyon. This beautiful area is located south of Kelowna on Okanagan Mountain. When the railway was built here, engineers had to build 18 wooden trestles (long bridges) and two tunnels to cross the deep canyon.
After the railway closed, Myra Canyon became a very popular spot for hikers and cyclists. Its gentle slope made it easy to explore.
Repairs and Rebuilding
Over the years, some of the trestles fell into disrepair. Vandals even removed railway ties, creating dangerous gaps. After a cyclist had a serious accident, people asked for the bridges to be made safer. Repairs were done, and handrails and planks were added to make it safer to cross.
In 2002, this section of the railway was named a National Historic Site of Canada.
However, in August 2003, a lightning strike started the 2003 Okanagan Mountain Park Fire. This huge forest fire swept through Okanagan Mountain, destroying 12 of the 18 wooden trestles in Myra Canyon. The fire also damaged two metal bridges.
Soon after the fire, the British Columbia government promised to rebuild all the damaged and destroyed trestles and bridges. They also made other safety improvements, like clearing rocks. The trestles have now been rebuilt, and the trail is fully open for everyone to enjoy!
Quintette Tunnels
A Straight Path Through the Canyon
When building the railway through the very rough Coquihalla Canyon, the chief engineer, Andrew McCulloch, wanted the track to be as straight as possible. To do this, he decided they needed to build five tunnels very close together. They also needed two bridges between three of the tunnels. These tunnels became known as the Quintette Tunnels.
These tunnels are a popular place for tourists to visit today. They are located near the Coquihalla Highway but cannot be seen from it. They are also known as the Othello Tunnels. This name comes from the nearby Othello Railway station, which was named after a character from William Shakespeare's plays. Many stations on this part of the railway were named after Shakespearean characters, like Iago, Romeo, and Juliet.
Kettle Valley Steam Railway
Keeping History Alive
The Kettle Valley Steam Railway is a special heritage railway that keeps a part of the Kettle Valley Railway alive. It operates on a 10-kilometre section near Summerland, British Columbia. This is the only part of the original Kettle Valley Railway that is still active today.
After the last freight train ran in 1989, a group of people formed a society to save a piece of the railway. They were successful in preserving this section and began preparing it for train operations. They built a station at Prairie Valley, which is now a great starting point for visitors.
The Trains Today
The railway first used a 1924 Shay locomotive, which was borrowed from another museum. This type of locomotive was designed to work on rough logging tracks.
Today, the Kettle Valley Steam Railway also has a Canadian Pacific Montreal Locomotive Works 2-8-0 locomotive, numbered 3716. This powerful train was built for the CPR and used to operate in the Kootenays. It was restored in 1975 and now runs on the KVSR, giving visitors a taste of what the old railway was like.
The train now travels to the middle of the Trout Creek Bridge, offering amazing views.
Kettle Valley Railway on TV
The Kettle Valley Railway has been featured on television! It appeared in the historical TV series Gold Trails and Ghost Towns.
Also, because the main CPR route through the Rockies had been updated with modern steel bridges, the CBC miniseries The National Dream filmed some of its scenes on the Myra Canyon section of the Kettle Valley Railway. They wanted to show old wooden trestles, and the KVR had them!
Images for kids
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Myra Canyon Rail bridge near Kelowna on August 2, 2003, one month before it was destroyed by a forest fire
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First KVR passenger train at Penticton, May 1915
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Quintette Tunnels, 2007
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3716 at Canyon View
