Canadian Railroads > CN Returning to the Okanagan

CN 588 Train just out of O'Keefe dropping down into the Okanagan.Short train today but it has been averaging 20 to 30 cars from what I observed.This is a unique deal with a class 1 taking back a marginal branchline.Over 100 miles of track with lots of curves and also mountain grade.Bill Webb



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/14 21:27 by spider1319.

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Thanks for posting, looks like you had a good trip. Those units could use some paint.

Bob Ritchie
Chase, BC

Nice shot.

KG



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/14 13:46 by kgmontreal.

I fixed it.Thank you.Bill Webb

Thanks for posting . . . was curious how the upgrade was coming . . . judging from the fresh ballast, CN is putting some $$ back into this branch line . . . assume the units' home base is Kamloops?

Craig
http://mcmrailvideos.com/

The units are from Kamloops but the crews are assigned to Vernon as in the old Kelowna Pacific days.The segment from Vernon to Kelowna is out of service with xing protection deactivated and awaits removal.CN operates Kamloops to Vernon and Vernon to Lumby.Fresh ballast everwhere and several xings replaced in Vernon.So,yes they spending big bucks.Bill Webb

spider1319 Wrote:
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> This is a unique deal with a class 1
> taking back a marginal branchline.

Isn't it Canadian law that if a spinoff fails, the original owner has to re-acquire it?

wlankenau Wrote:
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> spider1319 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
>
> Isn't it Canadian law that if a spinoff fails, the
> original owner has to re-acquire it?


Indeed. CN has had to take back the Ottawa Central, CFMG, New Brunswick East Coast, Alberta Resources Railway when they failed.

KG

Great catch.
JB

wlankenau Wrote:

>
> Isn't it Canadian law that if a spinoff fails, the
> original owner has to re-acquire it?

Your question implies that there was a time when CN did not own this line. In fact, it never relinquished ownership. The Okanagan lines were leased, not sold, by CN in 1999.

By the way, the Canadian portion of this valley and river system is the Okanagan (with an A), the US portion is the Okanogan (with an O). Both names are translations of "Uknaquin" the name the Salish people called this valley. I guess the US Government chose Okanogan and the British Government chose Okanagan.

From Armstrong Mi 70.8 to Vernon Mi 85.5, CN has acquired the former CP Okanagan Sub., which CN previously operated on running rights.

The CP Okanagan Sub. was originally the Shuswap & Okanagan Railway, built by local interests and leased by CP in 1903. CP gradually purchased the CP line, owning it outright by the 1930's.

The Canadian Northern started to build towards the Okanagan from Kamloops in 1913, but only completed part of the CP/CN interchange in Kamloops before bankruptcy.

The CN Okanagan was one of the first portions of track built by Canadian National in 1926.

CP obtained track rights from Vernon to Lumby and Kelowna, and abandoned steamship service between Okanagan Landing (near Vernon)
and Kelowna shortly thereafter.

The CP Okanagan north from Armstrong to Sicamous is officially abandoned, and portions of the right of way are in the process of being acquired as a hiking/biking trail, as is the CN from Lumby Junction to Kelowna.

Canadian Law provides that ownership of abandoned rights of way reverts to the Crown (Federal Government) unless the land over which the railway crossed was previously deeded .

Settlement of the Okanagan region predated the railways, and there are portions of the lines which will revert to previous ownership (when clearly determined in Court).



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/14 11:13 by eminence_grise.

Nice shot Bill. Glad you caught these guys!

A.J.

E-G: You should write a book - please! A bound collection of all your posts, with some maps and pix, would fill the bill!!