Canadian Railroads > Kettle Valley Steam Railway

The Kettle Valley Steam Railway is a tourist line operating out of West Summerland BC, just north of Penticton BC in the Okanagan Valley.

It is the last remaining operating portion of CP's Kettle Valley Railway which operated across the south western part of BC just north of the US Border, and was built in part to block the Great Northern from further expansion into Canada.

Today, the KVSR is far removed from any active rail line, meaning the present motive power had to be delivered by truck.

The line is 11 miles long, and operates between Canyon View and Prairie Hills stations, all on a sustained 2.2% westbound grade.

During July and August, the train operates four days a week. Some "theme" trains operate which include a gunfight and/or an outdoor Barbecue at Prairie Hills. Fare is $22 Adult. During a recent season, the KVSR hauled 29 thousand passengers.

Their most recent acquisition is ex-Neptune Terminals Alco S-6 103 from North Vancouver BC. This locomotive started life as SP 1050,builder # 81300, used for switching and work trains and during fire bans.

This part of BC is famous for its wineries and summer resorts. West Summerland is an upscale retirement community and initially there was a strong NIMBY reaction against the steam train, however all but a couple of hold out property owners have accepted the presence of the train.

The first image (taken by my daughter Kylie) shows the train at Canyon View, the second shows brakeman Doug Campbell and engineer Eric putting the locomotive away at Prairie Hills. 3716 is an ex-CP 2-8-0 built by MLW in 1929 and is leased from the BC Government. For many years, it served as a backup for BCR 2860 on the Royal Hudson steam train.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/22 13:32 by eminence_grise.

I am always disappointed with Canadian themes like this one and the Calgary Stampede who stage gunfights. This was not part of our history in the development of Western Canada as it was done with comparatively less violence than the USA. Admittedly there were separate issues and unique historical sequences (eg. Louis Riel) but very few that parallel that of the USA's history.

A Billy Miner train robbery might be more acceptable as his legend is somewhat mysterious.

Rick

Some years back we road this line behind a 2 truck Shay which was in beautiful condition. Is it still on the property or gone elsewhere? Thanks for posting these photos and your other interesting posts on railroading in B.C.

It should be obvious that any shoot out ought to be headed up by Sgt Preston.
Roger B

jbbane Wrote:
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> Some years back we road this line behind a 2 truck
> Shay which was in beautiful condition. Is it
> still on the property or gone elsewhere? Thanks
> for posting these photos and your other
> interesting posts on railroading in B.C.


The Shay was on loan from the Duncan Forestry Museum on Vancouver Island until the KVSR could move 3716 from North Vancouver to West Summerland. The forestry museum has a 3ft guage tourist line, but no standard guage track. The Shay is on display under cover at Duncan again.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/14 21:37 by eminence_grise.

rschonfelder Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am always disappointed with Canadian themes like
> this one and the Calgary Stampede who stage
> gunfights. This was not part of our history in
> the development of Western Canada as it was done
> with comparatively less violence than the USA.
> Admittedly there were separate issues and unique
> historical sequences (eg. Louis Riel) but very few
> that parallel that of the USA's history.
>
> A Billy Miner train robbery might be more
> acceptable as his legend is somewhat mysterious.
>
> Rick

The "train robberies" are usually carried out by local riding clubs as fund raisers for the trail rides they hold for under privileged children. The clubs really enjoy doing this theatre. Not all horses can participate, some are gun shy. Although railfans sometime groan at the robberies, the other passengers love them.

The train we rode featured a banjo player with a sing along



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/22 19:47 by eminence_grise.

Instead of a train robbery, how about an appearance by the "Sons of Freedom" Doukhobors who, historically used mass nudity as an anti-government protest?

There is also miles of bike/hiking train on the original line over many re-built wooden trestles near by.

up833 Wrote:
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> It should be obvious that any shoot out ought to
> be headed up by Sgt Preston.
> Roger B


The best train 'hold up' is done on the Grand Canyon Railroad on the way back to Williams. A young teenage girl behind us wanted a photo of her dad with one of the outlaws wearing a bandana over his face . . . but as he posed with her dad waiting and waiting for her to figure out the camera setting he said "hurry up honey, I can't hold this smile forever!" . . . very entertaining which is what these are staged for. 90% of folks riding trains with 'entertainment' aren't rail fans . . unfortunately a fact of life but at least they are still riding them.

Craig
mcmrailvideos.com

Phil, I notice the Procor Tank with the S-6 103 (803?). Does this mean the tank car is landlocked?
Does KVSR still own the abandoned r.o.w. to reconnect to active rails?

Larry Dodgion
Wilsonville, OR

truxtrax Wrote:
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> Phil, I notice the Procor Tank with the S-6 103
> (803?). Does this mean the tank car is
> landlocked?
> Does KVSR still own the abandoned r.o.w. to
> reconnect to active rails?

All the railway equipment on the KVSR is trucked in.

The tank car companies have been generous donating tank cars to serve for locomotive fuel storage. Other energy businesses have donated pumps and heaters so that thick oil can be made more viscous to use in locomotives.

Another source of old tank cars are the "fire protection" tanks equipped with spray nozzles added to logging trains on Vancouver Island. These simply doused the right of way behind the loco. One tank car on the KVSR is one of these.

CN 2-8-0 2141 in Kamloops runs on recycled motor oil collected from service stations and enhanced (using a centrifuge) by a nearby refinery into locomotive fuel. KHR has a donated fairly modern tank car for fuel storage.

Alco251 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Instead of a train robbery, how about an
> appearance by the "Sons of Freedom" Doukhobors
> who, historically used mass nudity as an
> anti-government protest?

Ha ha, awesome. Why isn't it possible to "like" a comment? Oh... I think I just did.