Canadian Railroads > Questions on CPKC South of Golden, BC

Hi all. I am going to be heading out to the Canadian Rockies along the CPKC for the first time in a couple of months and was seeking some information on the following:

Our current itinerary has us staying in Banff for a couple of nights, then heading to Cranbrook and eventually Sandpoint, ID to come back into the US. The plan is to head to Golden and follow the CPKC south from there. What is action like on the this stretch of CPKC trackage (I believe it’s the Windermere Sub?) and then eventually heading towards Sandpoint?

Is there anywhere outside of the proposed routing that is worth checking out as an alternative? The only concrete plan we have is to head south from Banff back to the US border and eventually Whitefish, so any input on anything we could do better would be most welcome, as this is completely new territory to me.

Thank you all!

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The Windermere Sub is primarily coal, plus a wayfreight. Once you reach Fort Steele you pick up the traffic to Eastport and beyond. I'd still recommend going that way, as traffic on the lines south of Calgary is rather sparse til Lethbridge area, and even the Crowsnest Sub is pretty quiet in daylight.

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Darren Boes
Lethbridge, AB
Southern Alberta Railfan

Beautiful drive but keep an eye on your maps as the RR is accessible until Skoocumchuck or so and then goes away from the road until very far south. There had always been rumors of mystery access locations between the Windermere and Fairmont area on the west side but I did not explore that area, the map shows it to be hopeful at best but there are published locations along there. Possibly simply driving into those towns and then turning back to Highway 95.

That area is also fascinating for the mountains and also the idea of the Columbia River originating in the mountains and then turning north. Lots of great scenery especially this time of the year.

The area west of Ft Steele is fascinating but the rail traffic goes to Crowsnest Pass. Looking back there seems to be good access on the east side of the pass but not much on the west.

If you cross at Kingsgate there may be a CP / UP train in the area, but back in the day they would park at the border for crew change and paperwork, not sure what they do now. The old SI now UP goes off into the woods on the USA side so there's access near the crossing but not much else. Serious business at the border crossing btw.

Never tried the Creston border crossing, the rails are near highway 3 but don't know the rail traffic situation. I did travel through there a few times with a really good guide book for the day but it was mostly long past the older traffic patterns. Obviously the area has changed since my trips in the 1980's, on one trip we noted 45 minutes between cars on Hiway 95 near Canal flats.

hth.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/26 14:15 by TCnR.

Do you like grubby red GE's ?  That's what is used exclusively on CP coal trains, no KCS or new CPKC painted ones in the coal pool unless a rescue unit of some sort.

Bill Miller
Galt, ON

CCMF Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do you like grubby red GE's ?  That's what is
> used exclusively on CP coal trains, no KCS or new
> CPKC painted ones in the coal pool unless a rescue
> unit of some sort.

There are two CPKC painted AC4400CWM's in the pool, with one of them leading a set for the past 4-5 week.

Appreciate all of the info, everyone. Thanks!