Re: CP Rail in Southern Interior BC
Author: CP Railway man
Date: 06-28-2016 - 12:53
There was a southern Canadian Pacific mainline all across British Columbia extending from the border with Alberta to Hope on the Fraser River. Line embargo and abandonment began in the early 1960s and now most has been converted into the Trans Canada Trail.
A remaining southern line segment connects between the Trail smelter via Castlegar, Nelson, and Creston to Cranbrook. There is an interchange with Union Pacific at Kingsgate, south of Cranbrook.
Another important remaining segment extends between the Alberta border and Fort Steele (just east of Cranbrook and now the official terminal) and then turns North through the rocky Mountain trench to a connection with the main at Golden. This segment carries heavy coal traffic from the mines near the Alberta border.
The last barge segment closed in 1988 and operested between Roseburg and Nakusp. It connected through Slocan City at the south end of Slocan Lake and then south towards Nelson.
Hope this helps.