KPR Kelowna Pacific No. 1025 at Vernon, BC July 8, 2002.
(© 2024 John Cornett, All Rights Reserved)
KELOWNA PACIFIC RAILWAY
Kelowna Pacific Railway (reporting mark KPR) was a short-line railroad, formerly a Canadian National Railway line, leased by Knighthawk Rail. The KPR's line ran from Kelowna to Kamloops through the Okanagan Valley. Operations started on January 30, 2000, and ended on July 5, 2013, when the company entered receivership.
The mainline track was 167.7 km (104.2 mi), with an additional 10.3 km (6.4 mi) of associated spurs and sidings. In addition 41.2 km (25.6 mi) of running rights of Canadian Pacific Railway were held by KPR. It also connected with CN's Kamloops Rail Yard. Between Vernon and Armstrong/Lumby, the Canadian Pacific Railway shared the line with the KPR, although no trains are currently run by CPR along that line.
The company entered receivership on July 5, 2013, with all operations suspended.
On September 26, 2013, CN announced that it had reached agreements with a major shipper and two locals of the Teamsters union that would allow CN to resume operations over most of the Kelowna Pacific. CN said it planned to abandon the line between Lumby Junction and Kelowna. In 2014 CN began removing the railroad tracks in Kelowna.
A map of the Kelowna Pacific.
(Internet image, Fair Use, Title 17, Section 107)
Operations
KPR transported over 16,000 carloads annually. Most of the goods transported by the KPR were wood products; although grain, cement, scrap metal and industrial products were also seen. As of 2011, the KPR ran trains 5 days per week, with the schedule as follows:
- Kelowna: Monday and Wednesday (Trains staying overnight and return to Vernon on Tuesday and Thursday)
- Lumby: Tuesday and Friday
- Kamloops: As required
Customers
- Tolko Industries, Kelowna Division (Kelowna - lumber)
- Sun-Rype (Kelowna - fruits and fruit products, beverages)
- OK Builders Supplies (Kelowna - building materials)
- Knox Mountain Metals (Kelowna - scrap metal)
- Action Metals (Kelowna - scrap metal)
- Superior Propane (Kelowna - propane)
- Okanagan Transload Terminal (Lake Country - various)
- Ashland Canada (Lake Country - industrial chemicals)
- Tolko Industries, Winfield Reload (Lake Country - lumber)
- Coldstream Lumber (Coldstream - lumber)
- Tolko Industries, Lavington Division (Lavington - lumber)
- Gorman Bros. (Lavington - Lumber)
Tolko Industries, Whitevalley Division (Lumby - veneer) - Rogers Flour (Armstrong - grain)
- Tolko Industries, Armstrong Division (Armstrong - lumber and plywood)
- Unifeed (Armstrong - feedgrains and seed)
- Armstrong Pellets Inc (Armstrong - Wood Pellets)
- Lehigh Cement (Kamloops - Cement)
- Moly Cop Canada (Kamloops - Steel Products)
- Okanagan Pellet Company
Ex-CNR M420W Locomotives on BC's Kelowna Pacific Railway
June 27, 2000
- 3504 switching at Vernon BC
- 3571 departs Vernon with evening manifest to Kamloops BC
June 7, 2001
- 3571 departs Vernon with evening manifest to Kamloops
- 3571 passes Orchards
- Woodchip gondola loading at Riverside Lumber, Larkin BC
- 3571 at O'Keefe
August 23, 2002
- 3504 departs Vernon with evening manifest to Kamloops
- 3504 picks up extra power and loads at Larkin
- 3504 passes Armstrong
- 3504 passes Falkland
- 3504 passes Westwold
- 3504 passes Campbell Creek
Overview
Headquarters: Vernon, British Columbia, Canada
Reporting mark: KPR
Locale: British Columbia, Canada
Dates of operation: 1999–2013
Predecessor: Canadian National Railway
Technical
Track gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Length: 174.4 km (108.4 mi)
