CN COMES TO KELOWNA


An excerpt from the former Brandt's Creek (Canada Lands) web site outlines the early stages of rail to Kelowna:

In 1912, representatives of the Canadian Northern Railway purchased 33.6 ha (83 acres) in Kelowna’s North End for the development of a rail yard. Construction was delayed for a decade, as Canadian Northern struggled to survive, and World War I erupted. Early in 1923 the amalgamation of a number of failing railway companies and the Canadian Northern Railway resulted in the creation of the Canadian National Railway Company.

Starting the rail line into Kelowna, Kelowna Courier More talk, Kelowna Courier, Sept. 3, 1914


Canadian Northern Railway experiencing financial problems.
July 2, 1914—Starting the rail line into Kelowna. More talk, Kelowna Courier, Sept. 3, 1914

The CN line between Vernon and Kelowna at least partly occupies the earlier KVR survey between Kelowna and Vernon. Not many people know that the KVR surveyed a line to connect Vernon with the rest of the KVR. I do not know the exact location of that survey except that it occupied the same stretch of line on the ‘railway’ between Kalamalka Lake and Wood Lake at Oyama. It is probable that the line from Oyama to Vernon is actually part of the earlier KVR survey. But for fact, the CNR line at Oyama is situated on the KVR survey undertaken during construction of the KVR. (Joe Smuin)

After a 10-year delay and a change in ownership, the railline from Kamloops to Kelowna finally gets underway.
Jan. 15, 1925, Kelowna Courier Mar. 26, 1925, Kelowna Courier
Jan. 15, 1925, Railline is finally underway. Mar. 26, 1925, Work commences near Kelowna.
June 4, 1925, Kelowna Courier June 18, 1925, Kelowna Courier
June 4, 1925, Kelowna Courier June 18, 1925, Kelowna Courier
Sept. 10, 1925, Kelowna Courier
The big day finally arrives. Well, almost.
From Mile 118 to Mile 118.18, Brandt's Creek runs parallel, then under the track.
The surrounding area is marshy. There is also an Indian Burial ground located at the base of the hill.
 
Sept. 17, 1925, Kelowna Courier
The most historic event to occur in Kelowna's short history.		 Sept. 11, 1925, Ham and Railfanning
C.N. 416—the first engine to arrive in Kelowna, sitting at or very close to where it had derailed the day before.
 
Sept. 17, 1925, Kelowna Courier Sept. 17, 1925, Kelowna Courier

The left-two pictures are located at Mile 117.9.
The right-two pictures are at Mile 118.1.

Nov. 26, 1925, Kelowna Courier Nov. 12, 1925, Kelowna Courier
Temporary station is assembled using 2 rail cars. Announcement of a permanent station.

Oct. 8, 1925, Kelowna Courier Nov. 5, 1925, Kelowna Courier
In less than a month of the new line opening,
C.N. is talking of passenger service. 		Announcement of rail passenger
service coming to Kelowna.


Feb. 8, 1926, Kelowna Courier Feb. 12, 1926, Kelowna Courier

This never happened.
Feb. 8, 1926 Feb. 12, 1926


C.N. starts passenger service Feb. 15th, 1926.
Feb. 18, 1926, Kelowna Courier
C.N.'s first attempt at passenger service.


Feb. 18, 1926, Kelowna Courier
First Oil-Electric trip from Kelowna.

Feb. 25, 1926, First form of rail passenger service from Kelowna, Kelowna Courier Apr. 15, 1926, Kelowna Courier
An account of the first form of rail
passenger service from Kelowna.		 Increased traffic shows something more
than an oil-electric car is required.


July 15, 1926, Kelowna Courier
Construction finally started.

CN Station- 1930's

The new station finally opened Jan. 4, 1927.

CN Station- 1931, Haug Collection

Station in 1931.
The Kelowna Exhibition Hall
in the background.

CN Station- 1929
A busy place in 1929.
Top of Kelowna Exhibition Hall shown.
Hall destroyed by fire on Feb 4, 1957.
Passenger car is named Vegreville.

1930 car-train accident.
Taken in front of the station looking west.
1930's car-train accident. 		1928 photo
The CN yard in 1928,
looking north west.

Jan. 10, 1935, Kelowna Courier Jan. 10, 1935, Kelowna Courier
C.N. Advertisements in our local paper, Jan. 10, 1935.

C.N. passenger train schedule as of Nov. 5, 1936, Kelowna Courier
C.N. passenger train schedule as of Nov. 5, 1936.

Picture- Alan Lill

From the upper level of the water tower, in the 1940's.

 

Soon after the CN rail line was completed on September 11th, 1925, interchange tracks were layed to the CP yard. CN also started it own barge service to Penticton. CP barge service was moved to Kelowna from Okanagan landing, stopping at Westbank, Peachland, Summerland and Naramata on the way to Penticton.


Track plan of the CN yard as it was in 1948. Tracks at the bottom of the plan, or south, lead to the CP tracks and wharf shown on the last page.

Jan. 22, 1948, Kelowna Courier May 13, 1948, Kelowna Courier
C.N.'s new expansion plans for Kelowna. Another view of the North End of Kelowna.

Jan. 31, 1949, Kelowna Courier


Jan. 15, 1950, Kelowna Courier
Jan. 15, 1950, on Sexsmith Rd. looking west.
Rutland was a very busy stop, with its own passenger shelter. It also had a team track and cattle pen.

Nov. 23, 1973, Kelowna Courier Feb. 8, 1974, Kelowna Courier
With the original C.N. freight house and track being taken out, the new freight shed is in the station. All C.N. tracks along the lakeshore are
being removed in early 1974.


This new, consolidated C.N./C.P. yard remained until 1998 , when another major downsizing occurs.

The CN railyard development plan

The above drawing shows the new location of the yard. From two tracks to what is now the Kelowna yard, along Wedell Pl. December, 1998. Area in white shows where the original tracks were lifted, leaving the station trackless. Original tracks to Riverside sawmill and plywood plant are left in place and with a slight realignment, are connected to the new yard.
Click Here To View The 2003 Kelowna Yard Track Plan.
Take a Google Earth Virtual Tour of the Kelowna End of the Okanagan Sub.



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