ALCO'S (MLW) IN THE OKANAGAN

Okanagan Valley Sub Becomes Two Shortlines: Part 2

Kelowna Pacific Railway

Near the end of March 1999, C.N. announced the Okanagan Sub is for sale and would like to have the line transfered to a shortline operator by January, 2000. Kelowna Pacific Railway has taken over the Okanagan sub on February 7 2000, using six former C.N. MLW M-420[W]s 3500 3504 3515 3563 3571 and 3575. HR412[W]3580, M-420[W]3536 and more recently, wrecked OVR 3558 for parts. The units remain in C.N. paint with K.P.R. letters on the front nose.
3500 is the only unit painted in KPR colours.

Late December 2001, temperature just below freezing, workmen start 3563 after repairs. All maintence is done outside.

KPR spotting a car at St. George's freight transload.
This siding has been torn up as of August, 2008.
KPR 3575 south almost at mile 118, High Rd.Kelowna.

Time is taking its toll on the thirty year-old units. Two units, 3563 and 3575 are now on the dead line, with exhaust stacks sealed. 3571 had suffered a turbo failure, according to a KPR employee, the MLW's are a maintenance nightmare.

Damaged EX-OVR 3558 parts unit.
3563 & 3575 on 'dead track'.

End Of The MLW's On The KPR

KPR has found a buyer for the MLW's: Lake State Railway in Michigan. 3563, 3575 and 3515 left the property May 21, 2004, arriving in Durand, MI. on June 1, 2004. 3500 and 3571 are still in Vernon, 3504 is switching Kelowna.

July 14 2004, LLPX 2038 arrived in Vernon. KPR 3504 and 3571 left Kelowna for the last time on July 15, 2004. July 16, LLPX 2038 made its first trip to Kelowna, later that evening the three remaining MLW's left Vernon for Durand, MI. In early September, staff from LSRC removed usable parts from OVR 3558 and sent them back to MI. in a gondola. The rest of the unit was scrapped.

LSRC 3500 - July 30, 2004, the last three MLW's arrive at their new home.
3500 is at the Wenona Yard in Bay City MI. August 12, 2004, unit is now repainted to LSRC.

Great Western Railway in Southern Saskatchewan has purchased 3563 and 3571 from Lake States Railway (LSRC) and were delivered to Canada on March 4, 2008.

LSRC 3500.
LSRC 3515 in Michigan.

3500 and 3504 near Bay City MI.

LSRC 3571- first ex KPR unit to be
repainted in LSRC colours. Dec. 13, 2004.

3504 freshly painted in Alpena MI.
LSRC 3504 and 3571 in new paint.

GM units on KPR property:

May 8, 2003: de turboed SD-40's, now SD-38's, HLCX 2001, 2002 in Union Pacific colours arrived in Vernon.
April 9 2005: the HLCX units have been re-assigned to the Quebec-Gatineau Railway and have left the property.

End of March 2004, de-turboed, rebuilt GP-40's now GP-38-2's LLPX 2261 and 2267 have arrived. GP-38 LLPX 2038 in the Kelowna yard on July 16, 2004. CONRAIL can be seen on the unit's nose. 2038 left the KPR in June, 2006.

August 3, 2004: EMDX 183 made its first trip to Kelowna. August 4, 2004: EMDX 182 arrived in Vernon. On May 24, 2005, the EMDXs are not getting much use, as they have a wheel slip problem, have left the property, and are going to Paducah, KY.

August 28 2004: two SW-1500's LLPX 218, 219 (ex Conrail), arrived in Vernon.
With the downturn in forestry, 218 and 219 were parked in late fall, 2007.
May 1, 2008: the units were returned to Paducah, Kentucky.

LLPX 218, first trip to Kelowna September 7 2004.
LLPX 219 in Kelowna.

October 27 2004: LLPX 2267 was delivered to the SRY shops near Vancouver for repairs.
Unit returned to the valley in early January, 2005.

November 20, 2004, LLPX 2605 GP-38-2 with Kelowna Pacific painted below the dynamic brake fan, is now in the valley. LLPX 2606 arrived in Vernon December 7 2004. LLPX 2605's first trip to Kelowna was January 12, 2005. Latest unit to arrive in Vernon, on August 31, 2005, is GP-38 GMTX 2632.

June 29 2006, Newest KPR unit 2641,
first trip to Kelowna.

July 12, Last new KPR unit, 2643, first trip to Kelowna.
May 1, 2008: returned to Paducah, Kentucky.

June 2002: KPR, with help from CN, constructed a reload yard in Winfield.

On the flat looking south to Kelowna.
After the fence was installed, on top of hill
looking down to reload.

A private company is operating the yard, two tracks, one for center beams, or whatever there is to be loaded, with a fork lift. The second track is for loading boxcars. Pictures show the yard just after the tracks have been installed.

April 2004 view of the reload.

April 2006, a trench being installed for
cement unloading.

Rutland Siding- A short piece of track that generates a lot of revenue.

Outgoing loads.
Incoming grain loads.
Action Metal siding.

New Rutland Reload- With the present Rutland track slated for redevelopment,
a new reload yard was installed in the spring of 2006.

Newly installed bridge to reload.

Large two track reload, intermodal ramp in view
Action Metal's new home.

Something different

March, 1986: a dedicated train of Three buoys house boats gets ready to head out of Kelowna. There were several trains like this to places in Canada and one to Lake Havasu, AZ. House boats were manufactured as a tax shelter for investors.
Train continues west on Weddell Pl. Later in 1986 the federal government closed the loop hole and Three Buoys went out of business. Train is heading west on Recreation Ave. on the reverse loop.

Mid-December, 2003 until April, 2004, Riverside Forest Products received logs from northern B.C. on BCOL log cars.

Starting near the end of May, 2004 and on, cars of wood pellets are being loaded. Cars are being loaded along Weddell Ave.

Take a Google Earth Virtual Tour of the Kelowna End of the Okanagan Sub.


March, 1986: a dedicated train of Three buoys house boats gets ready to head out of Kelowna. There were several trains like this to places in Canada and one to Lake Havasu, AZ.	House boats were manufactured as a tax shelter for investors. Train continues west on Weddell Pl.	Later in 1986 the federal government closed the loop hole and Three Buoys went out of business. Train is heading west on Recreation Ave. on the reverse loop.

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