Glacier Line

The Glacier Line is an electrified 20.9 railway line of the North Western Pacific Railroad (NWP) running from Glacier, Washington, USA to Sumas, Washington on the Bellingham & Northern Line, where it also connects with the Washington & British Columbia Railway's Sumas Crossing Line and to the Burlington Northern & Gulf Railroad's Sumas–Seattle mainline.

Although located entirely within Washington state, the Glacier Line is part of the Western Division of NWP's British Columbia District.

= History = The Glacier Line was opened by the Bellingham Bay & British Columbia Railroad in 1902, running from Sumas on its Mission, BC–Fairhaven, WA mainline to Glacier; in 1912, the BB&BC became the Bellingham & Northern Railway, and in 1924 it was absorbed into the Milwaukee Road. The line was electrified in 1966.

= Services =

Freight
Rail-served industries on the Glacier Line are a shingle factory, a sawmill, a plywood factory, a feed mill, and a limestone quarry.

Passenger
The only passenger service on the Glacier Line is a Rapid (semi-express) train operated in conjunction with BC Rail between Pacific Central Station in Vancouver and Glacier. Like an Express train, a Rapid makes a limited number of scheduled stops, but stops can be booked up to three hours in advance at any station on the route that has passenger service.


 * 135/136 Salishan Rapid (NWP/BC Rail): Vancouver (Pacific Central) – Glacier, Washington, USA
 * One daily return trip runs in the summer timetable with NWP equipment and crews; two daily return trips run in the winter timetable, one with BC Rail equipment, the other with NWP equipment. The trains run on BC Rail trackage between Pacific Central Station and Matsqui, and NWP trackage between Matsqui and Glacier, with the two railways having running rights over the other's trackage for this service. BC and US customs checks occur at Huntingdon and Sumas respectively, and passengers may not board or disembark here. These trains feature first and second class chair cars and a cafeteria car; there is no baggage handling service. This train operates as an Express train in BC (flag stops cannot be booked), and as a Rapid in Washington. A surcharge applies for trips entirely within BC (i.e. travel only between Vancouver and Abbotsford). Scheduled intermediate stops:
 * BC: Abbotsford, Huntingdon (BC and US customs checks eastbound)
 * Washington: Sumas (BC and US customs checks westbound), Columbia, Maple Falls, Glacier

Timetable

 * "Down" is towards Sumas; Down trains are superior to Up trains.
 * ↑↓ - train does not stop
 * ƒ - flag stop by reservation only

= Route = A yellow background indicates an electrified section.

♦ - Scheduled Rapid stop • - Flag stop (requires advance booking) | - No passenger service