Sooyoos Lake Line

The Sooyoos Lake Line is a 7.5 mile railway line of the Washington & British Columbia Railway (W&BC) running from Sooyoos, British Columbia on BC Rail's Okanagan Line to Orovilla, Washington on the Similkameen Line, where there is also an indirect connection via Oroville Junction on the Similkameen Line to the Burlington Northern & Gulf Railroad's Oroville–Wenatchee line.

The Sooyoos Lake Line is Line 441 of the Similkameen Region of the W&BC.

= History = In order to facilitate the movement of goods between BC's industrial areas in the Okanagan and the United States during the Second World War, it was decided to create a straight-line link between Kelowna and the US. With the BCR's Okanagan Line running as far south as Haynes, only ten miles north of Sooyoos, and Oroville on the W&BC's Similkameen Line only 7.5 miles south of it, no debate was needed to determine the route. Work began at both ends at 9:00 am on 19 April 1943, and the first train from Oroville met the first train from Haynes at Sooyoos at 4:43 pm on the 2 March - only thirteen days later.

= Services =

Freight
Two scheduled daily-except-Sunday freight trains run on this line.

Passenger
The W&BC operates a number of passenger services on this line - a Limited Express, an Express, and two Local services running year-round.

The various categories of passenger service are defined by the Ministry of Labour, Industry & Railways in conjunction with the Ministry of Transport & Communications; these categories are applicable to and used by all railways providing passenger service in British Columbia. Like all other railways in BC, ticket prices for BC Rail passenger trains are based on the Ministry's Schedule of Railway Fares.

Limited Express
All international Limited Express trains feature full-service dining cars open to first and second class passengers, sleeping cars (first class) and sleeperette cars (second class), as well as baggage handling, free of charge for first class passengers, or for a surcharge for second class passengers. International services may be used for domestic travel, but for travel between three or fewer domestic stops a surcharge is applied. One international Limited Express runs on the Sooyoos Lake Line, operated jointly by BC Rail and Amtrak.


 * 133/134 Okanagan Limited (BCR/Amtrak): Kamloops, BC – Spokane, Washington, USA
 * Daily service with a morning departure from each end using one Amtrak consist and one BC Rail consist. This train runs over the trackage of three railways: BC Rail between Kamloops and Sooyoos, the Washington & British Columbia between Sooyoos and Oroville, Washington, and the Burlington Northern & Gulf between Oroville and Spokane. A BC Rail locomotive works the train on the electrified line between Kamloops and Kelowna, a W&BC locomotive and crew is used between Kelowna and Oroville, and an Amtrak locomotive and crew works the train between Oroville and Spokane. Intermediate stops:
 * BC: Falkland, Armstrong, Vernon, Kelowna, Naramata, Penticton, Skaha, Oliver, Sooyoos (BC customs checks)
 * Washington: Oroville (US customs checks), Chelan, Wenatchee

Express
The W&BC's only Express train on the Sooyoos Lake Line is an international service operated jointly with Amtrak. The short-trip surcharge is not applicable to travel occuring entirely inside Washington state on this train.


 * 441/442 Bitterroot Mountaineer: Penticton, BC – Coeur d'Alene, ID
 * Daily service with a morning departure from each end, using an Amtrak consist (second class chair cars only, with a cafeteria car) pulled by a W&BC locomotive. Between Penticton and Sooyoos this train runs over BCR trackage, between Sooyoos and Oroville, Washington over W&BC trackage, and between Oroville and Spokane over BN&G trackage. Intermediate stops:
 * BC: Oliver, Sooyoos (BC customs checks)
 * Washington: Oroville (US customs checks), Okanogan, Chelan, Wenatchee, Odessa, Spokane

Local
Local trains are passenger trains that make scheduled stops at all stations and halts along the route they serve. Two international Local services are operated on the Sooyoos Lake Line.


 * 4401.1-2/4402.1-2: Princeton, BC – Oroville, Washington, USA – Sooyoos, BC
 * Two daily return trips, second-class only with seat-side drink and snack service.


 * 4403.1-2/4404.1-2: Sooyoos, BC – Oroville, Washington, USA – Grand Forks, BC
 * Two daily return trips, first and second class with a cafeteria car.

= Route =

● - Scheduled Limited Express, Express, and Local stop