Coquihalla Line

The Coquihalla Line is a 77.8 mile railway line of the British Columbia Railway (BC Rail) running from Odlum on the Canadian Pacific Railway's Cascade Subdivision to Merritt on the Nicola Valley Line. It also connects with the Inter-Dominion Line and the Washington & British Columbia Railway's Manning Park Line at Hope, to the Tullameen Line at Brodie, and to the Nicola Sawmills Spur (freight only, 0.9 miles) at Middlesboro.

The Coquihalla Line is Line 21 and the Nicola Sawmills Spur is Line 211 of BC Rail's Lower Mainland Region.

= History = The Coquihalla Line was opened by the Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) in 1915. Under the KVR, the Odlum–Brodie section made up the Coquihalla Subdivision, whilst the Brodie–Merritt section was part of the Nicola Subdivision. Prior to 1955, KVR passenger trains terminated at Hope North. After the KVR's absorption into BCR in 1955, the crossing at Kawkawa was rebuilt to allow Coquihalla Line trains to use the BCR depot on the Inter-Dominion Line, eliminiting the Kawkawa crossing.

= Services =

Freight
Freight traffic on the Coquihalla Line comprises one scheduled train each day; generally there are one or two extras daily.

Passenger
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
Limited Express trains are BC Rail's fastest and most prestigious trains, making very few or no intermediate stops. They feature free baggage handling for both first and second classes, along with a cafeteria car open to both classes. The Coquihalla Line sees one international Limited Express service, though it makes no stops on the line other than at Hope.

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.


 * 131/132 International Hiawatha (North Western Pacific/BCR): Vancouver, BC (Pacific Central) – Chicago, Illinois, USA
 * Twice-weekly service with eastbound trains departing Vancouver on Wednesdays and Saturdays, westbound trains leaving Chicago on Tuesdays and Fridays; all trains consist of NWP consists. This train runs over the trackage of the BC Rail between Vancouver and Castlegar, and over NWP trackage between Castlegar and Chicago; locomotive changes take place in Castlegar. Intermediate stops:
 * BC: Hope, Princeton, Penticton, Grand Forks, Castlegar, Salmo, Nelway (BC and US customs checks)
 * Washington: Metaline Falls, Newport
 * Idaho: Spirit Lake
 * Washington: Spokane
 * Idaho: St Maries
 * Montana: Alberton, Missoula, Butte, Harlowton, Miles City
 * South Dakota: Morristown, Mobridge, Aberdeen
 * Minnesota: Ortonville, Minneapolis, St Paul, Winona
 * Wisconsin: La Crosse, Milwaukee
 * Illinois: Racine

Express
Regular Express trains stop more often than Limited Express trains, but do not make unscheduled stops, featuring baggage handling free of charge to first class passengers, and available to second class passengers for a surcharge, and all include either a full-service dining car or a cafeteria car open to all classes. For travel between three or fewer stops a surcharge is applied. There is one Express train on the Coquihalla Line.


 * 23/24 Phthauntac: Vancouver (Pacific Central) – Penticton
 * One daily overnight trip in each direction with sleeping cars (first class) and sleeperettes (second class), a cafeteria car, and one second-class chair car. The usual short-trip surcharge does not apply to this train. Intermediate stops: Chilliwack, Hope, Brodie, Brookmere, Tullameen, Princeton, Demuth

Local
Local trains are passenger trains that make scheduled stops at all stations and halts along the route they serve. There are two Local trains on the Coquihalla Line.


 * 2101.1-2/2102.1-2: Hope – Brodie – Princeton
 * Two daily return trips, first and second-class with seat-side drink and snack service.


 * 4103.1-2/4104.1-2: Penticton – Brodie – Merritt
 * Two daily return trips, first and second class with a cafeteria car.

= Route = Italic text indicates a closed station or connection.

● - Scheduled Limited Express, Express, and Local stop ▲ - Scheduled Express and Local stop • - Local stop | - No passenger service