Esquimalt & Nanaimo Line

The Esquimalt & Nanaimo Line is a 72.7 mile railway line of the British Columbia Railway (BC Rail) on Vancouver Island running from Victoria Union Station to Nanaimo, making connections with several other lines along its length. At Victoria it connects with the South Coast Line and the Victoria Metro system, at Tyup it connects to the Central Island Trunk Line, at Westholme to the Lenora Mount Sicker Line, at Colvilletown to the Duke Point Branch, at Chase River to the Nanaimo Harbour Branch, and at Nanaimo to the Central Coast Line.

The Esquimalt & Nanaimo Line is Line 10, the Duke Point Branch is Line 102, the Harmac Spur of the Duke Point Branch is Line 1021, and the Nanaimo Harbour Branch is Line 103 of the Island Region of BC Rail.

Nanaimo is the site of the largest railyard on Vancouver Island.

History
The line from Victoria to Nanaimo was opened by the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway (E&N) in 1886 as the first railway line on Vancouver Island, quickly becoming a vital transportation artery for the Island. The E&N became a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1905, and in 1978 it was bought by the British Columbia Railway, which absorbed it into its own operation. This left BC Rail as the only mainline railway on Vancouver Island south of Campbell River.

The electrification and double-tracking of the Nanaimo–Cassidy section was completed in 1992, for inclusion of that section into the Parksville–Nanaimo–Collishaw commuter service introduced in 1993, which is marketed as the Nanaimo Metro; these trains are operated with Japanese-built EMUs based on the JR West 207 Series trainsets owned and operated by Nanaimo Transit.

Skylar and Cliffside are passenger-only stops opened in 1992 to served newly developed cabin communities at Shawnigan Lake. Cassidy Station, located in the Nanaimo suburb of Cassidy, was renamed Collishaw Station in 1999, after Nanaimo's airport was given its current name of Air Vice Marshal Sir Raymond Collishaw International Airport in honour of Nanaimo-born First World War fighter ace Raymond Collishaw.

Duke Point Branch
This is a short (6.5 mile) freight-only line, opened by the E&N in 1888, serves the rail ferry terminal at Duke Point, Nanaimo, as well as a cement plant and quarry at Blue Circle. Also served by this line are the Western Forest Products and Seaspan Ferries shipping terminals at Duke Point. Cedar is the site of a large sorting yard, and the start of a 2.5 mile spur serving the Domforco cellulose plant at Harmac (opened 1944 as Nanaimo Forest Products Harmac Pulp Mill).

Nanaimo Harbour Branch
This is a 3.3 mile freight-only line serving the Coastland Wood Industries sawmill at Snuneymuxw and the rail ferry terminal at Nanaimo Harbour.

Services
This is the busiest railway line on the Island, with numerous passenger and freight trains each day.

Freight
Freight traffic is extensive, with many scheduled and extra freight trains daily.

Passenger
BC Rail operates numerous passenger services on the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Line. Amongst long-distance passenger trains are the daily Victoria–Port Hardy–Prince Rupert Pacific Coast Limited operated jointly with the RBCN Railway, the Victoria–Nanaimo–Port Alberni and Victoria–Nanaimo–Comox express trains, each with one daily round trip, and four daily round-trip Victoria–Nanaimo Dayliner express trains. There are also local and commuter trains, as well as the Victoria Union–Langford Victoria Metro Line 3 service and the half-hourly Nanaimo Metro trains.

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. Exempt from this are the Victoria Metro trains, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Victoria Transit System.

Limited Express
Limited Express trains on entirely domestic routes feature free baggage handling for both first and second classes, along with a cafeteria car open to both classes. With the exception of the Pacific Coast Limited, these trains are all operated by the BCR with its own equipment over its own lines.


 * 75/76 Pacific Coast Limited (BCR/RBCN Railway): Victoria (Union) – Prince Rupert
 * One daily morning departure in each direction, one with BCR first and second class chair cars and baggage cars, the other with RBCNR first and second class chair cars and baggage cars; both trains have BCR sleepers, sleeperettes, and dining cars. The short-trip surcharge is applicable to travel between Victoria and Nanaimo. Between Victoria and Campbell River BCR locomotives are used, between Campbell River and Port Hardy, RBCNR locomotives are used. BCR locomotives haul the trains between Prince Rupert and the rail ferry terminal at HMBCS Rainbow. Intermediate stops: Langford, Duncan, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville, Courtenay, Campbell River, Steel Creek, Port McNeill, Port Hardy

Regular Express
Express trains stop more often than Limited Express trains, but do not make unscheduled stops. The BCR operates only one international regular Express train, the rest are all on domestic routes. The short-trip surcharge is applicable to all travel between Victoria and Ladysmith or between Nanaimo and Langford. There is no baggage service on Vancouver Island trains, other than the on the Pacific Coast Limited.


 * 11/12 Kuthkahchulth (BCR): Victoria Union – Port Alberni
 * One daily return trip with first and second class chair cars and a cafeteria car; no baggage service. Intermediate stops: Esquimalt, Langford, Shawnigan, Cowichan, Duncan, Chemainus, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville


 * 13/14 Air Marshal Sir Raymond Collishaw (BCR): Victoria (Union) – Courtenay
 * One daily return trip with first and second class chair cars and a cafeteria car; no baggage service. Intermediate stops: Esquimalt, Langford, Shawnigan, Cowichan, Duncan, Chemainus, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville, Deep Bay


 * 15.1-4/16.1-4 Dayliner (BCR): Victoria (Union) – Nanaimo
 * Four daily return trips with first and second class chair cars only, with seat-side drink and snack service; no baggage service. Intermediate stops: Esquimalt, Langford, Shawnigan, Cowichan, Duncan, Chemainus, Ladysmith

Local
Local trains are passenger trains that make scheduled stops at all stations and halts.


 * 1101.1-2/1102.1-2: Duncan – Courtenay
 * Two daily return trips, second class only with seat-side drink and snack service.


 * 1111.1-2/1112.1-2: Cowichan – Port Alberni
 * Two daily return trips, second class only with seat-side drink and snack service.


 * 1313.1-2/1313.1-2: Sooke – Duncan
 * Two daily return trips, second class only with seat-side drink and snack service.

Route
A pink background indicates that section is part of Victoria Metro's Line 3 or of the Nanaimo Metro.

● - Scheduled Limited Express, Express, Rapid, and Local stop ▲ - Scheduled Express, Rapid, and Local stop ♦ - Scheduled Rapid and Local stop • - Local stop; Rapid trains stop only with advance booking M - Metro service only | - No passenger service