Kootenay & Pend Oreille Line

The Kootenay & Pend Oreille Line is a 163.0 mile (41.8 miles in BC) railway line of the North Western Pacific Railroad (NWP) running from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, USA on the NWP's Crowsnest Southern Line to Castlegar, British Columbia, where it connects with BC Rail's Slluqan Valley and Boundary Lines. It connects to the Spokane International Railroad's Coeur d'Alene Division and to the Burlington Northern & Gulf Railroad's Spokane–Missoula line at Coeur d'Alene, to the BN&G's Olympia–Duluth transcontinental trunk line in Rathdrum, Idaho, to the BN&G's Seattle–Duluth transcontinental trunk line in Newport, Washington, and to the Washington & British Columbia Railway's Spokane Falls & Northern Line at Salmo,

The 43.4 mile Spokane Branch of the Kootenay & Pend Oreille Line begins at Spirit Lake, Idaho, 27.4 miles from Coeur d'Alene to Spokane.

The Crowsnest Southern Line is part of the Eastern Division of NWP's British Columbia District.

= History = The Kootenay & Pend d'Oreille Valley Railway was chartered in 1899 in British Columbia to build a railway from Castlegar south to the US, with the intention of eventually reaching Spokane, and the line from Castlegar to Metaline Falls was opened in 1902. Meanwhile, the Idaho & Washington Northern Railroad opened its line from Coeur d'Alene to Spokane via Spirit Lake in 1904; then, in 1907, it built a branch from Spirit Lake to Metaline Falls, connecting with the K&POV there.

In 1916, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul Railroad acquired and absorbed the I&WN, and subsequently, in 1922 it acquired and absorbed the K&POV. In 1976 the Milwaukee Road named the Coeur d'Alene–Castlegar line the Kootenay & Pend Oreille Line, with the Spirit Lake–Spokane branch becoming the Spokane Branch.

One of the I&WN locomotives, three-truck Shay number 6, was sold to the Eastern British Columbia Railway in 1920.

= Services =

Freight
Mining is an important source of freight from the Metaline Falls area; about a third of that is destined for the Cominco smelter in Trail, BC.

Passenger
The North Western Pacific operates several passenger trains along the Kootenay & Pend Oreille Line, most notably its only Limited Express service, the Vancouver–Chicago International Hiawatha.

The various categories of passenger service in BC 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 NWP passenger trains in BC are based on the Ministry's Schedule of Railway Fares.

Limited Express
The W&BC operates one Limited Express service, the International Hiawatha running between Vancouver and Chicago, Illinois, featuring 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. This train may be used for domestic travel within BC, but for travel between three or fewer domestic stops a surcharge is applied (this restriction is not applicable to travel in the US).


 * 131/132 International Hiawatha (NWP/BC Rail): 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 and crew 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

Rapid
Rapid (also known as "semi-express") trains are similar to regular Express trains, making 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. The NWP operates one Rapid trains along this line.


 * 901/902: Castlegar – Coeur d'Alene
 * Daily service with a morning departure from each end, featuring first and second class chair cars and a cafeteria car; baggage handling is free of charge for first class passengers, and available with a surcharge for second class passengers. The short-trip surcharge is not applicable on this train. BC customs checks take place at Nelway, US checks at Metaline Falls, Washington. Scheduled intermediate stops:
 * BC: Ootischenia, Salmo, Nelway
 * Washington: Metaline Falls, Ione, Cusick, Usk, Newport
 * Idaho: Blanchard, Spirit Lake, Rathdrum

Local
Local trains are passenger trains that make scheduled stops at all stations and halts along the route they serve.


 * 9911/9912, 9913/9914: Castlegar, BC – Metaline Falls, Washington, USA
 * Two daily return trips, second class only with no refreshment service.

= Route =