Central Coast Line

The Central Coast Line is a 96.8 mile railway line of the British Columbia Railway (BC Rail) on Vancouver Island running from Nanaimo to Campbell River, making connections with several other lines along its length. At Nanaimo it connects to the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Line, at Parksville to the Alberni Line, at Royston to the Wellington Colliery Line, at Courtenay to the RBCAF Comox Spur, and at Campbell River to the RBCN Railway's Port Hardy Trunk Line.

The Central Coast Line is Line 11 and the RBCAF Comox Spur is Line 113 of the Island Region of BC Rail.

The 24 mile section between Nanaimo and Parksville is double-tracked and electrified and is used as part of the Nanaimo Metro system.

= History = Four years after opening its line between its namesake cities, the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway (E&N) completed the first extension to its mainline, a 67.2 mile stretch to Courtenay, in 1890. This was followed three years later with the opening of the final extension of the mainline, 29.6 miles to Campbell River.

In 1978, the BCR acquired the E&N from the Canadian Pacific Railway, which had purchased it in 1905. Absorbing the E&N into itself, the BCR divided the E&N network into several lines, with the Nanaimo–Campbell River section being named Central Coast Line.

At the behest of Nanaimo Transit, the E&N had begun exploring the possibility of developing a commuter rail operation in the Nanaimo area similar to the one the BCR had begun on the South Coast Line in 1972, beginning a preliminary study in 1975. After acquiring the E&N, the BCR approved the findings of the study and began detailed planning work, and in 1983 finally taking the decision to convert the line from Parksville to Cassidy on the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Line, adjacent to Nanaimo Airport, which was being expanded at the time; the new station, opened in 1984, was built to serve the airport was designed already with the new commuter service in mind. Work on double tracking and electrifying the Parksville–Cassidy section, and the construction of no fewer than thirteen new commuter stations, began in 1988. Inauguration of the line was originally planned for 1992, but the grand opening was delayed to the spring of 1993. Marketed as the Nanaimo Metro, these trains are operated with Japanese-built electric multiple-unit trains based on the JR West 207 Series trainsets.

RBCAF Comox Spur
This 4.5 mile spur was opened by the E&N in 1942 to serve RBCAF Comox.

= Services =

Freight
Freight traffic is extensive, with many scheduled and extra freight trains daily, much of it destined for the RBCN facilities at Quatsino, or through traffic to and from Prince Rupert via the Port Hardy ferry.

There are a fair number of passenger services along this line. Long-distance trains include the Victoria - Port Hardy - Prince Rupert express operated jointly with the RBCN Railway and the Victoria - Nanaimo - Port Alberni and Victoria - Nanaimo - Comox express trains, each with one daily round trip.

Passenger
BC Rail operates numerous passenger services on the Central Coast 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–Courtenay express trains, and the Nanaimo–Tofino Rapid, each with one daily round trip. 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. There are several local trains along the line, too, such as the Duncan - Nanaimo - Courtenay, the Nanaimo - Courtenay - Campbell River, and the Cowichan - Nanaimo - Port Alberni locals.

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

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. Although called a "limited", the Clayoquot Limited was originally a regular Express service; it was downgraded to a Rapid after the Port Alberni–Tofino Local was discontinued in 1982, but retained both its name and its number despite the change in class.


 * 17/18 Clayoquot Limited (BCR): Nanaimo – Tofino
 * One daily return trip with a cafeteria car; no baggage service. Intermediate stops: Parksville, Port Alberni, Sproat Lake Landing, Long Beach (summer only)

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.


 * 1103.1-2/1104.1-2: Nanaimo – Campbell River
 * Two daily return trips, second class only with seat-side drink and snack service; this car carries BCR through cars Nanaimo–Campbell River–Port Hardy and Nanaimo–Campbell River–Tahsis.


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

Nanaimo Metro
The Nanaimo Metro provides half-hourly service every day from 5:00 am to 1:30 am (2:30 am on Friday and Saturday nights; 7:00 am service start on Sunday mornings).

= Route = A pink background indicates that section is part 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