Central Island South Line

The Central Island South Line is a 48.7 of the British Columbia Railway (BC Rail) on Vancouver Island running from Saseenos on the South Coast Line to Lake Cowichan on the Central Island North Line via Deerholme, starting point of the Cowichan Bay Branch.

History
After opening the Victoria–Patricia Bay line in 1901, the Vancouver Island Railway undertook to connect Victoria to Port Alberni via a railway along the southwest coast of Vancouver Island, opening the first 27.5 milestage from Victoria to Sooke in 1903. From the very beginning of planning, Sooke was foreseen as a branchline station, with the main line would continue from Saseenos, 2.5 miles before Sooke. The next stage to be open proved to be the longest section opened at once: 48.7 miles from Saseenos to Lake Cowichan, opened in October 1905. Port Alberni was eventually reached in 1921.

When the VIR was absorbed by the British Columbia Railway in 1960, the Victoria–Saseenos–Port Alberni line was named Island Trunk Line, with the Saseenos–Sooke section being called the Sooke Branch Line. In 1970, two years after the BCR absorbed the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway (E&N), the Island Trunk Line was divided into two sections: the Victoria–Saseenos–Sooke section became the South Coast Line, and the Saseenos–Port Alberni section became the Central Island Line; this was further split into today's Central Island South Line and Central Island North Line in 1974.

Cowichan Bay Branch
In order to expedite the shipment of forest products from Lake Cowichan to the sea, the VIR built a branch line from Deerholme to Cowichan Bay, where a barge slip and other port facilities were built. Opened in 1907, this 7.1-mile branch crossed the E&N's mainline at Tyup, and a connection between the two railways was opened in 1912. The section between Tyup and Cowichan Bay is freight only.

Services
The Central Island South Line sees both passenger and freight operations.

Freight
Although freight service between Saseenos and Deerholme is fairly light, between Deerholme and Lake Cowichan, and on the Cowichan Bay Branch, it is quite extensive, primarily moving forest products from the region northeast of Lake Cowichan to port at Cowichan Bay.

Passenger
BC Rail operates three year-round services on the South Coast Line, three Local and one Rapid; as well, in the summer timetable only, there is a second Rapid service. The Metro services and the Victoria–Sooke locals are operated with electric multiple-unit trainsets, all other trains are locomotive-hauled.

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.

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.


 * 191/192 Central Island Rapid (BCR): Sooke – Port Alberni
 * Two daily return trips, first and second class chair cars only with seat-side drink and snack service. Scheduled intermediate stops: Saseenos, Shawnigan Beach, Deerholme, Lake Cowichan, Youbou, Kissinger, Ditidaht


 * 193/194 Sportsman Rapid (BCR): Victoria Union – Youbou
 * Two daily return trips in the summer timetable only, first and second class chair cars only with seat-side drink and snack service. Scheduled intermediate stops: Colwood, Saseenos, Shawnigan Beach, Deerholme, Lake Cowichan

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


 * 1301E.1-6/1302E.1-6: Victoria – Sooke
 * Six daily return trips operated by EMU, second class only with seat-side drink and snack service.


 * 1311.1-2/1312.1-2: Sooke – Lake Cowichan
 * 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
♦ - Scheduled Rapid stop • - Local stop; Rapid trains stop only with advance booking | - No passenger service