Inter-Dominion Line

The Inter-Dominion Line is an electrified 529.5 mile railway line of the British Columbia Railway (BC Rail) running from Pacific Central Station in Vancouver to Jasper, Alberta, Canada. It is the busiest railway line in British Columbia,and the second-longest of BC Rail's lines. 77.3 miles of the line is double-tracked.

The Inter-Dominion Line makes numerous connections along its length: at Grandview Junction, Vancouver it connects to the South False Creek Line and the Washington & British Columbia Railway's Burrard Inlet Line, at Brentwood Junction, Burnaby to the North Shore Line, at Brunette to the W&BC Semiahmoo Line, at Sapperton to the Lulu Island Line and the Canadian Pacific Railway's Westminster Subdivision, at Liverpool to the BC Hydro Railway's Fraser Valley Line and the W&BC New Westminster Southern Line, at Eagles Reach to the BCH Fraser Valley Line, at Gifford and at Matsqui to the North Western Pacific Railroad's Bellingham & Northern Line, at Chilliwack to the BCH Fraser Valley Line and the W&BC VV&E Line, at Hope to the Coquihalla Line, at Siska, Spences Bridge, South Nepa, and Barnes Creek to the CPR Thompson Subdivision, at Ashcroft to the Sitlika Line, at Brocklehurst to the Airport Branch and the Supertest Spur, at Kamloops to the CPR Shuswap Subdivision, at Valemount Junction to the Valemount Connecting Line, and at Jasper, Alberta to the Grand Trunk Line and the Canadian National Railway's transcontinental trunk line.

The Inter-Dominion Line is divided amongst several Regions of BC Rail: the Vancouver–Ashcroft section is Line 20 of the Lower Mainland Region, the Ashcroft–Vavenby section is Line 30 of the Fraser Region, and the Vavenby–Jasper section is Line 71 of the Grand Trunk Region. The Airport Branch is Line 3001 and the Supertest Spur is Line 3002 of the Fraser Region.

The yard at Surrey is the largest electrified railway yard in the Western Hemisphere.

= History = Vancouver businessman Sir John Hendry obtained a charter from the Dominion government in 1899 to build a railway from New Westminster to Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. Called the Vancouver, Westminster & Yukon Railway, the first section, from Vancouver to New Westminster, was opened in 1902. In 1904, the Dominion government built the Fraser River Bridge between New Westminster and Liverpool, Surrey - the first bridge across the Fraser River south of Yale, and the VW&Y extended its line across the bridge to Liverpool, establishing a connection with the New Westminster Southern Railway, a subsidiary of the Great Northern Railway (GN). In the following year, the GN - the archrival of the CPR - acquired a 25% interest in the VW&Y, which built its station at the corner of Main and Prior Streets.

The Dominion Northern Pacific Railway (DNP) was established in 1900 as a subsidiary of the Canadian Dominion Northern Railway formed two years prior to build a second transcontinental railway entirely within the British Empire to be an alternative to the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). Construction of the BC portion of the transcontinental line, from Vancouver to Edmonton, Alberta, commenced immediately the DNP was founded. Actual new construction was required only from Liverpool, as the DNP secured running rights from there over the VW&Y over the government-owned bridge into Vancouver, where the DNP began construction of its magnificent Pacific Central Station in Vancouver on land reclaimed from what had been the eastern end of False Creek. Work on the station itself began in 1909, finishing in time for the grand opening of the new line from Vancouver to Edmonton in 1914.

The VW&Y never got beyond the V&W portion, and in 1914 - shortly before the line to Jasper was completed - the DNP bought the VW&Y and incorporate the existing line into the new transcontinental line. The Great Northern retained the 25% share it had held in the VW&Y, and the GN, and subsequently the Washington & British Columbia Railway, retained running rights over the section from Brunette to Grandview Junction in Vancouver, and contributes 25% of the maintenance costs for that section.

Unfortunately for the DNP, the outbreak of the First World War caused a downturn in traffic that, due to its insecure financial situation, affected the company significantly. Being in direct competition with the Canadian Pacific for Vancouver traffic, hindered by a longer route from Winnipeg to the Pacific Coast, and - not having its own shipping subsidiary - having to rely on third-party steamship operators, the Dominion Northern was hit particularly hard, leading to its bankruptcy less than three years after its opening. Recognising the importance of the railway, in 1918 the Canadian government nationalised the Dominion Northern, and the BC government opted to follow suit a month later with the DNP; the Jasper–Edmonton section was sold to Canada. In Canada, the nationalised company retained the Dominion Northern name until absorbed into the Canadian National Railway in 1923, but the Dominion Northern Pacific Railway was renamed, becoming the British Columbia Railway (BCR).

Crown ownership of the railway gave the BCR a stability and security that it had lacked before. The Dominion Northern, operating on a shoestring budget from the beginning, had saved money wherever it could, with the result that the quality of construction on the mainline left much to be desired. One of the first tasks after nationalisation was the upgrade of the mainline to the highest standards of the time over the entire line from Hope to Jasper. In 1922, after the government nationalised the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway and merged it into the BCR, the Vancouver–Jasper line was given the name it has kept to this day, the Inter-Dominion Line.

The BCR's Electrification project began in 1922, with the first section, 117 miles from Hope to Ashcroft on the Inter-Dominion Line, being put into operation in September 1930; this route was chosen as it is one of the most difficult sections of that line. Afterwards, the wires were extended from both ends of this section, and the entire Vancouver–Kamloops line becoming operational in July 1931. The next section completed was the other difficult mountain segment: from Valemount to Jasper was energised in October 1931. This included the 75.3 mile portion of the Inter-Dominion Line, the parallel 64.8 mile stretch of the Grand Trunk Line from Tete Jaune Cache to Jasper, and the 8.8-mile Valemount Connecting Line. Electrification of the remainder of the Inter-Dominion Line between Kamloops and Valemount was completed in three stages: Kamloops–Barriere (34.2 miles) in July 1932, Barriere–Vavenby (52.2 miles) in April 1934, and Vavenby–Valemount (110.4 miles) in August 1936.

Airport Branch
The Airport Branch is an electrified 2.5 mile passenger-only branchline from Brocklehurst Airport to Kamloops Airport. A RailBus service operates under contract to Kamloops Transit between Kamloops Airport and Armstrong, running daily 05:30 to 00:30, departing on the even hour from Kamloops Airport, and on the odd hour from Armstrong.

Supertest Spur
The Supertest Spur is a 1.7 mile freight-only branch from Brocklehurst to the Supertest plant.

= Services =

Freight
In terms of freight service, the Inter-Dominion Line is one of the five busiest lines in BC.

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.

Yellowhead is not a public service station - no passengers or freight are picked up or dropped off there, and it straddles the BC–Canada border. All trains do stop there, however, for customs inspections. Prior to the passing of the British Columbia and Canada Act 1957 the station was much larger than it is today, as inspections took a much longer time back then, especially for freight trains. The BC&C Act (the precursor to the Commonwealth Realms Act 1969) removed most barriers to the movement of people and goods between the two countries, resulting in stopping times at Yellowhead being much shorter than before.

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 Inter-Dominion Line sees five international Limited Express services.

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.


 * 101/102 Inter-Dominion Limited (BCR/VIA Rail): Vancouver, BC (Pacific Central) – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
 * Daily service with a morning departure from each end using one VIA consist and one BC Rail consist, with VIA locomotives and crews working the VIA consists and BC Rail locomotives and crews working the BC Rail consists over the entire route. This train runs over the trackage of BC Rail between Prince Rupert and Jasper, and of the Canadian National between Jasper and Edmonton. Intermediate stops:
 * BC: Chilliwack, Hope, Ashcroft, Kamloops, Clearwater, Valemount, Yellowhead
 * Alberta: Jasper


 * 103/104 Continental (BCR/VIA Rail): Vancouver, BC (Pacific Central) – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
 * Twice-weekly service with eastbound trains departing Vancouver on Mondays and Fridays, westbound trains leaving Toronto on Wednesdays and Sundays. VIA Rail consists are used, with BC Rail dining car operating on the train between Vancouver and Edmonton. BC Rail locomotives and crews work the train between Vancouver and Edmonton. This train operates as a limited express between Vancouver and Edmonton, and as a semi-express between Edmonton and Toronto. Intermediate stops (flag stops east of Edmonton not shown):
 * BC: Chilliwack, Hope, Ashcroft, Kamloops, Clearwater, Valemount, Yellowhead
 * Alberta: Jasper, Edmonton
 * Saskatchewan: Biggar, Saskatoon, Melville
 * Manitoba: Winnipeg
 * Ontario: Sioux Lookout, Hornepayne, Capreol, Sudbury Junction


 * 105 Canadian/106 British Columbian (BCR/VIA Rail): Vancouver, BC (Pacific Central) – Calgary, Alberta, Canada
 * Daily service with a morning departure from each end using one VIA consist and one BC Rail consist; the westbound train is called British Columbian, and the eastbound is the Canadian. This train runs over BC Rail trackage between Vancouver and Kamloops, and over Canadian Pacific trackage between Kamloops and Calgary; locomotive change takes place in Kamloops. Intermediate stops:
 * BC: Chilliwack, Hope, Ashcroft, Kamloops, Salmon Arm, Sicamous, Blaenau, Golden, Field
 * Alberta: Lake Louise, Banff, Canmore


 * 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


 * 191/192 Alaska Limited (BCR/Alaska Railroad): Anchorage, Alaska, USA – Seattle, Washington, USA
 * This is a once-weekly service departing Seattle on Tuesdays and Anchorage on Fridays, consisting of two ARR and two BC Rail sleeping cars in the summer months and one ARR and one BC Rail sleeper in the winter. These consists operate as through cars attached to the Alaska Railroad's international semi-express service between Anchorage and Whitehorse, to the BC Rail "Klondike Limited" between Whitehorse and Prince George, to the BC Rail "Fraser-Skeena" domestic express between Prince George and Ashcroft, to the BC Rail "Inter-Dominion Limited" between Ashcroft and Vancouver, and to the W&BC/Amtrak "Cascades" international express between Vancouver and Seattle. Intermediate stops:
 * Alaska: Wasilla, Talkeetna, Denali, Fairbanks, Delta Junction, Dry Creek, Dot Lake, Tanacross, Tok, Tetlin, Northway, Alcan Border (US customs checks)
 * Yukon: Beaver Creek (Canadian customs checks), Snag Junction, Quill Creek, Burwash Landing, Destruction Bay, Kloo Lake, Haines Junction, Canyon, Champagne Landing, Ibex Valley, Whitehorse, Teslin, Carcross
 * BC: Klinkit, Cassiar, Porter Landing, Dease Lake, Takla, Fort St James, Prince George, Red Rock, Quesnel, Williams Lake, 100 Mile House, Clinton, Cache Creek, Ashcroft, Hope, Chilliwack, Vancouver (Pacific Central), White Rock (BC customs checks)
 * Washington: Blaine (US customs checks), Ferndale, Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Stanwood, Everett, Edmonds

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 are four Express trains on the Inter-Dominion Line.


 * 21/22 Rocky Mountaineer: Vancouver (Pacific Central) – Valemount
 * One daily overnight trip in each direction operated by express EMU (class EM30) with first- and second-class convertible cars (chair/sleeperette) and cafeteria and baggage compartments. The usual short-trip surcharge does not apply to this train. Intermediate stops: Chilliwack, Hope, Boston Bar, Lytton, Ashcroft, Kamloops, Barriere, Blackpool, Clearwater, Vavenby, Blue River


 * 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


 * 31/32 Fraser Canyon: Vancouver (Pacific Central) – Kamloops
 * Two daily return trips operated by express EMU (class EM31) with first- and second-class chair cars and cafeteria and baggage compartments. Intermediate stops: Chilliwack, Hope, Boston Bar, Lytton, Ashcroft


 * 33/34 Fraser–Skeena: Kamloops – Prince George
 * One daily except Sunday return trip, with a dining car and a through sleeperette car to Ganiks Laxha – Prince Rupert. Intermediate stops: Cache Creek, Clinton, 100 Mile House, Williams Lake, Quesnel, Red Rock

Local
Local trains are passenger trains that make scheduled stops at all stations and halts along the route they serve. There are four Local trains on the Inter-Dominion Line; all are operated with multiple-unit trainsets, but none have baggage handling.


 * 2001E.1-4/2002E.1-4: Vancouver (Pacific Central) – Hope
 * Four daily return trips operated by EMU, second class only with seat-side drink and snack service.


 * 3001E.1-2/3002E.1.4: Kamloops – Ashcroft – Hope
 * Two daily return trips operated by EMU, second class only with seat-side drink and snack service.


 * 3003D.1-2/3004D.1-2: Kamloops – Spences Bridge – Merritt – Nicola
 * Two daily return trips operated by diesel car, second class only with seat-side drink and snack service.


 * 7041.1-2/7042.1-2: Kamloops – Valemount – Tete Jaune Cache
 * Two daily round trips, first and second class with a cafeteria car.

= Route = A yellow background indicates an electrified section.

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