SPR Ganiks Laxha–Kemano Beach line

The Ganiks Laxha–Kemano Beach line is an electrified, 109.8 mile railway line of the Skeena Pacific Railway in northwestern British Columbia, running from Ganiks Laxha on BC Rail's Grand Trunk Line to Kemano Beach. In addition, there is a total of 2.1 miles of spur lines. Ganiks Laxha is also the starting point of Skeena Pacific's Ganiks Laxha–Dease Lake line.

Between South Kitimat and Haisla is the SPR's longest bridge, 3,590 feet long across the Haisla River. The entirety of this line is part of the Skeena Pacific's First Division, headquartered at Kitimat.

History
The Kitimat & Omenica Railway received a charter in 1889 to build a railway from Kitimat (today's South Kitimat Station) to Terrace (renamed Ganiks Laxha in 1980), opening the first two miles north from Kitimat Station in 1892. A chronic shortage of capital meant that by 1922, only six miles of the mainline had been opened; to ensure a source of income, the line was operated as a logging railway, with temporary trackage laid as needed.

In 1924, the K&O was taken over by new ownership, which renamed the railway Skeena & Kitimat Railway, and which continued to operate it as a dedicated forestry operation. By the summer of 1941, only nine miles of main line had been built, including 2.8 miles from (South) Kitimat to Hospital Beach, location of Kitimat's port facilities. Only the first 1.6 miles of the South Kitimat–Hospital Beach section is still a part of the mainline - when the extension to Kemano was opened in 1947, Albcol Station was opened at that spot, and the remaining 1.2 miles became the Hospital Beach Spur

After the outbreak of the Pacific War, fears of Japanese attack against Prince Rupert led to the expansion of Kitimat as a port, and, with a loan from the Dominion government, the 30.9 miles to Terrace was quickly completed in 1941; the S&K was renamed Skeena & Pacific in the following year. Through the rest of the war, the S&P moved significant amounts of freight and troops between Terrace and Kitimat, even after the threat of Japanese attacks on the coast had vanished.

After the end of the war, plans were made to build a vast hydroelectric power station to supply power to a large new aluminium smelter to be built nearby. To aid in the construction of these projects, the line was extended south from Kitimat to the selected site, where a new town for the workers was built, called Kemano. This line - fully electrified - was completed in 1947, and at the same time, the company was once again renamed, receiving its present name, Skeena Pacific Railway (SPR). At the same time as construction of the extension took place, the existing line between Kitimat and Terrace was also electrified. The 41.5 miles from Albcol, which serves the Aluminium Company of BC plant opened in 1947, was double-tracked in 1969.

2018 saw the opening of the 0.9 mile Gas Spur from South Kitimat to the site of the large LNGBC liquefied natural gas terminal for the liquefaction, storage, and loading of LNG, on which construction began at the end of that year and scheduled to open in 2023. Owned by Royal Dutch Shell (40%), PetroBC (40%), Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan (15%), and Korea Gas Corporation of South Korea (5%), it will receive natural gas from Dawson Creek for export.

In 2017 a 12.7 mile freight-only extension from Kemano to Kemano Beach was opened to assist in the construction of the Kemano LNG project, an LNG terminal owned jointly by Imperial Oil (50%) and Hillstrom. Construction of the terminal began in 2018 and is to open in 2023.

Passenger
The Skeena Pacific operates three passenger trains on this line, two of which are Rapid services, and one which is a Local service. All of Skeena Pacific's passenger services except the Haisla Rapid are operated with electric multiple-unit trainsets, with first and second class seating and a cafeteria compartment. Baggage handling is free of charge for both classes; large parcels are handled for a surcharge.

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 SPR passenger trains are based on the Ministry's Schedule of Railway Fares.

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 an hour in advance at any station on the route that has passenger service.


 * 1/2 Nisga'a Rapid (SPR): Kemano–Ganiks Laxha–Meziadin
 * Daily service with a morning departure from each end. Scheduled intermediate stops: Kitimat, Airport, Ganiks Laxha, Gitlaxt'aamiks


 * 79/80, 80/81, 82/83, 84/85 Haisla Rapid (BC Rail/SPR): Kemano – Prince Rupert
 * Four daily return trips operated in conjunction with BC Rail with first and second class chair cars and a dining car; these trains do not have baggage handling. Two of the trains are operated with BC Rail equipment and crews, the other two with SPR equipment and crews (but the dining car is supplied by the BCR); each railway has running rights over the other's tracks for these trains. The short-trip surcharge applies only to trips between Kemano and Ganiks Laxha. Scheduled intermediate stops: Kitimat, Airport, Ganiks Laxha, Port Edward

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


 * 101/102, 103/104, 105/106, 107/108, 109/110, 111/112: Ganiks Laxha – Kemano
 * Six daily return trips.

Freight
There are several freight trains daily along this line; all SPR freight trains are operated as extras (i.e. non-scheduled). When the LNG terminal at Kemano Beach is opened, it is likely that the unit trains of natural gas will be scheduled movements.

Timetable

 * "Down" is towards Ganiks Laxha; Down trains are superior to Up trains.
 * † - timing stop only, passengers may not (dis)embark.

Route
♦ - Scheduled Rapid stop • - Rapid trains stop only with advance booking | - no passenger service