Menzies Bay Railway

The Menzies Bay Railway (AAR reporting mark MBR) is a shortline railway in British Columbia operating freight and passenger trains over a network of 26.0 miles on Vancouver Island.

History
The Menzies Bay Railway was originally a very extensive network of forestry railways; the first section, opened in 1903, ran from port facilities at Menzies Bay to Loveland Bay. From then until the forestry operations ended in 1986, dozens of branches and spurs were opened and closed as needed. The main line was extended to Gosling Lake in 1906, to Fry Lake in 1909, and to Brewster Lake in 1912. In 1917 a branch from Brewster Lake to Mohun Lake was opened, and in 1926, from Brewster Lake to Salmon River was opened.

In 1945 a branch south from Fry Lake was built to the site of the Strathcona Dam, a hydroelectric power station opened in 1951, and in 1946 a short branch to Tla’matakw, site of a large cement complex owned by Lafarge, was opened to aid in construction of the dam; since then, the cement complex is an important employer for this part of the island.

The lines north of Fry Lake were closed in 1986 when forestry operations ended, as was the port facility at Menzies Bay and the spur from Bloedel to the port, but the main line to the Strathcona Dam yard was kept open, transformed into a public-access line serving a sawmill opened near the dam, and several cottage communities along the north side of Campbell Lake (served by Loveland Bay Station), at Gosling Lake, and at Fry Lake.

Passenger services
Scheduled passenger service on the main line (Bloedel – Strathcona Dam) operates only on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holiday Mondays from the Friday before Queen's Day (penultimate Monday of May) until Labour Day (first Monday of September); this train operates to and from Campbell River, the MBR has running rights over the RBCN from Bloedel to Campbell River. There is also a railbus service operated by the MBR running between Campbell River and Tla'matakw; this is open only to workers going to and from the Lafarge complex.

Like all other railways in BC, ticket prices for the Menzie's Railway's trains are based on the Ministry of Labour, Industry & Railways' Schedule of Railway Fares.