CPR Nelson Subdivision

The Nelson Subdivision is a 137.8 mile railway line of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) running from Cranbrook on the Cranbrook Subdivision to Nelson, where it connects with BC Rail's Slluqan Valley Line. It connects to numerous other lines: at Curzon to the Spokane International Railroad's Bonner Division, at Canyon Junction to the Huscroft Subdivision, at Creston to the Washington & British Columbia Railway's Bedlington & Nelson Line, and at Troup to the W&BC's Spokane Falls & Northern Line.

The Nelson Subdivision is part of the Kootenay Division of the CPR's British Columbia District.

From Troup to Nelson the W&BC has running rights over the CPR trackage, and the Spokane International has running rights over the Curzon–Yahk section.

= History = The British Columbia Southern Railway (BCS) was originally chartered in 1888 as the Crows Nest & Kootenay Lake Railway to build a railway from MacLeod, Alberta, Canada to Kootenay Landing, opening its first line from Cranbrook to Kimberley in 1898. By the time work began on its mainline in 1896, the Canadian Pacific was working its Lethbridge–Cranbrook line, leaving the BCS line to run from Kootenay Landing to Cranbrook. Both the BCS and the CPR reached Cranbrook in 1899.

From Kootenay Landing there was a ferry service to Balfour, terminus of the Kootenay Railway's line from Nelson; however, as that was a 3-foot narrow gauge line, freight moving between the Kootenay Railway and the BCS had to be offloaded, ferried across the lake, and reloaded. After the Nelson–Balfour line was converted to standard gauge in 1901, freight cars were loaded on to the ferry, allowing direct movement of goods without needing to cross-load.

In 1910, the BCS was merged into the Canadian Pacific, and two years later, the Columbia & Kootenay Railway absorbed the Kootenay Railway. In 1930, the CPR finally completed a line of its own to Nelson from Wynndel on the former BCS line, rendering the ferry to Balfour superfluous. This ferry terminal nevertheless remained in use, providing a north-south connection between the Vancouver–Calgary and Nelson–Lethbridge lines. This was rather a complex arrangement: from Kootenay Landing, cars were moved by ferry to Kaslo, where they were moved along the Kettle Valley Railway line to Nakusp; at Nakusp, the cars were loaded onto a ferry to Arrowhead, the southern terminus of a CPR branchline from Blaenau on the transcontinental trunk line. This through service ended in 1955 when flooding forced the closure of the eastern portion of the Kaslo–Nakusp line. As well, until 1932 there was a ferry from Kootenay Landing to Lardo on the CPR's Lardo Subdivision.

The Bedlington & Nelson Railway (and subsequently its successors, the Great Northern Railway and the Washington & British Columbia) had running rights over the CPR line between Wilkes and Sirdar Junction.

= Services =

Freight
Freight traffic on this line is quite heavy, with much coal and ore being moved from the eastern Kootenays towards Trail.

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.

Limited Express
Limited Express trains are the fastest and most prestigious passenger trains in BC, making very few or no intermediate stops. Two international Limited Express trains run over the Nelson Subdivision, one operated jointly by BC Rail and VIA Rail, the Canadian passenger train operator, and one a joint operation of VIA Rail, the Washington & British Columbia Railway, and Amtrak, the American passenger rail operator.


 * 107 Smoke Eater/108 Stampeder (BCR/VIA Rail): Trail, BC – Calgary, Alberta, Canada
 * Daily service with a morning departure from each end using one VIA consist and one BCR consist, with VIA locomotives and crews working the VIA consists and BCR locomotives and crews working the BCR consists over the entire route; the westbound train is called Smoke Eater, and the eastbound is the Stampeder. This train runs over the trackage of the BCR between Trail and Nelson, and of the CPR between Nelson and Calgary. Intermediate stops:
 * BC: Castlegar, Nelson, Creston, Cranbrook, Fernie, Crowsnest (BC and Canadian customs checks)
 * Alberta: Lethbridge


 * 911/912 Columbia Limited (W&BC/VIA Rail/Amtrak): Calgary, Alberta, Canada – Portland, Oregon, USA
 * Daily service with a morning departure from each end. Two consists are used: in one, chair cars (first and second class) are supplied by CP, baggage cars, the dining car, sleepers (first class), sleeperettes (second class), and staff are supplied by VIA; in the other, staff and all stock other than second class chair cars (supplied by Amtrak) are supplied by the W&BC. This train runs over the trackage of the Canadian Pacific between Calgary and Nelson, of the W&BC between Nelson and Spokane, and of the Burlington Northern & Gulf between Spokane and Portland. Between Calgary and Creston, VIA Rail locomotives work the trains; the W&BC has running rights for this train between Creston and Nelson, its locomotives being used for the bulk of the trip, between Creston and Spokane. Between Spokane and Portland, Amtrak provides the locomotive. Intermediate stops:
 * Alberta: Lethbridge
 * BC: Crowsnest (BC and Canadian customs checks), Fernie, Cranbrook, Creston, Nelson, Salmo, Fort Sheppard (BC customs checks)
 * Washington: Boundary (US customs checks), Kettle Falls, Deer Park, Spokane, Pasco, Wishram

Local
Local trains are passenger trains that make scheduled stops at all stations and halts along the route they serve. The CPR's Local trains are second-class only with seat-side drink and snack service; none have baggage service. Two Local services operate on the Nelson Subdivision, one of which is operated in conjunction with BC Rail.


 * 701/702, 703/704, 705/706, 707/708 (CP): Cranbrook – Nelson
 * Four round trips daily, second class only with seat-side drink and snack service.


 * 5105.1-2/5106.1-2 (BCR/CP): Castlegar – Nelson – Creston
 * Two daily return trips using BC Rail equipment and on-board crews, first and second class with a cafeteria car. Between Castlegar and Nelson the train runs on BC Rail trackage and is worked by a BC Rail locomotive, between Nelson and Creston it runs over CP trackage and is pulled by a CP locomotive. Operational costs and profits are divided between the two railways (BCR 25%, CP 75%).

= Route = Italic text indicates a closed station or connection.

● - Scheduled Limited Express and Local stop • - Local stop | - No passenger service