CN Dawson Creek Subdivision

The Dawson Creek Subdivision is a 489.6 mile railway line of the Canadian National Railway running from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where it connects with CN's Wainwright and Edson Subdivisions (both part of its transcontinental trunk line), to Dawson Creek, British Columbia on BC Rail's Peace River Line; 26.2 miles of the line are in BC. In addition, there are numerous other connections along the length of the line: at Carbondale to the Waterways Subdivision, at Morin Junction to the Athabasca Subdivision, at Busby to the Barrhead Subdivision, at Winagami to the Fort St John Subdivision, at Rycroft to the Spirit River Subdivision, and at Grande Prairie to the Grande Cache Subdivision.

The Dawson Creek Subdivision is part of the Yellowhead Division of CN's Mountain Region.

= History = The Athabaska Railway was chartered in 1907 to build northeast from Edmonton to Dunvegan, Alberta, and thence southwest to Fort George, BC. Rechartered in 1911 under the ownership of J.D. McArthur as the Edmonton, Dunvegan & British Columbia Railway (ED&BC), construction of the railway finally began in 1912 towards Westlock, opening the first 233.6 miles to High Prairie in 1914, and extending it a further 123.2 to Spirit River in 1915. Deciding not to proceed to Dunvegan, the ED&BC instead rerouted its mainline from Rycroft south, opening a new 49.9 section to Grande Prairie in 1916.

In 1920, the provincial government of Alberta leased both the ED&BC and the Central Canada Railway from McArthur for five years, during which time the line was further extended. In 1924 the line was extended to Wembley (15.1 miles), reaching Hythe, a further 23.3 miles west, in 1928. In that year the provincial government established the Northern Alberta Railways (NAR) and merged the ED&BC, the CCR, and the other railways under provincial ownership together; the new entity received a federal charter on March 1929, and in 1930 the line was extended westward across the Inter-Dominion boundary to its western terminus at Dawson Creek, BC. The plans for westwards expansion foresaw an extension being built from Dawson Creek west to join up with the planned Fort St John–Hudson's Hope–Prince George line (as Fort George had been renamed in 1915) at the village of Little Prairie, known since 1962 as Chetwynd.

Later in 1930, the province sold the NAR to the Canadian National Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway, each receiving a 50% share, with the two companies agreeing to maintain the NAR as a joint subsidiary.

Although the NAR began to show profits in 1937, plans to extend the line west into BC were shelved indefinitely. The beginning of the construction of the Alaska Highway following the American entry into the Second World War proved a massive boost to the importance of the line, as it was the only connection Dawson Creek - Mile Zero of the new road - had to the continental railway network. The line's importance decreased significantly after the opening of the BCR's Peace River Line from Dawson Creek to Prince George in 1958 gave Dawson Creek a direct, domestic connection to the rest of British Columbia. The line regained a fair bit of its importance after the BCR line to Whitehorse, Yukon - the Stikine Line - was completed in 1979 and the Alaska Railroad's Fairbanks–Whitehorse line wass opened the following year; as a result of these new lines, there is now a significant amount of through traffic of freight from Edmonton to Whitehorse and to Alaska.

In 1981, CN bought out the CPR's share of the company and absorbed it.

= Services = This line sees both freight and passenger traffic.

Freight
Before the end of the 1950s, this line was Dawson Creek's primary link to the rest of British Columbia; however, its importance decreased fairly significantly after the opening of BC Rail's Peace River Line in 1958 gave Dawson Creek a direct, domestic connection to the rest of British Columbia. The line regained a fair bit of its importance after BC Rail's Klondike Line to Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada was completed in 1979 and the Alaska Railroad's Fairbanks–Whitehorse line was opened the following year; as a result of these new lines, there is now a significant amount of through traffic of freight from Edmonton to Whitehorse and to Alaska.

Passenger
Canada's VIA Rail operates a thrice-weekly Edmonton–Whitehorse train along the line, though these trains stop on this line only at Dawson Creek; an international local train with daily service between Dawson Creek and Edmonton exists as well - on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday it is operated by VIA Rail with VIA equipment as an Edmonton–Dawson Creek–Edmonton train, whilst on the other days of the week it is a BCR train with BCR equipment running as Dawson Creek–Edmonton–Dawson Creek.

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.

All passenger trains on the Dawson Creek Sub are operated jointly by VIA Rail and BC Rail; there is one international Limited Express, one international Rapid, and one international Local service on this line.

Limited Express
Limited Express trains are the fastest and most prestigious trains in BC, making very few or no intermediate stops. There is one international Limited Express service on the Dawson Creek Sub, featuring 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.


 * 123/124 Aurora Borealis (BC Rail/VIA Rail): Edmonton, Alberta, Canada – Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
 * Two trains run weekly in each direction using mixed consists of VIA rail coaches and BC Rail baggage, dining, sleeping, and sleeperette cars. Northbound trains depart Edmonton on Tuesday and Thursday, and southbound trains depart Whitehorse on Monday and Wednesday. This train runs over BC Rail trackage between Whitehorse and Dawson Creek, and over Canadian National trackage between Dawson Creek and Edmonton. One of the return trips are operated with BC Rail locomotives and crews, the other with VIA locomotives and crews. Intermediate stops:
 * Alberta: Slave Lake, McLennan, Winagami, Grand Prairie, Beaver Lodge
 * BC: Dawson Creek, Chetwynd, Fort St James, Takla, Dease Lake, Porter Landing, Cassiar, Klinkit
 * Yukon: Teslin, Carcross

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


 * 91/92 (BC Rail/VIA Rail): Dawson Creek – Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada
 * One daily return trip with first and second class chair cars and a cafeteria car. Scheduled intermediate stops:
 * BC: Pouce Coupe, Beaver Lodge
 * Alberta: Grande Prairie, Rycroft, Winagami, Peace River, High Level, Meander River
 * Northwest Territories: Enterprise

Local
Local trains are passenger trains that make scheduled stops at all stations and halts along the route they serve. There is Local train on the Dawson Creek Sub; baggage and parcel service is available for a surcharge.


 * 901/902 (BC Rail/VIA Rail): Dawson Creek – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
 * One daily return trip with second class chair cars and a cafeteria car.

= Route = ● - Scheduled Limited Express, Rapid, and Local stop ♦ - Scheduled Rapid and Local stop • - Local stop | - No passenger service