Chilcotin–Owikeno Line

The Chilcotin–Owikeno Line is a 275.3 mile railway line of the British Columbia Railway (BC Rail) running from Williams Lake on the Cariboo Line to Bella Coola. The RBCN Railway operates a rail ferry service between Bella Coola and Port Hardy on Vancouver Island

The Chilcotin–Owikeno Line is Line 62 of the Pacific Great Eastern Region of BC Rail.

= History = The Chilcotin–Owikeno Line was opened by the BCR in 1962, to provide a reliable connection for Bella Coola and the other communities on the line to the rest of the country. This line has never made a profit since it was opened - though it was never envisioned as a profit-maker; rather, it was opened to provide a socially necessary service, and a way to help modernise that part of the country. However, in subsequent years, funding for New Town developments went almost exclusively to areas north of Prince George, though since the turn of the millenium the Dominion government has begun investing in the development of Bella Coola.

= Services =

Freight
Freight service on the Chilcotin–Owikeno Line is provided by three trains: a Bella Coola–Puntzi Mountain wayfreight, a Williams Lake–Tsi Del Del wayfreight, and a Williams Lake–Bella Coola through service (a mixed train), which delivers a block of freight cars to Bella Coola for the Puntzi Mountain turn.

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.

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. There is one Rapid train on the Chilcotin–Owikeno Line.


 * 63/64 T’exelc Rapid (BCR): Williams Lake – Bella Coola
 * One daily return trip with second class chair cars and a cafeteria car (no first class). Unlike other semi-express trains that require one or even three hours' notice, unscheduled stops on this train may be booked up to 20 minutes in advance. The short-trip surcharge is not applicable to this train. Scheduled intermediate stops: Hanceville, Tatla Lake, Nimpo Lake, Ulhk’acho, Talchako

Mixed trains
British Columbia is the last country in North America where regularly scheduled mixed trains still operate; these consist of passenger cars attached to freight trains. Only one of these remaining mixed trains is operated by the BCR - the last such train on the continental mainland.


 * 6201/6202: Williams Lake – Bella Coola
 * One daily round trip except Sunday, second class only with a cafeteria car and baggage service included in the ticket price; large parcels are handled for a surcharge.

RailBus
The RailBus moniker is given to a Dominion-wide network of heavy rail transit operated under contract to the Ministry of Transport & Communication, various departments of the Urban Transit Authority, to school districts, or to First Nation governments, as the case may be. There are four RailBus school train services on this line, all using single-unit diesel railcars; in addition, the railway forms the primary element of public transit in the greater Bella Coola area, with a daily RailBus service between Bella Coola and Talchako from 06:00 to 23:00, departing on the even hour from Bella Coola, and on the odd hour from Talchako; on Fridays and Saturdays, the last trip is at 01:00.


 * Klinaklini – Ulh’kacho: school train, operated under contract to School District 27 Cariboo-Chilcotin. Operates on school days, going to Ulh'kacho in the morning and returning to Klinaklini in the afternoon.
 * Alexis Creek – Tsi Del Del: school train, operated under contract to Tŝideldel First Nation. Operates on school days, going to Tsi Del Del in the morning and returning to Alexis Creek in the afternoon.
 * Tatla Lake – Tsi Del Del: school train, operated under contract to Tŝideldel First Nation. Operates on school days, going to Tsi Del Del in the morning and returning to Tatla Lake in the afternoon.
 * Anaham – Williams Lake: school train, operated under contract to School District 27 Cariboo-Chilcotin. Operates on school days, going to Williams Lake in the morning and returning to Anaham in the afternoon.
 * Bella Coola – Talchako: daily 06:00 to 23:00, departing on the even hour from Bella Coola, and on the odd hour from Talchako. Operated under contract to Bella Coola Transit, a department of the UTA.

Timetable

 * "Down" is towards Williams Lake; Down trains are superior to Up trains.
 * ↑↓ - train does not stop
 * ƒ - flag stop by reservation only

= Route =

♦ - Scheduled Rapid and Mixed stop • - Mixed stop; Rapid trains stop only with advance booking R - Bella Coola RailBus stop only | - no passenger service