Syilx Line

The Syilx Line is a 42.0 mile railway line of the British Columbia Railway (BC Rail) running from Princeton on the Tullameen Line, where it also connects with the Washington & British Columbia Railway's Manning Park Line and Similkameen Line, to Penticton on the Okanagan Line.

The Syilx Line is Line 41 of BC Rail's Kettle Valley Region.

History

The line from Penticton to Princeton was opened by the Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) in 1915. Under the KVR, it was part of the Princeton Subdivision. After the KVR's absorption by the BCR in 1955, the line was named Syilx Line.

Services

Freight

All freight traffic on the Coquihalla Line is operated as extras.

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 BC Rail's fastest and most prestigious trains, making very few or no intermediate stops. They feature free baggage handling for both first and second classes, along with a cafeteria car open to both classes. The Syilx Line sees one international Limited Express service.

All international Limited Express trains feature 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.

• 131/132 International Hiawatha (North Western Pacific/BCR): Vancouver, BC (Pacific Central) – Chicago, Illinois, USA

Twice-weekly service with eastbound trains departing Vancouver on Wednesdays and Saturdays, westbound trains leaving Chicago on Tuesdays and Fridays; all trains consist of NWP consists. This train runs over the trackage of the BC Rail between Vancouver and Castlegar, and over NWP trackage between Castlegar and Chicago; locomotive changes take place in Castlegar.
Intermediate stops:

BC: Hope, Princeton, Penticton, Grand Forks, Castlegar, Salmo, Nelway (BC and US customs checks)

Washington: Metaline Falls, Newport

Idaho: Spirit Lake

Washington: Spokane

Idaho: St Maries

Montana: Alberton, Missoula, Butte, Harlowton, Miles City

South Dakota: Morristown, Mobridge, Aberdeen

Minnesota: Ortonville, Minneapolis, St Paul, Winona

Wisconsin: La Crosse, Milwaukee

Illinois: Racine

Express

Regular Express trains stop more often than Limited Express trains, but do not make unscheduled stops, featuring baggage handling free of charge to first class passengers, and available to second class passengers for a surcharge, and all include either a full-service dining car or a cafeteria car open to all classes. For travel between three or fewer stops a surcharge is applied. There is one Express train on the Syilx Line.

• 23/24 Phthauntac: Vancouver (Pacific Central) – Penticton

One daily overnight trip in each direction with sleeping cars (first class) and sleeperettes (second class), a cafeteria car, and one second-class chair car. The usual short-trip surcharge does not apply to this train.
Intermediate stops: Chilliwack, Hope, Brodie, Brookmere, Tullameen, Princeton, Demuth

Local

Local trains are passenger trains that make scheduled stops at all stations and halts along the route they serve. There are two Local trains on the Syilx Line.

• 4101.1-3/4102.1-3: Penticton – Princeton

Two daily return trips, first and second class with a cafeteria car.

• 4103.1-2/4104.1-2: Penticton – Brodie – Merritt

Two daily return trips, first and second class with a cafeteria car.

Timetable

• "Down" is towards Princeton; Down trains are superior to Up trains.
• ↑↓ - train does not stop

Train number (Up) read down					Station	Mile (T-mi)		Train number (Down) read up
23 Ex	4104.1 L	4104.2 L	131 Ltd					24 Ex	4103.1 L	132 Ltd	4103.2 L
VPC 22.52	Mer 8.00	Mer 20.00	VPC 19.48	Origin / Destination				VPC 7.20	Mer 11.05	VPC 18.08	Mer 20.10
5.10	9.56	21.49	23.36	Ar	Princeton	0.0 (-/5)	Lv	0.40	9.21	14.24	18.23
5.30	10.00	21.52	23.40	Lv			Ar	0.21	9.20	14.19	18.21
↓	10.06	21.56	↓	Ar	Belfort	5.3 (5/5)	Lv	↑	9.14	↑	18.15
↓	10.07	21.57	↓	Lv			Ar	↑	9.13	↑	18.14
↓	10.13	22.03	↓	Ar	Jura	10.5 (5/7)	Lv	↑	9.08	↑	18.08
↓	10.14	22.04	↓	Lv			Ar	↑	9.07	↑	18.07
↓	10.23	22.13	↓	Ar	Erris	17.3 (7/8)	Lv	↑	8.58	↑	17.58
↓	10.24	22.14	↓	Lv			Ar	↑	8.56	↑	17.57
↓	10.34	22.24	↓	Ar	Jellicoe	24.9 (8/2)	Lv	↑	8.46	↑	17.47
↓	10.35	22.25	↓	Lv			Ar	↑	8.45	↑	17.46
↓	10.39	22.29	↓	Ar	Chain Lake	26.7 (2/5)	Lv	↑	8.41	↑	17.42
↓	10.40	22.30	↓	Lv			Ar	↑	8.40	↑	17.41
↓	10.46	22.36	↓	Ar	Osprey Lake	31.1 (5/6)	Lv	↑	8.34	↑	17.35
↓	10.47	22.37	↓	Lv			Ar	↑	8.33	↑	17.34
↓	10.56	22.46	↓	Ar	Thirsk	37.3 (6/5)	Lv	↑	8.24	↑	17.25
↓	10.57	22.47	↓	Lv			Ar	↑	8.23	↑	17.24
6.21	11.03	22.53	↓	Ar	Demuth	42.1 (5/7)	Lv	23.30	8.18	↑	17.18
7.00	11.05	22.55	↓	Lv			Ar	23.10	8.17	↑	17.16
↓	11.15	23.05	↓	Ar	Crump	49.5 (7/5)	Lv	↑	8.07	↑	17.06
↓	11.16	23.06	↓	Lv			Ar	↑	8.06	↑	17.05
↓	11.22	23.12	↓	Ar	Faulder	54.6 (5/6)	Lv	↑	8.00	↑	16.59
↓	11.23	23.13	↓	Lv			Ar	↑	7.59	↑	16.58
↓	11.32	23.22	↓	Ar	West Summerland	60.7 (6/3)	Lv	↑	7.50	↑	16.49
↓	11.33	23.23	↓	Lv			Ar	↑	7.49	↑	16.48
↓	11.38	23.28	↓	Ar	Winslow	63.3 (3/4)	Lv	↑	7.44	↑	16.43
↓	11.39	23.29	↓	Lv			Ar	↑	7.43	↑	16.42
↓	11.45	23.35	↓	Ar	Kickininee	67.0 (4/2)	Lv	↑	7.37	↑	16.36
↓	11.46	23.36	↓	Lv			Ar	↑	7.35	↑	16.35
↓	11.50	23.40	↓	Ar	West Penticton	68.5 (2/2)	Lv	↑	7.31	↑	16.31
↓	11.51	23.41	↓	Lv			Ar	↑	7.30	↑	16.30
7.40	11.55	23.45	1.59	Ar	Penticton	70.5 (2/-)	Lv	22.30	7.26	13.00	16.26
			2.10	Lv			Ar			12.55
			Chicago 1.55+3d	Destination / Origin						Chicago 15.00-2d

Route

Italic text indicates a closed station or connection.

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

Syilx Line (Line 41)

Station		Milepost	Tariff-miles from prev. stn.	Connecting lines	Notes
Princeton	●	0.0	0	Tullameen Line Manning Park Line (W&BC) Similkameen Line (W&BC)
East Princeton	|	0.5	-	-	Timetable station only, no commercial service
Belfort	•	5.3	5	-
Jura Wye	|	10.0	-	-	Former wye, closed 1973
Jura	•	10.5	5	-
Erris	•	17.3	7	-	Passenger only
Jellicoe	•	24.9	8	-
Chain Lake	•	26.7	2	-	Passenger only, opened 1973
Osprey Lake	•	31.1	5	-
Mazama	-	33.6	-	-	Closed 1953
Thirsk	•	37.3	6	-
Demuth	▲	42.1	5	-
Crump	•	49.5	7	-	Passenger only
Faulder	•	54.6	5	-
West Summerland	•	60.7	6	-	BC Tree Fruits Co-operative
Winslow	•	63.3	3	-	Agricultural siding
Kickininee	•	67.0	4	-	Passenger only
West Penticton	•	68.5	2	-
Penticton	●	70.5	2	Okanagan Line