British Columbia Railfan Sites
A self-guiding railfan tour
Railfan, railfan--where do you see trains in British Columbia?
Cities And Sites
Craigellachie (June 2, 2001)
As the Golden Spike at Promontory Point, Utah, stitched the United States together, so too did the ceremony at Craigellachie. This spot is about 27 miles west of Revelstoke, and is well marked. There is a simple stone cairn and plaque. Worthy of note is the fact that the railroad was completed in 1886, but the highway wasn't finished until 1963, an amazing 77-year span! Those railroad engineers, surveyors, and laborers performed an astounding feat -- one which would be definitely daunting today.
This information is courtesy of Roger Keim, who loves the railfan opportunities in British Columbia.
Glacier Station (June 2, 2001)
On Canadian Pacific's transcontinental main line, Glacier Station is just to the west of Rogers Pass and the McDonald and Conneaught tunnels. The mountains provide an unmatched backdrop for photos. There used to be a hotel here, as well as a helper station, but deadly (and repeated) avalanches forced a major line relocation. You can still see pillars and stone abutments from the original line, if you slow down and look.
Roger continues to drive west from Glacier Station, and makes the following observations: When you leave Glacier and return to the Transcanada Highway, you will see lights that report whether the area is clear of avalanche danger. Pay attention to them! You are on what amounts to a 30-mile downgrade from Rogers Pass to Revelstoke, traveling thru the Illcillawaet and Albert Canyons, and you'll parallel the main line most of the way. To quote Roger:"From Kicking Horse Pass to Revelstoke is the most beautiful rail location I've seen on this continent." This cannot be considered faint praise.
This information is courtesy of Roger Keim, who loves the railfan opportunities in British Columbia.
Golden (May 20, 2001)
On Canadian Pacific's transcontinental main line, Golden is the site of a yard and junction. The junction is with the secondary main which runs south thru Cranbrook. This line generates a great deal of coal traffic, which moves north thru Golden and on to Vancouver. The yard facility is in the south end of town. There is a community run campground along the Kicking Horse River, which features an unobstructed view of the tracks. The actual junction with the line to Cranbrook (the Windemere Subdivision) is about one mile east of town.
This information is courtesy of Roger Keim, who loves the railfan opportunities in British Columbia. Roger also recommends Mary's Motel in Golden, incidentally.
Kicking Horse Pass (May 20, 2001)
On the border between Alberta and British Columbia, the pass is about 5 miles east of Field, and perhaps 4 miles west of Lake Louise. The Canadian Pacific's assault of the Rocky Mountains culminates here, and trains are busting their guts going uphill, and dynamic brakes are howling going down. This famous location is within the Yoho National Park, and is probably worthy of an entire vacation. Lake Louise is a gorgeous resort town. There are lots of camping areas in and close to the park, and life support is abundant on the Trans Canada Highway, CA-1.
The area features Provincial tent camping and private cabins between the world-famous spiral tunnels on 14 miles of 1.8 - 2.2% grade, mostly overlooked by ice fields. A wall of mountains almost encircles the area of show sheds and avalanche paths. The sounds of eastbounds blasting uphill is like a symphony. There are passing sidings at Partridge and Hector, but you'll need an excellent map and good hiking boots to get to them. Interestingly, the Trans Canada Highway was constructed on the original Canadian Pacific's 4.5% grade.
This information is courtesy of Roger Keim, who loves the railfan opportunities in British Columbia.
Revelstoke (June 2, 2001)
This is the place where trains coming west from Kicking Horse and Rogers passes pause and try to get their breath, figuratively speaking. Conversely, it's the place where eastbounds know that they're going to have to start earning their money, as they are going up into some of the most spectacular mountain railroading in the world. Fittingly, Revelstoke is a division point, and the yard runs the length of the town. At the far west of the yard, Canadian Pacific departs via a bridge over the (already impressive) Columbia River. This bridge is photogenic, and offers fans a virtually unobstructed view.
Food and lodging are abundant in town, but Roger recommends driving another 12 miles west to the motel and restaurant complex at Three Valley Gap ("Three Valley" on the CP). The CP main line is at the backdoor, and even extends several hundred yards parallel to a small lake (rowboats available), and through a series of snowsheds. When it rains, waterfalls appear from the heights in spectacular fashion. There's a swimming pool available, plus other amenities that make this railfanning R&R at its best!
This information is courtesy of Roger Keim, who loves the railfan opportunities in British Columbia.
Rogers Pass (May 20, 2001)
Between Golden and Revelstoke, there is exactly one paved road, the Transcanada Highway, and it closely follows the Canadian Pacific tracks. Before the construction of the 9-mile McDonald Tunnel, this region was considered to be the busiest single-track main in North America. Most tonnage is westbound (coal, grain, and potash, primarily) so most westbounds use the tunnel, while eastbounds generally use the older, steeper 6-mile Conneaught Tunnel. There is an old helper station at Rogers, and you can get there on good gravel surface roads. Also, the double crossovers east of the tunnels are accessible. A good local map is essential.
[NOTE WELL: This is pretty remote country, and wild animals abound. Indeed, this is bear country. You should expect to see bears in this area. 25 years ago, your Webmaster woke up in Glacier, BC, National Park to see a bear 'bout destroying some stuff I thought was well-stowed. Roger says that, on his last visit, he saw two black bears and one grizzly bear within 2 hours of sundown. It was May. Apparently, bears are attracted to the railroad, because grain slips out of the cars, ferments, and the bears literally get drunk on the "squeezings".]
This area is part of Canada's Glacier National Park, and there is an excellent visitor center at the midpoint of the pass, with exhibits of the area's rail history. You can watch film and video of rail and highway operations in the remarkably snowy area on request. Remember, folks, snowfall and depth are measured in feet here, not inches. The immense snowfall has resulted in several tragedies and line relocations during past decades. With the massive, snow covered mountains seemingly always surrounding you, it is difficult to drive, figure out where the railroad is, and estimate photo/sun opportunities simultaneously. Take your time, explore, and enjoy your visit.
This information is courtesy of Roger Keim, who loves the railfan opportunities in British Columbia.