The Kettle Valley Railway Cycle Tour

A Bit of History

Once a bustling railway, the Kettle Valley Railway was the predominant link for the commerce of British Columbia, Canada. Since 1914, it has tantalized imaginations from around the world. Ribboning through spectacular mountains and skirting pristine meadows, the Kettle Valley Railway has mesmerized travellers of all ages. Today, the railway has disappeared leaving only its railbed as footprints of what once was. This railbed has been converted into an incredible trail for all to enjoy.

Located in beautiful Southern British Columbia, the Kettle Valley Railway has become a cyclers' paradise. Cyclists come from all over the World to experience this historic trail. Over 600 km of trails provide exciting recreation for people of all ages and cycling skill levels. Its canyons and many trestles bind together the historic railway stations and ghost towns.

With the discovery of silver in Nelson B.C. in 1887, the potential wealth in the Kootenays was realized. Over the next few years, both Canadian and American railway companies surveyed possible railway routes into the Kootenays. In 1900, Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR_ tracks arrived from the east to the town of Midway B.C. It was only through the combined efforts of JJ Warren and Thomas Shaughnessy that the CPR was convinced to commit to the construction of a line from the Kootenays to the coast.

There was a growing rivalry over the years between KVR and the Vancouver, Victoria & Eastern (VV&E) as both railways competed for access routes from the Kootenays to the coast. In 1913, the VV&E and the KVR tempered their rivalry and agreed to share some trackage. After negotiations stretching over the preceding six months, L.C. Gilman of the GN and J.J. (James) Warren, president of the KVR, announced on April 9th, 1913, that an accommodation had been reached; the VV&E would complete its Princeton-Brookmere section and grant the KVR the option of using it – the Tulameen Agreement – and the KVR would build from Brookmere to Hope and lease running rights on that to the VV&E for a millennium less a year – the Coquihalla Agreement.

In only a few years the KVR became a reality. The last spike of the Carmi Subdivision was driven on October 2, 1914. On May 31,1915, the entire line from Midway to Merritt officially opened. On January 1,1931, CPR absorbed operations of the KVR, becoming the Kettle Valley Division. In November 1949, the Hope-Princeton Highway opened. This competition heralded a change in the future of the line.

The KVR remained a busy railway during the 1950s with numerous freight trains leaving Penticton for the coast. November 23, 1959, however, marked the second significant event which changed the face of railroading in Southern B.C. Numerous mudslides severely damaged the Coquihalla section and due to increasing washouts, the line was never repaired. On January 9, 1961, CPR announced the permanent closure of the line and the last spike was removed October 24, 1962 on the Coquihalla Subdivision. On July 1, 1962 the Kettle Valley Division was abolished. By 1973 the trains stoped running west of Beaverdell and in 1978 these tracks were removed as were the tracks from Osoyoos Subdivision in 1979. By 1990 the National Transportation Agency authorized the abandonment of the remaining track.