Narrow Gauge Railways in Canada - British Columbia

British Columbia

BC has had a long history with narrow gauge railways starting with the horse-drawn and gravity-assisted Seton Lake tramway in 1858, and then to the 3-foot (0.91 m) gauge coal mine railways at Nanaimo. Coal was moved to the pier at Departure Bay. Other railways sprang up including the Kaslo and Slocan Railway, the Columbia and Western Railway near Trail, and the Leonora and Mt. Sicker Railway on Vancouver Island. Narrow gauge lines were used extensively in mining and logging. However, by 1910 narrow gauge logging lines were phased out as it was found that they were unsafe for the large BC timber. Other small industrial lines used narrow gauge for a few years—the Kitsault Mine, and the Western Peat operation in Burns Bog. Narrow gauge worked in the Kootenays too at the coke overs at Fernie and logging sites of Cranbrook. The White Pass and Yukon Route in the far north west corner of the province, connects Alaska, BC and the Yukon. It is still in operation and seasonally steam hauled. See List of historic BC Narrow Gauge railways.

Read more about this topic:  Narrow Gauge Railways In Canada

Famous quotes related to british columbia:

    There is much to be said against the climate on the coast of British Columbia and Alaska; yet, I believe that the scenery of one good day will compensate the tourists who will go there in increasing numbers.
    Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)