Kettle Valley Steam Railway

49°35′13″N 119°43′59″W / 49.587013°N 119.7329535°W / 49.587013; -119.7329535

Kettle Valley Steam Railway
Kettle Valley 3716 at Canyon View Siding
LocaleBritish Columbia, Canada
Commercial operations
Built byCanadian Pacific
Original gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Owned byKettle Valley Railway Heritage Society
Reporting markKVSR
Stations1
Length10 km (6.2 mi)
Preserved gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Commercial history
Opened1915
Closed to passengers1964
Closed1989
Preservation history
1990Purchased by the Government of British Columbia
September 17, 1995Tourist operations begin
May 22, 2005Inaugural run of No. 3716
HeadquartersSummerland, British Columbia
Website
www.kettlevalleyrail.org Edit this at Wikidata

The Kettle Valley Steam Railway (reporting mark KVSR) is a heritage railway near Summerland, British Columbia. Opened in 1995 by the Kettle Valley Railway Society, the line runs from Prairie Valley station on Bathville Road to the Trout Creek trestle bridge. Excursion trains are primarily hauled by Canadian Pacific 3716, a 2-8-0 steam locomotive purchased in 2003.

All railway operations are currently suspended due to the ongoing 2026 Bald Range fire covering all of Summerland.[1] It is unknown if the Prairie Valley station and shops have been damaged, although crews have moved the rail equipment, including the two locomotives and coaches, to the former West Summerland station.[2] Railway personnel have confirmed that the trestle and rail equipment are intact.[3]

History

Tourist operations of Kettle Valley Steam Railway officially began on September 17, 1995.[4] The KVSR operates excursion trains over the only remaining section of the Kettle Valley Railway.[5] This section runs from Faulder to Trout Creek, running through West Summerland and the Prairie Valley railway station. The line runs through vistas, orchards, vineyards, and over the 73-metre-tall (238 ft) Trout Creek Trestle. Trains are operated from spring through fall each year and include special events such as the "Great Train Robbery" and "Christmas Express".

Trains are pulled by ex-Canadian Pacific No. 3716, built in 1912 as a 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive under the N2B class. The railway also has an ALCO S-6 diesel electric locomotive (originally Southern Pacific No. 1050, more recently owned by Portland Terminals, then Neptune Bulk Terminals[6] in North Vancouver).[7][8] Between 1995 and 2009 a two-truck Shay locomotive, Mayo Lumber No. 3 was on loan from the BC Forest Discovery Centre in Duncan; it was returned to Duncan on September 17, 2009. Passenger rolling stock includes two ex-CP coaches and three ex-CP stock cars converted into open-air cars. All trains depart the Prairie Valley railway station in Summerland.[9]

In May 2023, the railway acquired coach No. 405 from the Kamloops Heritage Railway, transported by trailer on May 12.[10] The passenger car was originally built as No. 5611 for Canadian National Railways and later transferred to Via Rail in 1978. In 1995, it was purchased by Les Trains Touristiques du Saint-Laurent in Quebec and named Cap Brûlé. After short careers with the Waterloo–St. Jacobs Railway and Rocky Mountaineer, it was transferred to the Kamloops Heritage Railway, titled Kenna Cartwright Park. The car has since been restored as Brookmere and increased capacity for special operations.[11]

Equipment

Locomotives

Locomotive details[11][12]
Number Image Type Model Built Builder Former owner Status Notes
3716 Steam 2-8-0 1912 Montreal Locomotive Works Canadian Pacific Railway Operational Originally No. 3916 until 1929. Operated by the British Columbia Railway between 1975 and 2001.
803 Diesel S-6 1956 American Locomotive Company Southern Pacific Railroad Previously used by to Neptune Bulk Terminals until 2009.

Passenger cars

Passenger car details[11]
Number Name Image Type Built Builder Notes
405 Brookmere Coach 1954 Canadian Car and Foundry Named after Brookmere. Originally Canadian National/Via Rail No. 5611. Recently owned by the Kamloops Heritage Railway.
2241 West Summerland 1949 Canadian Car and Foundry/CPR Angus Shops Named after West Summerland station. Previously operated by BC Rail as Lillooet. To be converted to a dining car.
2270 Faulder 1950 Named after Faulder. Previously operated by BC Rail as Mackenzie.
6600 Canyon View Named after Canyon View in Summerland. Previously operated by BC Rail as lounge car Shannon Falls. Originally No. 2289.
278513 Open car 1958 Canadian Car and Foundry Acquired in 1997. Originally No. 277191 until renumbering in 1977.
278514 Acquired in 1997. Originally No. 277086 until renumbering in 1977.
278517 Acquired in 1997. Originally number unknown.
278521 Acquired in 1997 and displayed as a derelict body outside the parking lot. Originally No. 277088 until renumbering in 1977.

Freight cars

Freight car details[11]
Number Image Type Built Builder Notes
1902 Tank car 1937 Unknown Originally used by the British Columbia Railway, then part of the West Coast Railway Association until 2004.
60902 Flatcar Unknown Unknown Originally built for Canadian National Railways.
434432 Caboose 1973 CPR Angus Shops Acquired in May 1994. Originally Canadian Pacific No. 438904 until being renumbered in 1975.
- Tank car Unknown Procor Originally operated by Procor.
-

Kettle Valley Railway Society

The Kettle Valley Steam Railway is operated by the Kettle Valley Railway Society, a non-profit charitable organization focused on the preservation of railway heritage in the Okanagan Valley. The KVR Society is run by a board of directors, community volunteers, and trained personnel. [13]

After extensive restoration efforts, the KVR Society began offering tourist rides in 1995. As of 2026, the Kettle Valley Steam Railway is home to one of the few remaining operational steam locomotives in Canada. [14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Goble, Gord (2026-08-07). "PHOTOS: Massive wildfire just west of Summerland triggers widespread evacuations, fear". NowMedia KelownaNow. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
  2. ↑ Kettle Valley Steam Railway (2026-08-08). "Due to the Bald Range wildfire and current conditions in our area, all operations are temporarily suspended until further notice". Facebook. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
  3. ↑ Li, Justin (2026-08-10). "Railway spared from damage". CBC News. Retrieved 2026-08-11.
  4. ↑ John Arendt (July 15, 2025). "Steam train in Summerland to mark 30th anniversary". kelownacapnews.com. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  5. ↑ Railway Equipment and Publication Company, The Official Railway Equipment Register, June 1917, p. 826
  6. ↑ "Home". Neptune Terminals.
  7. ↑ "Our Locomotives". Kettle Valley Railway. Archived from the original on December 18, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Neptune Bulk Terminals 46". Trainweb. Archived from the original on May 8, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Mayo Lumber Company Shay No. 3". BC Forest Discovery Centre. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012.
  10. ↑ Arendt, John (2023-05-19). "Summerland steam train acquires coach". Kelowna Capital News. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Roberts, Earl; Stremes, David. "Canadian Trackside Guide 2024" (PDF). Canadian Trackside Guide: 31–32. ISSN 0829-3023. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
  12. ↑ "Our Locomotives". Kettle Valley Steam Railway. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  13. ↑ Kettle Valley Railway. (2026, May 17). Kettle Valley Railway Society - Kettle Valley Steam Railway. Kettle Valley Steam Railway. https://www.kettlevalleyrail.org/about/society/
  14. ↑ Kettle Valley Steam Railway - National Trust for Canada. (2024, July 30). National Trust for Canada. https://nationaltrustcanada.ca/destinations/kettle-valley-steam-railway
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