There is little doubt that the work done by the Kamloops Heritage Railway and their preservation of former CN Steam locomotive #2141 has been first class. Not only have they established a successful operation at Kamloops, but they have also developed into a mainline steam train operation with their Armstrong Explorer trips running over the Kelowna Pacific Railway between Campbell Creek (near Kamloops) and Armstrong, BC. It was high time that your editor took a ride on this trip, so Deb and myself climbed aboard the June 17 trip. Come along for the ride……
Locomotive #2141 is the star of the show, looking pristine as she simmers at Campbell Creek awaiting the day’s run (cover photo and photo left). The 2-8-0 Consolidation was built by the Canadian Locomotive Co. in Kingston, Ontario in 1912 for the Canadian Northern Railway, then becoming part of the Canadian National system when it was formed. She spent most of her life working on the prairies, but ended her active career on Vancouver Island—her last trip for CN was on July 4, 1958. She was originally a coal burner, but was converted to oil burning in 1948 making her suitable for the west coast forests. She was donated to the City of Kamloops by CN and came to rest in Riverside Park there in 1961, where she sat rusting for many years. The Kamloops Heritage Railway Society was formed for the purpose of restoring the locomotive, a job which came to completion with her return to service in 2002.
Since then, the “Spirit of Kamloops” as she has been named, has operated a seasonal schedule on the CN interchange line between the Lorne Street Station and Kamloops Junction to the delight of over 50,000 passengers. In 2005, the first trips over the Kelowna Pacific Railway were negotiated and the Armstrong Explorer was born. These day long trips run before and after the summer months—with six or seven trips planned.
We arrive at Campbell Creek (the start of the KPR trackage, MP 14.4) at around 0700 and join in with passengers and crew for breakfast at the local restaurant. There is a good crowd for this sold out trip, and we enjoy a hearty meal before inspecting the train. The train is on the stockyards siding having been ferried there over the CPR line the previous day, and we have a look prior to boarding.
The 2141 looks great, and is heading a consist of Café car Monte Creek, two open cars, coaches 403 Riverside Park, 404 / 405—both leased from Rocky Mountaineer Vacations and former Waterloo & St. Jacobs Railway, and caboose 401 Westwold (ex BCR). The entire consist is painted in matching Canadian National green / black / gold scheme and looks great. The crowds are lined up for boarding by coach number.
We are privileged to be assigned to ride in the caboose, and make our way to the rear of the train. We find the former BCR caboose very nicely done, with larger windows in the sides against which are tables and seats for guests, but up in the cupola are the seats of choice. We climb up and find comfy seats (from the café car originally) and an ingenious safety railing system to meet Transport Canada needs. It works!
With everyone aboard, we are set for our scheduled 0830 departure. Aboard the train are a legion of great volunteers—our caboose host is Art, and he is great—as they all seem to be. Howard Grieve acts as the train manager, Mark McVittie is the conductor, and several other WCRA members are aboard and active including Jill Gould and Glen Wideman. All are set for a busy and great day. The weather is perfect!
As we wait, a Kelowna Pacific freight grinds up the grade on the mainline above us, with a trio of GP38’s as power. We start to move at 0825—a couple of minutes early, and reverse up the siding (a good grade) and onto the mainline. Once 2141 clears the switch, it is thrown (with some effort with the lock) and we are aligned for the main. We start off and immediately 2141 starts to work the grade (10 miles, 2%) on the 56 mile run to Armstrong. (Photo below, climbing out of Campbell Creek)
This is a real highlight and the best pictures of the locomotive working a grade (as she is tender first on the return trip) - the view from the caboose cupola is superb and the sounds spectacular—a great steam ride is off to a terrific start. Art keeps us posted with notes along the way as well as filled with coffee and snacks (included in the price) and we continue to climb above the South Thompson Valley, through the only tunnel on the line, and then level out at around the 2,200 foot level.
From here there is some lovely valley running, with farmland (the animals running at the sound of the train are quite fun) and there is lots of wildlife to spot as we chug along. The shores of Monte Lake provide some nice scenes (photo, page 26) and we continue on to Westwold (MP 37.8) where we pause to take water from a farmer’s irrigation system at 0957. #2141’s range for water is just 50 miles or so—and she has been working hard!
Here there is a siding full of freight cars as well, and we enjoy the pause in the action, but are ready to resume. Our journey has been great so far, and there is lots more to come. We pull away and head towards Falkland, where the mine and flag are visible on the hillside.
From Falkland we head downgrade through O’Keefe and then descend into Armstrong, MP 71, arriving there on time at 1200. The train is met by quite a contingent of townspeople, some in old time dress, and a band plays a welcome. It is clear that the train means a great deal to the town and the merchants and residents are out to support it. KHR has provided a great information package with the trip covering the route and the town of Armstrong, so we catch a photo of our old friend Glen Wideman by the loco (left) and head off to explore during our two hour stay. The restaurants are popular, but we opt to walk the town with stops for cheese at the Cheese Factory and ice cream—what more could we want?
While we enjoy Armstrong, the crew and the Kelowna Pacific get to work—KPR’s GP38 LLPX 2605 pulls to caboose, and the start of the rearranging of the train gets going. When we are ready to re-board, the train backs in with the caboose now behind the café car, and the three coaches on the head end, with #2141 on the point with the tender leading. We climb back up to our cupola seats for the ride back to Campbell Creek.
We depart at 1405, make the 180 degree curve out of town onto the mainline, and climb for nine miles at 1.8% back up to Westwold, where we take on water once again. The return trip is a reverse of this morning’s run, with lovely scenery again and lots to see and enjoy. We arrive back at Campbell Creek at 1730, having backed into the siding from where we started our journey this morning.
We disembark, and thank the excellent crew for a job well done—not a complaint is heard from any other passengers, just lots of good feedback. This is certainly the premier steam train experience in British Columbia at the moment and is well worth a trip.
The Armstrong Explorer trip is set to operate again in the Fall of 2006 on September 2, 16, 30 and October 25—although only a few spaces are available.—go to www.wcra.org ,click the Links tab and then the Kamloops Heritage Railway for more information.
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