I haven’t posted one of these for a while so here goes. Since repairing the burnt bridge over Green Lake in April, its been business as usual for the E&N Railway. RailAmerica has been able to streamline operational costs to allow the railway to break even. RA has said they will run the E&N for the time being until a buyer is found. A typical E&N freight train consists of 6-9 propane tankers, or 4-6 grain hoppers, plus special moves to Victoria or Courtenay.
The E&N refuses to haul any freight on the Port Alberni Sub, as they consider the line abandoned. Freight service to Port Alberni hasn’t run since late 2001 and the line is becoming fairly overgrown. CP is using 5 miles of the Port Alberni Sub to log some of their land in the Alberni Valley(that they got with the E&N Land grants) and the Alberni Pacific uses 6 miles of the Port Alberni Sub from Port Alberni out to the spur to McLean’s Mill.
VIA RDC 6148 hit a gravel truck in early June and has only recently returned to service. VIA leased RDC 6130 from FarmRail while the 6148 was out of service. CP has kicked VIA and Herzog out of the roundhouse in Victoria, all maintenace on the Budd Cars is done in the Victoria yard for now. The 6130 is still here, sitting in the Victoria yard, with the 6130 VIA now has four RDC’s on the E&N, that’s the most RDC’s that have ever been on the E&N at one time. RDC’s 6130, 6133, 6135, and 6148 are all on the E&N, and can be seen every night in Victoria.
Thanks for the details. I rode the RDC (6135 solo) in July, on a round-trip of the entire line. There was a note on the station door at Victoria that some days had sold out since only one RDC was operating. I lucked out in that the July 8 run was NOT sold out! the ride was worth every penny (about $CDN 94 including tax).
We drove to Esquimalt later but I never saw any other RDCs, only a boxcar and caboose. Are the RDCs kept inside the ‘engine shed’ or roundhouse?
In a separate drive to Port Alberni I noticed several rusty cars, including three old tank cars (with large expansion domes) plus an old passenger coach and what looked like a maintenance crew car.
The 6130 showed up in late July. The RDC’s are being stored in the yard as CP has kicked VIA and Herzog out of the roundhouse. Sounds like you were here before RDC’s 6148 and 6133 returned to Victoria from Wellcox in Nanaimo, because VIA was kicked out of the roundhouse in Victoria, the repair work to 6148 was done at the E&N Wellcox shops in Nanaimo, the E&N hauled 6148 and 6133 up to Nanaimo. They brought them back late last month. VIA has three operational RDC’s right available now, but for how long is the question. The 6130 and 6133 are supposed to be hauled to Vancouver, and apparently the 6133 may even be scrapped.
Wellcox shops showing 6148(in the foreground) and 6133(in the background) on the back track while the E&N repaired the damage from the gravel truck.
6130 seen here in the Wellcox C yard after the E&N yard crew pulled it off the barge.
Shot of 6148 after it hit the gravel truck in Ladysmith.
Thanks for the update & photo;'s , nice to know Budds are still going . Living on the mainland we tend to forget you guys over the other side of the ocean!!! We have 3 Budd units up at the Heritage Park in Squamish - none running as yet --will be in the future . Keep us informed on the Island news - cheers .
The Port Alberni Log train is being run by Alberni Pacific for CPR. They’re using ex-CP RS3 8427, but will sometimes use the steamer(2-8-2T) to haul the logs.
I am a Brit - Editor of Model Rail magazine in the UK. Does anyone have:
Photographs of the logging operations out of Port Alberni in recent years with the RS3 etc.
A map of the track layout around Port alberni station and the Pacifica Paper Mill? I’m planning a model of the area.
I have a map of the Port Alberni yard ca. 1988. email me at enrailway@yahoo.ca if you want a copy. None of the structures are shown.
The logging operation on the Port Sub(The only rail traffic in Port Alberni now) is on hold right now until the new year, as the contractor doing the logging is busy on other jobs.
Dec.17,2004 Update. RailAmerica has put the E&N Railway up for sale. The Island Corridor Foundation and a private company are rumored to be bidding on the E&N. RailAmerica and those involved will not be releasing any info until the new year once a deal has been reached.
RDC’s 6130 and 6133 are out of service, 6130 requires a brake inspection and test and 6133 has been stripped of MANY parts and is no longer operational. Below are a list of the E&N’s current freight customers:
Top Shelf Feeds at Mile 38.0 in Duncan(4-8 cars a week)
Superior Propane at Mile 75.6 in Nanaimo(12 cars a week)
National Silicates near Mile 93 in Parksville(1-2 cars a week)
FMC Chemicals at Mile 95.6 in Parksville(1-2 cars a week)
There are no freight customers on the Port Alberni Sub, since the Pulp Mill in Port Alberni switched to truck.
I’ve been to Port Alberni on four occasions since 1976 but only on the last visit (2000) did I actually get to see a train on the trestles across Cameron Lake. Took some photos and video - it’s a real crime that this railway is closed - and that it had no passenger service for many years. I believe a tourist operation between Parksville and Port Alberni would be a real money-maker. The important thing now is to safeguard the right of way and the structures so that some future enterprise can make proper use of this route.
I have two black & white postcard photos showing the Port Alberni station and surrounding area, taken in very early days. It was good to see the building revived after being just a flat-roofed single storey in 1976.
It is hard to believe that there isn’t any lumber business left on the E&N. Are the mills that are shipping by truck sending it to reload centers in Vancouver? Is there absolutely no freight business opportunities in Courtney or Victoria? I am wondering if a new operator can find any additional business opportunities because it seems like the current list of customers will support only a very marginal rail operation.
