|
Steam on the Kettle Valley by Robert D Turner Ry heritage remembered Soft Cover
Steam on the Kettle Valley by Robert D Turner
A railway heritage remembered
Soft Cover
120 pages
Copyright 1995
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements2
Introduction7
Steam and the Kettle Valley8
Kettle Valley People9
Prelude to Construction13
PART I: Building the Kettle Valley Railway 17
Building The Railway22
The Kettle Valley, Penticton And The Lake Steamers31
Part 2:Steam On The Kettle Valley35
Steam Power, The Early Years43
Handbombers & Mcculloch Turns51
Meritt And The Jitney59
Brookmere60
Belfort, Jura And Tulameen62
Copper Mountain65
Orchards And The Harvest68
The Snows Of Coquihalla72
Wrecks And Mishaps81
The Kettle Valley Express & The Kootenay Express85
Detours90
The Best Of Steam92
PART 3:
The Diesel Yearsfor THE FINAL YEARS107
EPILOGUE: Many Mountains to Cross: The Kettle Valley Railway Heritage111
Index118
Further Reading119
INTRODUCTION
The Kettle Valley Railway extended across southwestern British Columbia like a large, often distorted, letter Y laid on its side across the mountains. The single end of the Y was at Midway, halfway along the southern boundary of the province. Of the two arms, the top one was at Spences Bridge in the canyon of the Thompson River, where the railway joined the main line of the Canadian Pacific. The other was to the south, across the Fraser River from Hope* at another junction with the Canadian Pacific, at a place first called Petain but renamed Odlum in 1940. The railway followed this route over a twisting, turning, climbing right-of-way that hardly ever seemed to run in a straight line.
The ideal railroad avoids grades, sharp curves, heavy snow and cold weather: features that can be tolerated or eventually evaded only at great cost. Moreover, it operates through, or to, areas rich in traffic. In all these aspects the Kettle Valley Railway, like the main line of the Canadian Pacific that preceded it by three decades, was different. The Kettle Valley blended all the negative elements on its mountain crossings, and over many miles of its route there was little traffic. However, in some areas, particularly in the early years, it became a means of helping to develop the population base, agriculture and industrial activity that in the long run was to provide much of its traffic.
The Kettle Valley Railway defied the topography of British Columbia. The elevation changes were almost continuous.t An eastbound train leaving the junction with the Canadian Pacific's main line near Hope began its journey at just 174 feet (53 m) above sea level. It then climbed to over 3,660 feet (1116 m) at Coquihalla Summit, just 36.4 miles (58.6 km) away, averaging 100 feet (30 m) per mile or, for most of the route, a steady 2.2 percent. The long, twisting descent to Princeton, interrupted by a further brief ascent over Otter Summit, dropped the tracks to 2,111 feet (643 m). To the east, over the snake-like loops between Belfort and Jura and on to the summit near Osprey Lake, a further 1,500 feet (457 m) had to be climbed before, once again, the train descended. From Kirton in the upper Trout Creek Canyon, the grade was a steady 2.2 percent down to Okanagan Lake.
The Penticton station, on the wharf on Okanagan Lake at an elevation of 1,132 feet (345 m), was just 4o miles (64 km) away but nearly 2,500 feet (760 m) below the top of the grade.
Leaving Penticton for the east, a train would labour up 27 miles (43 km) of 2.2 percent grade to over 4,r00 feet (i250 m) at Hydraulic Summit, nearly 3,000 feet
All pictures are of the actual item. There may be reflection from the lights in some photos. We try to take photos of any damage. If this is a railroad item, this material is obsolete and no longer in use by the railroad. Please email with questions. Publishers of Train Shed Cyclopedias and Stephans Railroad Directories. Large inventory of railroad books and magazines. Thank you for buying from us.
Shipping charges
US Shipments: Ebay will add $1.25 each additional items, there are a few exceptions.
Ebay Global shipping charges are shown. These items are shipped to Kentucky and forwarded to you. Ebay collects the shipping and customs / import fees. Refunds may be issued if you add multiple items to your cart and pay with one payment. For direct postage rates to these countries, send me an email. Shipping varies by weight.
Payment options
Payment must be received within 7 days. Paypal is accepted.
Terms and conditions
All sales are final. Returns accepted if item is not as described. Contact us first. No warranty is stated or implied. Please e-mail us with any questions before bidding.
Thanks for looking at our items.
| 
