The Kaslo and Slocan Railway (K&S) is a historic railway that operated in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia in western Canada. The K&S connected Kaslo and Sandon. Initially a narrow-gauge railway, the line was later rebuilt to standard gauge.
Narrow gauge
Proposal
The 1891 discovery of silver in the Slocan Range created a mining boom. A railway to transport ore was crucial for commercial mining. In 1892, the province issued the charter to promoter John Hendry for a standard gauge line, amended to 3 ft narrow gauge in 1894. Planned was a western terminal at Cody, with a spur to Sandon. The May 1893 stock market collapse and drop in the silver price depressed the economy, which delayed construction and prompted the narrow gauge decision. This choice halved construction costs. Steamboat connections on Kootenay Lake were southward from Kaslo to Five Mile Point (east of Nelson), which linked with the Nelson and Fort Sheppard Railway.
Construction
In 1893, the Great Northern Railway (GN) agreed to fund the project. Foley Brothers & Guthrie were the principal contractors. Grading began in May 1895. Porter Brothers were the subcontractors for the trestles, the railway wharf at Kaslo, and most of the tracklaying. The westward rail head reached the revised terminal of Sandon that October. The route was 28.2 mi of which 24.4 mi attracted a 10240 acre/mi land grant.
Operation
In November 1895, the first ore was carried. The next month, disputes with the N&S, a Canadian Pacific Railway
Standard gauge
Proposal
In fall 1911, a $313,000 reconstruction estimate deterred CP from proceeding. However, the provincial government offered a large cash injection, which comprised a $100,000 grant and the repurchase of land grants elsewhere yielding $1,626,030, less the $25,000 purchase price.
Construction
Reconstruction commenced from both ends. At Parapet junction, east of Three Forks, the right-of-way doubled back before crossing Seaton Creek. Tracklaying commenced in summer 1912. A steam shovel excavated the grade for Parapet–Zincton, which opened in September 1912. After a hiatus exceeding two years, the Lucky Jim Mine resumed shipping ore. The next month, grading commenced for Zincton–Whitewater. The existing track was temporarily changed to standard gauge. In November, ore was moving from the mine. The permanent track opened the following month. In November 1913, the eastward advance reached Mile 12 and then Kaslo. During summer 1914, the route was ballasted and a turntable installed at Kaslo. In the fall, a new station building opened at Kaslo.
Operation
Route
The original route climbed steeply northwestward at 3.25 per cent from Kaslo to the first bench, followed by a steady climb to the pass at Bear Lake, the summit. The remainder stayed near level, negotiated Payne Bluff, over 800 ft above the Three Forks confluence, and terminated at Sandon. Tight curves were numerous. A spur served the Cody mines farther up the valley above Sandon.
The gradient of the revised route northeastward from Three Forks to Zincton was heavy, reaching 4.8 per cent. Northwestward from Kaslo, 3.4 per cent was the maximum. Three Forks to Sandon was 4.5 per cent southeastward.
. No passenger service by this time.
Maps
Rail trail
The hiking trail to Payne Bluff is accessible from Sandon or Three Forks.[6] The Kaslo River Trailway follows sections of the right-of-way between Kalso and Three Forks.[7]
References
- Province, 28 Sep 1980 www.newspapers.com^
- Miner, 28 Dec 1895 www.library.ubc.ca^
- 1929 timetable www.library.ubc.ca^