CN

Government officials examining diesel spill at Kamloops rail yard

KAMLOOPS - Officials from Transport Canada are investigating a diesel spill at a local rail yard that occurred on Christmas Day. Approximately 8,000 litres of diesel spilled in the CN rail yard during a fuel transfer from a railcar to a truck on Dec. 25, according to company spokesperson Kate Fenske. David Karn, media relations...

Say good-bye to confusing rail crossings with completion of CN Rail corridor purchase

KELOWNA - The CN Rail corridor purchase will be defined in Kelowna by what it gains — a multi-use transportation corridor — and what it loses — a bunch of annoying level crossings on local roads. “CN has an obligation to remove the railway ties and remediate the land,” said Doug Gilchrist, director of community...

Deal signed for Okanagan rail line

OKANAGAN – A deal between the consortium of municipalities and CN Rail to buy the decommissioned rail corridor between Kelowna and Coldstream has been reached. The consortium, made up of Kelowna, Lake Country, Coldstream, along with the North Okanagan and Central Okanagan Regional Districts, have agreed to buy the 47.5 kilometre long stretch of railway...

Municipalities granted one week extension to submit rail trail proposal

KELOWNA – The consortium of municipalities hoping to buy the decommissioned CN rail corridor between Kelowna and Vernon have been granted a one week extension to submit their value assessment proposal to the Canadian Transportation Agency. The acquisition team – made up of Kelowna, Lake Country, Coldstream, North Okanagan and Central Okanagan Regional Districts –...

Local government to make an offer on rail corridor

OKANAGAN - A group of Okanagan municipalities plan to make CN an offer this fall for an almost 50 kilometre long rail corridor between Vernon and Kelowna. Doug Gilchrist, City of Kelowna real estate and community planning director says a jurisdictional acquisition team made up of Kelowna, Lake Country, Coldstream, the North Okanagan Regional District...

CN offers Okanagan railway to federal government

VERNON - Time has run out for interested parties to resume service on the section of rail between Vernon and Kelowna. Monday was the deadline for companies negotiating with Canadian National to buy the line, and CN spokesperson Warren Chandler says no deal was reached. “The time period has elapsed, now the 30-day window to...

Study finds multi-million dollar benefits to Okanagan Rail Trail

OYAMA - Converting the rail bed between Vernon and Kelowna into a multi-use pathway would drive over $3 million in visitor spending in the first year alone, states a consulting report on predicted benefits. The Okanagan Rail Trail held a press conference Tuesday morning in Oyama to release the findings of a 70 page impact...

Rivers Trail under water as river rises

KAMLOOPS - By Friday the Thompson River rose enough to warrant concern about flowing debris and now the Rivers Trail is nearly impassable after a long weekend filled with rain. The majority of rain fell north of the city, swelling the Thompson River from just under five metres at the end of last week to...

Appeal rejected, fine stands for CNR

KAMLOOPS - The province was claiming more than $340,000 in mature timber was lost in a blaze sparked by a train near Ashcroft in 2005, but a panel of judges disagreed last week, instead handing down a fine of only $11,000 and a bill for $6,252 in lost timber value. In July 2005 a Canadian...