British Columbia Railway

In 1912 the British Columbia government authorized the construction of a railway to run from Vancouver to Prince George. The new venture was called the Pacific Great Eastern Railway. In July 1914 12.7 miles were completed from North Vancouver to Whytecliff and a commuter service was launched. This lasted until 1928. The 10 miles of track put down by the Howe Sound Pemberton Valley and Northern north of Squamish was taken over. Track reached Lillooet and the first train entered town on February 20 1915. The bridge over the Fraser River was finished by mid May with track laying proceeding towards Clinton when the contractors ran out of money.
Plans to connect WhyteCliff to Squamish were cancelled and a barge service was started. The liberals formed the new government in 1916 and called an inquiry.On February 22 1918 the government of BC took over the railway. Construction resumed and the track reached Chasm in April 1919 having built through some difficult terrain. Once on the interior plateau track laying was much easier and the rails reached Williams Lake in September. The rails reached Quesnel in July 1921. The cost of bridging Cottonwood creek halted construction north of Quesnel.
Construction north of Quesnel restarted in 1950 and finally reached Prince George on September 12 1952. Construction began along the Howe Sound in 1954 to connect North Vancouver to Squamish and on August 27 1956 the first train from North Vancouver entered Prince George. It had only taken 44 years. Construction started north of Price George and reached Chetwynd in September 1958. Revenue soared. The Railway reached Fort St James in 1969 and Fort Nelson in 1971. In 1972 the name was changed to the British Columbia Railway. On November 1st 1983 an electrified branch line was completed to The coal fields at Tumbler Ridge. In 1984 the name was again changed to BC Rail.
In 2002 the railway was sold to Canadian National.