The Kettle Valley Steam Railway has acquired a new coach for its tourist steam train.
The recently purchased Coach 405 from the Kamloops Heritage Railway was delivered Friday, May 12 after a five-hour truck trip.
There is no rail connection between Kamloops and Summerland, so the 100-tonne coach had to be loaded onto a trailer, and the 10-tonne trucks (wheels) onto another, said Tom Burley, president of the Kettle Valley Steam Railway.
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It took two cranes and an experienced crew to deliver the heavy and long load and required provincial and city permits for transport. The coach and trucks were unloaded in Summerland.
The coach has been on the railway’s wish list for more than 25 years. This one is similar to the other Canadian Pacific coaches, but came from CN. It will need a paint job and new windows that can open before it’s ready for travelers.
The addition of a new coach will mean a more comfortable ride in cool weather or rain, rather than the open air cars. Also, there will be more capacity for the Christmas trains and some special events.
The tourist train in Summerland has been in operation since 1995. The railway sees more than 30,000 passengers each year.
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