Canadian Pacific Railway Lake and River Service
Division of Canadian Pacific Railway
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Canadian Pacific River Lake and River Service, also known as the British Columbia Lake and River Service, was a division of Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) which began operating passenger and cargo shipping routes along British Columbia's inland waters during the late 19th century.
Canadian Pacific Railway Overview
In 1884, the Canadian Pacific Railway began purchasing sailing ships as part of a railway supply service on the Great Lakes. Over time, the company began to expand its water transportation to include the Canadian Pacific Railway Upper Lake Service, the Trans-Pacific service, the Canadian Pacific Railway Coast Service, the Trans-Atlantic service, and the British Columbia Lake and River Service.[1]
In the 20th century, the company evolved into a transcontinental railway, operating two transoceanic services which connected Canada with Europe and Asia.
British Columbia Lake and River Service
CPR's expansion in the West included expanding routes.[2] More ships were added to the inland waters fleet. For example, in 1901 CPR built three sternwheelers for use on the Yukon River — the Tyrrell, the Duschesnay, and the Dawson.[3] The investment in more ships was accompanied by increased numbers of CPR workers. Expansion required additional CPR station and terminal structures to be built.[4]
Inland fleet
| Vessel name | Launch date | Retirement date | Waterway | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lytton | July 2, 1890 | 1904 | Arrow Lakes | |
| Aberdeen | May 22, 1893 | December 31, 1919 | Okanagan Lake | |
| Kootenay | April 1897 | 1919 | Arrow Lakes | Abandoned at Crescent Bay, British Columbia |
| Rossland | November 18, 1897 | 1916 | Arrow Lakes | Sunk at dock on January 25, 1917 |
| Moyie | October 22, 1898 | 1957 | Kootenay Lake | Restored and preserved as a museum ship |
| Minto | November 19, 1898 | 1954 | Arrow Lakes | Burned in August 1968 |
| Tyrell | 1898 | — | Yukon River | Sister ship of Moyie |
| Dawson | 1901 | — | Yukon River | |
| York | January 18, 1902 | 1930s | Okanagan Lake | |
| Duchesnay | — | — | Yukon River | |
| Kuskanook | May 5, 1906 | December 1931 | Kootenay Lake | Converted to a floating hotel in 1932; sank in 1936 |
| Okanagan | July 10, 1907 | 1934 | Okanagan Lake | Scrapped except for the stern saloon, which is preserved with the Sicamous |
| Kaleden | 1910 | 1916 | Skaha and Okanagan Lakes | Scrapped in 1918 |
| Castlegar | 1911 | 1925 | Okanagan Lake | |
| Bonnington | April 24, 1911 | 1931 | Arrow Lakes | Sister ship of Sicamous and Nasookin |
| Nasookin | April 30, 1913 | 1947 | Kootenay Lake | Dismantled in 1952 |
| Naramata | April 20, 1914 | August 1967 | Okanagan Lake | Restored with the Sicamous |
| Sicamous | May 19, 1914 | August 1936 | Okanagan Lake | Restored and preserved as a museum ship |
| Kelowna | 1920 | 1956 | Okanagan Lake | |
| Okanagan | 1947 | May 31, 1972 | Okanagan Lake |
21st century
Despite many changes, including corporate mergers and restructuring, some elements of the lake service continue to operate.
See also
