Introduction

Dormant Coalfields

Coal Production Takes Off

Coal Production Takes Off

Following the completion of the GNR’s Vancouver, Victoria & Eastern (VV&E) from Princeton to Brookmere and the CPR’s Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) from Brookmere to Hope, orders for steam coal from the region increased substantially. The nature of these railways supported the market for steam coal. Steam locomotives on these steep, winding routes consumed much coal, especially on the long assent from Hope to Coquihalla.¹¹ Helper locomotives were usually required along this section.

"Kettle Valley Railway Construction. Work Train at Winslow Siding, CA. 1914"
BCARS C-05834

"Kettle Valley Railway Freight Train Crossing Lorna Trestle, CA. 1916"
BCARS C-05832

For the first few years after 1915, production stagnated as new seams were explored and opened up. Then, around 1920, Coalmont Collieries took over competing coal companies near Coalmont and upgraded its operations to handle greater amounts of the mineral.

 One feature of the company’s new operations was an improved overhead tramway that carried coal in buckets down from the mines to the tipples.¹² In 1922, the company produced 142 806 tonnes of coal, much more than in any previous year.¹³

"Chu Chua. Windpass Mine Cable Buckets at Ales Leap, 1930's" BCARS F-09019

Still, the Yale District collieries did not become the producers their Vancouver Island and Elk Valley competitors were. The Yale District coalfields were developed when railways had begun converting their steam locomotives from coal to fuel oil. Furthermore, after 1915, the CPR and GNR were abandoning lines that were no longer economical. The GNR curtailed service on its rail lines connecting to Princeton and rerouted trains bound for Vancouver along its mainline south of the border.¹⁴ Coal companies everywhere were affected by these trends.