The Kettle Valley Line - Canadian Railway Song

The Kettle Valley Railway
Oh, what an adventure it was to ride on the Kettle Valley Railway,
or the KVR as it was called. Completed in 1916, it carried freight and
passengers in comfort and safety for over 40 years. It took six years of
backbreaking and sometimes dangerous work to build the 330-mile line
(530 kilometres). Labourers tunnelled through high mountain passes,
skirted around deep canyons, and crossed churning rivers. The rail line
was always being repaired or being rescued from natural disasters like
snowdrifts, avalanches, landslides, and forest fires. The KVR has been
described as the most difficult and expensive of all railway projects in
Canada. But for the passenger, riding the train provided spectacular
scenery, classy surroundings, and relaxed travel.

[@edmundgladwin860]

I rode it in 1946. I was three years old. Our parent's would take every child (5), from Crawford Bay(near Creston/Nelson) to Vancouver to see Santa at the 'big W', Woodwards Department Store. I remember it vividly. Sitting on Santa's knee then listening to a choir singing the Messiah. I think all of it, my nose pressed to the rail car window, hearing the Messiah sung by a choir led me to singing it in Prince George. The experience of a lifetime. Thank you to all who carved out this Rail Line and to my parents who somehow found the money for each of us to ride the KVR. Our senior chorus in PG is singing 'The Kettle Valley Railroad' by Dave Baker, this month. Thank you also to those who have rehabilitated stretches of this RR , including trestles, for folks to walk and hike and imagine that "bright pencil beam that pierced thru' the still mountain night. That old faithful work-horse of black steel and fire came rolling along into sight"

[@larryjohnstone6260]

Great scenes!