Something a little closer to home (literally) - Canadian Pacific's Arbutus Spur

From early 1998 through 2002 I lived near the Granville Island area of Vancouver.  Vestiges of the former industrial nature of the area still survive the encroaching condominiums, townhouses and tourist traps in the area.  The condo building that I lived in was built on the site of an old sawmill.  One benefit of this location was that I was literally 2 blocks from the Molson brewery which was served by CP several times per week.  As well the Downtown Historic Railway operated former BC Electric interurban cars during the summer from a station across the street from my apartment.

My apartment was just behind the CIBC sign, although it hadn't been built yet when this photo of BCH switching Granville Island was taken in 1974.  The tracks in the foreground are still there as a reminder of the historic industrial nature of what is now a prime tourist destination

BC Hydro 904 has just come off the False Creek Bridge and is likely heading to the BN/CN interchange on the east side of Main Street.  Much of this track was still in place when I lived in the area.  The Molson Brewery would eventually(?) be built to the right of the red building in the background.

I won't pretend to be an expert of the history of the area as there are far more knowledgeable people about that than me.  I suggest reading "The Story of the BC Electric Railway Company" by Henry Ewart, published in 1986 to coincide with Expo86.  Expo86 had a transportation theme so it was an appropriate time to put out the book.  While out of print now copies can still be found, although it is getting somewhat expensive to buy.  It is an extensively researched history of the BC Electric system and well worth picking up.  

Some of what I write has been borrowed from Mr. Ewart's book.  I have met him a few times, once when I presented a slide show of my historic BC Electric slides.  He was gracious and didn't point out the likely numerous factual errors that I made in my presentation.  

Some of the unusual things you could find on Granville Island during it's industrial days.  A couple of small equipment dealers would rebuild locomotives for some of the timber companies.  CFP was Canadian Forest Products.  

When Granville Island was still an industrial site prior to being converted to a tourism area it was served by the BC Electric later BC Hydro railway.  The federal government purchased the area and gradually converted it to shops, restaurants and tourism areas.  The island area still has (now unused) street trackage and there was a restored CP caboose on a siding.  Unfortunately I never got the opportunity to see the BCE or BCH working the track in the area.

BC Hydro MP15 crossing Fir Street in 1979 - from my collection

CP 1237 in almost (but not quite) the same spot as the MP15 in the above photo.  I took this photo in 1999 - before I had the slide of the BC Hydro unit at the same location.  Luck was on my side.

The BCE had track that ran from the interchange with the Great Northern on the east side of Main Street to the former Kitsilano shops under the Burrard Street bridge.  When I lived in the area this track was cut off at Anderson Street (entrance road to Granville Island) and a Starbucks was built on the right of way. This was apparently to ensure the track was never put back into service.  There was still some overgrown track that was left on the west side of 2nd Avenue, but it was long out of service.  

BC Hydro switching the Carling O'Keefe brewery on 12th Avenue in Vancouver.  The brewery was demolished in 1995 to make way for the inevitable condominiums and townhouses, the main (only?) industry in Vancouver.

1957 views of the CP/BC Electric bridge over False Creek

These shots were taken from the Granville Street bridge and give a good idea of what the False Creek bridge looked like towards the end of it's daily usage.  These images were taken in the late 1970's.  The bridge was taken out of service in the early 1980's when the Drake Street area was redeveloped as part of the Expo86 project.

The Vancouver skyline in the early 1980's - it is vastly different today.

Canadian Pacific built the line from it's Vancouver Drake Street yards to Steveston.  The bridge over False Creek adjacent to the Burrard Street bridge was built to connect the north and south sides of False Creek.  

The BC Electric leased the line in 1905 for it's streetcar and interurban services.  Interurban and streetcar service ended in the 1950's, but BC Electric and later BC Hydro operated the line until 1985 when CP took over freight service.

The CP local usually ran three times per week, usually Monday Wednesday and Friday when I  was there.

By the late 1990's the last customer on the line was the Molson Brewery at the foot of the Burrard bridge.  CP would run a switcher with freight cars to the brewery roughly three times per week.  There was constant talk at the time about when CP would stop service on the line.  The end finally came at the end of May 2001 with the last inbound train with loads arriving May 30th and the last outbound empties on May 31st.  

The crew of the last inbound train with loads on May 30th, 2001

I played hooky from work on the morning of May 30th (it was a nice day) and watched the last cars being switched into the brewery along with a small group of railfans and passersby.  There was also a news crew there; I declined to be interviewed as I was supposed to be at work...  May 31st had heavy rain so I didn't stay to watch the outbound train, although I did hear the locomotive horn while I was riding the bus to work so I can say I was "there" when the train left.     

On a couple of occasions CP crews ran a pair of GP38AC units all the way to the end of track at the abutment of the old bridge causeway that used to cross False Creek.  These moves happened on Sundays.  I was in my apartment when I heard a train horn blowing for the 2nd Avenue crossing.  I quickly headed out with my camera and caught the locomotives.  As far as I know I was the only person who photographed these light engine moves.  The rail was pinging and popping as it was not liking the heavy road switchers running on it.  I don't have any explanation for why these engines ran to the end of track but I was glad to have been present.    

The Arbutus Corridor was the focus of much attention after it was embargoed by CP, with the railway and city fighting over the future of the line.  Finally CP and the City of Vancouver came to an agreement which unfortunately meant the track was pulled up and a paved bike path was put in it's place.  I don't really think this was "progress".

On some occasions both cars were operated together such as this fall day.

A passing siding near the carbarn let two cars operate over the line increasing the frequency of service.  It also created many opportunities like this one to capture two interurban cars passing each other.

The "station" was a basic elevated platform at the intersection of Anderson and 2nd Avenue.  It did the job.

Several pedestrian overpasses gave good views of the cars in action. 

As well, for several years there were former BC Electric streetcars operating between Granville Island and a stop near Science World on the former BCE freight line.  There were a couple of BCE cars running (1207 and 1231) and the cars were well patronized by families and tourists.  Unfortunately the City of Vancouver decided it didn't  want the streetcars anymore after throwing who knows how much money at the line for the 2010 Olympics and the line now sits abandoned with the streetcars shipped off to Surrey.  Shortsightedness by the City (Gregor Robertson can be thanked for this) killed what could have been a marvelous tourist attraction running between some of the most visited historic sites in the city.   

I'll finish this post with one of my favourite shots from the Arbutus Sub - a run of the mill local with it's usual SW1200RS, a couple of freight cars and a caboose with the conductor taking in the view as they head back to the Marpole yard.  Yet another sight that you can't take in anymore, especially with the last remnants of the line being taken out of service last week (early August, 2021).  

August 19, 2021 Update

Roger Burrows has generously given permission to have his maps of the Arbutus line and the South shore branch added as a part of this blog post.  The maps give some context as to the locations discussed above.  

Thanks to Roger for having the foresight to record much of the railway history of British Columbia when it was still in place.  Roger published several volumes covering the railways of BC with lots of information about the history, industries and other insights.  Much of these railway lines and industries are gone today, but we have a record of them for posterity.  He has forgotten more about the railways of BC than I will likely ever know.