Tumbler Ridge BC Rail

[604ksmith]

Hi Everyone,

This may be a crazy idea, and if so, please warn me. Cabin fever may be overriding my sound judgment...

I've been on Google Earth and found that there is a "decommissioned" rail line from Tumbler Ridge to Prince George called the "BC Rail Tumbler Ridge Subdivision." I believe it used to run coal from the Quintette and BullMoose mines.

Does anyone know if this rail line is in fact decommissioned, and if the two tunnels on this line (9km and 6km) are able to be travelled either by foot or quad?

If so, it would certainly cut down on the travel time from Prince George to the Tumbler Ridge area to hunt


Thanks,
Kevin

[Sofa King]

pg to tumbler walking an old railway.
i think i would rather drive the highway.

[walks with deer]

Tunnels caved in years ago not passable.

[604ksmith]

Tunnels caved in years ago not passable.

That breaks my heart. I thought I had a spot of genius and found quick back route to the SW edge of the Tumbler Range.

Thanks for the info.

[albravo2]

I was on the gang that laid materials even before they laid track through both those tunnels.

I think that was last year. I can't imagine the tunnels would be caved in already.

Wait, that was 1983. Maybe you're right.

[barry1974w]

They've recommissioned the tunnels and have been hauling coal through them again since about 2010, the mines are shutting down again now, so they might not have much traffic currently, but I wouldn't risk it.

[Doublelung]

There is still some loads going through the tunnels so you'd be in a tight spot!!

[Gmo]

Tumbler sub is down tunnels are not caved in. But cn will start back up when mines are running again, I wouldnt chance it.

[boxhitch]

Newer sidebysides have about the same track width , don't they ? hmmm

[BRvalley]

"mines running again"...lol

[Useyourfeet]

Line is still active.

[whitetailsheds]

This brings up a scary laugh.....few years ago a buddy and I were at the first tunnel from the Sukunka. The mines had shut down a year or two previous. "Let's take a hike inside to check it out!!!" Got a couple hundred yards inside with flashlites and headlamps.........."did you hear that?" "That thunder you mean!?!" Wasn't thunder....it was the start of the low roll of the train coming from the other end.....LOL......ran out of the tunnel about 15 minutes before the train came out!!! LOL

[Salty]

I surveyed there in fact cut quite a bit of the original line from km 0 up the Table valley to the first tunnel in 1980 and was around for some of the construction in to 82. The grade was substantially completed and the tunnels almost done when I left, never did see it active. I'd like to go back there for old time sake some day.

[broke]

Never go in an underground mine or tunnel without proper training, as well as ventilation and/or breathing apparatus. Not only can you encounter dangerous gasses like methane or carbon monoxide, many areas like this will not have sufficient oxygen in the air. You can't smell methane, CO, or low oxygen, so you won't know it before you hit the dirt.

[swampthing]

I tried to get in there on a quad this past summer. The trail got pretty overgrown past the table river. There was a railway pickup on the tracks back there.

[kevan]

Back in the early '90s they were running electric locomotives, very quiet units... do they still ?