PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA ANNUAL REPOET OF THE DEPARTMENT OF RAILWAYS FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31ST 1918 PRINTED BY AUTHORITY OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. VICTORIA, B.C.: Printed by WILLIAM H. CTJLLIN, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty, 1919. To His Honour Sir FRANK STILLMAN BARNARD, K.C.M.G., Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of British Columbia. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOUR: Herewith I beg respectfully to submit Report for the Department; of Railways for the year 1918. JOHX OLIVER, Minister of Railways. Victoria, B.C., February Hith, 1919. REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF RAILWAYS. Hon. John Oliver, Victoria, B.C., December 31st, 1918. Minister of Raihvays, Victoria, B.C. SIB,—I have the honour to submit a report dealing with the principal activities of the Rail­ way Department during the year ending December 31st, 1918. The staff of the Department consists of Chief Engineer, Assistant Engineer, Inspector of Rolling-stock and Equipment, clerk, and stenographer. In addition to railways proper, the Department has control over the Songhees terminal improvement-works and the maintenance and operation of the combined railway and highway bridge over the Fraser River at New Westminster, with its railway and highway approaches and connections. An examination of the whole Grand Trunk Pacific line between Yellowhead Pass and Prince Rupert was made in connection with that company's application for right-of-way through Crown lands lying between these points, and all matters in that connection adjusted, except on the section between Miles 30 and 36, west of Yellowhead Pass, where the position with respect to the rights-of-way of the Canadian Northern Railway and the Grand Trunk Pacific is not yet clarified. Right-of-way applications on behalf of other companies, such as the Canadian Northern, V.V. & E., Kettle Valley, and others, have also been, dealt with. Applications for extension of time in which to complete their undertakings made by various railway companies have been dealt with, and certificates of approval have been issued for level, over, and under crossings. Location plans and profiles of various lines of railway and drawings of standard structures were placed before the Minister after examination and received his approval. A list of certificates issued during the year is given in Appendix A. CANADIAN NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY TERMINALS. Construction of the terminals of this company has been prosecuted throughout the year, and estimates have been approved for payment in accordance with the provisions of section 7 of the " Canadian Northern Pacific Railway Terminals Act, 1913," as detailed hereunder:— Estimate No. 41. January $103,535 24 41A. January 28,013 42 42. February 58,403 43 43. March . 47,661 90 44. April 95,645 08 45. May 43,183 90 46. June .... 24,005 34 47. July 54,313 34 4S. August .. 62,916 25 49. September 23,092 10 50. October .. 24,7S5 73 51. November 16,196 9S 52. December 21,705 62 Total $603,458 33 The iiosition as to the terminals as at December 31st, 1918, is shown by the following statement:— Estimated Proportion Proportion Total Cost of Total Cash of Total of Estimated Available Amount now Retentions. Amount each Terminal. Work now Cost. each Terminal. earned. payable. Pone. $4,308,455 10 0.4718 $4,262,363 21 0.70449 $3,002,792 11 $ 3,998 69 $2,998,793 42 2,202,601 50 0.24095 2,179,113 97 0.83033 1,822,458 41 83,507 69 1,738,950 72 1,213,424 62 0.13275 1,200.570 16 0.96341 1,166,641 14 1,156,641 14 353,9S8 89 0.0387 349,996 73 0.8197 286,892 54 286,892 54 209,908 29 0.0230 208,008 39 0.9846 204,804 68 204,804 68 Victoria. 853,125 00 0.0933 843.790 66 Totals 89,141,503 40 • 100,000 $9,043,843 12 $6,473,588 88 $87,506 38 $6,386,082 50 E 6- BRITISH COLUMBIA. 1919 CANADIAN NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY ON VANCOUVER ISLAND. Track-laying started at the end of October, using rails lent by Pacific Great Eastern Railway Company to Dominion Government, and this work is still proceeding. The tonnage of 60-lb. steel rails turned over to the Canadian Northern Railway at December 31st was as follows: 2,737.8 tons and corresponding amount of accessories. I may mention that the importance of the Nitinat country as a source of aeroplane-spruce supply was brought first to the attention of the Air Board by the Department in September, 1917. It was the importance of this spruce-supply which brought about the starting-up of this con­ struction-work. NEW WESTMINSTER BRIDGE. In addition to the usual maintenance and repair-work carried out during the year to maintain the bridge and its approaches in a high state of efficiency, new 80-lb. steel rails were laid on the tracks leading from the north end of the bridge to the Great Northern line, replacing the old 70-lb. steel rails, which were disposed of by public sale. An extension of the interlocking system as affecting Great Northern operation was completed at a joint expenditure between that company and the Government, thus assuring a better protec­ tion in the handling of railroad traffic across the bridge. This extension makes a positive block between. Signal No. IS on the south end of the bridge and Signal No. 7 in the Great Northern Sapperton plant, a distance of 5,375 feet, and permits only one Great Northern or Canadian Northern train to get within the above-mentioned interlocking section, thereby doing away with the possibility of a head-on or rear collision in the positive blocked section. An unsatisfactory condition still, however, exists on the east approach, south end. A Great Northern freight-train may cross the bridge and use the Government approach to get to their old water-front line on the south side of the river for the purpose of picking up or spotting cars at the shingle-mills along this line. This train would be unprotected from the time it passed the home signal on the east approach until it was able to clear the Government track at the switch connecting same with water-front line. The distance between these points is 3,800 feet, and while this unprotected train was in this section it would be possible for a Canadian Northern train to meet it on single track. Negotiations are under way with the Canadian Northern officials to remedy this condition. A system of soundings was taken around the piers and pier-protection work of the bridge to determine the extent of scour since the previous soundings were taken in 1916. Nothing serious in the way of scour was determined. No check was taken of the maximum vehicular traffic across the bridge during the year. The railroad traffic across the bridge for the year 1918 was as follows:— PASSENGER. FRKIGHT. MIXED. Trains. Cars. Trains. Cars. Trains. Cars. 2,261 14,424 860 18,548 1,163 8,535 1,046 5,785 1,178 17,477 1,481 3,039 3,061 6,398 1,282 12,140 1,272 3,314* 2,343 198 442 2,462 361 3,968 6,800 29,059 3,681 54,674 3,916 14,888 * Dairy cars. SONGHEES TERMINALS. The work of grading the terminal grounds and industrial sites was carried on during the year up to July 15th, .when it was considered advisable to suspend operations until a definite ultimate scheme of development as to terminal facilities was decided on. Sixteen thousand cubic yards of rock-excavation was carried out during the period of work at a cost of $22,000, using the same plant and equipment as in 1917. 9 GEO. 5 • DEPARTMENT OF RAILWAYS. R 7 A portion of the unimproved area at the west end adjoining Mud Bay and fronting on the harbour, amounting to 3.16 acres, was leased to the Cholberg Ship Company at a rental of $100 per month. This lease expires on February 1st, 1920, and is renewable at the option of the Minister of Railways. PACIFIC GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY—OPERATION. Operation on this line had been abandoned by the previous management. The line was blocked by snow, ice, and rock slides, and there was not a complete operating, maintenance, or mechanical organization on the road when the Railway Department started on March 13th to get the motive power in shape, so as to open the 167 miles of line between Squamish and Clinton-; yet in about three weeks this line was ploughed out, an extra gang, section crew, steam-shovel crew, bridge-repair gang, roundhouse-men, and car-repair men were organized and put to work, and a regular schedule service inaugurated. The main line, Squamish to Clinton, and the North Shore Division, North Vancouver to Whytecliff, were then carefully inspected, and necessary work outside regular maintenance of track and bridge-repair work was undertaken and carried out in the summer months. Ballast was hauled and distributed on sections which had never been raised to final surface, and the line put in good running condition. The wharf and wharf approach at Squamish was given a thorough overhaul and some needed repairs made at the North Vancouver transfer ferry-slip. In order to maintain a regular service on the North Shore Division it was decided to replace the pile bridge across the Capilano, which was washed out, by another temporary structure, so as to afford transportation facilities while the two new bridges, 100-foot span each, were being erected.