14/01/2025
Vancouver Island’s Tooterville Trolley, aka the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway, has been down for 10 years now.
Several First Nations are reclaiming the right-of-way where it crosses Reserve lands. Already, the section at Nanoose has been torn up.
In its final days it operated a self-propelled diesel-engine ‘Dayliner,’ which really is a glorified bus on rails. Then they ran it, once daily, to Courtenay and back, instead of, as so many long suggested, that they take passengers to Victoria. In other words, a round trip that allowed them to visit the capital city and be home in time for dinner.
Another suggestion, one long favoured by anyone with an ounce of romance in their bones, was to reinstate a steam locomotive and operate the E&N as a tourist train rather than a so-called commuter train. (The Port Alberni spur with its scenic Cameron Lake and trestles would be ideal for this.)
But it is what it is—no train at all, and little apparent prospect of its ever being revitalized in any form.
The accompanying photos show the Dayliner at the Duncan station in recent years and, courtesy of the BC Archives, a huffing, puffing, snorting steam engine of old. Given a choice of riding between Victoria and Courtenay (better yet, to and from Port Alberni), which one would you prefer?
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