History of Railways on the Island

The Esquimalt and Nanaimo (E & N) Railway, which runs from Victoria to Courtenay on Vancouver Island, was built by Victoria coal baron Robert Dunsmuir to support a thriving coal and lumber industry and the Royal Navy base at Esquimalt. Construction began on April 30, 1884, after Prime Minister Sir John A. MacDonald persuaded Dunsmuir to build the railway. On August 13, 1886, on the east side of Shawnigan Lake, Prime Minister MacDonald drove the last railway spike into the ground.

On September 24, 1886, the Esquimalt to Russell extension was completed. On June 1, 1887, the Nanaimo to Wellington extension was completed and the Russell to Victoria extension was completed on March 29, 1888.

Robert Dunsmuir died on April 12, 1889. On  June 8, 1905, his son, James, sold the E & N Railway to the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). From 1906 to 1915, the E & N was extended to Lake Cowichan, Port Alberni, Parksville, Qualicum Beach and finally Courtenay. The E & N Railway, at its peak, had 45 stations on the main line, eight stations on the Port Alberni Line and 36 stations on the Cowichan Line. In 1953, the CPR discontinued Port Alberni passenger service. It planned to end all Island passenger service in 1978, but in 1977 VIA Rail was formed to take over the CPR and Canadian National Railway (CNR) passenger rail service. VIA assumed responsibility for the E & N in 1979 and has continued to provide quality passenger service to this day.

Rail America purchased the line in 1998 and began transporting commodities in January 1999. Approximately 8,500 carloads of forest and paper products, minerals and chemicals were transported by rail each year until the freight service ended at the close of 2001.