After checking into the Motel in Hope on 21 August 2017, we asked the Inn Keeper for places of interest where we could visit before the night fall. She suggested us to visit the Othello Tunnel. We drove straight to the site after locating the destination in the GPS. Though only 9.5Km away, getting there would have been difficult without a GPS.
Othello Tunnels also called Quintette Tunnels are series of man-made openings through mountains of hard rock for laying of railway tracks. After spending more than two hours walking through these tunnels, my conclusion was that the series of tunnels are indeed an engineering marvel. It is hard to comprehend that such a feat was attempted and successfully completed in the early 1900's considering the level of technology then.
These tunnels were part of Kelly Valley Railway's Coquihalla Line built from 1913 to 1916 and formed part of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Altogether, there are 43 bridges and 13 tunnels in this part of the rail line. The rail line climbs from near sea level at Hope to Coquihalla Summit at 3,646ft over a distance of 36 miles (58Km). Part of this runs alongside Coquihalla River.
This rail line proved to be extremely difficult to operate. Rocks, mud and snow slides caused major disruptions to its service. Yet for 48 years, the railway provided freight and passenger service between Kootenays and the coast. In November 1959, heavy rain dealt a crushing blow washing out sections of the Coquihalla Line. The damage was never repaired. Over time, with better road and air travel, Kelly Valley Railway's Coquihalla Line was officially closed in 1961.
Many of the tunnels and original stations were named after characters of Shakespear's Play. The most well known of course is the Othello Tunnel, Some of the route's stations were named as Lear, Portia, Iago, Romeo and Juliet. Many attributed these names to the Engineer, McCulloch (1864-1945), the builder of the railway line because he was known as an avid fan of William Shakespear. Not all agreed to this assertion. Some say that it was Kelly Valley Railway president, James Warren who came up with the names. Yet there is a third source which claims that it was James Warren's daughter who convinced the father to name the stations east of Hope after Shakespearean characters....".
In the end, I believe that such names would add more human flavour to this otherwise cold hard engineering monument!
This rail line proved to be extremely difficult to operate. Rocks, mud and snow slides caused major disruptions to its service. Yet for 48 years, the railway provided freight and passenger service between Kootenays and the coast. In November 1959, heavy rain dealt a crushing blow washing out sections of the Coquihalla Line. The damage was never repaired. Over time, with better road and air travel, Kelly Valley Railway's Coquihalla Line was officially closed in 1961.
Many of the tunnels and original stations were named after characters of Shakespear's Play. The most well known of course is the Othello Tunnel, Some of the route's stations were named as Lear, Portia, Iago, Romeo and Juliet. Many attributed these names to the Engineer, McCulloch (1864-1945), the builder of the railway line because he was known as an avid fan of William Shakespear. Not all agreed to this assertion. Some say that it was Kelly Valley Railway president, James Warren who came up with the names. Yet there is a third source which claims that it was James Warren's daughter who convinced the father to name the stations east of Hope after Shakespearean characters....".
In the end, I believe that such names would add more human flavour to this otherwise cold hard engineering monument!
Entrance to first of four tunnels.
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| Exiting 1st Tunnel to 2nd Tunnel. |
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| To 2nd Tunnel. |
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| Exiting 2nd Tunnel to 3rd Tunnel. |
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| A favorite place for photo shoot for marrying couples. |
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| To 3rd Tunnel. |
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| End of 4th Tunnel. |
Return Route
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