Nonprofit organization in Surrey, Canada
The Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society (FVHRS) is a non-profit organization that runs a historic railway in Surrey, British Columbia. The organization restores and operates historic interurban streetcars previously operated by the British Columbia Electric Railway (BCER). It is one of seven operating heritage railways in the province.
History.
The FVHRS formed in 2001 under the advisory of the city of Surrey with a mission to acquire, restore, and operate BCER interurban cars.
The FVHRS established its headquarters on the site of the original Sullivan Station, which was part of the BCER's Fraser Valley Branch line. The line opened in 1910 and extended from Chilliwack to New Westminster, where passengers could transfer on to Vancouver. At the line remains the longest interurban rail line constructed in Canada.
A reproduction of the BCER Sullivan Station was constructed along the original tracks in 2001. This station was the base of operations and used to store rolling stock from 2001 until 2012.
In 2004, the FVHRS agreed to purchase BCER interurban car 1225 from the Southern California Railroad Museum, who had bought the decommissioned car from the BCER in 1958. The car was transferred to Canada in 2005.
The FVHRS relocated to the site of the old Cloverdale Station in 2013 after construction of a replica depot was completed in addition to a carbarn. The historic rail system began operation in June 2013 with seasonal return service from Cloverdale to Sullivan station.
In 2016, the Edmonton Radial Railway Society donated the former Edmonton Transit Service 2001, a 1912 electric locomotive that once ran on the Oregon Electric Railway as well as the BCER. This locomotive was in turn donated to the Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society in 2017.
From 2013 to 2022, the FVHRS had an agreement with the city of Surrey to run the heritage line from Cloverdale to Sullivan. This agreement was not extended in 2023 and thus the Cloverdale to Sullivan excursion had to be cancelled for the 2023 season. In its stead, the FVHRS launched the new "Heritage Railway Adventure" where guests ride on a variety of the organizations rolling stock.
In the new excursion, guests ride interurban car 1225 for , then take the speeders on a similar route. A video is then played about the history of the BCER on car 1207 and the tour ends with a ride on a velocipede.
In September 2024, an agreement was reached with Southern Railway of British Columbia (SRY) and BC Hydro to resume service for 5 years between the Cloverdale and Sullivan stations. Approval was required from the two organizations as SRY owns the freight rights on the old BCER track and BC Hydro owns the passenger rights. The restored line can be ridden as part of the 55-minute Sullivan Excursion.
System.
The heritage line is long, using only a small fraction of the original interurban line of the BC Electric Railway that connected Vancouver to Chilliwack.
One of two operational interurbans is run seasonally on weekends, from stations at Cloverdale to Sullivan. The line's vehicles do not use a trolley-pole, and are instead powered by a generator towed on a small flatcar.
Advocates throughout the Fraser Valley have proposed reviving regional rail along the old BCER tracks. The FVHRS aims to extend the current line to connect to Scott Road Skytrain Station, and is exploring the possibility of converting its trains to be hydrogen powered.
References.
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External links.
 Media related to at Wikimedia Commons