British Columbia

Rail traffic in southern B.C. to resume Wednesday after mudslides, CN says

Canadian National Railway says it plans to restore "limited'' service on washed-out tracks in southern British Columbia on Wednesday after flooding and mudslides cut vital supply links.

Extreme weather washed out tracks and cut off rail access to the Port of Vancouver

A CN rail car
Crews have been working around the clock to repair rail lines after extreme weather cut off train access between the Okanagan and the City of Vancouver. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

Canadian National Railway says it plans to restore "limited'' service on washed-out tracks in southern British Columbia on Wednesday after flooding and mudslides cut vital supply links.

The railroad operator says the corridor between Vancouver and Kamloops, B.C., will reopen to some traffic early Wednesday, "barring any unforeseen issues.''

Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. said Monday it was aiming to resume service Tuesday and begin clearing a cargo backlog.

The country's two largest railway services were cut by torrential rain and landslides that kicked off Nov. 14, snarling the movement of goods between Canada's biggest port in Vancouver and B.C.'s Okanagan Valley region.

Crews have been working around the clock to repair rail lines, highways and dikes after mudslides damaged key infrastructure and floods displaced hundreds of residents and stranded thousands, leaving at least four people dead.

CN says the Port of Prince Rupert remains fully operational and cargo continues to flow through the more northern B.C. terminals.