A second historic streetcar
line should soon be under construction in the Vancouver area following approval
of financing by the Mayor and Council of the City of Surrey. In a rare
unanimous vote on July 24, the politicians agreed to help resurrect about
1.5-miles of the former BC Electric Railway’s Chilliwack line between Cloverdale
and Sullivan. Public funding will be added to over C$50,000 in donations that
have been received over the past few years. An agreement for operation of the
Surrey Heritage Trolley has been reached with BC Hydro, which owns the
right-of-way, and with the BC Southern Railway, which owns the rails. Funding
is available for initial operating costs and to acquire rolling stock, including
ex-BCER No. 1220, which is being restored by the Steveston Interurban
Restoration Society. Donations of a carbarn and replica stations have been
offered by local businesses, leaving only the purchase of a substation and
installation of trolley wire still to be arranged. Volunteers may be used for
the latter task, although a professional operating manager is expected to be
hired. There’s no firm estimate on when the line will open, but there’s already
talk of eventually extending it to the Scott Road SkyTrain Station.
