‘Only place’ for Wild West train experience and there’s nothing Hollywood about it

TUESDAY MORNING EDITORIAL — “There’s only one place in B.C. where Wild West fans can hear the sound of thundering hooves mixed with the chuffa-chuffa-chuffa of an authentic steam locomotive…” says an article in the summer edition of the B.C. Automobile Association’s Westworld magazine.

And, there’s a picture of a couple of train robbers racing alongside a steam engine, guns drawn. And, of course, tourists in open rail cars eating it up, cameras recording the fun.

Just another day of action on the 2141.

But wait. The magazine article continues, “… and that’s in Summerland, on the last remaining tracks of the Kettle Valley Railway.”

Ouch. “The desperadoes on horseback you’ll glimpse from the train’s window are actors re-enacting Hollywood oaters rather than local history, but it’s still an impressive sight to see saddled steeds match strides with an iron horse.”

Well, by next year, hopefully, the 2141 will be steaming out of Kamloops again, and Bill Miner and his gang will bring it to a screeching halt so they can “rob” the passengers. And then the KVR won’t be the “only one place in B,.C.” with a steam locomotive and a band of train robbers.

Bill Miner, after all, was the real deal, and he really did rob a train just outside Kamloops, unlike the wannabes to the south. Hurry up, Kamloops Heritage Railway Society — it’s up to you to get the 2141 back on track and back in front as the only place to go for Wild West rail history.