The Kamloops Heritage Railway (reporting mark KHRX) is a heritage railway in Kamloops, British Columbia. The railway operates from May to December; trains are hauled by 2-8-0 steam locomotive Canadian National Railway No. 2141, also known as the Spirit of Kamloops. The museum's operations are currently suspended, initially due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it plans to resume operations in 2026.

History

The Kamloops Heritage Railway began in 1993, when the City of Kamloops was approached by a private enterprise group, who asked about the possibility of restoring and operating Canadian National 2141 to run tourist trains in Alberta.

In February 1994, No. 2141 was removed from display by the newly formed 2141 Steam Locomotive Restoration Society and moved into a warehouse in River Street in Kamloops, where restoration work officially began. On July 31, 2001, the Kamloops city council approved $1 million for No. 2141's restoration, and loaned $360,183 to help the Kamloops Heritage Railway Society construct a workshop building in Lorne Street to house and maintain the locomotive.

On August 24, 2001, No. 2141 underwent a successful test fire, and it moved under steam for the first time in 43 years the following day. On January 15, 2002, after some final assembly and more testing, No. 2141 was moved to its new location under its own power. Five months later, now proclaimed as Spirit of Kamloops, it hauled the railroad's inaugural excursion on June 26.

The train travels on a 6-mile round trip from downtown Kamloops to CN Rail Cam Loops Junction from May to December each year. The train would occasionally run a 112.8-mile round trip to Armstrong for the special "Armstrong Explorer" excursion; tickets for excursions are sold at the ticket office, located at No. 3-510 Lorne Street, right across from the old Kamloops railway station.

In 2020, it was announced that the railroad would suspend operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was also due to the increased amount of freight traffic, mainly the export of American coal through Kamloops via the Canadian Pacific Railway to the Canadian National Kamloops North yard via the rail bridge over the North Thompson River.

In 2024, A new board of directors was established and made plans to return No. 2141 to operational service by 2026, with Canadian National offering to let the heritage railway operate on 71 miles of the Okanagan Subdivision, between Campbell Creek and Vernon. A boiler inspector surveyed the locomotive and stated that little work has to be done to restore it to operational use.

On July 17, 2026, it was announced that No. 2141 completed its hydrostatic test.

Equipment
Locomotives
Locomotive details

Rolling stock
Rolling stock details

Former rolling stock