It was all smiles aboard the Alberni Pacific Railway as the train made its first official trip across Stamp Avenue with passengers since 2018, heading all the way to the Best Western Barclay Hotel. With members of the Tseshaht and Hupacasath First Nations on board, along with representatives from the city and Island Corridor Foundation, the train headed for the Barclay. “I think everybody in the Valley would love to see this train go all the way at least to Cameron Lake and we’re gonna do whatever we can to support that vision,” said Chief Councillor Ken Watts of the Tseshaht First Nation. “The rail does have a history in terms of our territory that was taken from us. But we see opportunities to work together so we can all benefit from this rail. Not just First Nations but the entire Valley.” Before the train departed for the Barclay, singers and dancers from Tseshaht and Hupacasath First Nations performed together as both Nations have invested resources and lent support in bringing the rail back to service. Councillor Serena Mayer from Hupacasath First Nation said her family has loved the train’s return to service. “We’ve been riding it since it re-opened and really enjoying the time we get to spend together with our family and other families and our community,” Mayer said. “It’s such an incredible way to experience our territory, we’re super grateful to recognize the hard work of the Island Corridor Foundation and the Alberni Pacific Railway, the city, Hupacasath and Tseshaht to really dream big and see what the potential is for this project.” Mayer said despite the rail’s challenging history, she’s excited to see a new path forward being built that will support families, transportation and the tourism economy of the Alberni Valley. Throughout the ride to the Barclay, cyclists, drivers, walkers, city workers and semi-trucks waved or honked for the train as it went by. Riders aboard the train waved back at everyone they passed, including those drivers who waited for the train to cross at Stamp Avenue. Alberni Pacific Railway’s operations manager, Richard Spencer, said the Alberni train is well known as the friendly train. “We would love to hear from everyone from the community on what we can do differently, what we can add to the operation,” Spencer told people aboard the train. “This project represents what’s possible when heritage, tourism and community come together. We’re building on the legacy of the railway while creating new experiences that will benefit the Alberni Valley for generations to come.” The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District formed a working group to discuss the railway with representatives from the two First Nations and the city to discuss plans for the future of the rail line. In 2025 several railway trestles were damaged by the Wesley Ridge Wildfire, which presents new challenges for longer distance train travel. For more than two decades Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council President Judith Sayers has been involved with the Island Corridor Foundation, currently serving as a co-chair. She hopes that showing how successful tourist trains can be around the Island will encourage governments to fund repairs to damaged trestles and help get the train running to Cameron Lake and well beyond. The foundation is made up of directors from First Nations and regional districts the railway passes through. Up until 2018 the train ran to McLean Mill National Historic Site but between funding cuts and damaged equipment it was shelved. Volunteers have been working hard to bring the train back, running train rides for tourists and bringing Santa on board for the Christmas train. With the stretch of track officially re-opened, train rides aboard the Alberni Pacific Railway will go for around 45 minutes from the station near Harbour Quay to the Barclay and back rather than the previous 25-minute ride on the shorter stretch of opened track.
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