Summerland British Columbia - The Kettle Valley Railway Society is inviting all aboard as the historic train turns 25 this year.
 
"This is very exciting for the staff and volunteers of our heritage attraction and we encourage the residents of Summerland and surrounding areas to join us in a number of celebrations planned throughout the year. We want to acknowledge the early founders of the society, those that did the heavy lifting, actually laying down the track for the sidings, and the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of hours of volunteer time to get us where we are today. I understand at times, early on, employees had to choose between a paycheque or fuel for the Shay locomotive to keep the train in motion," said Sharon Unrau, president of the Kettle Valley Railway Society.

Now, 25 years later, more than 30,000 visitors ride the historic steam train each year, taking in the 16 kilometre scenic track line through orchards, vineyards, and over the Trout Creek trestle that is more than 260 feet above the canyon floor.
 
Popular events like the Great Train Robbery, barbecue, Christmas Express, Murder on the Rails, and Halloween Terror trains sell out each year.
 
Brad Coates, an early employee of the railway and now an engineer and operations manager, remembers the first years of operation.
 
"The train wasn't doing very well in those days. Management was going to pay us off and then shut down the operation. So rather than shut down and lay us off, we decided to give it one more try. We postponed our pay in order to buy some more diesel for the Shay and to keep it running. Management worked hard and things improved after that," said Coates.
 
Coates also remembers the hard, sweaty, job of restoring the tracks.
 
Although machines were used for parts of the line, the hard-to-get-at areas had to be done by hand.
 
Rails and ties are heavy, said Coates.
 
"It's just hard, backbreaking, labour. The early days of the KVR restoration project were tough ones in that there always seemed to be a challenge at every step. Some of the larger challenges were land and equipment acquisition, including coaches and a steam locomotive. Nobody had any railway experience, so it was like the blind leading the blind. There was also, for many years, job uncertainty and poor wages."
 
The train operates on the last intact section of the Kettle Valley Railway, constructed between 1910 and 1915.
 
The KVR, or Kootenay to Coast Connection, powered the Okanagan's fruit industry, transported families and created employment.
 
But as the provincial highway network improved, train travel became less attractive.
 
Passenger service ceased by 1964 and the freight train rode the rails in 1989, until 1995 when the steam train restoration project got underway.
 
The railway plans to run special occasion trains, guest speakers, tours, and live music throughout the 20th season.
 
A series of "Nooners" at the station will feature bands with a variety of styles, ranging from bluegrass to R&B, with engine number 3716 providing the heavy metal, said Tom Burley, chair of the anniversary celebrations.
 
The first event will be the Easter train, always popular with little ones who get to meet the Easter bunny on board and find some eggs.
 
Monique Tamminga.