Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 64.6-69.1) east of Beardmore, ON. Features the grade from the Blackwater River to Ralph Creek with culverts, milepost markers and the remains of a section division sign.
Part 1 of 6.
Active, 1914-2005.
Extra Credit is video series that examines topics related to history in the Thunder Bay District and exploring that history. GPS can be a powerful tool for many types of applications.
For historical explorations, it can used in conjunction for satellite imagery and maps, both current and historic, to identify features that once existed on the ground. In this episode I demonstrate how I use Google Earth map overlay to identify points on old maps and then transfer that data to my GPS. Additionally, you will see how that process is validated once it is compared with the data that was gathered from the actual exploration.
One hundred twenty years ago, the initial portion of the Gunflint and Lake Superior Railroad (GLS) was completed from Ontario into Minnesota at Gunflint Lake. Owned by the Pigeon River Lumber Company (PRLC), a Wisconsin Company operating out of Port Arthur (Thunder Bay), Ontario, it was built to allow the PRLC to cut white pine on the southeastern side of the lake. Initially 2 miles in length, the GLS would eventually reach 6 miles at its peak in 1908.
The Gunflint and Lake Superior was unique as it was likely the only American railroad that had no US terminus and its only access was through Canada. All of the timber cut in Minnesota was hauled to the PRLC mill in Port Arthur for processing. Most of the distance to the sawmill was done via the Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway (PAD&W), which had been completed in 1893 but was now owned by Canadian Northern Railway. The GLS connected to the Canadian Northern line, at the time known as the Duluth Extension, at Milepost 79.
Concurrent to the construction of the railroad was the establishment of customs facilities on either side of the border. The first photograph shows the international crossing between Little Gunflint and Gunflint Lakes looking south circa 1919-1920. The former US facilities are very prominent and the man in the foreground is likely the agent, Richard Dowman. The second photo, taken in 1997, shows very little traces of what was a very busy location between 1902 and 1909.
Period photo by George Shiras III
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 60.4-64.6) east of Beardmore, ON. Features the grade west of Jackpine Station with culverts, milepost markers and a 100-foot pile and through girder trestle over the Blackwater River. **The unusual appearance of the trestle was the result of an alteration to allow logs to be rafted down the Blackwater River.
Part 5 of 5.
Active, 1914-2005.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 60.4-64.6) east of Beardmore, ON. Features the grade at Jackpine Station with the remains of the siding, which still has many of its ties still in place, as well an unknown structure, possibly a section house.
Part 4 of 5.
Active, 1914-2005.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 60.4-64.6) west of Nezah, ON. Features the grade with milepost markers, telegraph poles and the start of the siding at Jackpine Station.
Part 3 of 5.
Active, 1914-2005.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 60.4-64.6) west of Nezah, ON. Features the grade east of Jackpine Station with culverts, discarded rails and a rather unwelcome visitor.
Part 2 of 5.
Active, 1914-2005.
Merry Christmas!
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 60.4-64.6) west of Nezah, ON. Features the grade east of Jackpine Station with telegraph poles and milepost markers.
Part 1 of 5.
Active, 1914-2005.
On a cold winter day in the 1940s, Canadian National Railways 2-10-2 Santa Fe locomotive 4006 (Class T-1-a) idles at Jellicoe, Ontario. Jellicoe was a divisional point on the Canadian Northern Railway mainline when it opened for traffic 1915. After CN merged lines in 1960, it remained a crew change location until service was terminated in 2005.
Locomotive 4006 was one of ten constructed by Brooks Locomotive Works/ALCO for the Canadian Government Railways in 1916. They were all retired from use in 1960.
B. Franklin Collection
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 48.8-50.2) at Jellicoe, ON. Features the western portion of the yard at Jellicoe with culverts, rails and the crossing at Highway 11.
Part 9 of 9.
Active, 1914-2005.
Poverty, Agony, Distress & Want! 