Then and now photos featuring the Blende River Viaduct, more commonly known as the Pass Lake Trestle. Located northwest of the community of Pass Lake, ON, the first train rolled over its spans 110 years ago this week. In May 2005, the last regular train crossed the viaduct and the rails around it were pulled up in late 2008.
Constructed between May and December 1912 by the Canadian Northern Railway, the viaduct is 2258 feet long and 130 feet high. To bridge the wide Blende River Valley, workers poured 3600 cubic yards concrete and placed 5 million pounds of steel at a cost of $350,000. It remains the longest railway trestle in central Canada.
The viaduct as completed, circa 1913.Viaduct, August 2021.Viaduct, October 2021.Viaduct, October 2021.Viaduct, October 2021.Viaduct, March 2022.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 64.6-69.1) east of Beardmore, ON. Features the grade as it skirts the Blackwater River with telegraph poles and the remains of the sidings at the Northern Empire Gold Mine.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 64.6-69.1) east of Beardmore, ON. Features the grade as it skirts the Blackwater River with rock cuts, telegraph poles and culverts.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 64.6-69.1) east of Beardmore, ON. Features the grade as it skirts the Blackwater River with rock cuts, telegraph poles, a rare stone culvert and the remains of Spooner Mine siding.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 64.6-69.1) east of Beardmore, ON. Features the grade as it skirts the Blackwater River with rock cuts, culverts and milepost markers.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 64.6-69.1) east of Beardmore, ON. Features the grade as it skirts the Blackwater River with rock cuts, telegraph poles and culverts.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Poverty, Agony, Distress & Want! 