Video of the former Grand Trunk Pacific Railway-Lake Superior Division, Canadian Government Railways-Fort William Subdivision, Canadian National Railways-Fort William/Lake Superior/Graham/Raith/Graham Subdivision (MP 0.3-1.8) at Sistonens Corners, ON. Features the grade at Dog River Station/Junction and a short distance to the west parallels the Matawin River with ties, coal and iron ore pellets. For a brief time, Dog River was the junction point between the original eastern portion of the grade, which would be abandoned in the spring of 1925 and a new section of line which connected with the CNR Kashabowie Subdivision. *The iron ore pellets came from the Griffith Mine near Red Lake, ON.
Video of the former Canadian National Railways Graham Subdivision near Sistonen’s Corners, ON. Features the grade from the Matawin River Bridge west to Dog River Station/Junction. This is the last portion of a 1924 rerouting of the former Grand Trunk Pacific Lake Superior Division which eliminated some duplicated trackage in the CNR network in the area. At Dog River, the new section of grade would join the original right of way and continue to the west (everything east of Dog River on the original grade was abandoned in the spring of 1925.
Video of the former Canadian National Railways Graham Subdivision near Sistonen’s Corners, ON. Features the 630 foot long, 40 foot high bridge over the Matawin River, which opened in 1924 and was part of a plan by CNR to consolidate its lines in the area. It features two sections, a truss span and deck plate span which are supported by 6 piers. As a result of duplicated trackage, the eastern 28 miles of the former Grand Trunk Pacific Lake Superior Division would be abandoned (known at the time as the Crest Subdivision) and the remaining portion of the line was renamed the Graham Subdivision. It’s trains would utilize the Kashabowie Subdivision to Conmee Junction and then cross the river on this new bridge and rejoin the original right of way. The bridge was abandoned with the remainder of the line in 1994.
Video of the former Canadian National Railways Graham Subdivision near Sistonen’s Corners, ON. Features the grade at what was know as Conmee Junction, which was created in 1924 when the former Grand Trunk Pacific Lake Superior Division was rerouted following the establishment of Canadian National Railways in 1919. The line, now christened the Graham Subdivision, would share trackage with the Kashabowie Subdivision to Conmee Junction and then cross the Matawin River on a newly constructed bridge and then rejoin the original grade. Conmee Junction disappeared when the Graham Subdivision was abandoned in 1994. Includes a portion of the original Canadian Northern Railway Port Arthur Subdivision which saw almost two miles of its route realigned as a result of the new construction.
Video of the former Grand Trunk Pacific Railway-Lake Superior Division, Canadian Government Railways-Fort William Subdivision, Canadian National Railways-Fort William/Lake Superior/Graham/Crest Subdivision at Sistonens Corners, ON. Features the grade from the end of Grand Trunk/Forbes Road to Dog River Station/Junction as it parallels the Matawin River and passes through a very scenic part of the original grade that was abandoned in 1925 with many cuttings, ties still in their place and a set of very rare rail holders.
Extra Credit is video series that examines topics related to history in the Thunder Bay District and exploring that history.
This episode, the tenth in sub-series on the former Kinghorn Subdivision and Part 1 of 2, takes us to Pass Lake, Ontario and one of the most recognizable structures on the line. The Pass Lake-Blende River area has some unique geography and that influenced the route and construction of the Canadian Northern Railway. Forced by the Canadian Pacific Railway and the ridges of the Sibley Peninsula to hug the shore of Lake Superior and then through a narrow gap known as “The Pass,” the rail line had to cross the wide Blende River Valley. The result was a massive, 2258-foot long, 130-foot high steel viaduct, which remains the largest in central Canada. Our ride takes us from the site of Pass Lake Station west to the viaduct, including through a stretch where the rails remain in place.
Video of the former Grand Trunk Pacific Railway-Lake Superior Division, Canadian Government Railways-Fort William Subdivision, Canadian National Railways-Fort William/Lake Superior/Graham/Crest Subdivision at Kaministiquia, ON. Features the grade along Grand Trunk/Forbes Road with a large rock cut, remains of a slow order bridge, site of a former concrete culvert and views of the Matawin River.
Video of the former Grand Trunk Pacific Railway-Lake Superior Division, Canadian Government Railways-Fort William Subdivision, Canadian National Railways-Fort William/Lake Superior/Graham/Crest Subdivision at Kaministiquia, ON. Features the grade along Ellis and Grand Trunk/Forbes Road with the remains of the Dona Pit, as well as large embankments and cuttings.
Video of the former Grand Trunk Pacific Railway-Lake Superior Division, Canadian Government Railways-Fort William Subdivision, Canadian National Railways-Fort William/Lake Superior/Graham/Crest Subdivision at Kaministiquia, ON. Features the grade from the north bank of the Dog River where a 350-foot bridge once crossed along a large embankment to where it meets Ellis Road.
Video of the former Grand Trunk Pacific Railway-Lake Superior Division, Canadian Government Railways-Fort William Subdivision, Canadian National Railways-Fort William/Lake Superior/Graham/Crest Subdivision at Kaministiquia, ON. Features the remains of the 350 foot long, 30 foot tall bridge over the Dog River. Constructed circa 1910, it replaced an earlier structure, likely a wood trestle. The bridge was composed of trestle portions on the river banks with two centre truss spans supported by 3 concrete piers. When this section of the line was abandoned in 1925, the bridge was apparently dismantled and shipped to Saskatchewan.
Poverty, Agony, Distress & Want! 