Throughout our history, many thousands of miles of rail lines were built across Canada. While those railways were an important part of our development, there was a high human cost to their construction. This sadly is one of those tragic stories.
November 1911 saw the commencement of construction of Canadian Northern Railway’s (CNoR) long anticipated eastern link between the Sudbury area and Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay). Geographical issues locating a route meant that CNoR surveyors and engineers had no choice but to run an important section of grade on Nipigon Bay outboard of the pre-existing Canadian Pacific line. This required several miles of infilling right beside an active rail line, which created some very dangerous work conditions. When CPR trains passed, the workers had to scatter for any safe location to avoid being struck by the oncoming locomotives.
On November 28, two workers were unfortunately not quick enough and were likely killed instantly as an eastbound barrelled past the work site. While their identities are unknown, they were described as both being Italians. The exact location of the accident is also unknown, but it likely took place near these sheer cliffs approximately 2 kilometres north of the community Red Rock, Ontario.
Port Arthur Daily News, November 29, 1911Red Rock, ON June 2023.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 130.9) at Red Rock, ON. Features the grade as it heads south alongside the Nipigon River and the Canadian Pacific mainline with the scene of a tragic November 1911 accident. Working to infill the river outboard of the Canadian Pacific grade, labourers were blasting rock when two were stuck by a passing eastbound CPR train and killed.
Extra Credit is video series that examines topics related to history in the Thunder Bay District and exploring that history.
This episode , the fourth in sub-series on the former Kinghorn Subdivision, takes us to the area between Nipigon and Red Rock where the grade parallels the still active Canadian Pacific mainline for several miles (officially the CPKC Nipigon Subdivision). Here, one can witness the immense work that the Canadian Northern Railway (the original constructors of the line) did to build their grade outboard of the Canadian Pacific line. It was obviously very labour intensive and expensive, and as you will hear, not without human cost as well. This area contains some amazing geography and stunning views of the Nipigon River and Bay. In the links below you can see more of the area, including the video on the accident, and the full-length version.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 132.1-134.7) west of Red Rock, ON. Features the grade as it approaches Robford Siding with telegraph poles and poured concrete culverts.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 132.1-134.7) west of Red Rock, ON. Features the grade as it parallels the Big Trout Creek with culverts, a level crossing, signage and the remains of a signal tower which part of the CN/CP interlock at Red Rock.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 132.1-134.7) at Red Rock, ON. Features the grade west of Red Rock Station with culverts, a rail, washouts and the 95-foot bridge over Big Trout Creek.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 132.1-134.7) at Red Rock, ON. Features the site of the station at Red Rock with culverts and the remains of the original 1937 Canadian Pacific spur to the Red Rock Paper Mill that crossed over the grade and the Big Trout Creek on a lengthy trestle.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 129.5-132.1) at Red Rock, ON. Features the grade at Red Rock where some rails remain in place and where the line once crossed Highway 628. The former station grounds at Red Rock are shown as well as the remains of several signals for the CN/CP interlock.
Several photos of the construction of the Canadian National Railways spur line to the paper mill in Red Rock, ON circa 1937. At the time, the Canadian Pacific spur was located a short distance away, on the west side of the Red Rock Station.
The third photo shows CNR executives standing in front of the original Red Rock Station, apparently in the area to inspect the construction of the spur.
Red Rock Public Library.
Red Rock spur construction, 1937. (Red Rock Public Library)Red Rock spur construction, 1937. (Red Rock Public Library)CNR executives standing in front of the original train station in Red Rock, 1937. (Red Rock Public Library)
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 129.5-132.1) at Red Rock, ON. Features the grade at Red Rock where there was a large storage yard for cars loaded with paper from the local mill. Spurs for both the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific are shown as well the interlock between the Kinghorn and the CP that still has some rails in place.
Poverty, Agony, Distress & Want! 