Transcript The 100th Year of the ACR and the Mintlaw Trestle Its Impact on the Development of West Central Alberta Forth Junction Heritage Society Annual.

The 100th Year of the ACR and
the Mintlaw Trestle
Its Impact on the Development of
West Central Alberta
Forth Junction Heritage Society Annual General Meeting
October 25, 2012
The Calgary & Edmonton Railway
Calgary & Edmonton Railway
(partially owned by Mackenzie
& Mann) constructs line north
from Calgary and establishes
townsite at Red Deer 1890
C&E builds timber bridge
across Red Deer River 1890-91;
continues line north to
Strathcona 1891;
CPR assumes control of
C&E Railway 1892
The Calgary & Edmonton Railway
New Red Deer C&E/CPR combination station and freight house built 1892;
similar stations built at Innisfail, Lacombe, Ponoka, Olds, Carstairs,
Wetaskiwin, Leduc, Strathcona, Airdrie and south of Calgary
The Alberta Central Railway
Schematic plan for Alberta Central Railway Yellowhead Pass to Moose Jaw & Hudson Bay
ACR chartered 1901 with headquarters in Red Deer
- led by John T. Moore – construction delayed until 1910
The Calgary & Edmonton Railway
Red Deer becomes
CPR divisional point
1908 establishing
town as distribution
centre of Central
Alberta
timber
bridge
replaced by
steel 1908
The Calgary & Edmonton Railway
New Red Deer CPR station (centre) built 1910 to replace first station
(right) built 1892 (relocated & used for freight); station addition 1912
The Alberta Central Railway
Letter of approval from Wilfrid Laurier to construct
ACR from Red Deer to Rocky Mountain House
1910
The Alberta Central Railway
102 Years Ago
Sir Wilfrid Laurier
arrives at Red Deer
CPR station
August 10, 1910
The Alberta Central Railway
102 Years Ago
Sir Wilfrid Laurier
(with John T. Moore) drives
first spike for Alberta Central
Railway in south Red Deer
east of C&E Railway
August 10, 1910;
construction begins from C&E
Railway at Forth to
Mountview, yard and station
built, line graded to Pine Lake
Canadian Northern Western Railway
Subsidiary of Canadian Northern Railway owned by Mackenzie & Mann
1911 Construction of Canadian
Northern Western Railway
begins from Warden (near
Stettler) via Alix and
Burbank to Sylvan Lake,
branch built south to
North Red Deer
1912 CNWR reaches Rocky
Mountain House
1914 CNWR reaches Brazeau
coal fields at Nordegg
Prosperity and Optimism
1908-1914
From 1901 to 1912, the population of
Red Deer rose from 323 (smaller than
Lacombe or Innisfail) to almost 3,000
. . . and due to the economic boom as
result of railway building around Red
Deer and west . . .
1913 Red Deer becomes city
anticipating a population of at
least 20,000 by 1920
1913 Sylvan Lake becomes town
with 2 railway stations in close
proximity
Prosperity and Optimism
1908-1914
Plans for 3 railways
in 6 directions
through Red Deer
C & E (CPR)
CNWR (CNR)
ACR (CPR)
plus 3 more nearby
representing the
settlement and
development
of Western Canada
The Alberta Central Railway
Forth Junction
The ACR crosses the
Calgary & Edmonton
Railway (CPR) and
Waskasoo Creek 1911 at
Forth (south Red Deer)
connecting Mountview
and Westpark
East of bridge, including trestle over Piper Creek
and yard in Mountview, abandoned after ACR
absorbed into CPR
The Mintlaw Bridge
Construction of
2,112’ long, 110’ high
steel trestle
begins 1911
The Mintlaw Bridge
ACR goes bankrupt due to
inflationary pressure of
booming economy around
Red Deer.
CPR leases line for 999 years
and completes bridge in
fall 1912
The Alberta Central Railway
Cygnet (Burnt) Lake drained to allow ACR roadbed construction;
ACR built to high standard while CNWR built to basic standard
The Alberta Central Railway
Rival railways 1912-14
Alberta Central Railway and Canadian Northern Western Railway
with conflicts and sabotage
ACR builds bridge across North Saskatchewan 1912
CNWR reaches Rocky Mountain House in 1912
ACR reaches Rocky Mountain House in 1914 after bankruptcy
CNWR obliged to share ACR river bridge
The Alberta Central Railway
1280’ Horseguard Trestle near Eckville under construction
1911 - later earth-filled
The Alberta Central Railway
725’ North Saskatchewan River bridge at Rocky Mountain
House built in 1911 – shared with CNWR
The Alberta Central Railway
Portable – Mintlaw, Cygnet, Sylvan Lake, Benalto,
Crawshaw, Kootuk (Eckville), Hespero, Condor,
Alhambra, Lochearn, Rocky Mountain House West
1912-15
Sylvan Lake & Benalto
CPR Std 14A built 1924, 1928
Rocky Mountain House
CPR Std A3 built 1920
Mixed passenger service 3x per week 1913-1957
built
The Alberta Central Railway
Sylvan Lake
built 1924
Red Deer
Benalto
built 1912
built 1928
Rocky Mountain House
Stations of the Alberta Central Railway (CPR design)
built 1920
small stations originally built at Red Deer, Mintlaw, Cygnet, Sylvan Lake, Benalto 1912-13
new stations later built by CPR at Sylvan Lake and Benalto (now moved or destroyed)
The Alberta Central Railway
built 1915
Built 1920;
destroyed by fire 1967
Rocky Mountain House (Lochearn)
The Alberta Central Railway
The Alberta Central Railway
1955
The Alberta Central Railway
Privately-owned former
Alberta Central Railway
original right of way
southwest of Red Deer
abandoned 1962 when
junction moved to Tuttle siding
(near Gasoline Alley)
due to construction of
Highway 2 expressway
right of way sold to landowners
ACR/CPR & CNWR Sylvan Lake
Sylvan Lake flourished early as tourist town as result of arrival of railways
(former ACR line is curved area on left; Canadian National (CNWR) on right)
Mintlaw
Tiny community had small Searle elevator (relocated)
and small portable station with passenger service
Bachusky photo
Last Train 1981
Benalto
McLoughlin photo
The Mintlaw Bridge 1985
Mintlaw Trestle
prior to rail removal;
last train 1981;
abandoned 1983
The Mintlaw Bridge east today
The Mintlaw Bridge west today
The Mintlaw Bridge today
CPR donates Mintlaw bridge to Red Deer County for $1 in 2009-2010
Bridge identified as significant historical resource in Heritage Inventory 2009
Bridge Preservation and Public Access Strategy completed Spring 2012
Major Central Alberta landmark for 100 years in Sept. 2012
“CPR is planning to donate Mintlaw bridge to Red Deer County for use as part of a recreational trail.”
– IBI Mintlaw Bridge Valuation Sept. 2009
The Mintlaw Bridge today
Mintlaw trestle
purchased by
Red Deer County
2010
repairs 2011
major landmark
for 100 years
close to historic
Calgary &
Edmonton Trail
looking west
toward Red Deer
River
The Mintlaw Bridge today
- longest existing rail
structure in Central
Alberta;
- longest abandoned
rail structure in
Alberta;
- 3rd longest steel
trestle in Western
Canada,
- 5th longest railway
bridge in Alberta
looking east toward
Tuttle siding
(Gasoline Alley 2A opp.
Lantern St.)
The Mintlaw Bridge today
ACR Mintlaw bridge looking south from west side of Red Deer River
Historical significance: historic landmark, symbol of optimism and entrepreneurship of
Central Albertans, largest remaining relic of ACR, opened up for settlement the area west
of Red Deer to the Rockies, provided passenger and freight service, catalyst for major
boom resulting in Red Deer becoming a city in 1913
Red Deer County proposed
ACR Trail – Red Deer to Benalto
Award-winning Red Deer County Open Spaces Master Plan adopted 2009
showing former Alberta Central Railway right of way as future trail
Red Deer County proposed
ACR Trail – Red Deer to Benalto
Red Deer River Valley & Tributaries Concept Park Plan adopted 2010
showing potential future trails using ACR ROW, river valley and Sylvan Creek
Mintlaw Bridge Public Access &
Preservation Strategy RDCo 2012
Adopted for information only on April 10, 2012
Potential Trails via Mintlaw Bridge
Proposed Red Deer – Sylvan Lake Trail
using former Alberta Central Railway (CPR) right of way
with potential Sylvan Creek direct link
Potential Trans Canada Trail
– Red Deer to Springbrook
Former ACR Corridors
including Mintlaw Bridge
as alternate alignments of
Trans Canada Trail (Green)
Red Deer to Springbrook
using linkage from Bower Ponds
through Maskepetoon Park
under Highway 2 and CPR
along river to Sylvan Creek
with other possible future trail alignments
possible funding opportunity
for creation of trail and
rehabilitiation of Mintlaw Trestle
TransCanada Rail Bridge Trail
Red Deer CPR bridge built 1908; abandoned 1991;
now part of Trans Canada Trail
TransCanada Rail Bridge Trails
Iron Horse (multi-use) Trail
Beaver River CNR Bridge
Waskatenau to Cold Lake, Heinsburg
includes Bonnyville, St. Paul, Smoky Lake
Trans Canada Trail
Kettle Valley Railway (CPR) Trail
southern BC
includes Merritt, Princeton, Penticton,
Myra Canyon, Midway
Trans Canada Trail
TransCanada Rail Bridge Trails
Sky Trail, Outlook , Sask
N. Saskatchewan River CPR Bridge
Canada’s longest pedestrian bridge at 3000 ft.
Trans Canada Trail
Kinsol Trestle Trail
Vancouver Island BC
timber trestle 144 ft. tall, 617 ft. long
Trans Canada Trail
The 100th Year of the ACR and
the Mintlaw Trestle
Its Impact on the Development of
West Central Alberta
Forth Junction Heritage Society Annual General Meeting
October 25, 2012