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The 100The 100thth Year of the ACR and Year of the ACR and the Mintlaw Trestlethe Mintlaw Trestle
Its Impact on the Development Its Impact on the Development of of
West Central AlbertaWest Central Alberta Forth Junction Heritage Society Annual General Meeting October 25, 2012
The Calgary & Edmonton The Calgary & Edmonton RailwayRailway
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
Calgary & Edmonton Railway (partially owned by Mackenzie & Mann) constructs line north from Calgary and establishes townsite at Red Deer 1890
The Calgary & Edmonton The Calgary & Edmonton RailwayRailway
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 RailwayThe 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 The Calgary & Edmonton RailwayRailway
timber bridge
replaced by steel
1908
Red Deer becomes CPR divisional point 1908 establishing town as distribution centre of Central Alberta
The Calgary & Edmonton The Calgary & Edmonton RailwayRailway
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 RailwayThe Alberta Central Railway
Letter of approval from Wilfrid Laurier to construct ACR from Red Deer to Rocky
Mountain House 1910
The Alberta Central RailwayThe Alberta Central Railway
102 Years 102 Years AgoAgo
Sir Wilfrid Laurier arrives at Red Deer
CPR station August 10, 1910
The Alberta Central RailwayThe Alberta Central Railway
102 Years Ago102 Years Ago
Sir Wilfrid Laurier(with John T. Moore) drives first spike for
Alberta Central Railway in south Red Deer east of
C&E RailwayAugust 10, 1910;
construction begins from C&E Railway at Forth to
Mountview, yard and station built, line graded
to Pine Lake
Canadian Northern Western Canadian Northern Western RailwayRailway
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 House1914 CNWR reaches Brazeau coal fields at Nordegg
Subsidiary of Canadian Northern Railway owned by Mackenzie & Mann
Prosperity and OptimismProsperity and Optimism1908-19141908-1914
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 OptimismProsperity and Optimism1908-19141908-1914
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 RailwayThe Alberta Central Railway
Forth JunctionForth JunctionThe 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 BridgeThe Mintlaw Bridge
Construction of 2,112’ long, 110’ high steel trestle begins 1911
The Mintlaw BridgeThe 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 RailwayThe 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 RailwayThe Alberta Central Railway
Rival railways 1912-14 Alberta Central Railway and Canadian Northern Western
Railwaywith 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 RailwayThe Alberta Central Railway
1280’ Horseguard Trestle near Eckville under construction 1911 - later earth-filled
The Alberta Central RailwayThe Alberta Central Railway
725’ North Saskatchewan River bridge at Rocky Mountain House built in 1911 – shared with CNWR
The Alberta Central RailwayThe Alberta Central Railway
Mixed passenger service 3x per week 1913-1957
Rocky Mountain HouseCPR Std A3 built 1920
Sylvan Lake & BenaltoCPR Std 14A built 1924, 1928
Portable – Mintlaw, Cygnet, Sylvan Lake, Benalto, Crawshaw, Kootuk (Eckville), Hespero, Condor, Alhambra, Lochearn, Rocky Mountain House West built 1912-15
The Alberta Central RailwayThe Alberta Central Railway
Stations of the Alberta Central Railway (CPR design)small stations originally built at Red Deer, Mintlaw, Cygnet, Sylvan Lake,
Benalto 1912-13new stations later built by CPR at Sylvan Lake and Benalto (now moved or
destroyed)
Red Deer built 1912
Benalto built 1928
Rocky Mountain Housebuilt 1920
Sylvan Lake built 1924
The Alberta Central RailwayThe Alberta Central Railway
Rocky Mountain House (Lochearn)
built 1915
Built 1920;destroyed by fire 1967
The Alberta Central RailwayThe 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 ACR/CPR & CNWR Sylvan LakeLake
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)
MintlawMintlaw
Tiny community had small Searle elevator (relocated) and small portable station with passenger service
Bachusky photo
The Mintlaw Bridge 1985The Mintlaw Bridge 1985
Mintlaw Trestle Mintlaw Trestle prior to rail removal; prior to rail removal;
last train 1981;last train 1981;abandoned 1983abandoned 1983
The Mintlaw Bridge todayThe Mintlaw Bridge today
CPR donates Mintlaw bridge to Red Deer County for $1 in 2009-2010Bridge identified as significant historical resource in Heritage Inventory 2009
Bridge Preservation and Public Access Strategy completed Spring 2012Major 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 todayThe Mintlaw Bridge todayMintlaw trestle
purchased by Red Deer County2010repairs 2011
major landmark for 100 years
close to historic Calgary & Edmonton Trail
looking west toward Red Deer River
The Mintlaw Bridge todayThe Mintlaw Bridge today- longest existing - longest existing railrail structure in structure in Central Central Alberta; Alberta; - longest - longest abandonedabandoned rail structure in rail structure in Alberta; Alberta;- 3rd longest steel - 3rd longest steel trestle in Western trestle in Western Canada, Canada, - 5th longest - 5th longest railwayrailway bridge in Alberta bridge in Alberta
looking east toward Tuttle siding(Gasoline Alley 2A opp. Lantern St.)
The Mintlaw Bridge todayThe 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 Red Deer County proposed ACR Trail – Red Deer to ACR Trail – Red Deer to
BenaltoBenalto
Award-winning Red Deer County Open Spaces Master Plan adopted 2009showing former Alberta Central Railway right of way as future trail
Red Deer County proposed Red Deer County proposed ACR Trail – Red Deer to ACR Trail – Red Deer to
BenaltoBenalto
Red Deer River Valley & Tributaries Concept Park Plan adopted 2010showing potential future trails using ACR ROW, river valley and Sylvan Creek
Mintlaw Bridge Public Access & Mintlaw Bridge Public Access & Preservation Strategy RDCo Preservation Strategy RDCo
20122012
Adopted for information only on April 10, 2012
Potential Trails via Mintlaw Potential Trails via Mintlaw BridgeBridge
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 Potential Trans Canada Trail – Red Deer to Springbrook– 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 TransCanada Rail Bridge TrailTrail
Red Deer CPR bridge built 1908; abandoned 1991; now part of Trans Canada Trail
TransCanada Rail Bridge TransCanada Rail Bridge TrailsTrails
Kettle Valley Railway (CPR) Trail southern BCincludes Merritt, Princeton, Penticton, Myra Canyon, Midway
Trans Canada Trail
Iron Horse (multi-use) TrailBeaver River CNR Bridge
Waskatenau to Cold Lake, Heinsburgincludes Bonnyville, St. Paul, Smoky Lake
Trans Canada Trail
TransCanada Rail Bridge TransCanada Rail Bridge TrailsTrails
Kinsol Trestle Trail Vancouver Island BCtimber trestle 144 ft. tall, 617 ft. long
Trans Canada Trail
Sky Trail, Outlook , SaskN. Saskatchewan River CPR
BridgeCanada’s longest pedestrian bridge at
3000 ft.
Trans Canada Trail