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

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


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


timber bridge

replaced by steel

1908

Red Deer becomes CPR divisional point 1908 establishing town as distribution centre of Central Alberta


New Red Deer CPR station (centre) built 1910 to replace first station (right) built 1892 (relocated & used for freight); station

addition 1912


Letter of approval from Wilfrid Laurier to construct ACR from Red Deer to Rocky

Mountain House 1910


102 Years 102 Years AgoAgo

Sir Wilfrid Laurier arrives at Red Deer

CPR station August 10, 1910


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


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


Cygnet (Burnt) Lake drained to allow ACR roadbed construction;

ACR built to high standard while CNWR built to basic standard


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


1280’ Horseguard Trestle near Eckville under construction 1911 - later earth-filled


725’ North Saskatchewan River bridge at Rocky Mountain House built in 1911 – shared with CNWR


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


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


Rocky Mountain House (Lochearn)

built 1915

Built 1920;destroyed by fire 1967



1955


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

Last Train 1981Last Train 1981

BenaltoBenaltoMcLoughlin photoMcLoughlin 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 east The Mintlaw Bridge east todaytoday

The Mintlaw Bridge west The Mintlaw Bridge west todaytoday

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

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

Documents

railway stations

red deer east of ce

result of railway

calgary slide

north red deer

cpr slide

calgary edmonton railway

population of red deer