Reversing Falls Railway Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Reversing Falls Railway Bridge is the name given to two different steel truss bridge
s crossing the Saint John River at the same location in Saint John
, New Brunswick
, Canada
.
The original bridge was constructed in 1885 immediately upstream of a highway crossing known as the Reversing Falls Bridge
. Measuring 372 metres (1,220.5 ft) in length, the railway bridge carried a single-track main line.
It was constructed by the Saint John Bridge and Railroad Extension Company which was a municipal-owned corporation established to connect two separated sections of the former European and North American Railway
project. The eastern section of the E&NAR was merged into the Intercolonial Railway following Confederation
while the western section was acquired by the New Brunswick Railway
(NBR). The Saint John Bridge and Railroad Extension Company was acquired by the NBR following the construction of the bridge. The NBR was purchased by the Canadian Pacific Railway
in 1890.
A replacement structure keeping much of the same design was opened in 1922 to accommodate heavier loads; the original being demolished in 1921.
The railway bridge is currently owned and operated by the New Brunswick Southern Railway
, following CPR's sale of its Canadian Atlantic Railway
subsidiary in 1995.
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
s crossing the Saint John River at the same location in Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The original bridge was constructed in 1885 immediately upstream of a highway crossing known as the Reversing Falls Bridge
Reversing Falls Bridge
The Reversing Falls Bridge is a 2-lane highway bridge crossing the Saint John River at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. It carries New Brunswick Route 100 across the river and there is no toll for its use.-History:...
. Measuring 372 metres (1,220.5 ft) in length, the railway bridge carried a single-track main line.
It was constructed by the Saint John Bridge and Railroad Extension Company which was a municipal-owned corporation established to connect two separated sections of the former European and North American Railway
European and North American Railway
The European and North American Railway is the name for three historic Canadian and American railways which were built in New Brunswick and Maine....
project. The eastern section of the E&NAR was merged into the Intercolonial Railway following Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
while the western section was acquired by the New Brunswick Railway
New Brunswick Railway
The New Brunswick Railway was a historic Canadian railway operating in western New Brunswick. Its headquarters were in Woodstock.The original NBR lines were built to the narrow gauge of...
(NBR). The Saint John Bridge and Railroad Extension Company was acquired by the NBR following the construction of the bridge. The NBR was purchased by the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
in 1890.
A replacement structure keeping much of the same design was opened in 1922 to accommodate heavier loads; the original being demolished in 1921.
The railway bridge is currently owned and operated by the New Brunswick Southern Railway
New Brunswick Southern Railway
The New Brunswick Southern Railway and Eastern Maine Railway form a 189-mile railway system operating a former Canadian Pacific Railway mainline between Saint John, New Brunswick and Brownville Junction, Maine....
, following CPR's sale of its Canadian Atlantic Railway
Canadian Atlantic Railway
The Canadian Atlantic Railway is a historic Canadian and U.S. railway that existed from 1988 to 1994.The CAR was created in September 1988 as a business unit of CP Rail System to serve the Maritime Provinces and state of Maine...
subsidiary in 1995.