Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 21 February 2012 1:39pm
• The Bridge: 2012 February 21
• The Bridge: 2012 February 18
• The Bridge: 2012 February 15
• The Bridge: 2012 February 10
• The Bridge: 2012 February 08
• The Bridge: 2012 February 03
• The Bridge: 2012 February 02
• The Bridge: 2012 January 31
• The Bridge: 2012 January 26
• The Bridge: 2011 November 29
• The Bridge: 2010 November 30
• The Bridge: Aerial photograph
• The Bridge: Rail to Trail
• The Bridge: Brief history
• The Bridge: Engineering report, 1879
• Notice to Mariners: 2011 September 03
• Notice to Mariners: 2012 January 26
Located at mile 41.64 Yarmouth Subdivision, a quarter mile west of Weymouth.
1,224 feet long, 13 spans including a swing span.
Originally built as a timber trestle bridge in 1879 by the Western Counties Railway, it was replaced in 1914 by a steel bridge on concrete piers. The last passenger train crossed this bridge on 15 January 1990. On 27 March 1990, the entire Yarmouth Subdivision, including this bridge, was abandoned by the CPR, owner of the DAR. Ownership of the right-of-way, including this bridge, passed to the Province of Nova Scotia a few years later.
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 21 February 2012 1:39pm
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 18 February 2012 1:17pm
Another bridge span has been demolished.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 18 February 2012 1:15pm
Another bridge span has been demolished.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 18 February 2012 1:51pm
Another bridge span has been demolished.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 18 February 2012 1:30pm
Another bridge span has been demolished.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 18 February 2012 1:30pm
Another bridge span has been demolished.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 18 February 2012 1:31pm
Preparing to drill blasting holes in this concrete pier.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 18 February 2012 1:46pm
Drilling blasting holes in this concrete pier.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 15 February 2012 11:24am
When the tide goes out, the big barge is parked
on a specially-constructed level landing pad.
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 15 February 2012 11:22am
When the tide goes out, the big barge is parked
on a specially-constructed level landing pad.
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 15 February 2012 11:44am
The debris, from the two recently-demolished piers, has been removed.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 15 February 2012 11:44am
The debris, from the two recently-demolished piers, has been removed.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 10 February 2012 10:07am
Two more piers have been demolished.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 10 February 2012 10:07am
Two more piers have been demolished.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 10 February 2012 10:19am
Two more piers have been demolished.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 10 February 2012 10:19am
Two more piers have been demolished.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 8 February 2012 11:06am
Six days after the crane collapsed.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 8 February 2012 11:25am
Six days after the crane collapsed.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 8 February 2012 11:27am
Six days after the crane collapsed.
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 8 February 2012 11:27am
Six days after the crane collapsed.
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 3 February 2012 11:47am
Thirty hours after the crane collapsed.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 3 February 2012 11:47am
Thirty hours after the crane collapsed.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 3 February 2012 11:46am
Thirty hours after the crane collapsed.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 3 February 2012 12:05pm
Thirty hours after the crane collapsed.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 3 February 2012 12:15pm
Thirty hours after the crane collapsed.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 2 February 2012 2:47pm
About nine hours after the crane collapsed.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 2 February 2012 3:01pm
About nine hours after the crane collapsed.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 2 February 2012 3:05pm
About nine hours after the crane collapsed.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 2 February 2012 3:50pm
About ten hours after the crane collapsed.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 31 January 2012 12:48pm
Getting ready to lift off a steel girder span.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 31 January 2012 1:12pm
Getting ready to lift off a steel girder span.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 26 January 2012 12:20pm
Getting ready to lift off a steel girder span.
View large image
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 29 November 2011
The approach spans at the west end (left in this view)
of the bridge have been removed.
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 29 November 2011
The approach spans have been removed at both ends.
View large imagea-2010nov30.jpg "Dominion Atlantic Railway: Sissiboo River Bridge, Weymouth, Digby County, Nova Scotia, 30 Nov 2010")
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 30 November 2010
In November 2010 the bridge structure was still complete.
It appears here the same as it has for the last hundred years.
a-2010nov30.jpg "Dominion Atlantic Railway: Sissiboo River Bridge, Weymouth, Digby County, Nova Scotia, 30 Nov 2010")
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 30 November 2010
The view seen by the driver of an eastbound train approaching the bridge.
View large imagea-2010nov30.jpg "Dominion Atlantic Railway: Sissiboo River Bridge, Weymouth, Digby County, Nova Scotia, 30 Nov 2010")
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 30 November 2010
In November 2010 the bridge structure was still complete.
It appears here the same as it has for the last hundred years.
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 29 November 2011
Temporary road built on the old main line right-of-way
to provide access to the old railway bridge during the demolition work.
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 3 September 2011
Notice to Mariners
Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 3 September 2011
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 26 January 2012
Notice to Mariners
Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 26 January 2012
Thanks to G. Clarke and H. Bradford.
a-2010nov30.jpg "Dominion Atlantic Railway: Sissiboo River Bridge, Weymouth, Digby County, Nova Scotia, 30 Nov 2010")
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge
Aerial photograph showing a freight train powered by a steam locomotive on the bridge.
View large imagea-2010nov30.jpg "Association Sentier de Clare Rail to Trail Association 30 Nov 2010")
Association Sentier de Clare Rail to Trail Association 30 November 2010
Located beside Highway 1, about 2km west from Weymouth,
where the Dominion Atlantic Railway crossed Highway 1.
GPS location: 44°24'20"N 66°00'43"W
a-2010nov30.jpg "Association Sentier de Clare Rail to Trail Association 30 Nov 2010")
Association Sentier de Clare Rail to Trail Association 30 November 2010
Located beside Highway 1, about 2km west from Weymouth,
where the Dominion Atlantic Railway crossed Highway 1.
a-2010nov30.jpg "Association Sentier de Clare Rail to Trail Association 30 Nov 2010")
Association Sentier de Clare Rail to Trail Association 30 November 2010
Map showing the location of the old Sissiboo River railway bridge.
GPS location: 44°24'44"N 66°00'21"W
DAR Bridge Demolition Videos
•
Demolition of the Sissiboo River bridge (west piers) by Innovative Drilling, 0:54
•
Demolition of the Sissiboo River bridge (west piers) by ValleyTrails1, 0:26
The four west piers of the Sissiboo River bridge
were demolished in August 2011.
The three east piers of the Bear River bridge
were demolished on 18 October 2011.
•
Demolishing Bridge Piers 12,13,14, Bear River Bridge by Innovative Drilling, 1:08
•
Demolishing Bear River Bridge Pier 12 by ValleyTrails1, 0:48
•
Demolishing Bear River Bridge Pier 13 by ValleyTrails1, 1:33
•
Demolishing Bear River Bridge Pier 14 by ValleyTrails1, 0:57
Dominion Atlantic Railway Sissiboo River Bridge 6 February 1879
Report of Examination of the Western Counties Railway, by James Odell, C.E. (civil engineer), 6 Feb 1879
This report, written in 1879, describes the original bridge, not the replacement bridge completed in 1914. However, the main line track gradient and curve described here at the west side approach to the bridge, is the same track that remained in use throughout the entire operating time of the railway, until the last train ran here in early 1990. "...the bridge is approached from the west side on a sharp curve with a descending gradient of one foot in sixty-six feet, or seventy-nine feet per mile..." A descending gradient of seventy-nine feet per mile is (stated in modern railway terminology) a descending gradient of 1.5 per cent. This was then (and would be now) a significant challenge to a locomotive driver, who would have to have been alert to the fact that he was taking his train down a steep (steep by railway standards) grade heading into a sharp curve leading onto a high bridge with a swing span that could be opened for a ship at any time. This required a skillful and fullly alert driver at any time, and especially when the rail was wet. One of the photographs above shows the view seen by a driver as his eastbound train ran onto the bridge. At night, in a storm, the challenge was intensified.
Addressed to "His Excellency Sir John Wentworth Baronet, Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of Nova Scotia..."
Go To: Photographs of the Bear River bridge
http://ns1758.ca/rail/dar-bridge-bearriv.html
Go To: Photographs of the Sissiboo River bridge
http://ns1758.ca/rail/dar-bridge-sissiboo.html
 W3C HTML Validation Service http://validator.w3.org/ |
 W3C CSS Validation Service http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/ |