CNR Bridge | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 49°10′58″N122°59′17″W / 49.182903°N 122.988113°W Coordinates: 49°10′58″N122°59′17″W / 49.182903°N 122.988113°W |
Carries | 1 railway track |
Crosses | Fraser River north arm |
Locale | Burnaby-Richmond |
Maintained by | Canadian National Railway |
Characteristics | |
Design | Swing bridge |
Rail characteristics | |
Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) |
Electrified | No |
Location | |
Opened in 1931, the Canadian National Railway (CNR) steel truss swing span railway bridge over the north arm of the Fraser River in Metro Vancouver links Burnaby with Richmond and the south arm Vancouver Fraser Port Authority facilities on Lulu Island.
The Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) had planned to lay track from the north end of the New Westminster Bridge and cross the Fraser at the 1931 location. However, when the CNoR opened the Lulu Island branch line in 1917, it connected with the British Columbia Electric Railway (BCER) Queensborough terminus. Since the original BCER Queensborough bridge was designed for trams, not heavy locomotives, the CNoR westward route 12.02 miles (19.34 km) to Steveston a was an isolated branch line. After the CNR absorption of the bankrupt CNoR, the money-losing branch, and damage to trestles from a 1918 muskeg fire at Mile 4, terminated all services.
In July 1930, work began on sinking piers for the 4,200-foot-long bridge with a 240-foot central span. On completion in November 1931, work trains carried the steel rails across the bridge to lay 14 miles (23 km) of track for the Lulu Island industrial branch line. This comprised two north–south lines from west of the new bridge to connect with the remnants of the original east–west line at the south arm, with a scheduled completion date for the $2m project before yearend. [1] [2] [3]
Owing to the proximity of several bridges on the Fraser, the unique signal for the opening of the Lulu Island Bridge was four long blasts on the vessel's horn. [4]
In 2013, CN removed the observer-operators from three movable span bridges in the Lower Mainland comprising the Second Narrows, New Westminster and Lulu Island bridges, and now monitors river traffic by camera from a central location. [5]
Richmond is a coastal city in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada. It occupies almost the entirety of Lulu Island, between the two estuarine distributaries of the Fraser River. Encompassing the adjacent Sea Island and several other smaller islands and uninhabited islets to its north and south, it neighbours Vancouver and Burnaby on the Burrard Peninsula to the north, New Westminster and Annacis Island to the east, Delta to the south, and the Strait of Georgia to the west.
The British Columbia Electric Railway (BCER) was an historic railway which operated in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Originally the parent company for, and later a division of, BC Electric Company, the BCER assumed control of existing streetcar and interurban lines in southwestern British Columbia in 1897, and operated the electric railway systems in the region until the last interurban service was discontinued in 1958. During and after the streetcar era, BC Electric also ran bus and trolleybus systems in Greater Vancouver and bus service in Greater Victoria; these systems subsequently became part of BC Transit, and the routes in Greater Vancouver eventually came under the control of TransLink. Trolley buses still run in the City of Vancouver with one line extending into Burnaby.
The Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) was a historic Canadian transcontinental railway. At its 1923 merger into the Canadian National Railway, the CNoR owned a main line between Quebec City and Vancouver via Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonton.
Queensborough Bridge is a highway bridge in New Westminster, British Columbia. It was built in 1960 by John Laing and Son (Canada) for the City of New Westminster and cost $4 million. The bridge spans the north arm of the Fraser River for road access from the main part of New Westminster to the suburb of Queensborough at the east end of Lulu Island, giving the bridge its name.
The National Transcontinental Railway (NTR) was a historic railway between Winnipeg and Moncton in Canada. Much of the line is now operated by the Canadian National Railway.
The Arthur Laing Bridge is a crossing over the north arm of the Fraser River, and several minor roads, in Metro Vancouver.
The Knight Street Bridge is a crossing over the north arm of the Fraser River, the Canadian National Railway (CNR) line, and several roads, in Metro Vancouver.
The Oak Street Bridge is a crossing over the north arm of the Fraser River, the Canada Line, and several roads, in Metro Vancouver.
Lulu Island is the name of the largest island in the estuary of the Fraser River, located south of Vancouver, British Columbia, and the second-most populous island in British Columbia, after Vancouver Island. The city of Richmond occupies most of the island, while a small section at the eastern tip, known as Queensborough, is part of the city of New Westminster.
The Moray Bridge, also known as the Moray Channel Bridge, and formerly the Middle Arm Bridge, is a crossing over the middle arm of the Fraser River in Metro Vancouver. Richard Moody, who would name geographical features, such as this channel, after acquaintances, honoured Jonathan Moray (1824–84), a sergeant in the Corps of Royal Engineers, and later the New Westminster police chief.
The Dinsmore Bridge is a crossing over the middle arm of the Fraser River, and a former section of River Rd., in Metro Vancouver.
Annacis Island is a narrow island under the jurisdiction of City of Delta in Lower Mainland, British Columbia, located just downstream of the south arm of the Fraser River bifurcation between Lulu Island to the north and the Delta peninsula to the south. The island is now mostly an industrial zone, and contains one of Metro Vancouver's secondary wastewater treatment plants, the Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. The island is also home to the British Columbia Institute of Technology's Annacis Island campus.
Queensborough is a neighbourhood in the city of New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. It is on the eastern tip of Lulu Island on the Fraser River.
The Marpole CP Rail Bridge is a partially dismantled crossing over the north arm of the Fraser River, and River Dr., in Metro Vancouver.
Brighouse is a neighbourhood that comprises most of the urban core of Richmond in Metro Vancouver. The area includes community facilities, civic offices, Richmond Centre, and the Canada Line Richmond–Brighouse station terminus.
The Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern Railway (VV&E) was a railway line proposed to connect Metro Vancouver with the Kootenays, in Canada. After acquisition by the Great Northern Railway (GN), most of the route was built, but a through service, using the arranged running rights on the tracks of other companies, never eventuated.
The Ladner Ferry crossed the south arm of the Fraser River in Metro Vancouver, linking Ladner with Richmond.
The Marpole Bridge (1889–1957), a.k.a. Eburne Bridge, North Arm Bridge, Sea Island Bridge, or Middle Arm Bridge, was consecutive crossings over the north and middle arms of the Fraser River in Metro Vancouver.
The Fraser St. Bridge (1894–1974), also known as the Fraser Ave. Bridge, North Arm Bridge, No. 5 Rd. Bridge, or Twigg Island Bridge, was a crossing over the north arm of the Fraser River in Metro Vancouver.