Sydney Trip - Summer 1977

In 1977, Dad and I spent 3 wonderful days together on a trip to Sydney on Cape Breton Island to visit friends. Dad and I took the train there and back home. The following pictures are of our trip home. All pictures were taken from the Dutch Door of "Train #19" on that warm Summers Day. It was safe to stand in the Dutch Door of the railway carriages as "Train #18 and #19" didn't travel all that fast. The fastest speed would be about 40 mph or about 62 kph. "Train #19" left Sydney at 1115 hrs and arrived in Antigonish at 1535 hrs.

"Grand Narrow" Swing Bridge - Barra Strait - Bras d'Or Lake.

This picture is just before we are getting to Grand Narrows, on the Cape Breton County side of the Bras d'Or Lake. Across the lake is Victoria County. At this location we are 56 miles or 90 km from Sydney. It took about 90 minutes to get to this point in the journey.

The Bridge was built by the Intercolonial Railway when they pushed the rails from Truro to Sydney in the late 1800's. I don't have the exact date the bridge was built, but the spans were pre-frabricated and floated to this location to be erected. The Bridge has seven spans and the span closest to the Grand Narrows side is the Swing Span. The church on the other shore is St. Columbia Parish in Iona 1859-1981.

This scene cannot be appreciated today as the Nova Scotia Government in the late 1980's early 1990's built a highway bridge on this side of the Railway Bridge and the view is now totally obscured.

"Train #19" about to pass "Grand Narrows Station" - Cape Breton County

"Train #19" is about to pass the station at Grand Narrows. This train didn't have to stop here but the "Railliner" that left Sydney at 0630 hrs had a flag stop here at 0750 hrs if anyone was waiting to catch the train to points west.

"Train #19" once past the station at Grand Narrows will enter the approach to the Swing Bridge across the Barra Strait. About this time the train is slowing down so as to cross the bridge at the restricted speed of I believe 15 mph or 25 kph.

"Train #19" about to enter the "Grand Narrow Swing Bridge"

"Train #19" is doing the required restricted speed to cross the bridge. All trains had to adhere to this speed for safety reasons. If the train should derail on the bridge, less damage to the train and bridge would happen. Also the waters are deep here and I can remember looking down from the Dutch Door of the coach and seeing the dark cold waters. It took roughly a minute to cross the bridge and I was glad when we were across.

I remember while we were visiting our friends in Sydney and mentioning to Mildred about crossing the bridge on the way to Sydney. Mildred told me she used to cross the bridge to play the piano. I cannot remember if Mildred said she crossed from Grand Narrows to Iona to play the piano in the church, or if it was to cross over to Grand Narrows to play the piano.

"Iona Side" - Bras d'Or Lake - Victoria County

"Train #19" just across the Grand Narrows Swing Bridge. The Train is crossing the road to that leads to the Ferry Slip at Iona to Grand Narrows of Vehicle Traffic. At this location the Locomotive Engineer is blowing the "14-L" Grade Crossing warning.

After the train is completely off the bridge, the Engineer will speed up the train to about 40 mph or the 62 kph. The trip along the Bras d'Or Lake is really pretty. More so along the Victoria County side. The Train snaked along the lake shore and the scenery was quite beautiful. The "Bras d'Or" is translated from the French meaning "Golden Arm". The Bras d'Or is part of the Atlantic Ocean and is really an Inland Sea.

This trip cannnot be made anymore as in 1979 Via Rail cancelled "Trains #18 and #19 and replaced them with Railliners. In 1990 all Passenger Trains in Atlantic Canada except "The Ocean" between Halifax and Montreal were terminated by the Federal Govenment. If the trip were repeated today, one would have to ride a in a Box Car.

Till the next time.

All Aboard

"The Old Fart"