Site supervisor Darlo Sellers and two of his crew break for lunch while working to
dismantle the Sissiboo River train trestle. |
22 August 2011
End of the Line for Historic Train Trestle
New Edinburgh Nova Scotia - The historic train trestle that has spanned the Sissiboo River for nearly 100 years is being dismantled for
safety reasons.
The three-month dismantling process began on the New Edinburgh side of the Sissiboo River at the end of July with work on the Weymouth side starting
16 Aug 2011.
Site supervisor Darlo Sellers of R.J. MacIsaac Construction in Antigonish said the trestle is a hazard.
"The abutments and pillars are unsafe," said Sellers. "The wear and tear on these portions of the train trestle is even greater below the water
level."
Each support pillar will be blasted so that it falls like a felled tree and the material from the pillar used on a pad in the river to help with removal of
debris.
"We will have a barge and crane on site along with an access road to help with the dismantling," Sellers said. "The seven man crew is working to
ensure the safety of the environment."
The trestle over the Sissiboo River was built in 1914 to replace an earlier wooden trestle that was built when the line from Yarmouth to Digby opened in 1879.
Dominion Atlantic Railway operated the line from the early 1900s until 1990 when rail service ceased and the tracks were taken up.
The train trestle spanning Bear River has also been slated for demolition and Sellers said work will begin there as soon as the cranes and excavators are on
site.
Karla Kelly.
A Dominion Atlantic Railway train crosses the old wooden trestle while construction
work carries on for the new trestle - Circa 1914 Photographer unknown.
Pillars and abutments of the new train
trestle spanning the Sissiboo River sit close to the old trestle - Circa 1914 Photographer unknown.
A DAR Dayliner crosses the trestle - Circa 1960 Dan
Field.
The old Dominion Atlantic Railway trestle being dismantled for safety reasons -
Circa 2011 Karla Kelly.
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