Right-Of-Way: Truro to Sydney

HOPEWELL SUBDIVISION:
Mile 0.0 Truro: Truro is a favor place to watch trains. Lots of action on CN’s mainline to Halifax, locals and yard work.

The CBNS’s mainline leaves Truro along the southern bank of the Salmon River, enters Valley at mile 4.5, through Union at mile 8.6. Half way between Union and Riversdale, about mile 12.0, the line turns to follow the Black River. It stays on the bank of this waterway through to Campbell at mile 16.6.

After Campbell the line bridges Black River several times before leaving it at about mile 18.0. The line enters West River at mile 20.6. After West River, the line follows the West River of Pictou through to Gordon Summit. At about mile 26.0 the line passes through Lansdowne Station and at mile 28.3 enters Glengarry, Lorne is found at mile 30.9 and Ferrona Junction at mile 37.0

The line travels along the west bank of the East River of Pictou before entering Stellarton at mile 40.7. Stellarton is the site of a small yard that holds traffic going to/coming from the Trenton spur and is also the site of an abandoned station. I like watching the local train activity in this area.

After leaving town, the line crosses to the east bank of the river and enters New Glasgow at mile 42.8.

After New Glasgow the line goes through Academy at mile 46.2. After Academy the line gets it first short glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean. The line crosses Pine tree gut on a through truss bridge and Merigomish Harbour on a bridge and a fill.

Egerton is located a mile 52.9. After crossing French River at Merigomish the line heads inland once again, passing through Peidmont at mile 61.1. At Avondale, mile 64.9, the line meets and follows Barneys River for a short time.

There is a very beautiful section between Marshy Hope (mile 70.8) and Brierly Brook (mile 78.7) where the line travels though a valley and parallels the Trans-Canada Highway for several miles. The scenery in this area is magnificent in October, when the mountain sides are covered with bright fall colors. This is another of my favor spots to see trains.

The town of Antigonish is at mile 84.2. Antigonish doesn’t offer much in the way of train watching or local activity, but it makes it up in hospitality.

After Antigonish the line hits the coast once again, along Antigonish Harbour, for a mile or so. It crosses a small bay on a bridge and fill, then enters South River at mile 89.2. The line ducks inland for about two miles and back out at Pomquet (mile 94.0). Skirting the coastline of Pomquet Harbour and then heads back into the woods and through Afton (mile 100.1).

At Tracadie (about mile 104.0) the line reaches the shores again along the Tracadie Harbour. It remains on the coastline until it enters Monastery (mile 106.3) where it goes inland for about 6.0 miles running through Linwood at mile 108.8.

The coastline can be seen again about two miles west of Havre Bouchre (mile 116.2) the eastern end of the Hopewell Sub. There is a yard located at Havre Bourchre, but only a few tracks are used for car storage. This also marks the beginning of the Sydney Sub.

SYDNEY SUBDIVISION:
The mainline parallels the surf for the 7.4 miles into Auld Cove. The line continues along the coast and crosses the Strait Of Canso on a man-made causeway. The causeway boasts a swing bridge to allow marine traffic a means of by-passing this obstruction. Once over this bridge, the line is on Cape Breton Island.

Port Hasting is located at mile 9.5 . The line continues along the shore of the Strait Of Canso, crossing several bridges and fills until it reaches Port Hawkesbury at mile 12.3. I like to watch the local switching at the small yard, as cars are shuffled to and from the Point Tupper spur.

On the other side of Port Hawkesbury the line heads inland for about the next 30.0 miles. It passes through McIntyres Lake at mile 19.4, West Bay Road at mile 26.0, River Denys is located mile 33.2 and reaches Organdale at mile 41.2.

This entire area is very rugged and the line crosses many small and a few larger bridges. It follows many small streams, rivers and borders a few small lakes. The scenery in this area is breath taking in the fall months when I do must of my rail-fanning.

Orangdale is the site of an old CN station that was converted into a museum. It is a must see if you're in the area. Orangedale is also the beginning of what I believe is the most scenic and beautiful part of the CBNS. This is the area around the Bras d’Or (French for Arm Of Gold) Lakes.

After leaving Orangedale the line crosses Blues Cove on a deck girder bridge, runs through a deep cut, crosses several fills and a few small bridges. There are two tall trestle bridges in the Ottawa Brook area, which is a great place to get some pictures. After these bridges, the line runs along an inlet and into McKinnons Harbour at mile 52.1.

Pulpwood, from the Red Point Pulpwood Company, is loaded on a siding at McKinnons Harbour. It is then either shipped west to the Stora Forest Mill at Point Tupper or shipped east to a pulpwood yard at the Sydport Industrial Park, just outside of Sydney. The wood going to Sydport is loaded onto boats and shipped to a Swiss paper company.

About one mile east of McKinnon’s Harbour, the line hits the shore of the Bras d’Or Lake and clings to it for the next 40.0 miles. The banks take on a white color because this area is rich in gypsum. Many cuts, fills and bridges had to be built to get the line though this rugged area.

After leaving Iona, the line crosses the Grand Narrows Channel on a massive six span truss bridge. Once over this bridge the line enters the town of Grand Narrows at mile 58.1 and once again hugs the shore of the lake.

The line passes through Shunacadie at mile 66.8, Cross Point at mile 71.9 and Boisdale at mile 75.5. Once through Boisdale the line enter Barachois (mile 81.0) and George’s River at mile 87.3. George’s River is another place I like to watch trains and look at the scenery. There are several bridges and spots for some great pictures. The line leaves the Bras d’Or lakes at Gannon (mile 92.6).

Sydney Mines, at mile 96.1, is the next town on the line and North Sydney is at mile 98.8. After North Sydney the line parallels the Atlantic Ocean coastline, passing through farming areas with gentle rolling hills. It crosses over Leitches Creek on a deck girder bridge at Leitches Creek (mile 103.6). Another bridge and a fill take it across Balls Creek. Both of these bridges are favors of mine.

The line then heads inland, goes through Jefferson at mile 108.1, where there is a junction to the Sydport Industrial Park spur. The line then passes several small on-line customers and crosses the Sydney river on a deck girder bridge at Sydney River.

The lines follows the east bank of the river into Sydney, mile 113.9, the east end of the line. There’s lots of local switching done in the Sydney yard. Traffic must be moved from the yard to the SYSCO and DEVCO interchange tracks and the daily west bound freight and local must be assembled.

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