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28 of Western Canada's
highest railway bridges
existing today (both
active and abandoned) relative to Alberta railway bridges
and particularly to the Mintlaw viaduct
major update with additions Apr. 2022
Photo
descriptions and credits at bottom of page.
Unfortunately, there
is no inventory of railway bridges in Canada, making it difficult to
accurately determine where the longest or highest active or
abandoned bridges are in the country. However, there are some
significant bridges in Western Canada of note to compare to those in
Alberta. This list is by no means complete so cannot be taken as a
comprehensive list of the highest bridges in Western Canada. Many
bridges listed in length are not included on this page as height has
not yet been established.
Determining bridge height is tricky business as it depends on what
you're measuring. At the top end, is it from the top of the rail,
the top of the bridge or the roadbed. On the bottom, is it measured
from bottom of pier, or, if over a waterway, the average water level
or lowest water level, or, if over a ravine, is it to the bottom of
the ravine. As a result, records of height of the same bridge can
show quite different results. A good example is the original
Mountain Creek bridge where records show height somewhere between
136 ft. to 300 ft. or more. So, bridge height ranking indicated in
this survey should be seen as relative rather than absolute.
Highest
Bridges
Bridges in Alberta highlighted
 1. Lethbridge Viaduct
Alberta
- CPR, active, height 96 m (314'), steel
trestle
- Built 1908-09 over Oldman River by CPR
- Longest and highest railway bridge in
North America (known locally as the High Level Bridge - not to be
confused with the High Level Bridge in Edmonton (see below));
longest and highest steel rail trestle in the world; CPR steel
trestle 5,331 ft. (1,624 m) long; 314' (95.7 m) high; built
1908-09 over Oldman River on Crowsnest Pass line at cost of $1.3
million using travelling crane built on site; relocated route
replaced several wooden trestles including one that was 2,933 ft.
(894 m) long, reduced grade and was over 5 miles shorter than
original route (built 1898); 33-tower bridge consists of 44-67'
spans, 22-99' spans and 1-107' truss span; still in use - approx. 12
trains per day
2. Stoney Creek (Connaught
Track) Bridge BC
- CPR, active, height 84 m (275'), steel truss arch bridge
- Built 1893-94 (strengthened 1929) over Stoney Creek by CPR
- Length 148 m (486'). Second highest, at 84 m (275') (only
Lethbridge Viaduct higher), and most picturesque bridge on CPR
located between Revelstoke and Golden on the east slope of the
Selkirk Mountains in Glacier National Park near Rogers Pass.
Additional truss arches positioned beside the existing 102 m (336')
arch strengthened the bridge in 1929. Deck plate girders replaced
the original deck lattice girders at the same time in order to
handle heavier trains. The bridge replaced the original 1884 timber
Howe truss bridge which at the time was the highest timber bridge
ever built at approx. 90 m. On a 2.2% grade, the bridge is currently
used for mostly lighter eastbound traffic while heavier westbound
trains use the newer Stoney Creek (Macdonald Track) bridge built in
1988, 150 m (500') lower in the ravine. Located on the east slope of
the Selkirk Mountains on the Mountain subdivision of Revelstoke
Division.
3. KVR Trout Creek Trestle near Summerland, BC
- CPR, abandoned 1989, repurposed, height 73 m (240'), steel
truss
- Built 1928 by CPR, now operated by Kettle Valley Steam Railway
- Replaced 189 m (619') timber trestle built 1913 by Canadian
Pacific on Kettle Valley Railway. Currently 76 m (249') long
and 73 (240') high steel truss bridge. Last CPR train 1989. Today the Kettle Valley Steam Railway featuring CPR
2-8-0 Consolidation 3716 shares the bridge with the Trans Canada
Trail.
4. Cisco (Siska) CNR Fraser
River Bridge south of Lytton, BC
- CNR, active, height 67 m (220'), steel truss and steel arch
- Built 1915 over Fraser River and CPR by CNoR (one of 2 crossings
in Lytton area)
- 425' steel truss arch span (partially orange), 6 deck
plate girder spans for total of 247 m (812 feet) long, 67 m (220 feet) high over Fraser River
south of Lytton; in close proximity to Cisco CPR Bridge; CNR and CPR
operate on each side of the river and generally co-operate with
directional running. The 2 railways exchange sides at this point.
5. Entwistle Bridge west of Edmonton Alberta
- CNR, active, height 65 m (214'), steel
trestle
- Built 1908-10 over Pembina River by GTP
- 5th highest railway bridge in Western Canada; CNR
steel trestle 280 m (910 ft.) long; 65 m (214') tall; built 1910
over Pembina River by Grand Trunk Pacific. Bridge was pre-fabricated
in Scotland. Located approx. 95 km west of Edmonton on CN main line
between Edmonton and Vancouver; ave. 20 trains per day.
6a. Fabyan Viaduct near Wainwright Alberta
- CNR, active, height 59 m (195'), steel
trestle
 -
Built 1907-08 over Battle River by GTP
- 3rd longest
steel trestle in Canada. 846 m (2,775 ft.) long; 59 m (195') tall; built 1907-08
over Battle River by Grand Trunk Pacific; originally about 130'
longer but earth filled on one end to reduce length; 26 steel
towers; first train 1909; rest area nearby; scene of derailment in
January 2012; still in use by CN as part of east-west main line
linking Winnipeg with Edmonton
6b.
Beaver River Bridge near Grand Centre Alberta
- CNR, abandoned 1999, rail trail, height 59 m (195'), timber trestle
- Built 1931, re-built 1950 over Beaver River by CNR
- combination timber trestle, truss and girder 450 m (1,485 ft.) long;
59 m (195 ft.) tall, built around 1950 by Canadian National Railways,
abandoned 1999. Now part of the Iron Horse Trail section of the
Trans Canada Trail
8. Wapiti
River near Grande Prairie Alberta
- CNR, active, height 58
m (190'), steel trestle
- Built 1968-69 over Wapiti River by ARR
- 2nd longest steel trestle in Canada; approx. 853 (2,800 ft.) long
steel bridge; 58 m (190 ft.) high; built 1968 by Alberta Resources Railway;
opened 1969; taken over by CNR 1994, 1-2 trains per day
9. West Fork Canyon Creek Trestle, near Kelowna, BC
- CPR, abandoned, last train 1973, height 55 m (180'), steel trestle
- Built 1930 over Pooley Creek by CPR to replace 1924 bridge built
by KVR
-
abandoned curved 221 m (726') long and 55 m (180') high 12-span steel trestle built
by Canadian Pacific in 1930 at Pooley Creek to replace wooden trestle
on Kettle Valley Railway built in 1914. Last train 1973. Longest and
highest of 18 trestles that collectively span over 1,372 m (4,500') in Myra
Canyon; used in filming of Pierre Burton's 'National Dream' TV
series; purchased by BC government 1990. Twelve of the wooden
trestles were destroyed by forest fire in 2003, the same year they
were designated as a National Historic Site. The timber bridges were
all rebuilt by 2008. One of the original sections of the Trans
Canada Trail. Also known as Trestle #6.
10. Ardley Bridge north of Delburne
Alberta
-
CNR, active, height 48 m (158'), steel truss
- Built 1911 over Red Deer River by GTP, re-built 1955 by CNR
 - CNR wood and steel trestle
built 1911 by Grand Trunk Pacific over Red Deer River; originally
457 m (1,500 ft.) long; 48 m (158 ft.) tall. With fill at each end,
current length closer to 366 m (1,200 ft.). Bridge washed out in
mid-1910s and centre portion was replaced with 2 steel towers and 3
steel spans. It washed out again in 1952; rebuilt and reopened in
1955; bridge replaced with 6 steel towers and 3 steel truss spans
with wood trestle on each end. Located near Delburne on Three Hills
subdivision of the Edmonton-Calgary line, now the only Canadian
National Railway link between the two major Alberta cities. 2-4
trains daily.
11. High Level Bridge
at Edmonton Alberta
- CPR, abandoned as rail bridge 1989, now vehicles and trolleys only, last train 1989,
height 48 m (157'),
steel truss with steel trestle component
- Built 1913 over North Saskatchewan River by CPR as combination
road and rail bridge
 -
CPR steel truss (with trestle component) bridge 777 m (2,550 ft.) long;
48 m (157
ft.) tall;
built 1911-1913 over North Saskatchewan River linking downtown
Edmonton with south bank (old Strathcona); total of 28 spans -
3-288' Pratt trusses, 7-96' Pratt trusses, 6-47' long spans with
steel trestle towers on south side for 282' of total bridge (about
11% of length),
2-130' Warren trusses, 4 central concrete piers set in river bed; upper level used for
trains between 1913 and 1989 as well as trams (streetcars) between
1913 and 1951; lower level used for vehicle and
pedestrian traffic that continues today; tram runs periodically
during summer on upper level since 1997 by Edmonton Radial Railway
Society; Great Divide Waterfall 1980; bridge now owned by Province of Alberta;
Municipal Historic Resource
12a. Monarch Trestle Alberta
- CPR, active, height 46 m (150'), steel trestle
- Built 1908-09 over Oldman River by CPR
- over Oldman River, 576 m (1,890 ft.) long; 45.7 m (150 ft.) high; west of Monarch on
Crow's Nest line built 1908-09 (same line as Lethbridge Viaduct)
 12b.
Outlook Bridge, Saskatchewan
- CPR, abandoned, last train 1987, height 46 m (150') deck truss
- built 1912 over South Saskatchewan River by CPR
- Original bridge built in 1887 and rebuilt in 1912. 914 m (3,004') long,
46 m (150') high over the South Saskatchewan River; steel sections relocated from bridge over St. Lawrence River
at Lachine, Quebec; includes 8 main spans of 74 m (242') each, 19
approach spans; became part
of the Trans Canada Trail in 2004 and became known as Sky Trail - Canada's
longest pedestrian bridge. However, structural issues have closed
the bridge until remedied.
14. Lytton CNR Fraser River
Bridge, BC
- CNR, active, height 45 m (148'), steel truss
- Built 1914 over Fraser River by CNoR (one of 2 crossings in Lytton
area)
- CNR deck truss bridge 265 (869 feet) long and 45 m (148 feet) high over Fraser River
on main CNR main line between Edmonton and Vancouver;
4 deck plate girder and 3 deck truss spans; CNR and CPR operate on
each side of the river and generally co-operate with directional
running
15. Kinsol Trestle, BC
- CNR, abandoned 1980, height 44m (145'), timber trestle
- Built 1920 over Koksilah River by CNR
- also known as the Koksilah River Trestle, it is one of the world's
largest all-wooden trestles. Located on Vancouver Island near
Shawnigan Lake, 188 m (617 feet) long, 44 m (145 feet) high, last
train was in 1979. Rehabilitated in 2011 and is now part of Trans Canada Trail
16. Heart River Bridge at
Peace River Alberta
- CNR, active, height 45 m (146'), steel trestle
- Built 1916 over Peace River by CCR
- Former Northern Alberta Railways steel
trestle prior to CNR purchase, it was built in 1916 by Central
Canada Railway. 180 m (590'), 45 m (146') high. 11 short (45') plate
girder spans and 115' deck truss
17. Clover Bar
Rail Bridge at Edmonton Alberta
- CNR, active, height 42 m (138'), truss, trestle and concrete
- Built 1907-08 over North Saskatchewan River by GTP
- Sometimes referred to as the Beverly Bridge before Beverly
traffic bridge opened in 1953 over North Saskatchewan River at east
Edmonton, 504 m (1,655 ft.) long, 42 m (138 ft.) high; built 1907-08
iron truss with concrete piers and trestle towers by Grand Trunk Pacific
18. Mountain Creek
Bridge BC
- CPR, active, height 41.5 m (136'), concrete beam on steel tower
- Built 1978 in Beaver River valley Connaught track by CPR
- 3rd structure at this location between Revelstoke and Golden on
the east slope of the Selkirk Mountains in Glacier National Park
near Rogers Pass. This bridge is 183 m (600') long, 41.5 m (136')
high replacing a similar length steel truss and girder structure
built in 1902. Original 1885 bridge was 331 m (1086') long, 50 m
(164') high - at the time one of the longest timber trestles in the
world. (Some sources suggest that the original bridge was longer
(1200') and higher (175'-300') but these dimensions seem unlikely).
Mountain sub
19. Burbank Bridge near Blackfalds
Alberta
 -
CNR, active, ht. 36 m (118'), steel truss
- Built 1910 over Blindman River by CNWR
- originally a wood trestle north of Red Deer built by Canadian Northern Western
Railway over Blindman River 1910; replaced by steel truss bridge
with wooden trestle ends; two center spans supported by concrete
towers; original length unknown; with
considerable fill, current length around 190 m (620 ft.), est.
height 36 m (118'); still in use by CNR,
Brazeau subdivision
20. Uno CNR Bridge, near
Russell, Manitoba
- CNR, active, height 35 m (115'), steel trestle
- Built 1929 by CNR over Minnewashtack Creek to replace 1,573'
timber bridge built in 1907 by GTP
- near Russell, Manitoba; 467 m (1,533 feet) long over Minnewashtack
Creek, 35 m (115 ft). high; original timber bridge built by Grand
Trunk Pacific; NNR main line with approx. 24 trains/day
21. Anderson Creek/River Bridge near Boston Bar, BC
- CNR, active, height 34
m (112'),
steel trestle
- Built 1914 over Anderson Creek in
the Fraser Canyon by CNoR, steel trestle
- Canadian
National curved steel trestle 279 m (914 ft.) long, 34 m (112 ft.) high in Fraser
Canyon 17 deck plate girder spans on 8 steel towers
22a. Rochfort Trestle near Mayerthorpe Alberta
- CNR, active, height 33.5 m (110'), timber
trestle
- Built 1914 over Paddle River and Hwy.43 by CNoR
- Longest
wood trestle in North America; 736 m (2,414 ft.) long, 33.5 m (110
ft.) tall; built by Canadian Northern Railway; periodic upgrades; two short portions replaced by steel,
one over Highway 43 (the Alaska Highway); still
in use periodically by CN
22b. Mintlaw Viaduct south of Red Deer Alberta
 -
CPR, abandoned 1983, last train 1981,
height 33.5 m (110'), steel trestle
- Built 1911-12 over Red Deer River by ACR
-
Longest bridge in Central Alberta; 2nd
longest CPR steel trestle of its type in Alberta at 644 m (2,112 ft.) long;
33.5 m (110 ft.) tall;
4th longest steel trestle of any railway in Alberta;
3rd longest CPR bridge in Alberta still standing although only the
one in Lethbridge is still active as a rail bridge. Length includes 2 truss spans over river with wood trestle abutments
on each end; bridge includes 15-75' spans, 15-45' spans and 2-150' truss spans; built 1911-12 over Red Deer River by Alberta Central Railway/CPR;
last train 1981, abandoned 1983; purchased by Red Deer County 2009
for $1
as a heritage site, important landmark and part of possible future
recreational trail; former Alberta Central subdivision
more about the
Mintlaw Bridge
and
Alberta Central Railway
24. Prairie Creek (Maskuta)
Bridge near Hinton Alberta
- CNR, active, height 30 m (98'), steel trestle
- Built 1911 by GTP over Prairie Creek, abandoned 1916,
rehabilitated 1927 by CNR
- Originally built by Grand Trunk Pacific in 1911, the bridge was
closed in 1916 during World War I in order to use the steel rail for
the war effort, the 245 m (802') long and 30 m (98') high steel trestle
was rehabilitated in 1927 after being taken over by Canadian
National Railways to become part of the main line to the west coast.
During that time, rail traffic was diverted to the parallel Canadian
Northern Railway. The steel trestle bridge consists of six 50' long
girder sections and 7-70' girder sections; used by Via Rail.
25. Rivers CNR Bridge, Manitoba
- CNR, active, height 27.7 m (91'), built 1909 by GTP
- near Brandon over Minnedosa (Little Saskatchewan) River, 208 m (684 feet) long,
27.7 m (91 feet) high.
26. CPR Bridge Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
- CPR, active, height 19.5 m (64'), steel truss
- Built 1908 over South Saskatchewan
River by CPR
- Canadian
Pacific Railway bridge over South Saskatchewan River on secondary
line between Winnipeg and Edmonton; original temporary timber bridge
built in 1907 at 1,252 feet
long, new 1908 bridge includes 8 steel truss spans of 125 feet on
concrete piers and is now
listed at 341 m (1,120) feet likely due to some fill at either end;
height 19.5 m (64 ft.); bridge includes
pedestrian walkway built 1909.
27. North Saskatchewan River Bridge at Rocky Mountain House
Alberta
 -
CNR, active, height approx. 16 m (52'), steel truss and trestle
- Built 1911-14 over North Saskatchewan River by ACR
- 220 m (720') long, approx 16 m (52') high; combination trestle,
truss and girder with concrete piers including 3-75' spans, 3-45'
spans and 2-150' truss spans; built 1911 by Alberta Central
Railway/CPR; leased to Canadian Northern Western Railway/CNR; opened
1914; still
in use by CNR; Brazeau subdivision
28. McCloy Creek Bridge, Meskanaw, Saskatchewan
- CNR, abandoned 1981, last train 1979, height 15 m (49'), timber
trestle
- Built 1929 over McCloy Creek by CNR
- Canadian National
Railways 406 m (1,333 feet) bridge over McCloy Creek; Saskatchewan's longest
wooden trestle; abandoned between 1979 and 1981; 15' m (49 ft.)
high; Maskunow is Cree for Trail
Webmaster note: Anyone who has more information on these or other
significant railway bridges in Western Canada, I would be interested
in hearing from you.
Contact me at
info@forthjunction.com
Photo
descriptions and credits:
1.
CPR Lethbridge Steel Viaduct (Paul Pettypiece 2015);
6a.
CNR Fabyan Steel Viaduct near Wainwright (Paul Pettypiece 2015);
6b.
CNR Beaver River Bridge near Grand Centre (railtrail) (source unknown);
8.
CNR Wapiti River Bridge near Grande Prairie (William Vavrek);
10.
CNR Ardley bridge over Red Deer River north of Delburne (Paul
Pettypiece 2011);
11.
CPR High Level Bridge Edmonton 1st train June 1913 (vehicles & trolley only) (Provincial
Archives Alberta);
12a.
CPR Monarch Steel Viaduct over Oldman River (Chris Doering 2013);
12b. CPR Outlook Saskatchewan (railtrail) (source unknown);
17. CNR Clover Bar Bridge over North Saskatchewan River near
Edmonton (Trevor Solokan);
19a.
CNR Rochfort Timber Trestle near Mayerthorpe (Trevor Sokolan 2012);
19b.
ACR/CPR Mintlaw steel trestle near Red Deer (abandoned) (Paul Pettypiece 2012);
27.
CPR/CNR bridge over North Saskatchewan River at Rocky Mountain House
1940 (Red Deer Archives)
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