Saint-Laurent Railway Bridge

The Saint-Laurent Railway Bridge is a Canadian Pacific railway bridge linking LaSalle to the Kahnawake Mohawk Reserve, just upstream of the Mercier Bridge. It is used by the RTM Candiac commuter train.

Saint-Laurent Railway Bridge
The Saint-Laurent Railway Bridge as seen from the Monette-Lafleur bus terminal.
Coordinates45°25′8″N 73°39′34″W
CarriesCanadian Pacific Railway, RTM
CrossesSt. Lawrence River
and the Saint Lawrence Seaway
LocaleKahnawake, Quebec and Montreal, Quebec
Official namenone
Characteristics
Design2 Truss bridges, includes twin lift Bridges
Rail characteristics
No. of tracks2, (1 per parallel spans)
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Structure gaugeAAR
Located only about 400 m (1,312 ft) south of the St-Laurent Railway Bridge, on the same line, is a pair of vertical-lift bridges to carry the rail line over the Saint Lawrence Seaway.

History of the bridge
1885 bridge.
Map showing the rail bridge, on the left.

Two bridges have crossed the river at this location. The first bridge, erected in 1885–1887, was of all-steel construction that employed a flying cantilever design to cross the main channel. It carried a single track and was opened for passenger service at the end of July, 1887.

The second structure, the one standing today, was constructed between 1910 and 1913 and was completed by November 13, 1913. To build the bridge, the free ends of the main spans were floated across the water on a barge.[1] Construction of the new bridge was completed while keeping the old bridge in service. Extra piers were added and the design changed significantly.

Construction of the Saint Lawrence Seaway required the construction of twin vertical lift bridges replacing the existing fixed spans. This section has two elevator winches (functioning as a drawbridge) able to lift the section up to 70 feet (21 metres) above the initial level, in order to allow ships to pass.

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References
  1. Werry, S.D. (1997). "Rails across the river: the story of the St. Lawrence Bridge (1881-1915)". Can. J. Civ. Eng. NRC Research Press. 24 (3): 480–488. doi:10.1139/l96-131.

See also
  • List of crossings of the Saint Lawrence River
  • List of bridges in Montreal


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