Topics Index
The Grand Trunk Pacific - Brandon
The Grand Trunk Pacific promised a spur to
connect Brandon with its main line that
passed about 15 km north of Brandon. Work began in 1911. A rail bed was
graded from Harte as far as the
Assiniboine River, where a bridge was constructed.
But by that time it
was becoming apparent that railway companies had overbuilt, and the
resulting financial woes intervened.
The project was terminated in 1913
leaving only an unfinished rail bed that had never seen rails, let
alone trains, and a bridge that was never crossed and had to be
demolished in 1924 leaving only the massive supports.
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This map from 1915 included the proposed spur.
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This 2017 photo from Historic
Sites of Manitoba, by Gordon Goldsboro shows the bridge supports in
Assiniboine just east of Brandon
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The rail bed is still visible where it approaches the
Assiniboine....
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...and in several places between Brandon and Harte.
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The
following Google Earth display is based upon Mb
Railroads Site by Donald McRitchie.
Much of the rail bed is visible on Google Earth.
Newspaper Clippings
Tell the Story
1905
1906
1908
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914 & 15
1917
These stories and much more available at:
U of M Digital Collections
These clippings are
cropped, organized and presented in what I hope is a user-friendly
form.
They are the tip of the iceberg.
The original resources are from
from the amazing searchable newspaper archive that Manitobia has
assembled.
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