By 1930 Gertrude Mine had been inactive for 27 years. In 1912 the property had been sold to J.J. McFadden, later it became an Inco property. Approaching Gertrude from Sudbury, just before Mile 12.5 the 1360 foot passing siding began on the south side of the main line. Two high switch stands guarded #9 spring turnouts at either end of the siding. The siding itself consisted of 173 ft of 85 lb rail and 1187 ft of 80 lb rail. Sometime prior to 1930 a third eastward facing 533 ft. "Doubling Spur" had been removed from the east end of the siding. By 1930 the only building marking "Gertrude Station" was a 6 x 6 ft frame telephone booth. A northward facing wye was centred on the west siding turnout. The east wye leg began about 700 feet down the main line from the east siding turnout with a #9 spring turnout with an intermediate switch stand. The west wye leg began about 300' past the west siding turnout with a #8 rigid turnout and a high switch stand. The rigid #6 tail track turnout used another intermediate switch stand. The wye tail track was 216.5 ft long. The wye was laid with 80 lb rail except for 85 feet of 85 lb rail at the east wye switch and 76.5 ft of 85 lb rail at the west wye switch. Total lengths of the east and west wye legs were 821 feet and 673.5 feet respectively. The west siding switch led directly into a left 6 degree (955' radius) curve. The west wye switch was of course on this curve.
|
