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AER Little Current - Swing Bridge (Cont'd)

 
Swing Bridge   Swing Bridge   Swing Bridge
John Morgan  (1976) John Morgan (1976) John Morgan (1976)
Looking north from the cut leading to the Little Current terminal area. The Esso bulk plant was to the left of the photo. The cut is now overgrown with bush. The railway signals were interlocked with the traffic signals. Looking north from the traffic signals on Highway 6. The rails from the terminal area are to the right. The tank seen to the left of the bridge contained bunker fuel and has been removed. The tanks to the right of the bridge store chemicals used by the E.B. Eddy mill in Espanola, 35 miles to the north. Taken from the Turner side of the bridge, this view looks south towards Little Current. It is difficult to see in this photo but I believe the structure just underneath the sign to the right of the bridge is part of the Imperial Oil bulk terminal.

 
Train on Bridge   Swing Bridge
Dale Wilson (1978) George Moore photo from the Dale Wilson Collection
Looking south from Turner yard at the bridge as a pair of Alcos with a single tank car in front crosses over to Little Current to do some switching.  The tanks in the foreground are bunker storage tanks.  The small building to the right with the tall stack, I believe contained heaters and pumping facilities for these tanks.  The track in the immediate foreground is the spur to the INCO iron ore pellet loader. The Swing Bridge seen from Goat Island as it was during the 1970s.  The Little Current Shell Bulk Terminal can be seen behind the bridge.  The pipeline in the foreground ran from the bunker tanks to the dock by the INCO iron ore pellet loader.  Note the small shack on the swing bridge foundations,  just to the left of the pivot pier.

 
Early AER train across bridge First AER Train to Little Current
Courtesy Little Current-Howland Museum
Sheguiandah, Ontario
Courtesy Little Current-Howland Museum
Sheguiandah, Ontario
A very early view of an AER train crossing over from Little Current on the way to Sudbury.  Judging from the valve gear and the running board placement, this is engine 51, a Montreal Locomotive Works product of 1912.  The baggage car behind it is most likely #151, built by Canadian Car & Foundry in 1912. The caption says "Manitoulin Island's First Train, Little Current, Ont." making this photo 1913 vintage.  Again the engine doing the honours seems to be number 51.  It is impossible to identify the coach behind her.
 

 
Train on the Swing Bridge Winter at the Bridge
Courtesy Little Current-Howland Museum
Sheguiandah, Ontario
Courtesy Little Current-Howland
Museum
Sheguiandah, Ontario
Here is another early view of a three car train leaving Little Current for Sudbury.  Note that this photo, like the two above, are of the east side of the bridge.  Then, like now, the pedestrian walkway was only on the west side of the structure. Taken from the cut south of the bridge it is easy to see why snow could be a continual problem for the railways of Northern Ontario.  Note the lower quadrant semaphore interlocking signal protecting the bridge.

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