The railway bridge spanning the Fraser River has been a icon in the Prince George landscape for over 100 years. Here is a brief history of this Grand Trunk Pacific built bridge.
The GTP Railway
From Winnipeg, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway began building west in 1905. The Eastern portion of this railway, from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay, ON, was known as the National Transcontinental Railway.
By July 1912, the railway had reached Tete Jaune Cache where a bustling centre for building and trading was established. From here, the line to Prince George was built where it finally reached the east bank of the Fraser River on January 12, 1914.
There was first a wooden bridge built across the expanse shortly after which brought the first train over to Prince George. But it was not to be permanent. A stronger bridge would be needed.
An article in British Columbia History tells us that “The railway also built eastward from Prince Rupert (Mile 1746 from Winnipeg), starting in May 1908. The last spike, in a very low-key ceremony, was driven on April 7,1914 about a mile east of Fort Fraser (Mile 1372), 150 kilometres west of Prince George.” (Vol. 43, No. 1, P.13)
Later on, the GTPR would be incorporated into the Canadian National Railway.
The Bridge Design
Our iconic bridge across the Fraser was designed by a French engineer named Joseph Legrand who had joined the GTP in 1906. His design consisted of twelve 200-foot-long spans across the mighty river. From its opening until 1987 it also allowed cars to pass over.
Jeff Elder, in his PG Citizen article, tells us that:
“Originally the GTPR bridge was to be built in two sections - the eastern half, over the Fraser River channel would be steel, and the western half over the Nechako River channel would be made of wood, which was less expensive.” Due to ice jams though this plan was changed to include steel throughout."
Building the Bridge
The contract to build the bridge was awarded to a Chicago based company known as Bates and Rogers Construction. The steel was shipped from what is now Windsor, ON and then floated up the Fraser from Tete Jaune on sternwheelers and wooden scows. Jeff Elder describes the building atmosphere:
"Imagine the scene in 1913 when 600 men lived on Goat Island, working day and night six days a week to complete the bridge. Sternwheelers docked on the Island, delivering barrels of cement and construction supplies, most of it transported from Tete Jaune down the Fraser on wooden scows and sternwheelers. The island (known as Railroad Island at the time) used to be located under the bridge, until erosion reduced its size and location to further downstream.”
The project too 15 months from September 1913 to January 1915. It cost 1.6 million dollars at the time and, at a mile and half long, is the lengthiest train bridge in B.C.
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| "First bridge across the Fraser River for GTP Rlway (sic) - 1913. - after breaking". Northern BC Archives 2002.7.1.63 |
The Lift Span
Joseph Strauss designed the famous lift span on the bridge. This was the only span on the GTP railway and is the only “direct lift” span remaining in Canada. Joseph Strauss would later become famous for being the chief engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
The lift span has reportedly not been used since 1920 although it was not actually fixed in place until 1954. “Ironically, completion of the bridges and railway construction through the Fort George area in 1914 hastened the demise of sternwheeler traffic on the Upper Fraser." (Morrow).
Sources & Further Reading
