Canadian Railroads > In the Halifax Cut

When Halifax Ocean Terminals was developed in the early 1900s, a new route from Fairview Jct., on the shore of Bedford Basin, to the new port was needed.  The two options were to follow the shore of Halifax Harbour south from the existing North St. Station, or go around the west side of the peninsula to the south end of the city.  Rather than tear up the already developed harbour waterfront, the decision was made to go around the long way through relatively undeveloped land, with most of the route in a cut.  The two tracks were entirely grade separated the whole way, and about a dozen bridges carried various existing roads over the right of way.

On June 1, 2022, yard job 522 and GP38-2s 4792 and 4765 were hauling a transfer under Quinpool Rd. towards HOT.  The old south track was removed in the early 2000s and not much evidence of it remains, except that the existing track is offset under the concrete arch bridges.  A program to put the south track back in to increase capacity and get more trucks off city streets was announced about 4 years ago, but so far nothing seems to have happened with it.  For the time being most locations in the cut, like this one, are a virtual tree tunnel.

GTD

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