View source for Second Narrows Rail Bridge

{{Short description|Vertical-lift railway bridge in Metro Vancouver, Canada}}
{{For|the adjacent highway bridge|Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing}}
{{Distinguish|text=the second [[Tacoma Narrows Bridge]]}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox bridge
| name                = Second Narrows Bridge
| native_name         = 
| native_name_lang    = 
| image               = Second Narrow Bridge.jpg
| image_upright       = 
| alt                 = 
| caption             = Second Narrows Bridge pictured in 2008
| coordinates         = {{Coord|49.294638|N|123.024484|W|display=inline,title|name=Second Narrows Bridge|type:landmark_scale:10000_region:CA-BC}}
| os_grid_reference   = 
| carries             = 1 railway track
| crosses             = [[Burrard Inlet]]
| locale              = [[North Vancouver (district municipality)|North Vancouver]] and [[Vancouver]] <br /> [[British Columbia]], [[Canada]]
| official_name       = 
| other_name          = 
| named_for           = 
| owner               = 
| maint               = [[Canadian National Railway]]
| heritage            = 
| id                  = 
| id_type             = 
| website             = 
| preceded            = 
| followed            = 
| design              = [[Vertical-lift bridge]]
| material            = 
| material1           = 
| material2           = 
| length              = {{cvt|2,174|ft|order=flip}}<ref name="VDT19690507"/>
| width               = 
| height              = 
| depth               = 
| traversable         = 
| towpath             = 
| mainspan            = {{cvt|503|ft|order=flip}}<ref name="VDT19690507"/>
| number_spans        = 
| piers_in_water      = 
| load                = 
| clearance_above     = 
| clearance_below     = 
| lanes               = 
| life                = 
| capacity            = 26–41 trains per day<ref name="DH20240709"/>
| num_track           = 1
| track_gauge         = {{track gauge|impsg}} ([[standard gauge]])
| structure_gauge     = 
| electrification     = No
| architect           = 
| designer            = 
| contracted_designer = 
| winner              = 
| engineering         = 
| builder             = 
| fabricator          = 
| begin               = 
| complete            = 
| cost                = 
| open                = May 6, 1969<ref name="VDT19690507"/>
| inaugurated         = 
| rebuilt             = 
| collapsed           = 
| closed              = 
| replaces            = 
| replaced_by         = 
| traffic             = 14 trains ({{asof|2018|lc=y}})<ref name="DH20240709"/>
| toll                = 
| mapframe            = Yes
| mapframe-caption    = Location in [[Greater Vancouver]]
| map_relief          = 
| map_dot_label       = 
| map_image           = 
| map_size            = 
| map_alt             = 
}}

The '''Second Narrows Rail Bridge''' is a [[Vertical-lift bridge|vertical-lift]] [[railway bridge]] that crosses the [[Burrard Inlet]] and connects [[Vancouver]] with the [[North Shore (Greater Vancouver)|North Shore]]. The bridge's south end connects directly to the [[Thornton Tunnel]], which connects it to the main [[Rail transport in Canada|Canadian rail network]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Thornton Tunnel |url=https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC1R307_thornton-tunnel?guid=a118c7cc-2497-4e98-996f-3b16e9208c00 |access-date=11 November 2018}}</ref> The bridge gets its name from being located at the second narrowing (constriction) of the Burrard Inlet, as opposed to the [[First Narrows (Vancouver)|First Narrows]] to the west that is adjacent to [[Stanley Park]]. The ''Second'' in the name is not indicative of it being the chronological successor of the original 1925 bridge, and it is not a delineation between the two above-water crossings currently in service at the location.

The bridge has a maximum speed limit of {{convert|10|mph|order=flip}}.<ref name="DH20240709">{{cite news |title=From Brentwood to Burrard Inlet: All about the 3.2-km-long railway tunnel deep under Burnaby and its fake house |url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/thornton-tunnel-burnaby-fake-house-canadian-national-cn-railway |first=Kenneth |last=Chan |date=July 9, 2024 |work=[[Daily Hive]] |access-date=January 19, 2025}}</ref>

==History==
{{More citations needed section|date=December 2022}}

===Background===

During the [[Klondike Gold Rush]], there were schemes to build a railway from Vancouver to the [[Dawson City, Yukon|Dawson]] gold fields. The first stage in this would be to bridge Burrard Inlet and then build a railway north. John Hendry floated the Vancouver, Westminster, and Yukon Railway which built a line from Ladner to [[New Westminster]] and then to Vancouver via [[Burnaby Lake]]. This line was paired with the [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern Railway]] who also wanted trackage into Vancouver.

In the process, various other railroads all became involved in the bridging scheme: the [[Canadian Northern Railway]], [[Milwaukee Road]], and the [[Pacific Great Eastern Railway]]. The bridge itself would be owned by the Federal Government as they had control of harbours and shipping, and would lease access to the railways. One of the main reasons was the scarce amount of space on the [[South Shore (Greater Vancouver)|South Shore]] of the Burrard Inlet for wharves. Railways wanted to develop the [[North Shore (Greater Vancouver)|North Shore]] because the south side was occupied by another railway, the [[Canadian Pacific Railway|Canadian Pacific]]. A company was floated, the Burrard Inlet Bridge and Tunnel Company, and contracts were issued to span the [[tidal bore]]. At one point, a causeway was planned to dam the narrows and create bridges and wharves that way.

[[World War I]] intervened, as did the bankruptcy of all the interested railways. With it went dreams of the bridge and rails up Indian Arm, the Capilano valley, or via Howe Sound. However, the predecessor railways did sign contracts to build
a bridge and a new [[Hotel Vancouver]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}} Only after the war with huge increase in funding to improve harbours around the [[British Empire]], partly due to problems associated with wartime shipping, did funds appear for the completion of the 1925 bridge. And so the north shore port became an amalgam of operations with [[Canadian National]], [[Pacific Great Eastern]] and Harbour and Wharves Commission all using the bridge when it was not out of service. North Vancouver ferries operated at this time as well.

The essential wartime shipyards in North Vancouver underscored the need for reliable industrial access. Further, the expansion of Lynnterm, Wheat elevators, coal and the sulphur port in the 1960s indicated the growing use of the North Shore.

===Original bridge (1925)===

[[File:First Train Over Second Narrows Bridge with Automobiles and Logging Truck.jpg|thumb|The original Second Narrows Bridge in 1926]]
[[Foley, Welch and Stewart#After World War I|Northern Construction & J.W. Stewart]] built the first bridge to connect Vancouver with the North Shore over the tidal bore of the narrows. A [[single-track railway]] was enclosed inside the bridge [[truss]]es, together with a {{convert|10|ft|m|order=flip|adj=on}} roadway on each side outside of the trusses, and a sidewalk on the east edge of the bridge. Including approaches, the [[road-rail bridge]] was about {{convert|1.25|mi|order=flip|0}} long. At the North Shore, there were {{convert|4,500|ft|order=flip}} of solid embankment, which connected to {{convert|850|ft|order=flip}} of [[Trestle bridge|trestle]]s, and then a series of two {{convert|150|ft|m|order=flip|adj=on}} fixed spans. The longest fixed span of {{convert|300|ft|order=flip}} was next, which connected to the [[bascule span]] that opened for taller marine vessels. A final {{convert|150|ft|m|order=flip|adj=on}} fixed span was south of the bascule span, and then {{convert|650|ft|order=flip}} of trestles connected the bridge to the South Shore.<ref name="E19260305">{{cite journal |work=Engineering |issn=0013-7782 |title=The Second Narrows bascule bridge at Vancouver |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uiug.30112062303968?urlappend=%3Bseq=414%3Bownerid=118106585-430 |hdl=2027/uiug.30112062303968 |publication-date=March 5, 1926 |page=320 |volume=121}}</ref>

[[File:SS Losmar Hits Second Narrows Bridge.jpg|thumb|right|The SS ''Losmar'' after knocking down a span of the Second Narrows Bridge in early 1930]]
The drawspan was a {{convert|187|ft|m|order=flip|adj=mid|-long}}, single-leaf [[Strauss bascule]] design that rotated about its southern support. This span provided {{convert|175|ft|order=flip}} of horizontal clearance for taller ships.<ref name="Pratley1934">{{harvnb|Pratley|1934}}</ref> When in the closed position, the bridge offered a vertical clearance of {{convert|22.2|ft|order=flip}} at high tide.<ref name="E19260305"/>

[[File:Pacific Gatherer Second Narrows crash.jpg|thumb|Collision of the ''Pacific Gatherer'' in late 1930]]
The attached vehicle deck opened to road traffic in 1925 and the main structure to trains a year later.<ref name="E19260305"/><ref name="VDT19260605"/> After being hit by a number of ships and being out of service for four years, the provincial government bought the bridge in 1933 and installed a [[Vertical-lift bridge|lift section]] of the [[Deck (bridge)|deck]]. The bascule span was permanently locked in the closed position and shortened by two {{convert|28|ft|order=flip|adj=on}} truss panels. The {{convert|300|ft|order=flip|adj=on}} destroyed span was replaced by a {{convert|286|ft|order=flip|adj=on}} lift span, and the southern lift tower was built atop two other panels of the bascule span. Two new piers were constructed to support the new lift span, and the southern pier of the destroyed span was demolished.<ref name="Pratley1936">{{harvnb|Pratley|1936}}</ref>

[[File:Second-narrows-bridge-1934.jpg|thumb|right|The original Second Narrows Bridge in 1934, after a vertical-lift drawspan (center) was installed and the existing single-leaf bascule drawspan (left) was permanently locked in the closed position]]
In 1960, a new much larger and higher 6-lane Second Narrows Bridge with a {{convert|350|m|adj=on}} span was completed alongside the original bridge, and the original bridge was converted exclusively for rail use. In 1994, the new road bridge was renamed the [[Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing]] in honour of the ironworkers who died in accidents while building it. However, the new bridge is still commonly referred to as the Second Narrows Bridge.
[[File:Second Narrows Bridge.JPG|thumb|The rebuilt, rail-only bridge in 2012, when raised (its default state)]]

===Second bridge (1969)===

In 1969, the original 1926 railbridge was replaced by CN Rail with a larger, higher [[Vertical lift bridge|lift bridge]]. The lift section was now {{convert|503|ft|order=flip}}, which was the longest lift span in Canada.<ref name="VDT19690507">{{cite news |work=[[Victoria Daily Times]] |title=New bridge opened |url=https://archive.org/details/victoriadailytimes19690507/page/n11 |agency=[[Canadian Press]] (CP) |publication-date=May 7, 1969 |page=12 |volume= |number=277}}</ref> A bridgetender activates [[Wire rope|cables]] and [[counterweight]]s to raise the span. Unless moving a train across [[Burrard Inlet]], the lift section is always in the up position to allow ships to go underneath.

The current bridge has a vertical clearance of {{convert|46|m}} at the main lift span fully raised (open position). The vertical lift section of the Second Narrows Railway Bridge provides {{convert|137|m}} clear navigation width between rubbing [[Bridge protection systems|fenders]]. However, the Ironworkers Second Narrows road bridge has a vertical clearance of {{convert|44|m}} and the shipping channel where the maximum horizontal clearance available is {{convert|110|m}} wide.

== Chronology of the bridges ==

* 1902: The V. W. and Y Railway is completed to Burnaby. A bridge is planned.
* 1910: Bridge plans by the Burrard Inlet Bridge and Tunnel Company are proposed.
* 1912: Land speculation happens on the [[North Shore (Greater Vancouver)|North Shore]], subject to completion of a bridge.
* 1914: A railway to Deep Cove and Port Moody is planned.
* 1915: Stock market collapses; P. G. E. Railway goes bankrupt.
* 1916: A causeway is planned; Canadian Northern goes bankrupt.
* 1925: A smaller, lower bridge than originally envisioned is completed.
* 1926: Trains begin using the bridge.<ref name="VDT19260605">{{cite news |work=[[Victoria Daily Times]] |issn=0839-430X |title=First train passes over Narrows bridge |url=https://archive.org/details/victoriadailytimes19260605/page/n7 |publication-date=June 5, 1926 |page=8 |id={{ARK|ark:/13960/t46r0f60d}} |access-date=February 10, 2025}}</ref>
* 1927: The freighter {{SS|Eurana|1915|2}}, carrying large cargo of lumber, hits the bridge on March 10,<ref name="VDT19270311">{{cite news |work=[[Victoria Daily Times]] |issn=0839-430X |title=Second Narrows bridge is badly damaged in crash: SS. Eurana, en route from Victoria, is swerved from course by tide; vessel hung in span for two hours and threatened to break in two |url=https://archive.org/details/victoriadailytimes19270311/page/n8 |publication-date=March 11, 1927 |page=9 |id={{ARK|ark:/13960/t9q32d429}} |access-date=February 11, 2025}}</ref> causing almost {{CAD|8,000|link=yes}} worth of damage.
* 1928: Hit by freighter {{SS|Norwich City||2}}.<ref name="VDT19280425">{{cite news |work=[[Victoria Daily Times]] |issn=0839-430X |title=Norwich City crashes span: Damage amounting to $50,000 done to freighter en route to Victoria |url=https://archive.org/details/victoriadailytimes19280425/page/n19 |publication-date=April 25, 1928 |page=20 |id={{ARK|ark:/13960/t0vr1dt83}} |access-date=February 10, 2025}}</ref>
* 1930: The freighter ''Losmar'' rams through the span south of the bascule section on April 24, also causing damage to the foundations.<ref name="VDT19300425">{{cite news |work=[[Victoria Daily Times]] |issn=0839-430X |title=Damage to Vancouver bridge is extensive: Engineers find SS. Losmar disturbed foundations when it struck span and carried it away yesterday |url=https://archive.org/details/victoriadailytimes19300425/page/n13 |publication-date=April 25, 1930 |page=14 |id={{ARK|ark:/13960/t5t80wd9v}} |access-date=February 10, 2025}}</ref> The span is pulled out of the inlet waters, repaired,<ref name="VDC19300521">{{cite news |work=[[Victoria Daily Colonist]] |issn=0839-4261 |title=Narrows bridge to be opened next month |url=https://archive.org/details/dailycolonist193unse_y64/page/n22 |publication-date=May 21, 1930 |page=23 |department=Marine and Transportation |number=138 |id={{ARK|ark:/13960/t25b3fh31}} |access-date=March 21, 2025}}</ref> and remounted onto the bridge by floating on the rising and falling tides.<ref name="VS19300607">{{cite news |work=[[Vancouver Sun]] |issn=0832-1299 |title=Nature works for bridge company |url={{GBurl|oC5lAAAAIBAJ|pg=PA2&article_id=1081,4713700}} |publication-date=June 7, 1930 |page=2 |volume=87 |number=205 |access-date=March 21, 2025}}</ref> The bridge reopens for vehicle traffic on June 8, and train traffic resumes shortly afterward.<ref name="VS19300609">{{cite news |work=[[Vancouver Sun]] |issn=0832-1299 |title=Huge throng crosses over repaired bridge |url={{GBurl|oC5lAAAAIBAJ|pg=PA20&article_id=1224,4925095}} |publication-date=June 9, 1930 |page=5 |volume=87 |number=207 |access-date=March 21, 2025}}</ref>
* 1930: On September 19, the barge ''Pacific Gatherer'' becomes wedged under the bridge's {{convert|300|ft|m|order=flip|adj=on}} span.<ref name="VDT19300920">{{cite news |work=[[Victoria Daily Times]] |issn=0839-430X |title=Law battle will follow bridge crash: Wreckage of Second Narrows bridge at Vancouver causes coast action |url=https://archive.org/details/victoriadailytimes19300920/page/n16 |publication-date=September 20, 1930 |page=17 |id={{ARK|ark:/13960/t5v77x97k}} |access-date=February 10, 2025}}</ref> The tide rises, pushing the barge up under the span, knocking it off its supports. The span hangs off one side before suddenly breaking free and sinking into the depths of Burrard Inlet. Lawsuits and the bankruptcy of the Bridge company delay any attempt at repairs. The bridge remains closed for four years.
* 1933: The bridge is sold to the provincial government and repairs begin.
* 1934: The bridge reopens.<ref name="VDC19340619">{{cite news |work=[[Victoria Daily Colonist]] |issn=0839-4261 |title=Second Narrows bridge reopened: Span carrying traffic again after being closed for nearly four years |url=https://archive.org/details/dailycolonist0634uvic_14/page/n10 |date=June 18, 1934 |publication-date=June 19, 1934 |page=11 |volume= |number=162 |agency=[[Canadian Press]] |id={{ARK|ark:/13960/t0dv4rb45}}}}</ref> The bascule span is locked permanently in the closed position, and the destroyed centre fixed span is replaced by an {{convert|286|ft|m|order=flip|adj=on}} vertical-lift span that provided a vertical clearance of {{convert|140|ft|order=flip}} above high water.<ref name="CR196510">{{cite magazine |magazine=Canadian Rail |publisher=The Canadian Railroad Historical Association |issn=0008-4875 |title=Second Narrows Bridge, Vancouver |url=https://exporail.org/canrail/canadian_rail_1962_1989/canadian-rail-170-1965.pdf#page=17 |pages=173–175 |first=Dave |last=Davies |publication-date=October 1965 |number=170}}</ref>
* 1952: North Vancouver voters approve leasing the non-road portion of the bridge to CNR,<ref name="VDC19751228">{{cite news |work=[[Victoria Daily Colonist]] |issn=0839-4261 |title=Bridge lease approved by ratepayers |url=https://archive.org/details/dailycolonist1052uvic_2/page/n0 |date=October 3, 1952 |publication-date=October 4, 1952 |page=1 |volume= |number=250 |agency=[[Canadian Press]] |id={{ARK|ark:/13960/t8dg1g81s}}}}</ref> based on promises to lure out-of-province industrial companies to the North Shore. The lease is for 21 years and gives CNR an option to buy the bridge for $1 upon lease expiration.<ref name="VS19520904">{{cite news |work=[[Vancouver Sun]] |issn=0832-1299 |title=Eastern firms plan North Shore plants |url={{GBurl|J4BlAAAAIBAJ|pg=PA1&article_id=1722,344138}} |publication-date=September 4, 1952 |page=1 |volume=66 |number=281 |access-date=February 5, 2025}}</ref>
* 1963: The bridge is closed to highway traffic.<ref name="VS19630213">{{cite news |work=[[Vancouver Sun]] |issn=0832-1299 |title=Old Narrows bridge closes |url={{GBurl|ZZhlAAAAIBAJ|pg=PA1&article_id=2930,2903300}} |publication-date=February 13, 1963 |access-date=February 5, 2025 |page=1 |volume=77 |number=115}}</ref>
* 1964: The bridge is sold to CNR after the Burrard Inlet Bridge and Tunnel Company decides to dissolve itself and allow CNR to exercise its $1 right to buy before the original 1973 option date.<ref name="VS19641029">{{cite news |work=[[Vancouver Sun]] |issn=0832-1299 |title=$800,000 windfall in $1 span sale: Municipalities will reap old 2nd Narrows harvest |url={{GBurl|TpRlAAAAIBAJ|pg=PA22&article_id=7203,3412982}} |publication-date=January 28, 1964 |access-date=February 16, 2025 |page=18 |volume=78 |number=98}}</ref>
* 1965: CNR unveils plans to build a replacement rail bridge and a tunnel to bypass the existing, meandering route from the south through central Vancouver and the South Shore.<ref name="VS19650430">{{cite news |work=[[Vancouver Sun]] |issn=0832-1299 |title=$27 million CNR project to aid North Shore growth |url={{GBurl|N5hlAAAAIBAJ|pg=PA37&article_id=6057,4523744}} |publication-date=April 30, 1965 |page=35 |first=Jim |last=Peacock |volume=79 |number= |access-date=February 5, 2025}}</ref>
* 1969: A new, larger lift bridge is built immediately to the east of the 1926 bridge.
* 1969: The [[Thornton Tunnel]] is dug for CN trains to connect with the rail line at Willingdon.
* 1970: The old 1926 bridge is removed, as are its cement piers.<ref name="VS19700715">{{cite news |work=[[Vancouver Sun]] |issn=0832-1299 |title=Second Narrows bridge dismantled: Golden goose is now an ugly duckling |url={{GBurl|-pZlAAAAIBAJ|pg=PA11&article_id=4051,4803871}} |publication-date=July 15, 1970 |page=11 |first=Ron |last=Percival |volume=84 |number=163 |access-date=February 5, 2025}}</ref>
* 1979: In October, the Japanese freighter ''Japan Erica'', carrying logs, collides with the bridge in a heavy fog, knocking a section of the bridge just north of the lift span into the water. The bridge was closed until March 4, 1980.<ref name="IABSE1983">{{cite journal |oclc=923180095 |work=IABSE reports |publisher=[[International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering]] |year=1983 |volume=42 |title=Recovery and repair of the Second Narrows Railway Bridge |doi=10.5169/seals-32400 |pages=29–37 |last1=Jamieson |first1=Donald H. |last2=Calder |first2=David G.}}</ref> The cost of fixing the bridge was $6.5{{nbsp}}million.<ref name="SSP19800305">{{cite news |work=[[Saskatoon Star-Phoenix]] |issn=0832-4182 |title=Harbor rail link reopened |url={{GBurl|fgNlAAAAIBAJ|pg=PA76&article_id=4563,1757470}} |publication-date=March 5, 1980 |page=D20 |agency=[[Canadian Press]] |department=Local}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of bridges in Canada]]
* [[Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite magazine |magazine=Canadian Rail |publisher=The Canadian Railroad Historical Association |issn=0008-4875 |title=CN Rail span knock-out |url=https://exporail.org/canrail/canadian_rail_1962_1989/canadian-rail-344-1980.pdf#page=4 |pages=260–271 |first=H. E. |last=McGarry |publication-date=September 1980 |number=344}}
*{{cite journal |journal=The Engineering Journal |issn=0013-8010 |title=The substructure of the reconstructed Second Narrows Bridge, Vancouver |publication-date=August 1934 |volume=17 |number=8 |first=P. L. |last=Pratley |author-link=Philip Louis Pratley |pages=343–357 |publisher=[[Engineering Institute of Canada]]}}
*{{cite journal |journal=The Engineering Journal |issn=0013-8010 |title=The superstructure of the reconstructed Second Narrows Bridge, Vancouver |publication-date=January 1936 |volume=19 |number=1 |first=P. L. |last=Pratley |author-link=Philip Louis Pratley |pages=3–23 |publisher=[[Engineering Institute of Canada]]}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20111104041923/http://www.cherrybouton.com/2ndnarrows.html A Short History of the Second Narrows Bridge]
*[http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=Vancouver,+BC&t=k&hl=en&ll=49.29636,-123.023744&spn=0.014357,0.044503&t=k Satellite image of the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing and Second Narrows Bridge]

{{Bridges of Greater Vancouver}}
{{Crossings navbox
|structure       = Crossings
|place           = [[Burrard Inlet]]
|bridge          = Second Narrows Bridge
|bridge signs    = 
|upstream text   = West
|upstream        = [[Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing]]
|upstream signs  = 
|downstream text = East
|downstream      = 
|downstream signs = 
}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bridges in Greater Vancouver]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1925]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1969]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Vancouver]]
[[Category:Canadian National Railway bridges in Canada]]
[[Category:Transport in North Vancouver (district municipality)]]
[[Category:Railway bridges in British Columbia]]
[[Category:Vertical lift bridges in Canada]]