Train Bridge, Richelieu River

by Rick Shea

Title

Train Bridge, Richelieu River

Artist

Rick Shea

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

I shot this image in the late afternoon of Christmas Eve in 2010. The train bridge over the Richelieu River caught the golden rays of the setting sun, minutes before it dipped below the horizon.

During the 19th century, the Richelieu River served as an important waterway for trade between New York City and Montreal. Tourism also developed in the area greatly due to the steamboats that travelled up and down the river. The Belœil Bridge was built as a swing bridge so that the railway would not interrupt the shipping lanes. The bridge connects the present-day municipalities of Otterburn Park, on the river's east bank, with Beloeil, on its west bank. Other nearby municipalities are Mont-St-Hilaire, on the east bank, and McMasterville, on the west bank.

On June 29, 1864, a train carrying many German and Polish immigrants fell through the open swing bridge into the Richelieu River after the crew failed to obey a stop signal. Though uncertain, the widely accepted death toll is 99 people. The disaster remains the worst railway accident in Canadian history.

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July 14th, 2018

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