Strait of Canso Train Ferries
The Beginning
The Intercolonial Railway Line arrived from New Glasgow in December of 1880 in Mulgrave, the mainland side of the Strait of Canso.From 1880 to 1884, freight and passengers could cross the Strait of Canso on the S.S. Norwegian.In 1889, the railway line from Point Tupper to Louisbourg was completed.In 1890, the S.S. Goliath was the first vessel barge that could carry railway cars onto Cape Breton Island.In 1891, the S.S. Mayflower carried 60 passengers and had a forward deck space for cargo.In 1893, the S.S. Mulgrave, which was built in New Glasgow, was the first ship to carry freight and passengers while towing a railway car barge across the Strait of Canso.The S.S. Scotia I
The S.S. Scotia was built in England and made its way to Nova Scotia in 1901.Through a rough sea, their coal supply was either burned in fore boxes or washed away by the waves. All provisions were consumed, and distress signals were sent the next daya U.S. vessel supplied them with provisions, but they had to wait for the S.S. Furness to tow them to Newfoundland.on April 25th 1902, the S.S. Scotia was placed in service in the Strait of Canso and became the first railway car ferry of her kind to operate in Canada.The Scotia I had 3 tracks and could carry 9 passenger cars or 18 freight cars.The S.S. Scotia II
In 1915, the S.S. Scotia II was built in the same shipyard in England as the Scotia I. Making it the second train ferry running between Mulgrave and Point Tupper.On this ship, the bow was designed to break through ice and the propellers were designed to dispense ice.The Scotia II could carry 21 freight cars or 9 passenger cars.The ferry service continued until May 14th 1955, when the Canso Causeway opened to railway traffic.The Scotia Train Ferries crossing the Strait of Canso:
Captains of the Scotia Ferries
Captain Redmond KeatingCaptain CarrCaptain MacGuireCaptain Aloysius KennedyCaptain DortCaptain CrockerCaptain George HadleyCaptain Francis O’NeilCaptain Robert D. DavisFerry Terminals
The train ferry terminals were located in Mulgrave and Port Tupper.Both terminals included a roundhouse, turntable, a water tank, an apron, and a C.N.R. House.The locomotives were not carried across the Strait because they were too heavy for the train ferries so the roundhouses were used for storage and maintenance of the locomotives.The water tank was used for steam in the roundhouses, to keep the locomotive engines warm and provided heat for workers during maintenance.The turntable located just outside the roundhouses were used to turn locomotives and rail cars.The apron was used for loading rail cars on the ferries and helped elevate issues with changing tides.Employment Opportunities
The ferry and railway companies were the mainstay of the Strait Area communities from May 1902 to May 1955.The positions offered on the ferry were: Captain, First Mate, Quartermaster, Deck Foreman, Deck Hands, Chief Engineer, Second Engineer, Third Engineer, Oilers, Firemen, and Water Pump Attendant, making a full crew of 18.In addition to the ferry crew members, many railway jobs such as telegraphers, railway section workers, roundhouse employees, operators of the ferry apron and seasonal rail yard workers created unprecedented economic growth in the Strait Area.Birth on Board
Tillie Petrie of Port Hastings was a nurse married to Alphonse Martell, who was a C.N.R. Agent at Port Hastings and Mulgrave.
In January of 1938, she had her first child on the train in Point Tupper because the Scotia ferry was unable to cross the Strait due to poor weather conditions.
Petrie gave birth in the drawing room of the Pullman car “Woodstock” on train #5.
The baby weighed 5 pounds at birth and he was named Robert Francis Martell.
Number of railway cars that crossed the Strait of Canso:
Year: # of cars:
1922 44,9501924 46,0001927 47,0001931 52,0001934 54,5001938 59,5001947 89,0001948 116,5851949 117,8391950 131,724Challenges for ferries crossing the Strait of Canso
Strong currentsStrong windsChanging tidesThick fogHuge fields of ice
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