Home | Articles | Documents | Events | Sources Cumberland Railway and Coal CompanyBy Author Unknown, October 2, 1925 Description of RailwayThis railway, extending from Springhill Junction (on the Canadian National Railway) to the Pier at Parrsboro, a distance of 31¼ miles, was constructed in 1873, as the Springhill and Parrsboro Railway (Springhill to Parrsboro) and the Springhill branch line (Springhill to Springhill Jct.) On the formation of the Cumberland Railway and Coal Company, in 1883, the railway was acquired by this company. Since that time improvements have been made, so that at present the roadbed and structures are in first-class condition. The maximum grade is a short piece of 3% grade near Springhill Jct., which cannot be improved without excessive expenditure. The maximum curvature is 6 degrees. The right-of-way is 80 feet wide, with the exception of about half a mile, which is 40 ft. in width. Yard and repair shops are maintained at Springhill, and shipping pier and terminal facilities at Parrsboro. The train service, exclusive of coal hauling, consists of one train each way per day between Parrsboro and Springhill Jct. and two trains per day between Springhill and Springhill Jct. This service affords transportation to a large territory that otherwise would have no railway facilities. List of Equipment:2 First-class passenger coaches. 2 Combination, baggage & passenger coaches. 2 Conductor's Vans 1 Box car 2 Snow Plows 1 Flanger 1 Auxiliary car 1 Steam hoist on car 13 Wood side dump ash cars 10 Steel side dump ash cars 30 Wood flat cars 5 Steel flat cars 174 Wood hoppers - 15-ton capacity We have 54 of the hopper cars out of service for heavy repairs at present; in fact, all the cars of this class are nearing scrap condition. About 10 of the wood stone cars require heavy repairs. About 15 of the wood flat cars require heavy repairs; balance of equipment in pretty good order. 2 Consolidation Locomotives ) 1 Mogul freight ) In good order. 1 Saddle tank shunter ) Bridges:Rattling Brook 22'6" long steel girder Maccan River 58' " " " Lawrences 34'6" " " " Atkinson Brook 23' " " " Davidson 18' " " " Jeffers 35' " " " McAloneys 35' " " " Beaver Dam 58' " " " DeWolfs 34'6" " " " Leaks 34'6" " " " West Brook 67' " steel I beams Lakeland 15' " " " Rails replaced:Since the year 1919 there has been 7992 yards of new 85 lb. rails laid, replacing 67-lb. rails. Weight of rails:Main line 21¾ miles, 80-lb. per yard. 4½ " 85-lb. " " 5 " 67-lb. " " Sidings-- 67-lb and 56-lb. per yard, about half of each. Mileage:
Locomotives: Working Driving Truck Weight Weight Tractive
No. Type Cylinders Pressure Wheels Wheels of Engine of Tender Power
(inches) (inches)(inches) (lbs) (lbs) (lbs)
9 Consolidation 21 x 28 200 lbs (8) 56" (2) 30" 184,000 103,00 37,500 10 Saddle Tank Shunter 30 x 24 160 lbs (6) 50" 120,000 26,000 11 Consolidation 21 x 28 200 lbs (8) 56" (2) 30" 184,000 103,00 37,500 12 2-6-0 Mogul Freight 20 x 26 165 lbs (6) 56" (2) 33" 130,000 90,000 25,000 Description of Coal Shipping Pier at Parrsboro, Nova Scotia:The pier is pile and timber trestle structure consisting of two wings with a turn-table at one end to transfer cars from one wing to the other. These wings are 350' and 665' long, respectively, and have an average with of 25'. The coal is dumped from drop bottom hopper cars and slides down iron chutes into the hold of the vessel. There are five berths where vessels lay aground when loading, and the loading capacity of the pier is about 2600 tons each tide or 5200 tons in the 24 hours. The range of the tide is such that while at low tide there is no water at the pier and the loading time is confined to the period between tides, about 8 hours. At high tide there is a depth of from 14½ to 24½ feet of water, thus the moving of shipping is confined to the period around high tide. This pier is in good condition, timber replacements being made as required.
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