Duhamel Trestle, Railway bridge spanning Battle River near Camrose, Canada
Duhamel Trestle was a wooden railway bridge crossing the Battle River Valley, constructed as a tall lattice of wooden posts and beams stacked in layers. The structure featured diagonal bracing typical of trestle design, which created a skeletal appearance while supporting heavy train loads.
The bridge was built in 1910 as part of the Calgary-Edmonton railway line by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. It was dismantled in 1924 when the railway was reorganized, and its timber was salvaged for use in other construction projects throughout the region.
The bridge became a point of connection for the rural community, linking farming areas to larger markets and changing how people moved goods and traveled. It represented the arrival of modern rail transport in the prairies.
The site is located near Camrose and accessible via local roads, though the terrain can be muddy during wet weather. Visitors interested in railway history should plan to explore the area on foot and bring sturdy footwear to navigate the riverbank location.
The construction required around 120 workers and massive amounts of timber, making it one of the most ambitious wooden bridge projects of that era. After its demolition, the salvaged wood became building materials for numerous other structures across the prairie region.
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