Canadian Northern Ontario Railway Federal Bridge

The Canadian Northern Ontario Railway Federal Bridge crosses the Rideau River using five spans supported by four concrete piers set into the riverbed. The structure carries rail traffic across the water by using steel plate girders that distribute the weight of passing trains.

The bridge received construction approval in 1911 through government authorization and opened in 1913 when the rail line from Hurdman Junction to Smiths Falls became operational. This crossing was part of the railway expansion that helped connect communities across Ontario during the early 1900s.

The structure represents the expansion of Canadian railway networks in the early 1900s, connecting communities and facilitating transportation across the Ontario region.

The crossing spans the Rideau River between the Merivale and Mooney's Bay areas and can be viewed from nearby riverbanks and walkways. Access to the bridge itself is restricted since it remains an active railway corridor.

The bridge marks mile 5.8 on the CN Beachburg Subdivision, a reference point that railway engineers and enthusiasts use to locate and identify this crossing. This precise positioning system along the rail corridor helps in infrastructure maintenance and operational planning.