Sub-series consists of records created and maintained by the Canadian National Railways Construction Department. From 1919 until about 1933, most engineering work was conducted out of the Construction Section or Branch of the Operations Department. This section had jurisdiction over the building of all new lines and any other construction work which may be specially assigned. More specifically, this covered reconnaissance, trial, and location surveys; as well as tracklaying, ballasting, erection of telegraph lines, establishment of water stations and building of other structures such as bridges. Responsible for the operations of the department were the Chief Engineer of Construction, General Manager, Regional Engineers, General Superintendent of Construction, Engineer of Construction, and various assistant engineers.
Most of these records pertain to the activities of C.S. Gzowski who served as chief engineer. Included are construction files, freight rate investigation records, rail replacement files, joint facility files, and records pertaining to a Royal Commission on Railways and Transportation for the period 1917-1948. The bulk of the records relate to the years 1917 to 1930, after which construction activity virtually ceased. Subsequent material largely deals with joint facility planning studies. There are file numbers 1-1 to 759-1 and 5000-4 to 5545-15.
There are multiple sub-sub-series, including:
180386 : Primary construction files of chief engineer
180387 : Miscellaneous construction files of the chief engineer
180388 : Freight rate investigation records
180391 : P.E.I. rail replacement files
180392 : Joint facility files
180393 : Royal Commission on Railways and Transportation in Canada
More specifically, here are some highlights of the collection:
Vol. 7315: Includes records relating to construction of Hudson Bay Railway, includes reports, correspondence, newspaper clippings, maps, 5 original plans including copies of preliminary surveys of route to Churchill in 1927, elevation drawing, expenditures, and reports and lists of employees sick with typhoid fever.
Vol. 7422: This includes records relating to the construction of the Senneterre-Rouyn line in Quebec, in the 1930s, and includes: ca. 50 photos of construction of the Lemoine River Narrows Bridge, Mile 41 (1936-1938); Data and Specs for clearing, grading, culverts, trestles, and substructures along the branch line, various other memos and reports, various maps and plans including elevation drawings (originals and blueprint copies) of bridges and pivot piers (see plan 8642), and panoramic photograph attached to a plan showing CN properties near Chibougamou mine.
Vol. 7424: Records relating to Sennetere-Rouyn Line Branch, with general correspondence 1937-1942 and folded plans and copy of elevation for station; as well as board of directors inquiry with accounting information and memos and reports
Vols. 7430-7431: Correspondence relating to external associations, such as Railway Association of Canada, American Railway Engineering Association, Engineering Institute of Canada, also internal associations and clubs plus circulars, includes minutes, constitutions, early proceedings of annual meetings. Also includes 3 maps.
Vols 7435-7440: Included in these volumes CN construction department reference files relating to the Board of Railway Commissioners Cases for the Canadian Pacific Railway, and includes correspondence, case decisions, and 87 right of way maps and one large profile plan.
Vols. 7443-7444: This includes records relating to Vancouver terminals construction 1916-1932, and includes: 8 plans to accompany railway and harbour report by the Vancouver Town Planning Commission, correspondence relating to the North Fraser harbour development, contracts and agreements relating to Hotel Vancouver, and Memorandum re. track entrance into Vancouver via the Great Northern Railway or by Proposed Tunnels (1924; includes plans of False Creek and of Vancouver); ca. 50 photos relating to the construction on False Creek, ca. 1918, 3 photos of Central Pacific Station construction 1917, and various correspondence, reports, and memos relating to the progress of construction in False Creek area, 1920s.
Vol. 7446: Includes 6 photos showing False Creek Progress Work filling (in Vancouver), Nov. 1916, part of larger correspondence file re. construction of Vancouver Station
Vol. 7451-7452: This includes 24 maps and plans of the Ottawa region, showing proposals for design of Hurdman Yard, 1 CNOR map, copies of Bank Street Yard, profile plan, various plans of rail lines in Ottawa Vicinity (1912-1938). Also 7 track profiles and newspaper clippings relating to Ottawa Crosstown tracks, ca. 1920s, relating to Ottawa Town Planning Commission.
Vol. 7455: Includes mostly accounting information but also includes a file on Vancouver Hotel Sites, which contains 6 photos of hotel construction including 2 of elevation plans, a report relating to the architect John S. Archibald Estate (1934), a map, a contract, a statement of architect fees (from John Schofield), and correspondence, memos, and other documents between CN and architects and contractors 1919-1939
Vol 7468: Includes maps of Vancouver Island 1927-1930, various reports on branch line construction, instructions to bidders and lists of tendering firms for branch line construction in Saskatchewan 1920s.
Vol. 7484: Includes Jasper to Prince Rupert Passenger Train study, work done in 1925, Joint Cooperative Committee minutes, 1928 map showing grain loadings, information relating to Royal Commission on Railways for 1931, including copies of newspapers
Vol. 7505: Includes file entitled "Problems" with newspaper clippings, 1 map, 1 mechanical drawing, and a file outlining the structure of the Construction Dept 1920s and Land Surveys Dept.
Vol. 7511: Includes Adjustment Agreements between CN and CP, including various maps, with colour annotations, for areas around Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, Halifax, Quebec, Kingston Harrowsmith subdivision; Also hotel designs for proposed summer resort hotels along route of Canadian Northern Railway (1915), Pratt and Ross. Correspondence of departmet of families from Toronto to Montreal and includes a pamphlet of Mount Royal Village, 1923-24.
Vol. 7515: Includes internal dept. correspondence on various matters, including office hours, also a report and correspondence relating to study of agricultural light railways mostly in Argentina, and this has 17 photos of railways in Balcarce region, and maps of the Balcarce region showing the locations of the light railways; also a file on material purchased in 1923.
Vol. 7517: Includes 54 construction photos of Montreal Tunnel repairs, ca. 1940-1943; blueprint plans showing tunnel and locations of repairs, and related reports on repairs.
Vol. 7519: Includes ca. 45 photos, some panoramic, showing Abitibi River Canyon bridge construction, 1920s, and study reports on unprofitable lines.
Vol. 7532: Includes 10 elevation drawings of locomotives, 13 maps relating to a proposed railway link from central BC to Alaska as well as maps of the Alaska Highway, various publications relating to the construction of the proposed Pacific-Yukon Highway as wellas the Alaska highway, and 10 photographs relating to location surveys for proposed railway, and 1 Tacoma washington tourist brochure
Vol. 7542: Part of the 5500 files or operation department chief engineer files, includes 6 postcards of Japanese scenes.
Vol. 7570: Includes map 1917-1919 showing re-use of CNOR and GTR Ottawa Station at Ottawa Terminals, various agreements, copies of leases 1907-1912 at Ottawa Station area, CN Station Quebec City 1907-1918, Joint Terminals Intercolonial Railway Palais Station Quebec, 1915-1922, file re joint section near Melfort SK, 1920-1924
Included within the textual records are photographs and numerous maps, and plans. The photographs can be found in vols. 7422, 7424, 7443, 7455, 7508, 7511, 7515, 7517, 7527. There are also postcards that can be found in vol. 7542.
