Supplemental Posts

Thursday, June 06, 2019

The Bytown and Prescott Railway Bridge

The remains of the Bytown and Prescott Railway Bridge occupy the Rideau River south of Green Island and east of where King Edward Avenue curves west toward Gatineau.






The Bytown and Prescott Railway Bridge

The first railway reached Ottawa (Bytown) in 1854 and connected the future capital to Montreal and Toronto, via Prescott. The tracks were removed between 1964 and 1966 to permit construction of the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge and the Vanier Parkway. The piers, which still stand in the river, are the last remains of this important page in the region's railway history.

National Capital Commission



Le pont ferroviaire de la ligne Bytown-Prescott

Une première ligne de chemin de fer atteignait Ottawa (Bytown) en 1854, reliant ainsi la future capitale à Montréal et à Toronto, en passant par Prescott. La voie ferrée a été enlevée entre 1964 et 1966 pour permettre la construction du pont Macdonald-Cartier et de la promenade Vanier. Les piles qui émergent de la rivière sont les derniers témoins de cette page importante de l'histoire ferroviaire régionale.

Commission de la capitale nationale