CNoR/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision MP 19.4-22.1 IV (Blackwater River Bridge IV)

Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 69.1-71.8) south of Beardmore, ON. Features the grade as it skirts and crosses the Blackwater River with rock cuts, signaling equipment, telegraph poles and a 100-foot bridge.
Part 4 of 6.
Active, 1914-2005.
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[@foamer443]

Occasionally there rumblings of "The Ring of Fire", not a reference to a specific fast food chain, but to, of course, the mineral deposits north of TB. Coupled with that, talk about a new rail line venturing into that area. Do you think any portion of decommissioned RoW's might be considered for inclusion in such work?

[@padwrr]

There's always been some discussion floating around. Few people told me that not long after they lifted the rails, CN said they would consider relaying steel from Geraldton to Longlac if needed.
The story is that CN is keeping the RoW because of the fibre optic line, but there must be some other reason. At some point they have to make a decision about that line. The washouts are fairly easy to fix, but that cable is bolted to the side of every bridge on the line. What happens when they start to fail?

[@chooch9816]

Is there fibre all the way along the Kinghorn sub? As well, why there and not just along the highway?

[@padwrr]

Yes, the fibre runs the entire length of the sub. In the videos you'll periodically see junction boxes with mileage on them and also orange markers indicating that there is a buried cable.
I don't have an answer to why the rail line and not the highway. I do know it is an agreement between Bell and CN and that it is a pretty important cable in the national fibre network.

[@foamer443]

I can recall when many of the cables were installed seeing the equipment.
Physically with highways there always seems to be some sort of work going on or accidents , something getting dug up. With railways generally speaking not much happens for long stretches of time. New ties, more ballast or it gets cleaned, new rail or grinding, buts that's all relatively surface work, the fibre is mainly deeper.
And it's not like it's only CN that has fibre along it's RoW, it's along a lot of trackage.
Think too about where RoW's go. Downtown to downtown, the cities grew up around the RoW's, then it's a fairly easy transition from RoW to the duct banks under the streets to to Bell/Rogers/Telus CO's/data farms. Think of a fibre following the 401 through Toronto then down the DVP. I shudder to think.
Going by memory 30 odd years ago, for CN and I guess CP, at the time were still somewhat having to maintain pole lines. Crews to keep them working, repairing etc.
Here was an opportunity to get rid of all that, plus, pretty sure, what was installed was a multi-fibre cable (at the time I think 12 fibres and there may have been more than one cable installed) and CN out right (as part of the deal) owns more than one fibre.
The tech has only gotten better with the ability, since installation, to increase the number of lasers a single fibre can handle. Each laser means increase in 'traffic' on a given fibre.

[@padwrr]

Good points.
Interesting that you brought up the poles. I was just out hiking yesterday along a section of the GTP where it runs close to the CPKC Kaministiquia Sub. No poles along that section. However, my camp (cabin, cottage) is east of Thunder Bay and the CPKC Nipigon Sub runs right by there. Still poles and wires along the RoW. Interesting.