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Retrospective: Railway Updrades

Wlater Volvsek — This week’s history photograph.
Black Press Media
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The Brooklyn News led me astray in my last essay with two conflicting articles on the Columbia & Western tunnels being built in 1898. Only the shorter of the two Shields tunnels was actually contracted out, and J.W. Heckman photographed its portal in 1901. The longer tunnel was constructed as part of later upgrades, which saw the replacement of wood trestles with steel bridges and massive retaining walls. As was his practice, Heckman returned to document the changes, which included the big Kettle River bridge at Cascade, seen here with steel and fill portions. He did not photograph the longer Shields tunnel as when it opened in 1915 he had retired from his photographic journeys. Courtesy of Exporail, CPR Fonds, Heckman #2456.

Wlater Volvsek — This week’s history photograph.