August 15, 2010 – Photo of the week: “The Trestle That Spans the Sturgeon”

This week’s photo pays homage to my childhood. When I was a child I used to love trains and trestle bridges. It wasn’t just any trestle bridge I liked though, it had to be those wooden bridges that looked brown and old, known as timber trestles.

Timber trestles were commonly made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to bridge rivers and canyons for railroads. Timber trestles were constructed from logs and beams and were originally intended to be a temporary structure until a more permanent structure from stone, steel or concrete could be made. Wood was used primarily during those times because it was a resource that was readily available, it was cheap, and it didn’t require as much skill to work with. Of course wood isn’t as durable as as stone or concrete, hence the wooden trestles were intended to be a quick fix.

I saw this trestle in St. Albert recently and it reminded me of the ones I saw growing up in Grande Prairie. Sentimental necessity overcame me and I felt compelled to take a photo of this trestle.

Until next week….

To view: The Trestle That Spans the Sturgeon #1

To view: The Trestle That Spans the Sturgeon #2