The Trent River Trestle Collapse
Vancouver Island’s Worst Railway Disaster & Historic Site
A Quiet River with a Dramatic Past
Hundreds of cars cross the Trent River every day. In the summertime it’s hardly more than a stream. Most people don’t realize that not far from the highway is the site of Vancouver Island’s worst railway disaster.
Vancouver Island’s Railway Heritage
Business was booming in 1898. The Dunsmuir empire had expanded north to the Comox Valley. Every day men were braving the unsafe conditions of Vancouver Islands coal mines, risking their lives to earn a modest living. As coal was hastily extracted from the earth, it was loaded into rail cars and sent south to port at nearby Union Bay. During this time millions of tonnes of coal were moved across Vancouver Island by train and the railroad became a critical means of transportation between the communities of Vancouver Island.
E&N Railway Trestle over the Trent River, Vancouver Island
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The Disaster of August 17, 1898
Archival image of the collapsed trestle - Nanaimo Museum
On the morning of August 17th, a twenty-car train departed from Union, today known as Cumberland. The train was made up of a locomotive, loaded coal cars and one passenger car. Disaster struck as the locomotive, Union Colliery No. 4, crossed over the Trent River. The trestle, only ten years old, gave way under the weight of the locomotive, hurling it into the canyon below. The loaded coal cars and passenger car were dragged along behind it, killing six people and injuring many others.
The disruption to the coal market was felt by James Dunsmuir immediately. He tasked engineers to find a lower point to cross the Trent River and within a week a new trestle was built nearby.
In Search of Forgotten History
Ever since I first learned of the Trent River train disaster, I wanted to find its location and explore the area for remnants of the original trestle. I started by finding the modern day river crossing on Google Maps and marked the location. I cross referenced this with some old maps of the E&N railway that show the original crossing. From what I could see, They weren’t very far from one another.
Trent River Trestle, Vancouver Island B.C
Hiking to the Modern Trestle
I eventually made my way to Royston with the intention of hiking out to the trestle. I parked near the train tracks across from the old elementary school, packed up my camera bag and set off south down the tracks. It wasn’t long before I arrived.
Crossing the trestle is not for the faint of heart. A single misstep could send you tumbling to the creek bed 100 feet below. I took comfort in knowing that I wouldn’t have to worry about encountering a train anytime soon, as the railway has been deactivated for over a decade. Still, that classic scene from Stand By Me plays through my head every time I cross an old trestle.
Standing Platform, Trent River Trestle, Vancouver Island B.C
Searching for the Original Crossing
Slightly upstream of the modern bridge is what appears to be the original crossing point. Its grading still evident over one hundred years later.
I crossed the trestle on foot and walked the tracks north until I found the point where engineers spurred off the original line to the new bridge. An overgrown trail winds through the original path of the railway.
Crossing the Trent River Trestle, Vancouver Island B.C
Searching the River Bed
Surveying the canyon in both directions, I saw no evidence of the collapsed trestle. I hiked down a steep switch-back trail into the canyon below. Now on the river bed, I kept my eyes peeled for any sign of the disaster. Splintered rail ties, Rail spikes, fragments of twisted iron. There was nothing that I could find except for some small pieces of coal.
Trent River, Vancouver Island B.C
Desperate to see around the next bend of the river, I hiked down stream towards the Old Island Highway. I bushwhacked through thick forests of Salal and ferns in search of anything that may have been washed away by high winter water levels.
Still I found nothing out of the ordinary. Disappointed, I retuned to the bridge and scaled the north side of the canyon until I was back at the top of the bridge. Once again high above the river, I took a moment to reflect on the tranquil scene.
For a brief moment in time the air here was filled with the sounds of cracking timber and twisting metal and the screams of those aboard the train.
Standing at the Edge of the Trent River Trestle, Vancouver Island B.C
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The Disaster’s Legacy
As the coal business began to wane halfway through the 20th century, the E&N Railroad still served our communities with passenger services as well as being utilized for forestry and the transport of other goods. Today it sits in a sad state of disrepair. The cost to bring it back to usable condition has unfortunately been deemed too great by our provincial government. The once vital railroad connecting Victoria to the Comox Valley has become yet another ghostly remnant of the industry that thrived on Vancouver Island.
While the disaster may not be evident in the Trent River canyon today, the memory lives on in our history books. Given the current state of the E&N Railway today, The Trent River train disaster is, and will likely remain the worst railroad accident in Vancouver Island’s history.
If you choose to visit this site, do so with the respect that 6 people lost their lives here.
Visiting Tips and Etiquette
Located near Royston in the Comox Valley, off Royston Road.
Park near the elementary school and follow the tracks South.
Respect private land; leave no trace and be mindful of the environment.
Crossing the trestle is a dangerous activity. The Trestle is the private property of the Island Rail Corridor Foundation. ICF Officials ask that people to stay off the tracks for their own safety.
Have a story about the Trent River Trestle? Share in the comments!
Capture Your Own Vancouver Island Story
Exploring places like the Trent River Trestle reminds me why I love photographing on Vancouver Island. Each ruin, forest trail and coastline offers stories waiting to be told. If this inspires you, let’s plan a Wild Portrait Session together. I’ll guide you to locations that match your story and capture portraits that feel like you. Follow my adventures on Facebook or Instagram , or browse more prints and stories on my website .
