Halifax Subdivision

This section of track connected the DAR from Windsor to Windsor Junction and included running rights into Halifax. It was often known as The Windsor Branch and began as the Nova Scotia Railway, completed from Halifax to Windsor in 1858. When the Windsor and Annapolis Railway was constructed in 1868, they petitioned for and in 1871 received a lease on the Nova Scotia Railway from Halifax to Windsor Junction and running rights into Halifax. This route, combined with the W&AR tracks formed the Halifax and Middleton Subdivisions. The Nova Scotia Railway became part of the Intercolonial Railway (ICR) in 1872. Although Western Counties Railway briefly took control of the Windsor to Halifax route in 1877, the ICR delegated the line to Windsor back to the W&AR in 1879.

When the DAR was formed in 1893, they used their inherited right-of-way granted to the Windsor and Annapolis Railway from the Intercolonial Railway to access the Windsor to Windsor Junction stretch and to continue on Beford Subdivision to run their trains to the Halifax station. The DAR maintained its own freight and express shed in Halifax. The DAR was also a part owner of the Lord Nelson Hotel which functioned as the DAR and CPR railway hotel in Halifax.

Prior to the reassignment of subdivisions in 1918, the Halifax subdivision ended at Middleton at mile 87.50 and the Yarmouth subdivision ran from Middleton to Yarmouth. After the 1918 reassignment of subdivisions, the Halifax subdivision that ran from Windsor Junction to Middleton was shortened to end at Kentville at mile 56.16 and the remainder to Annapolis Royal was used to create the Kentville subdivision, eliminating Middleton as the starting point of the Yarmouth subdivision and moving it to Annapolis Royal.

The DAR's Halifax subdivision also included running rights on 15 miles of Canadian National's Bedford Subdivision into Halifax.

September 22, 1993 - CP Rail formally abandons the Halifax Subdivision from New Minas (mileage 52.9) to Kentville (mileage 56.1), including the 4.3 mile Kentville Spur from mileage 56.1 of the Halifax Subdivision to the end of track in Coldbrook, as well as the 2.3 mile Kingsport Spur from mileage 56.1 of the Halifax Subdivision to the end of track in Steam Mill.

Gallery

Detail from A. F. Church Map, "Hants County", showing the route of the Nova Scotia Railway through Stillwater and Ellershouse, 1869.
Spreadsheet showing locations on the sub and mileage from a variety of sources.
Map of the Annapolis Valley Fruit District, 1931 showing warehouse locations on the Kingsport, Kentville and Halifax subdvisions.
Topographic map from Kentville to Hortons Landing circa 1956.
Topographic map from Avonport to Shaws Bog circa 1956.
Topographic map from Falmouth to Ellershouse circa 1956.
Topographic map from Stillwater to Windsor Junction circa 1956.
Topographical map montage of the DAR's Halifax Subdivision from Windsor to Kentville post 1970.