Editing Miramichi, New Brunswick (section)

===Railway (1875–1950)===
In 1875, the region's largest construction project in history was completed when the federal government's [[Intercolonial Railway]] (ICR) opened between [[Moncton]] and [[Campbellton, New Brunswick|Campbellton]]. The following year it would link [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax]] with [[Rivière-du-Loup]] and the Canadian railway network. One of the biggest geographic obstacles presented in the project was the crossing of the [[Miramichi River]]. Surveyors deemed the ideal location for bridging to be at the upper reaches of tidewater between [[Nelson, New Brunswick|Nelson]] and [[Newcastle, New Brunswick|Newcastle]], crossing the [[Southwest Miramichi River|Southwest Miramichi]], then a short section of land at Derby, followed by the [[Northwest Miramichi River|Northwest Miramichi]]. The combined length of these bridges would be among the largest constructed to date in Canada (surpassed only by the [[Victoria Bridge (Montreal)|Victoria Bridge]] in Montreal) and were the first bridges over the [[Miramichi River]], revolutionizing transport in the region.

The ICR bypassed Chatham by running through Newcastle and then on to the north and west. Within a decade, the [[Canada Eastern Railway]] was built to link [[Chatham, New Brunswick|Chatham]] with [[Fredericton]], along the length of the [[Southwest Miramichi River]] valley. In 1904, the Canada Eastern was purchased by the ICR. In 1915, the ICR became part of [[Canadian Government Railways]] and 3 years later in 1918 it became part of the [[Canadian National Railway]] (CNR).

CNR operated express passenger trains along the main line from Halifax to Montreal via Newcastle, most notably the [[Ocean (train)|''Ocean Limited'']], along with various local trains to Fredericton, Moncton and Campbellton. The [[Dungarvon Whooper]] provided passenger service along the [[Canada Eastern Railway]] from Newcastle to Fredericton. The ports and railways serving Newcastle and Chatham burgeoned with activity as the 19th century lumber industry gave way to the 20th century developments in pulp and paper, and mining.