Visitors to Halifax often find its road layout puzzling, a result of a century-old engineering project known as the Halifax rail cut. Historian Bob Chaulk explores this transformative project in his book, Railroaded: The Untold History of Halifax’s Rail Cut, detailing how the trench, created to connect trains to a new ocean terminal, disrupted the city’s traffic flow. Originally built to revitalize Halifax after the Royal Navy’s withdrawal, the rail cut involved extensive construction and community disruption. Despite its challenges, the cut ultimately established a vital commercial port infrastructure.






