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About mercer

Originally from Burlington ON; lived in Brantford, Aldershot, Chatham, Brights Grove and currently Brantford (2nd time), retired in 2014 from Ontario Southland Rly; also worked for CN, TH&B, C&O/CSX. Began photography in 1963 taking B&W and colour prints; began taking slides in 1966. No longer active in photography, enjoy helping younger fans with their aspirations in sharing my experiences.

mercer's Railpictures.ca photo upload statistics

Number of images: 100
Total gold: 1469
Number of comments recieved : 213
Number of comments posted : 680
Total views: 232388

mercer has 1 image in the Time Machine

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mercer's 100 photos on Railpictures.ca:

LRC 6904 has 8 'conventional' coaches on train 73 at Bayview. Having the 2nd generation of power on their roster, VIA was able to extend the length of single-unit trains. Like many of it's stablemates, 6904 was scrapped in 2007/2008 at Industrial Rail Services, Moncton NB

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	9/2/1984
Location:	Hamilton
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 9 Favourites

My actual notes are lacking but I think this would could be train 407. A trio of MLW's with HR-616 2118 leading a pair of C630's exit the Oakville Subdivision and enter the Dundas Subdivision at the popular fan location. The sights and sounds by the time this train got to Dundas station may have been something unforgetable.

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	9/2/1984
Location:	Hamilton
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 11 Favourites

Through the late 1970s and into the 1980s/90s we lived in Chatham, and later Brights Grove. But we still had family, and friends, in the Burlington/Hamilton region. So if time warranted a pleasant day at trackside, I took full advantage of it. If memory serves, this was called the INTERNATIONAL, train 85 I believe.
A single F40PH has 9 cars in tow ( 8 Amfleets and a ?? Superliner) as he makes his way past the Inksetter Road iron bridge while headed for Chicago. A shame this train is no longer a through connection.

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	Amtrak
Date:	9/28/1984
Location:	Copetown
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 9 Favourites

A Carl Bury image. In September 1975 the Brantford resident did a driving trip to the western provinces. One of his classic discoveries was CN's first SD40 resting between road trips at Jasper AB, already showing signs of heavy use after 8 years of age.
Make no mistake, this is THE unit of the class. Unfortunately, having lasted until Dec2006 on the active roster, she met the torch at Lac La Biche AB during June2007 after efforts for preservation fell short.

Name:	Bruce Mercer collec…
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	9/xx/1975
Location:	Jasper
Province:	Alberta

1 Comments | 13 Favourites

The roulette wheel keeps on spinning, as a pair of BNSF GE's 883-829 are on the point of NS St. Thomas to Buffalo train 328 passing through Brantford on a cool November morning. The existence of trains 327/328 on the NS ledger was to provide timely service for Ford's Talbotville plant. But long before the auto maker built that facility, predecessor Wabash RR had procured other on-line customers. Those covered hoppers may have come from one of several elevators along the former Paynes or Cayuga Subdivision's, or from the Thamesville elevator on the Chatham Sub.

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	Norfolk Southern
Date:	11/10/2004
Location:	Brantford
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 6 Favourites

Here's an example of knowing what went west on NS 327 the day before, and having the good fortune to be able to shoot that power coming back on 328. A pair of CSX units, 208 and 8758 bring a not-so-large eastbound through Paris Jct. on a warm but overcast morning. If you were an NS employee based out of St. Thomas, you had the luck of the roulette wheel when it came to motive power on these trains.

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	Norfolk Southern
Date:	10/13/2004
Location:	Paris
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 8 Favourites

Norfolk Southern Buffalo-St. Thomas train 327 with a single Dash 9-40C is doing his best to maintain track speed with a large contingent of hi-cubes at CN Paris Jct. Train 327 had settled into a fairly reliable timeframe during 2004, 2005, making it easy to catch whatever motive power NS could scrounge up for it's valuable Ford Talbotville run. And unless something out of the ordinary happened, the same power would be bringing 328 back the following morning. So just like the CERTS breath mint commercial, it would be "two..two.. two [chances] in one' to catch the power.

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	Norfolk Southern
Date:	10/06/2004
Location:	Paris
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 9 Favourites

A Doug Lawson photo.
Former NAR GMD-1 311 has been renumbered back to it's original CN number after the Canadian regional property became 100% CN-owned in January 1981. These engines were all built new for CN with the A-1-A trucks for branchline service. 1072 spent time as NAR 311 from Jan1962 until Jan1981. It later became CN 1182. As was the classy touch of NAR, it carried the name TWELVE FOOT DAVIS. NAR named all of it's engines starting in about 1970 for local people and places. 1172 was retired by CN in Sept1999, was resold to a broker who then sold it to Southern Rly of BC, renumbered SRY 1205; in late 2014 it was sold by SRY to broker J&L Consulting and was deemed to be in poor condition, hence was scrapped.

Name:	Bruce Mercer collec…
Railway:	Northern Alberta R…
Date:	Sept1982
Location:	CN Calder Yard Edm…
Province:	Alberta

Comments | 14 Favourites

A Charles Begg photo.
Baldwin model VO-1000 of Crown Zellerbach Canada Ltd brings an empty log train out of the shelter of the woods enroute to the camp for another load. The exact location, and hence direction, is unknown. But we do know that CZ bought this engine from the US Army Transportation Corp at Ogden UT in an auction late 1960. It was in service on Vancouver Island until being donated, locally, to the historical society. Unfortunately it was recently scrapped owing to deterioration. The 1943 product of Eddystone PA is carrying all the necessary equipment to quickly extinguish any spot fires along the right of way, starting with a goodly length of hose wrapped around the front handrail; and ending with the water car.

Name:	Bruce Mercer collec…
Railway:	Industrial
Date:	June1972
Location:	Ladysmith-Vancouve…
Province:	British Columbia

3 Comments | 21 Favourites

In January 2003 OSR purchased RS-18 Control Cab loco 1116 from CPR. As part of the transaction, CP wanted the wheelsets returned, which was OK because OSR simply had purchased it for all other parts. After being lifted into it's proposed resting place, and the wheelsets put on a flatcar for shipment back to Toronto, personnel set about making sure it wouldn't topple over. Two years later, a lot of small parts have been scavenged for the active fleet, both at Guelph Jct Rly. and at Salford, as well as one other location. Doyle McCormick's restored PA (NKP 856) has the dynamic brake cover off this engine. The 1116 was new for CPR as the 8746. It may outlast several employees.

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	Ontario Southland
Date:	04/25/2005
Location:	Guelph Jct
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 9 Favourites

My wife and I were married on August 30, 1975. We spent the next 15 days driving to northern British Columbia and back. For the most part the camera was pointed at ourselves or the surrounding landscape. But in a few locations, and especially in the small town ( at that time) of Yorkton, Saskatchewan, it was pointed at something just as beautiful. During this timeframe, CN assigned G-8 854 to Yorkton to handle local elevator chores. The GMD product was still wearing factory paint when I found it resting in the small yard. I had to shoot it late in the afternoon because the sun angle the next morning would not be conducive. She's obviously throwing oil at this stage in her life. Retired in July1981 without being repainted, and scrapped at Transcona at some point thereafter.

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	09/11/1975
Location:	Yorkton
Province:	Saskatchewan

7 Comments | 24 Favourites

An Ollie McKee image.
I have no specific details for this movement. 6776 is obviously backing up, but is it to grab his 4 or 5 cars and leave for Ottawa? Or is to join up with a westbound train from Montreal, to continue for Toronto ?
Just a nice image, of a lone FPA-4 and some interesting ( and long gone) background detail.
After initially being sold to the Portola CA museum group, 6776 spent time on the Grand Canyon Railway out of Williams AZ. And was more recently " stuffed and mounted " at the canyon South Rim, within the National Park and not far from the ATSF-constructed lodge.

Name:	Bruce Mercer collec…
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	June 1979
Location:	Brockville
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 10 Favourites

There were very few days that train 71, Toronto-Windsor, warranted more than 2 engines or 3 cars. Saturday was considered a slow day ( in between busy Friday's and Sunday's ). Taking advantage of a crystal clear late October morning, and the availability of the older motive power, I waited patiently for train 71 to arrive town. CN is getting ready to build the connecting track over to C&O's Subdivision No.2 so that freights between Windsor and Toronto can begin using the former Conrail CASO Sub via Fargo. Prior to the changeover to OCS clearances, a new Operator's station will be erected (behind me) and be called CN Chatham East. It would be built twice because vandals torched the first attempt. I have photos of both versions, and the burned out remains. So keep watching!

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	10/26/1985
Location:	Chatham
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 11 Favourites

Saturday morning was a good time to catch 72 and 74 with big consists, and especially during the era prior to the delivery of the F40s. Sass Road was another location where eastbound trains could be easily captured because for the most part, the foliage was kept low. Train 72 accelerates out of town pulled by reconditioned 6314 and F9B's 6623-6636, having crossed C&O Subdivision No.2 and McGregor Creek. Every once in a while a boxcar or bulkhead flatcar would be placed on the short spur next to that concrete ramp, but I've long since forgotten what type of business was in operation at that address. The reconditioned 6300s were among the first older VIA units to have their ditchlights properly built-in, but today the hogger has forgotten to turn them back on after making the station stop.

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	10/26/1985
Location:	Chatham
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 7 Favourites

A Doug Lawson slide. Looking for all the world like fish in a tank, a gaggle of MLW and GMD noses are staring each other down, in between runs during the busy holiday time. Spadina was fan-friendly, as long as you didn't you over-step your bounds. In a few years it would disappear when the ball stadium SkyDome was built. The cab units would begin retirement after the late 1980s, a combination of cutbacks and the new F40s.

Name:	Bruce Mercer collec…
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	12/28/1982
Location:	Toronto
Province:	Ontario

5 Comments | 24 Favourites

A Mike McIlwaine slide. VIA train 71 flies past the closed Stoney Point station on the final leg of it's journey from Toronto to Windsor. In deference to policy, the consist of 5 cars is being handled by 2 locomotives, but I'm sure there is an explanation. The 6 Tempo RS18's were not purchased by VIA, only leased for use in the Corridor. Wholesale changes were imminent as the F40's would be delivered starting in November 1986 and the Tempo cars would be sold off, replaced by dozens of second-hand ' heritage ' cars.

Name:	Bruce Mercer collec…
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	05/05/1982
Location:	Stoney Point
Province:	Ontario

4 Comments | 14 Favourites

On a cloudless June morning, train 72 has pulled away from it's scheduled stop at Chatham and is about to cross the C&O diamond. 6771-6861 have at least 10 cars behind them as they cross Park Street and accept the Clear signal for the automatic interlocking. I'm standing on C&O Subdivision 2 as I record the scene. You can still see 6771 in action these days, living a less strenuous life on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway near Cleveland OH.

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	06/06/1985
Location:	Chatham
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 12 Favourites

THE INTERNATIONAL, combined Toronto-Chicago service operated jointly by VIA Rail Canada and Amtrak. Train 81 has 4 Amfleet cars behind F40PH 355 as it crosses Amiens Road immediately west of the diamond with CP's Windsor Sub.
This location would later have a connecting track installed between CN and CP and be given the name MELROSE. CTC installation on the Strathroy Sub. is also a number of years away.

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	10/21/1986
Location:	Komoka (Melrose)
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 14 Favourites

FPA-4 6771 has a 4 car consist on Windsor-Toronto train 74 as it passes through the lakeshore community of Belle River Ont in March 1982. I would often bring the camera when I was working the C&O Walkerville yard job, and try to pick off any movements on CN or CP between home, in Chatham, and work.

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	03/03/1982
Location:	Belle River
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 10 Favourites

Since moving back to Brantford in 1998, and up until the time I ceased taking photos, one of my favorite locations was at Mile 18.7 Dundas Subdivision, a.k.a. Powerline Road. But I would also refer to this as ALFORD, since back in the day, it was a named location on the CN predecessor line from Galt to Tillsonburg (before the Lynden Cutoff was built). So on this warm September morning as I sat in my folding chair, I caught the sound of a GE working upgrade at MASSEY and I had hopes that it may turn out to be NS 328. Imagine my surprise when freshly painted B40-8W 579 poked it's nose around the long curve, with GP60M 101 trailing ! And if that wasn't enough, here was the NS Exhibit Car also in the train !

Name:	Bruce Mercer
Railway:	Norfolk Southern
Date:	09/04/2004
Location:	Brantford
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 8 Favourites

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