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About RTCDave

I have been photographing trains since I was 15 years old back in nineteen seventy something. I have worked on the railway since 1979 starting at Conrail in Windsor, and have worked at both CP and CN. My first slide camera was my Dad's old Zenit-E (Russian POS with a sticky shutter). From there I went through a few Minolta SRT-201's and X-700's. I now use a Nikon D-60 which still works fine. I have started scanning slides using an Epson V550.

RTCDave's Railpictures.ca photo upload statistics

Number of images: 132
Total gold: 2072
Number of comments recieved : 270
Number of comments posted : 85
Total views: 225544

RTCDave has 5 images in the Time Machine

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RTCDave's 132 photos on Railpictures.ca:

Back in the summer of 1981 I was working as a Car Control Clerk at the Conrail station in St. Thomas, Ont. One of my duties was to make a manual yard check. If it was a nice day I usually slung the camera over my shoulder along with the yard check book and several pieces of chalk to mark up the cars. On this particular Saturday the shop was pretty must deserted so I took it upon myself to "re-letter" 7433 back into NYC lettering along with a crude NYC oval on the hood ends. So if Larry Broadbent wondered who did it, now you know.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Conrail
Date:	07/25/1981
Location:	St Thomas
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 20 Favourites

In celebration of the return of VIA trains 97 & 98 'Maple Leaf'. Here's a look back at VIA No 97 on Nov 26th 1983 passing through Bayview with Amtrak F40PH 350 leading seven Amfleet coaches.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	11/26/1987
Location:	Burlington
Province:	Ontario

6 Comments | 13 Favourites

The sign on the bridge reads 4mph for boat traffic but the speedometer on VIA 6783 is probably pushing 85mph as No 171 sails through Belle River over its namesake river on a Nov 9th 1986 morning.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	11/09/1986
Location:	Belle River
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 14 Favourites

CP5683 & 5777 lead STL&H No 508 (Rougemere to Montreal) through Guelph Jct on Feb 15th 1999

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	02/15/1999
Location:	Campbellville
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 8 Favourites

The "Air conditioning" is on full blast and a friendly wave from the motorman of an afternoon Westbound commuter train powered by a pair of English Electric boxcabs at CN Jct D L'Est in Montreal.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	108/05/1992
Location:	Montreal
Province:	Quebec

4 Comments | 20 Favourites

A pair of VIA FPA-4's (6777 & 6789) sun themselves at the CN Windsor roundhouse alongside the Detroit River on March 3rd 1984 as a pair of CN switchers, one coupled to a reacher car to switch the N&W car ferries, work the yard. Across the river both Bob-Lo boats, Columbia and St Clair are tied up for the season adjacent to Joe Louis Arena. The top of Detroit's Michigan Central Station can also bee seen hiding behind "The Joe".

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	03/03/1984
Location:	Windsor
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 26 Favourites

Caption this! Apparently, over height cars do not fit under the bridge on this track. SOU 43416 lies on its side after having lost its battle with the infamous Peabody Bridge which carried Riverside Drive above the CN tracks.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	07/12/1982
Location:	Windsor
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 26 Favourites

During the summer of 1980 the GM/EMD plant at Lagrange IL was at full capacity pumping out SD40-2's for Burlington Northern. To speed up delivery it was decided to construct two batches (7167-7235, 8075-8089) at GMDD London. Here 7235 the final from the first batch is at the CP in Windsor. It, along with 7234 will be lifted by the C&O Puller. A spotting feature of the Canadian built units was the smooth sided traction motor blower bulge (behind the cab). The US built units had two horizontal strengthening bars.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Burlington Norther…
Date:	07/12/1980
Location:	Windsor
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 17 Favourites

CP 6708 (SW8) switches out some hi-cubes for Ford Motor Co at the West end of Oakville Yard. At this date the CN and CP both had yard jobs switching Ford's Oakville assembly plant. However, a CP engine did not mean it was a CP crew. Crews were just assigned whatever power was available first. CP crews did prefer using the CN power as the cabs were much nicer.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	10/14/1981
Location:	Oakville
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 22 Favourites

CP No 401 heads Westward past the grain elevator at Red Jacket SK on July 10th 1978. I was returning East on a family trip to the mountains. My Dad had bought a Jayco trailer and we were camped that night close to the tracks. This shot was about 7am and the 'coming' shot was right into the sun. The going away shot was better and more interesting anyway.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	07/10/1978
Location:	Red Jacket
Province:	Saskatchewan

1 Comments | 20 Favourites

"I thought CP got the KCS". CN#421 pulls through the yard at Port Robinson with a Southern visitor.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	02/24/2022
Location:	Port Robinson
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 10 Favourites

The Conrail St Thomas to Windsor local WQST-4 kicks up the snow as it passes through Tilbury, Ont led by Canada Division GP9 7440 and GP7 5826. Trailing the four CN covered hoppers is the Comber set-off consisting of CN heater cars for Heinz in Leamington.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Conrail
Date:	02/08/1985
Location:	Tilbury
Province:	Ontario

5 Comments | 31 Favourites

For my 100th RP.ca image and the last for 2020 lets go back to Aug 19th 1984. I'm working as a CP Operator at the temporary train order station Kaministiquia. The wood caboose CP437188 is not just my office, but my accommodation.
I worked here for about six weeks on loan from the London Division. The trainorder signal on the roof was operated using two chains and a hook inside the van. Westbounds would get orders here as they had the track gangs out working between Kam and Raith and would crossover here. The double track main was also left hand running which took some getting used to. A lunchbox radio was used to contact the Winnipeg Dispatcher. Once a train was cleared it, the orders were clipped into a wood hoop. The trainorder signal only had two positions red/green so if orders were 19y (Yellow) you would place the signal red and use a yellow flag. On the weekends they Operators were allowed to go to the hotel in Thunder Bay. If the van needed servicing (Stove oil, fresh water tank filled and crapper cleaned out) the signal had to be secured by climbling on the roof, pulling out a large cotter pin and lowering the whole signal and posts onto the roof and then strapping it down. The first time I did this was at night in the rain. I didn't realize it weighed more than I did and it came crashing down and the light came off and went off the roof, luckily it held on by the electric wire and I did not fall off the roof.
The accomodations were pretty sparse. Just a caboose mattress for bed (BYO Sleeping bag) and an oil stove (BYO food) and toilet. Luckily the gang cars got parked in the siding across the tracks and I was able to take advantage of the kitchen car and commandeer some hot meals.
Here we see an Extra East led by 5937-5924 and two B&O GP40's passing my office. I was able to shoot this as they did not require orders. On the right side you can see my 1976 Chrysler Cordoba that I purchased from Bruce Mercer while I was working in Chatham. That car got totalled a few days after returning to Windsor when I got hit by an impaired delivery truck driver. (No injuries)
I also worked at Dyment and Hawk Lake on the Ignace Sub before returning home.
One funny story, the temporary trainorder station hours were listed on trainorder given out of Thunder Bay. I believe it was a stat holiday, maybe Labour Day and this Westbound comes flying around the corner (Usually they would slow right down) and I'm standing there, signal red waving the yellow flag in one hand and hoop in the other. Well the front door of the SD40 flies open and the headend trainman just makes it to the steps to snag the hoop which proceeds to whack him in the face. The train is now in full emergency braking and when stopped I see the headend trainman marching hastily towards my van with hoop in hand. "Oh S**t" I make a hasty retreat and lock the door thinking he was pissed at me. Turns out he was mad at the hogger who assumed the office would not be open on a stat. By this time the Conudctor has walked up from the van to see whats going on. After getting the brakeman cooled off they exchange positions with the conductor going to the head end and the trainman to the van with a nice welt on his chin.

Happy New Year

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	09/19/1984
Location:	Kaministiquia
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 14 Favourites

End of the line. Conrail ELDW-6 (Elkhart IN-Detroit/Windsor) with GP40-2 3340 and SD40-2 6442 stops at the South end of Track 5 in the Electric Yard, named so due to being in 3rd Rail electrified territory during the steam era. The American crew will then cut off and return light engines back to West Detroit. The Electric Yard was numbered tracks 1, 3, 5, 7 and Short 9 (Switching lead) on the East side of the pole line. Tracks 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 were on the West side although only tracks 2 and 10 remain at this time. The cars in the distance on the right are in the CR-CP Interchange tracks. Taken Feb 27th 1985 just two months before CN-CP will take over the Conrail trackage (CASO) in Southern Ontario.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Conrail
Date:	02/27/1985
Location:	Windsor
Province:	Ontario

5 Comments | 24 Favourites

A commonplace trio of CP SD40/40-2's bring train No 446 past the abandoned Bolton Station on Oct 13th 1987. One of the RTC's I worked with at CP, her Father was the Station Agent here and she grew up living in the Station.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	10/13/1987
Location:	Bolton
Province:	Ontario

4 Comments | 23 Favourites

A very short, one spine car 3-pack #154 cruises through Georgetown. I believe this was the ill-fated Buffalo intermodal train that connected with CSX.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	03/10/2002
Location:	Georgetown
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 14 Favourites

Question. What Canadian Shortline hosted trains from CP, C&O/CSX, DT&I, Conrail, N&W/NS and GTW? The Essex Terminal Railway in Windsor. Here we see a CP transfer job heading East along the Essex Terminal towards Dougall Ave where it will then make a reverse move to shove into the Conrail interchange (adjacent to the Electric Yard). What is unusual this day is the use of an M-630 as these moves usually were handled by SW yard switchers or GP9's. Once the CP is clear, No 942 will pull onto the Essex Terminal and pull across Tecumseh road and then down a connecting track into CP Windsor Yard. The "Loop Track" from the tunnel was also used by the DT&I whilst the GTW interchanged with ETR closer to Dougall Ave. After the CN takeover at the CASO, the Conrail and N&W/NS pullers would use the Loop track to access CP Windsor Yard. The DT&I/GTW would go into VanDeWater Yard. Today the Loop Track has been removed.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Chessie System
Date:	03/11/1984
Location:	Windsor
Province:	Ontario

7 Comments | 15 Favourites

Only ten days before Arnold Mooney's shot of CN 6060 passing over the CN Cayuga/CR Canada Div tracks (Photo 42283) I had ridden the sidetrip from the Falls to Yager with my cousin Steve, who is now a driver at GB Railfreight in the UK. I was 17 when I took this shot of the run-by at Yager. You can see the last coach is still on the bridge shown in Arnold's photo.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	07/30/1977
Location:	Yager
Province:	Ontario

8 Comments | 22 Favourites

A quartet of Conrail GP38's (7998-7910-7999-7893) claws its way out of the Detroit River Tunnel with train ELDW-3 (Elkhart IN-Detroit/Windsor) and past Windsor Depot on a rainy June 14th 1981. The head end brakeman has bailed off and makes a dash for the shelter of the station where he will wait to make the cut for the Electric Yard.
Since the Electric Yard tracks were fairly short, only 45-50 cars, the yardmaster would give the cut number to the operator who would instruct the train, via radio, to stop when the cut was in front of the depot. The brakeman would then make the cut and the power would return after yarding the headend portion to yard the remaining cars. Sometimes a second cut may be necessary.
ELDW's power would then return 'lite' back to Detroit.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Conrail
Date:	06/14/1981
Location:	Windsor
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 20 Favourites

A Westbound freight departs Mac Yard from the "Green Tower" heading towards the Halton Outbound. The two EMDX units are Ex GO Transit GP40's.

Name:	David J Parker
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	03/27/1994
Location:	Concord
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 19 Favourites

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