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About wmthomson


An enthusiast interested in trains since my high school days (1939-45) at Port Credit High School (beside the CN main line), although not always with a camera. Recently moved to Guelph from Kingston Ontario. Still have my Pentax K1000 but mainly shoot digital now. *All photos copyright Bill Thomson. Editors note: Bill passed away in July 2022, his page is being maintained by RP.ca staff in his memory. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/guelph-on/william-thomson-11195826

wmthomson's Railpictures.ca photo upload statistics


Number of images: 715
Total gold: 10824
Number of comments recieved : 1228
Number of comments posted : 21
Total views: 2318887


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wmthomson has won Editors Choice 3 times




wmthomson has 4 images in the Time Machine


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wmthomson's 715 photos on Railpictures.ca:


Amtrak's Niagara Rainbow is shown in Fort Erie, about to cross the International Bridge from Canada into the USA in September of 1978. An old pair of well-worn EMD E-units are today's power, typical of the early Amtrak-era equipment that was mainly hand-me-down locomotives and passenger cars from railroads wanting out of the passenger train business.
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Amtrak
Date: September 1978
Location: Fort Erie
Province: Ontario
3 Comments | 15 Favourites
Two different examples of well-known Canadian Pacific steam power are shown in another photo of power displayed at CP's Lambton Yard during a NMRA Niagara chapter convention visit (after a ride up from Toronto to Lambton via Leaside). CP H1d Royal Hudson 2858 (built by MLW in 1937, formerly assigned out west in Calgary) sits parked facing D10h 1092 (built by CLC in 1913)in Lambton Yard. <br><br>The stylish semi-streamlined Royal Hudsons were built for hauling premier mainline passenger trains, but as the transition from steam to diesel progressed in the mid-1950's they were downgraded to hauling freight and commuter trains. CP's D10 class of 4-6-0's were well-known as jack-of-all-trades engines, useful in branchline, local, mainline and helper service hauling both freight and passenger trains. <br><br> A closer view of 1092: <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=29274><b>http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=29274</b></a>
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Canadian Pacific
Date: October 1959
Location: Toronto
Province: Ontario
1 Comments | 9 Favourites
Canadian Pacific's station in Guelph is shown in October of 1980. It was last used when the mixed to Goderich stopped on December 16th 1988. The station was dismantled with plans to rebuild it at a park in Galt, that ultimately did not work out.
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Canadian Pacific
Date: October 1980
Location: Guelph
Province: Ontario
2 Comments | 11 Favourites
In the absence of proper fueling facilities for steam power, especially later on in the diesel era, cranes or other means were often employed to "refuel" steam engines on excursion stops. CNR Northern 6167, operating on a UCRS fantrip from Toronto to Niagara Falls (via Caledonia, Welland Jct., Port Robinson and Stamford), takes on coal from CN Browning crane 50018 by the roundhouse at Niagara Falls, Ontario, on July 10th 1960.
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Canadian National
Date: 07/10/1960
Location: Niagara Falls
Province: Ontario
4 Comments | 25 Favourites
Another view of the old Leamington Station during the Conrail era, this time with one of CR's many blue Canadian-assigned Geeps, CR GP7 5826 (as well as a blue van) sitting next to the bay window.
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Conrail
Date: April 1984
Location: Leamington
Province: Ontario
Comments | 8 Favourites
To go along with the <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=28742><b>Todd Steinman</b></a> and <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=27638><b>Arnold Mooney </b></a> photos featured in the Time Machine, here's a view of the old (now Conrail) Leamington Station in May of 1978. A blue Conrail Geep and green PC van sit parked nearby.
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Conrail
Date: May 1978
Location: Leamington
Province: Ontario
1 Comments | 9 Favourites
In October 1959, the NMRA Niagara chapter had their convention in Toronto. One of the features was a Canadian Pacific trip around Toronto (while riding in a gondola car). With CP Pacific 2214 as power, we went up the Don Valley (branch) to Leaside, turned and went across the North Toronto Sub to Lambton Yard. CP had brought out several locos for photographs, including CPR D10h 1092 (built by CLC in 1913) seen here. <br><br> 1092 was also used a few months earlier with 1098 on the NRHS Buffalo Chapter fantrip between Streetsville and Orangeveille, as seen here: <a href="http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=28108"><b>http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=28108</b></a>
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Canadian Pacific
Date: October 1959
Location: Toronto
Province: Ontario
Comments | 11 Favourites
The Lake Erie and Northern Waterford Station is pictured during a UCRS fantrip on September 30th 1961. The famous high level bridge at Waterford over the CASO is a short distance out of frame to the left. <br><br> The fantrip train shown on the LE&N Waterford bridge on the same day: <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=27854><b>http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=27854</b></a>
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Lake Erie and Nort…
Date: 09/30/1961
Location: Waterford
Province: Ontario
1 Comments | 12 Favourites
Amtrak GE B32-8 511 leads the "International" on the GEXR (former CN) Guelph Sub, leaving Guelph past the local fall colours in October 2000. It wasn't long before this run was abandoned a few years later.
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Amtrak
Date: October 2000
Location: Guelph
Province: Ontario
3 Comments | 20 Favourites
Regular steam was on its last legs at the end of 1959 and early 1960, but CN still kept a few steamers around at Mimico. Seen here is CN Northern 6244 dead at Mimico (with its drive rods still on and coal in the tender). Part of CN's last group of U2h-class Northerns, 6244 was built by MLW in September 1943 and scrapped in April 1960.
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Canadian National
Date: 1959
Location: Mimico
Province: Ontario
3 Comments | 20 Favourites
The famed CPR steam triple header is seen on the long curving bridge at Forks of the Credit, on May 1st 1960. Smoke is wafting backwards as the power is backing the train up, and photographers line the north end of the bridge for a runby photo shoot.<br><br>Excursion engine CPR 136 at Orangeville Yard: <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=28543><b>http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=28543</b></a><br>Tripleheader consist arriving in Orangeville: <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=28312><b>http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=28312</b></a>
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Canadian Pacific
Date: 05/01/1960
Location: Caledon
Province: Ontario
1 Comments | 23 Favourites
The platform view of Ontario Northland's station at Temagami, on October 3rd 1993. <br><br> The Northlander at the station: <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=26844><b>http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=26844</b></a>
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Ontario Northland
Date: 10/03/1993
Location: Temagami
Province: Ontario
Comments | 7 Favourites
Canadian National Pacific 5601 (a P4-class ex-GTR steamer built 1910, scrapped November 1960) leaves Hanover on the Owen Sound Sub with train #680 in 1958.
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Canadian National
Date: 1958
Location: Hanover
Province: Ontario
3 Comments | 21 Favourites
The old Michigan Central Railroad station along Conrail's CASO Sub is shown in Windsor in March 1977. It was built in 1911 to serve the MCRR's passenger trains and later hosted those from Canada Southern (CASO), New York Central, Penn Central and Amtrak in the Conrail era, until 1979. It survived until 1996 when it was destroyed by arson. Van de Water Yard and the Detroit River Tunnel are a short distance off to right.
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Conrail
Date: 03/03/1977
Location: Windsor
Province: Ontario
1 Comments | 11 Favourites
Canadian National SW1200RS 1204 leads a CN freight on the Hagersville Sub, crossing the diamond with the Penn Central's CASO Sub in 1969. The CASO Hagersville interlocking tower and station are shown in this view.<br><br><i><b>More at Hagersville:</b></i><br>C&O power passing the station: <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=15125><b>http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=15125</b></a><br>A lineup of NYC units in 1965: <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=18648><b>http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=18648</b></a>
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Canadian National
Date: 1969
Location: Hagersville
Province: Ontario
1 Comments | 33 Favourites
Another look inside the CP-staffed West Toronto diamond interlocking tower in February 1964, just a few months before it was demolished. The view is looking south inside, showing "leverman" Lorne Biggs next to the old Saxby & Farmer interlocking machine, its polished lever handles controlling the signals, switches, and locks in the interlocked West Toronto diamond area. The side of the illuminated track panel display is visible on the right, showing the routings and lever sequences to line specific routes. <br><br> The quaint green interior was equipped with sparse amenities, including a crank telephone, sink, storage cabinet with first aid kit (and not pictured, a stove inside for heat in the colder months). Windows all around offered good visibility of approaching trains, working track crews and rail employees in the area, and both CN's and CP's West Toronto stations were in easy view of the tower. <br><br> For more information, see the previous interior interlocking tower photo looking north-west inside: <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=28698><b>http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=28698</b></a>
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Canadian Pacific
Date: February 1964
Location: Toronto
Province: Ontario
1 Comments | 12 Favourites
Canadian National's large coaling tower at Spadina Yard in downtown Toronto, used in the steam era for fueling the many large and small steam engines based out of the roundhouse, continued to exist for years after steam was retired. CN Northern 6167, enjoying its brief second career in excursion service, is pictured underneath it while receiving sand from the modern sanding towers installed nearby. Bathurst North Yard just south of Front Street can be seen in the background full of freight cars (long used as a CN freight yard until being repurposed to store GO trains). The nose of an FP9 can be see on on the right, and on the left are some early CN 50' yellow mechanical refrigerator cars.
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Canadian National
Date: April 1963
Location: Toronto
Province: Ontario
2 Comments | 21 Favourites
There's nothing but a lonely snowy landscape at CP's Markdale Station on this winter day in January 1971. There will be no traffic until a plow train comes along on the Owen Sound Sub.
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Canadian Pacific
Date: January 1971
Location: Markdale
Province: Ontario
Comments | 14 Favourites
Canadian Pacific P1e-class Mikado 5153 climbs the Niagara Escarpment on the Galt Sub near Kelso (present home of the Kelso Conservation Area, although this part of the Galt Sub was "Christie" on CP's timetables) in July 1959. This train is a bit unusual as there's no assist helper engine today. An assist pool was based out of Lambton (the "Cockney Pool" as many used to call it) for the 60-mile Toronto to Orr's Lake run, and an assist engine was usually tacked on front of the train's main power to help with the grades.
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Canadian Pacific
Date: July 1959
Location: Kelso
Province: Ontario
2 Comments | 20 Favourites
Steam engines required more frequent fueling stops for coal and water than diesel, and as a consequence structures had to be set up at various junctions, terminals, and outlying points to supply them when running low. After the steam era ended so did their usefulness, and most were demolished in the following years. <br><br> The coaling tower pictured here is in Guelph at Canadian National's Guelph Junction, located by Crimea and Alma Streets. A pair of CN hoppers are spotted below the tower with "blue flag protection" applied, where they dump their coal into a pit under the track (note the piles of coal on the ground around the hopper bays), which is then scooped up into the tower via a conveyor system and deposited inside, waiting to be dumped into steam engines via the chutes located around the platform.
Name: Bill Thomson
Railway: Canadian National
Date: 1958
Location: Guelph
Province: Ontario
2 Comments | 11 Favourites
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