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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: 10827
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Number of comments posted : 21
Total views: 2321463

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wmthomson's 715 photos on Railpictures.ca:

Canadian Pacific Royal Hudson 2857 handles train #322 on CN's Oakville Sub east of Port Credit, in the Fall of 1959. This train was the last part of the NYC-TH&B-CP joint train from New York to Toronto (via the TH&B Welland Sub to Hamilton and CN Oakville Sub to Toronto) and had been dieselized at this point, but I guess power was short in Hamilton, hence the Royal Hudson in charge today. The siding track in the foreground lead to the old "Admiral" appliance plant at Mile 11.9 of CN's Oakville Sub, near Cooksville Creek.

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	Fall 1959
Location:	Port Credit
Province:	Ontario

8 Comments | 21 Favourites

CP's Trenton Turn, with GP38-2 3042 working solo, takes one car across the Trent River bridge in Trenton.

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	09/11/2006
Location:	Trenton
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 9 Favourites

St. Clair Tunnel Company electric motors 175 and 155 along with two others sit under the overhead catenary in Sarnia during the Summer of 1958. My visits to Sarnia in the late 50's were rushed and I had little time to look around. I had only taken one photo of the electrics, hoping to do better the next time, but diesels replaced them a couple months later on September 28th 1958.
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The St. Clair Tunnel Co. (previously operating as an entity separate from the GTR, but becoming under control of CN in 1923) employed 8 electric motors for St. Clair River tunnel service between Sarnia and Port Huron. Motor 175 was formerly one of two Chicago, South Shore & South Bend Railroad electrics built in 1916 acquired by the St.CTC secondhand in 1927 (9175-9176, later renumbered 175-176). 155 (ex-9155) was one of six electrics purchased new in 1907-08 when electric motors first replaced steam. Both were built by Baldwin-Westinghouse, and along with the rest of the others were replaced by diesels in 1958 and scrapped the following year.

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Other
Date:	Summer 1958
Location:	Sarnia
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 8 Favourites

Canadian National's Spadina Yards and surrounding area in downtown Toronto was always a hubbub of activity dating back to the steam era. This 1970 view of the Spadina roundhouse and engine servicing facilities shows a great variety of power that was typical for CN back in the day, as well as some other goodies:<br><br>In the foreground are CN's only two GP35's, 4001 and 4000 (the long hood of which is visible on the lower left) coupled to an MLW RS18. Parked on the next track over is a 1900-series GMD1 (equipped with steam generator and B-B trucks) facing an Ontario Northland 1500-series FP7 and CN FPA4 (likely both together for service on the old "Northland" passenger train that pooled ONR & CN equipment). CN "Railiner" RDC cars are visible on the next track, with one in the background coupled to a pair of GP9's (4130 and 4147, the 4100-series units were equipped with steam lines for use in passenger service). Behind them are four more 1900-series GMD1's, and some MLW S13 switchers used for switching the coachyard (one appears to be coupled to a slug - possibly a visiting hump set from MacMillan Yard?). Steam generator cars populate many of the stub tracks around the roundhouse turntable<br><br>Visible by the main Toronto Terminals Railway tracks leading to and from Union Station in the background are CP container flatcars (6-axle trucked flats converted from old heavyweight passenger cars) loaded with early 20' containers, the TTR's John Street interlocking tower, and CN 40' boxcars lining the platforms and team tracks used by various customers to load and receive deliveries downtown (like newsprint - as evident by the yellow-doored boxcars mixed in. The Toronto Daily Star, Toronto Telegram, and Globe & Mail were known customers).<br><br>The early 70's era Toronto skyline is also visible, including the ever-present CPR Royal York Hotel, the "new" Toronto-Dominion Bank Towers built in the mid-late 60's, the CN Telecommunications building at 151 Front St. (later becoming CNCP Telecommunications, and then Unitel). And, the top of Union Station and the old CN Express building (converted into the Skywalk in the 80's) are visible just above CN's Spadina Roundhouse at the upper right (which was demolished in the mid 1980's for construction of the Skydome).

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	1970
Location:	Toronto
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 28 Favourites

Operating on an Upper Canada Railway Society Fan trip, Grand River Railway electric freight motor 228 and Lake Erie & Northern Railway 337, the last electrics, cross the LE&N bridge over the CASO (NYC) at Waterford on September 30th, 1961. Passenger operations had already ended a few years prior in 1955, and this would be the second last day of electric operations on GRR-LE&N (electrics were used in freight service the next day). Parent Canadian Pacific's diesel locomotives would take over operations on the "CP Electric Lines" after that.

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Lake Erie and Nort…
Date:	09/30/1961
Location:	Waterford
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 34 Favourites

The last steam-powered run of Canadian Pacific train #21 the "Chicago Express" is seen crossing Dundas Street west of the station in Galt, Ontario in January 1954. CPR G5-class light Pacific 1221 and G3-class semi-streamlined Pacific 2409 head up the usual passenger consist. Due to a pending fireman's strike in January 1954, steam replaced normal diesels.
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(Original photographer George Schaller, duplicate slide from the collection of Bill Thomson and posted on behalf of and with Mr. Schaller's full participation).

Name:	George Schaller
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	01/00/1954
Location:	Galt
Province:	Ontario

8 Comments | 28 Favourites

In the late 1950's, Canadian National used gas electric "doodlebugs" between London and Sarnia on occasion. Here we see CN 15836 at Sarnia station with a baggage car visible behind, under the overhead catenary wires for the St. Clair tunnel operation.

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	1950's
Location:	Sarnia
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 18 Favourites

Cornwall Street Railway electric freight motor 17 (former Grand River Railway 230 acquired by the CSR in 1962, originally built by Balwdwin-Westinghouse in 1930 as Salt Lake and Utah RR 106) is seen here in 1967. CN acquired the electrified CSR in 1971 and converted it to diesel operations, but freight motor 17 was saved and today resides on display at Ninth St. West and Brookdale Ave., near the Ontario Travel Bureau.<br><br><i>(Geotagged location not exact).</i>

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Cornwall Street Ra…
Date:	1967
Location:	Cornwall
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 10 Favourites

The Canadian National Windsor carferry docks and yard are shown in 1964, amid a bustle of activity: in the foreground, CN 8471 (a 1953 MLW S3 in the old switcher scheme) moves around the yard with an idler flatcar, used to keep the locomotives off the carferry during loading and unloading. In the background, N&W carferry Manitowac (built 1926 for the Wabash RR) is being loaded by another CN MLW switcher in the newer noodle scheme. In the foreground, freight cars from US roads such as the PRR, D&H and Cotton Belt congregate in the yard. And, the skyline of Detroit can be seen in the background across the river.<br><br>The CN - N&W(NS) Windsor-Detroit carferry operation continued until the end of April 1994, mainly because of excess height cars that wouldn't fit in the Detroit River tunnel. When upgrades to the tunnel to handle double stack and excess height cars were complete in mid-April 1994, the carferry operations became redundant and were discontinued not long after.

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	1964
Location:	Windsor
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 30 Favourites

Canadian Pacific train #360, normally two RDC cars, was frequently too big and conventional power with passenger cars were added, sometimes with the RDC cars included in the train serving as coaches. CPR Jubilee 3002 is #360's power today, pictured by the station in Galt in November 1953. It was one of five semi-streamlined F2a-class 4-4-4's built by MLW in 1936 for fast passenger service, and assigned to Toronto-Windsor duties with sister 3000. 20 more similar (but less streamlined) 2900-series F1a Jubilees were ordered from CLC the following year. All CP's Jubilees were scrapped at the end of steam, except 2928 (at CRM/Exporail) and 2929 (at Steamtown).<br><br>(Original photographer George Schaller, duplicate slide from the collection of Bill Thomson and posted on behalf of and with Mr. Schaller's full participation).

Name:	George Schaller
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	11/00/1953
Location:	Galt
Province:	Ontario

5 Comments | 27 Favourites

Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 H1b Hudson 2816, restored to service as the "Empress" by CP, is seen at Smiths Falls accompanied by GP38-2 3084, FP9 1401 and F9B 1900, all painted in CP's classic tuscan red and grey livery.

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	05/29/2004
Location:	Smiths Falls
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 21 Favourites

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	10/00/1964
Location:	Mimico
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 14 Favourites

CN MLW S13's 8514 and 8516 (one in the earlier noodle scheme with black cab and white frame, the older in the later scheme with red cab and yellow frame) wait at the east side of Bathurst Street Bridge, awaiting their next duties shuffling passenger cars around Spadina Coachyard, or moving train consists to/from the nearby Union Station downtown. In the background, work progresses on the future flyunder and TTR trackage around Bathurst North Yard.

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	05/19/1981
Location:	Toronto
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 12 Favourites

Canadian Pacific H1c class Royal Hudson 2842 is teamed up with pusher assist locomotive 2233 (a G1 class Pacific, tacked on the front of the train as per common CP practice) on a westbound freight on the Galt Sub in 1956. They are climbing the grade just west of Highway 10 (Centre Road) in Cooksville, with the town's water tower visible in the background right next to the rail underpass (the lettering on the side says "Township of Toronto", before it became known as Mississauga).
<br><br>
This spot today is where GO Transit's Cooksville Station is currently located. Aerial imagery of Cooksville in 1960 showing the line and water tower (at the far right halfway down) is available on the <a href=http://jpeg2000.eloquent-systems.com/toronto.html?image=ser12/s0012_fl1960_it0068.jp2><b>City of Toronto's website here</b></a>.

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	1956
Location:	Cooksville
Province:	Ontario

4 Comments | 20 Favourites

CP H1b Hudson 2816, completely overhauled and now christened the "Empress", is seen climbing the Niagara Escarpment at Appleby Line on June 9th 2003. After its overhaul and return to service under CP, 2816 came east touring the area in 2003 and 2004.

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	06/09/2003
Location:	Halton
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 8 Favourites

Acadia Coal Company 2-6-0 42 handles a steam crane at their colliery (mine) in Stellarton, Nova Scotia in August 1961. The crane was working on some trackage in the yard, and 42 is shown here taking her back to the shop in the late afternoon.
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Build by Alco (Schenectady NY) as Dominion Coal 2-6-4T 16 in 1899, the unit became Sydney & Louisburg 42 not long after in 1901 (who eventually converted it into a 2-6-0). 42 was sold to the Acadia Coal Company in 1955, used to switch and handle coal hoppers at their mine operations. After acquisition by a private owner in 1963, and operation on tourist railroads Cape Breton Steam Railway, and the Salem & Hillsboro, 42 was donated to (and currently resides at) the Nova Scotia Museum in Stellarton, NS in 1983.
<br><br>
(Original photographer George Schaller, duplicate slide from the collection of Bill Thomson and posted on behalf of and with Mr. Schaller's full participation).

Name:	George Schaller
Railway:	Industrial
Date:	08/03/1961
Location:	Stellarton
Province:	Nova Scotia

1 Comments | 15 Favourites

Another photo taken along the Canada Crushed Stone line that ran between the quarry north of Greensville and the dumper at Dundas, showing one of their electric dump motors traveling along the double-tracked section, and the overhead catenary that supplied power for electric operation on the line

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Industrial
Date:	1967
Location:	near Greensville
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 12 Favourites

Old Sydney Collieries 2-6-0 17 works the industrial trackage at one of their mines in the Sydney Mines area of Nova Scotia, in early August 1961. The engineer, doing double duty as the fireman, had just shoveled a lot of Cape Breton coal into her, before a cut of 4 hoppers (and the photographer) to the Sydney & Louisburg interchange, and thence on to Glace Bay. An alternate view posted before shows a closer view of 17 working the same mine: <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=27056><b>http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=27056</b></a>
<br><br>
(Original photographer George Schaller, duplicate slide from the collection of Bill Thomson and posted on behalf of and with Mr. Schaller's full participation).

Name:	George Schaller
Railway:	Industrial
Date:	08/00/1961
Location:	Sydney Mines
Province:	Nova Scotia

1 Comments | 13 Favourites

Canada Crushed Stone electric dump motor 11 is pictured hauling loads of excavated material along the line from their Greensville quarry in April 1963. One of four units built by Canadian Car and Foundry in 1933 (units 8-11), 11 and her sisters were used for hauling excavated material from the upper quarry areas to the dumper on the hill at CCS's plant in Dundas (now the site of "Dundas Peak"). They also hauled dumper cars carrying material that were coupled behind. Electric operations at CCS ended in 1975.
<br><br>
A view of part of the plant by CN's Dundas Sub, as captured by Arnold Mooney: <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=14793><b>http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=14793</b></a>

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Industrial
Date:	04/00/1963
Location:	near Greensville
Province:	Ontario

10 Comments | 21 Favourites

Another example of Canadian National's early intermodal container operations: a CN truck and container chassis are loaded with two smooth-side CN Express Freight containers (CNU 740028 and CNU 740026), seen in this view looking west by the yard offices at the west end of CN's Mimico Yard, by the corner of Kipling Avenue and New Toronto Street (the Mimico Yard tower in the distance is actually north of the yard and mainline tracks, with the car advertisement billboard on the west side of Kipling just before the rail underpass). Another smooth-side container on stands can be seen to the right.
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Early intermodal containers loaded on flatcars in Mimico Yard: <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=26929><b>http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=26929</b></a>

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	1965
Location:	Mimico
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 11 Favourites

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