THE WEBMASTER

Hello there fellow railfans! My name is Paul Duncan.
I maintain this site, with contributions of information and photos from several individuals for various pages on this site such as the DIESEL ROSTERS & CABOOSE ROSTERS and various photos in the TRACKS area.
Over the years of maintaining this page I have become serious in the history aspect of this area as it relates to the past and present railways. I'd like to say that I know the Niagara Region's rail lines like the back of my hand. I have educated myself over the years of non existent and present trackage throughout Niagara and southwestern Ontario. I have over 10,000 photos and a few donated TH&B slides for documentation.
This home page was created because of a project at a local continuing education school's Internet course. (I already had my college diploma). This page was about 200kb in size when it was introduced in December 1995. Can you believe it? It is now over 2050 MB! Obviously not all of my pictures are on my home page.
My schooling started when I attended Drummond Road Public School in Niagara Falls in the early 1970s, I moved to Cambray, Ontario where I finished public school at Fenelon Township Public School in Cameron, Ontario.
After public school I moved to Lindsay, Ontario to attend one year at LCVI high school. I then moved out to the country north of Fenelon Falls, graduated from Fenelon Falls Secondary School in Fenelon Falls, Ontario.
I then moved to Welland, Ontario, which is the heart of Niagara - they say, to attend the Welland campus of Niagara College in 1988, earning a diploma in 1992 covering computers, human relations, retail management, broadcasting and psychology.
During the mid 1990s, I attended additional classes at an Adult Learning Center within the former Welland High. I took Computer Repair, AutoCAD and HTML Programming (the reason these pages were created).
FYI...Welland, Ontario has a population of just over 50,000 residents, and is 20 minutes south west of Niagara Falls, Ontario, 20 minutes south of St. Catharines, Ontario and 15 minutes north of Port Colborne, Ontario.
You're wondering how I became interested in trains? During the mid 1970s, my grandfather, William G. Duncan, a fomer high school math teacher had an HO model railway set on two 4X8 sheets of plywood. The layout was in an 'L' shape. Whenever I visited, he let me become the operator and the one to run the train too fast and derail at corners! My favorite unit was a dark red/brown trolley, because it went like a bat out of hell around the track and never derailed. At my young age, I didn't comprehend the real world of railway operations. I now look back and wonder how I would have like watching trains pass through Welland during the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's. Penn Central and Conrail were a regular site in and around Welland before and then after the Welland Canal Relocation Project in the early 1970's.
Welland used to be a VERY busy place for trains.
When my family moved north of Toronto, I was 7. At the time, I was given my grandfather's train set, because my grandmother thought I would enjoy it. I think it was a big mistake doing so. It never worked after that, due to broken parts on the track during the moving process.
My other interests have also included television production with MacLean Hunter, the local cable station's Community channel 10 at the time during the early 1990's. I'm no longer involved in television productions. Cogeco now provides Cable and all productions are out of Niagara Falls. I left prior to relocation. My interest when I was involved with television was camera operator and floor director. I preferred filming live shows over taped ones. I was involved with about 13 different weekly shows plus special events in the community including city council in Welland and Pelham. I had the opportunity to meet many people during filming. The most popular person I met was Brian Costello, a popular financial planner/expert.
When I was nearing the end of college life in 1991, a friend introduced me to railfanning. Trains didn't come across my mind as a great interest one bit prior to this.
I began to learn about the area in general. It took about 2 years to understand where all of the rail lines went. I then railfanned around the Townline Tunnel in south Welland and haven't looked back. That is... I don't just hang around the tunnel, I go a few miles east to the area between Netherby and Brookfield. I used to sit under the Kingsway overpass along the CP Hamilton Subdivision for the whole day. Now I look back and wonder why I wasted time there. Trains were so sporadic throughout the day.
In 1994, I found the CP Montrose yard which was still in service at the time. CN Port Robinson yard followed. And then I came across CP Welland yard and finally the Dain City Intermodal yard.
I haven't slowed down my activity of what I would classify as chasing trains. I have learned so much about Welland's rail history and the railways throughout the Niagara Region. I have a lot to learn still on southwestern Ontario as I don't get there too much.
Other interests include listening to Eastern Canadian Celtic music such as the Rankin Family, the Barra MacNeil's, Natalie MacMaster, Ontario's own fiddle group Leahy and '80's music. Of course, I can't forget Gordon Lightfoot. I grew up listening to him. New Country-music is something I can handle for a while....until {yawn} ...it gets to me!!!
I used to program with the BASIC language on the Commodore 64. I don't use any of those GUI programs that create the HTML code. I write HTML pages like the old days of BASIC programming. Line by line in a text editor.
Growing up I have had my favorite TV shows too. They were/are WKRP in Cincinnati, Knight Rider, Dukes Of Hazzard, the Degrassi school series, Who's Line Is it Anyway, and Home Improvement. I don't care much for TV over the last few years. It seems to have gotten over populated with filler and sitcoms which also make me head for my computer. I never had any use for those Survivor series shows or what they call reality TV. Reality TV are actually nature shows, not unscripted air time!
Oops, I can't forget mentioning my cameras. I started out in the beginning with a Kodak DISC camera, then dumped that pretty quickly. I then went to a Yashica J-MINI, then went to a Samsung 105S. In 1997 I went to SLR with a non Program model of the Canon AE-1. I then had two of them, then, in 2000 I was up north visiting fellow railfan Wayne Regaudie in Sudbury. He did something he shouldn't have. He let me check out his Canon A1. Now I have 2 of them myself. One, for my 50mm lens and the other for my 35-105mm lens.
With the dwindling number of trains these days, I have found my interests writing song lyrics. I have written to-date 5 songs. I've had someone who is musically inclined go over them to correct some minor issues. Hopefully some day they will go somewhere. They are based for a New Country audience. Now if I could find someone who knows the music side of it all....
If there was anything else to say, I can't think of it right now. If you've got any questions, just email me!
I hope you have enjoyed reading about who is behind this site!
Thank you and enjoy your stop at www.NiagaraRails.com!

I've got to go now...
A train needs to be moved!

MESSAGES OF DEDICATION...

[画像:Mitchell Christoff]

MITCHELL RICHARD CHRISTOFF
May 15, 1937 - July 22, 1994 www.NiagaraRails.com is dedicated in memory of a friend:

A native of Prince George, British Columbia, Mr. Christoff began his railroad years as a member of a section gang in north western British Columbia.
In the early 1970s, Mitchell moved to the Niagara Region of Ontario, where he then continued his 33 year career with CN.
He was an employee in the Niagara Region at CN Merritton, CN Welland, CN Fort Erie and CN Port Colborne.
At the time of his death, he was employed at the CN Port Robinson office as a Train Movement Clerk.
Mitchell Christoff will always be remembered by his friends and fellow CN/NS employees for always going out of his way to do those extra little things.

Mitchell was my main influence towards trains in Niagara. He helped me out with questions I always had, and he was the result in the creation of the Niagara Regional Rail Spur, shortly after his death.
The Niagara Regional Rail Spur later became www.NiagaraRails.com in 2002 when relcated my site, but couldn't register the domain, the way I wanted it.

Russell T. Graham

RUSSELL T. GRAHAM
May 10, 1926 - September 13, 2010 In memory of a friend and family man:

Russell was employed with Canadian National for 38 years.
He worked out of CN Merritton, CN Fort Erie, CN Niagara Falls and CN Port Colborne.
All of which are within the Niagara Region.
He retired in 1985.

I met Russell through his wife Elsie, back in 1996, when Elsie signed my guestbook.
She asked me where I was located. Turned out she lived only a 5 min bike ride from my place, on the street my street is off of.
Ever since that day, I have felt like family to them.
Russell treated me like a grandson. He liked to joke around from time to time.

Colin Doug Mellor

COLIN DOUGLAS MELLOR
February 11, 1950 - February 14, 2012 Remembering a friend and railroader:

Doug was employed as a freight Conductor with Canadian Pacific Railway and its' previous trackage owners in Southern Ontario. Doug began his employment with Penn Central in 1971, then passed through the take-overs of Conrail and Canadian Pacific Railway, of whom he last worked for, before his death.
Doug was originally from the St. Thomas area and worked between the St. Thomas and Windsor corridor of southwestern Ontario.
I believe Doug then relocated to Welland when Conrail sold out to Canadian Pacific Railway. I am not exactly sure of the details.
Doug moved traffic back and forth on the old Penn Central main line (aka CN Caso Subdivision trackage at a later date in time).
When he relocated to Welland, he continued to work the yard jobs.
When I met Doug in 1996, he was the freight Conductor on CP Welland yard Job 1, that operated switchers into Niagara Falls, Stevensville and occasionally on CP Welland yard Job 2, that went to Smithville and to Port Maitland.
Doug became ill in the early to mid 2000's, working until 2011.
Doug will be remembered by friends and co-workers, for his love of the job.
I will always remember all of the things he taught me about the railroad and his down to earth personality.

Douglas Read

DOUGLAS CLIFT READ
July 7, 1951 - April 20, 2012 Remembering a locomotive engineer:

Doug began his railway employment with the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Railway around 1970 as a Locomotive Engineer, on the former TH&B Waterford Subdivision, then later passing through the take-over of Canadian Pacific Railway, relocating to Niagara.
I am led to believe Doug worked out of CP Montrose yard with one of the jobs upon the takeover by CP Rail. Then when CP Montrose yard closed, the operations moved over to CP Welland yard's Job 1, in Wainfleet at CP Welland yard.
Doug Read worked along-side Doug Mellor in the 1990's and 2000's on the same 'local' Welland yard Job 1 movement that serviced Niagara Falls and Stevensville industries, and interchanged with CN in Niagara Falls and east of Welland.
Doug retired around 2010 with 40 years of service.
I wasn't aware that Doug was at all ill, but I found out the unfortunate circumstances of his death in late April 2012.
Like Doug Mellor, Doug Read will be remembered by friends and co-workers, for his love of the job.
I will always remember all of the things he taught me about the railroad and his down to earth personality.

Mary Toth

MARY TOTH
September 16, 1927 - February 8, 2013 Remembering a former biller and car control clerk:

Mary Toth was a biller and car control clerk from 1947 to 1985, during her employment with Canadian National Railway.
Mary's time began at the CN/NW (Wabash) Welland Freight office, once located at Main Street East railway crossing in Welland. At this time, Mary ocassionally gave office support in CN Express office at the NS&T station at Riverside Drive on the NS&T Welland Division.
Mary later relocated to the CN Port Robinson yard office.
At this point in her career Mary also filled in as relief help at their offices at CN Port Colborne in Port Colborne and at CN Merritton in St. Catharines.
I met Mary through her sister Elsie, who worked along-side Mary, most of Mary's career.

Samuel Speight

SAMUEL SPEIGHT
1939 - December 16, 2017 A great railroad friend and Conductor:

I became more enthusiatic about trains after my own grandfather passed away in December 1995. In early 1996 I started to get to know many of the local CP running trades crews that worked bwtween Kinnear and Buffalo.
I met almost everyone from the main line trains and yard jobs 1 to 4, out of CP Welland yard.
I met Sammy in late 1996 while railfanning around the yard. He got to know me by name and called me "Pauly". He would see me out trackside and yell, "Hey Pauly".
Sam started out I am told by his obituary with the Toronto Hamilton & Buffalo Rwy and then came to CP with all of the changes going on in the area.
Sam was always in a good ethic mood and was always happy to see friends. I remember Sammy used to run as CNDR on CP Welland yard job 2 to Port Maitland and Smithville. Sam may have also worked on Job 3.
Mr. Speight retired in 2000 or 2001.

Peter Hoople

PETER GORDON HOOPLE
November 29 - December 27, 2017 My sidekick while photograghing trains:

I met Peter around May or June of 1996 while photograghing trains at CP Welland yard. We got to know each other over the next year and I ended up railfanning with him a few times a week from then on until 2016, when I change my life's direction.
I used to travel around the Niagara region with Peter; ofted going to CN Clifton and CP Welland yard. We also went a few times to London to photogragh new locomotives at the (then) GMDD plant. I was still into trains after the summer of 2016, but put more of life into other things, due to the lack of trains in the area.
It was by surprise that Peter had passed away, only at the age of 67.

Elsie Katharine Graham

ELSIE KATHARINE GRAHAM
November 25, 1933 - April 28, 2020 Someone who treated me like a son:

One day in June of 1996, I received an email for my Guestbook. It was from someone who just wanted to compliment me on a website. My website was very primitive at the time.
Then, my webite was still called The Niagara Regional Rail Spur.
Elsie asked me where I resided. I replied. It turned out that she only lived 3 minutes away. Down and around the corner about 1kilometre away.
Elsie worked for CN control out the shared CN/NS Welland facility in downtown Welland, and at Port Robinson yard (alongside Mitchell Christoff of whom is also shown above.
Elsie worked for CN for a total of 50 years.
She was married to Russell Graham shown above and a sister of Mary Toth, also shown above.

created December 15, 1995
...in memory of the past...
...and is maintained by...