RAILROADING IN ESSEX COUNTY
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1854        Great Western Railway comes to Windsor (then GTW then CN)
1874        Canada Southern arrives in Essex County (to Amherstburg)
1880/06     Ontario and Quebec (CP) arrives in Windsor
1882        Michigan Central leases the Canada Southern
1883        CASO/MC 'cutoff' line to Windsor from Essex built
1885        CP comes to Windsor
1887        Construction of Leamington & St. Clair Railroad completed
1888/12     Opening of the Lake Erie, Essex and Detroit River Railroad
1902        ETR formed and begins laying trackage
1903/01     Pere Marquette obtains the LE & DR (formerly LEE&DR)
1905        Construction of the Windsor, Essex and Lake Shore interurban begins
1907        The Essex depot survives explosion number one
1910/07     Detroit River Rail tunnel opens
1920        ETR completes track laying to Amherstburg
1932/09/15  The Windsor, Essex and Lake Shore interurban ceases operations
1947/06     LE&DR merged into C&O
1952        NYC ceases electric operations through the tunnel
1953        The last NYC steam-pulled passenger train departs Windsor (eastbound)
1953        The NYC Windsor roundhouse closes
1955/12     C&O gets tunnel trackage rights and moves the ferries to Sarnia
1957        C&O Station in Walkerville demolished
1961        CN Waterfront passenger station closes
1961        'Temporary' passenger station opened at CN Walkerville - It's still there!
1962        CN introduces the 'wet noodle' herald
1968        CP introduces the 'multimark' herald
1971/07     CP ends RDC passenger service to Windsor
1975/10     Amtrak begins operations through Southern Ontario
1975        Local chapter or CRHA begins restoration of Essex depot
1976        VIA Rail Canada begins nation-wide passenger service
1976        The Bombardier LRC is introduced
1976/06/16  Last run on Amherstburg branch - McGregor to Amherstburg
1976/01/15  Last Penn Central westbound freight (BM-7) in Canada
1976/09/10  CN westbound passsenger #77 derails at Tecumseh (Lesperance Rd.)
1976/03     C&O closes Harrow and Kingsville depots
1976/04/01  Conrail is born 
1977/08/18  ETR trades in SW8 102 for EMD SW1500 113 (to be 107)
1977/10/23  CN #73 derails at Windsor (Lauzon Rd.) 
1978/08     PM Tower (ETR/C&O) torn down
1978/01/21  World record flatload of lumber in Windsor (110K boardfeet)
1978/04/16  Ex-CP 2860 with BC museum train visits Windsor
1979/01/31  Last run of the Amtrak Niagara Rainbow through southern Ontario
1979/10/07  N&W's last operating F7A 3725 heads dead to U.S.
1979/05     ETR obtains PC caboose 23045 [Now privately owned in West Windsor]
1980/06/24  GTW officially acquires remaining 50% of DT&I from Penn Co.
1980/04     C&O begins painting Canadian Geeps in Chessie scheme
1981/02/16  CP celebrates 100th anniversary
1981/09/31  GTW takes over remaining 50% of D&TSL from N&W
1982/04     VIA Walkerville depot modernization completed
1982/04/24  VIA demonstrates new LRC equipment at Windsor
1982/05/03  The LRC begins regular service into Windsor
1985/08/08  CP/SOO begin Chicago/Montreal container service
1985/05/01  CN & CP acquire Conrail's Canadian Division (CASO)
1986/12     The F40PH enters VIA service
1986/06/15  Windsor NYC roundhouse torn down
1986/04/11  ETR obtains AC GP9 172 (becomes 102)
1986/07/06  CP begins Manual Block System operation on Windsor Sub.
1987/01/19  CN begins direct service to U.S. (trains 383/382)
1987/01/17  Last GTW/DT&I transfer runs to Windsor
1987/04/25  ETR runs NRHS charters to Amherstburg
1988        ETR becomes all GM with sale of 101 and 103 (to Lasalle Pkg), and 106 (to A&M)
1988/04     Detroit Michigan Central Depot closes
1989/07/17  CP westbound 507 derails near Windsor south dropping containers onto Tecumseh Rd.
1989/07/20  A westbound CSX local derails at washout (due to 7-10 inches of rain) near Kingsville
1989/07     The CR Windsor Star spur is pulled out of service and the ETR diamond signals removed
1989/11/25  ETR obtains Cartier GP9 #59 (renumbered 108)
1989/10/20  Fire at CP docks destroys 60-100 vehicles in loaded multi's
1989/10/01  CN converts from MBS to DOB (Daily Operating Bulletins)
1990/04     Due to deteriorating track conditions, the CSX locals now run in daylight if on their own track.
1990        Last online industry closes on ETR factory branch. Line soon torn up.
1990/10     CN's waterfront yard closes  (last spike ceremony - Nov.30th)
1990        CN's two track main to Chatham now operated as single mainline
1990/11/24  ETR obtains two CP wide-vision vans
1990/06     CN Chatham sub. between Windsor & Chatham single-tracked
1990/01/01  Windsor railway tunnel flooded by broken water main
1990/01/15  Federal policies force reduction in VIA services
1990/06     CN purchases CSX line from Tecumseh Rd (mp2) to Oldcastle (mp8), plus mile around Leamington
1990/12     The town of Essex takes possession of the Essex depot
1990/01     CP starts running cabooseless trains
1991/12     The Windsor-Essex chapter of the CRHA winds down.
1991/09     The gate tower at CN Walker road (Walkerville) removed from service
1991        VIA/CN installs wye across from Walkerville station
1991/05/07  CP begins Detroit-Toronto NS Roadrailer service
1991/09/16  Pelton diamond removed and signals shut off
1991/07/27  CN waterfront roundhouse levelled by fire
1991/11/19  Pelton tower razed
1992/03     CP Operator jobs moved to Toronto
1992/01     ETR's chopped caboose heads to the states
1992/01     New tunnel project planned for Sarnia
1992/01/01  CN North America absorbs GT, CV, DW&P
1992/04     CSX Local 1 terminated
1992/04     CN not to upgrade Windsor tunnel ; CP to go ahead alone
1992/06     B&SW 3-foot railroad last run - equipment to Heritage Village
1992/07     CN Stoney Point depot damaged in fire (again and for last time)
1992/01     CN starts running cabooseless trains
1992        CN starts lifting westbound (north) track between Essex and Tilbury
1993/06     City to gate grade crossings and bring in no-whistle bylaws.
1993/05     CP dual-flag scheme appears in area
1994/05     CP/NS Railbarge services terminated
1994/05     North (westbound) tube dimensions increased for double stacks and TOFC
1994/05/17  CN Windsor South closes. CTC Control moves to Toronto
1994 late   CSX freight station in Walkerville damaged by fire
1995        CN opens new Sarnia tunnel - much of CN's Windsor traffic rerouted through Sarnia
1995/03     CSX freight station in Walkerville razed
1985/06     CSX begin running rights throughout the CASO Subdivision.
1996/11/11  CN Windsor South depot burns down
1996/07     CP Rail becomes (returns to) Canadian Pacific Railway
1997/09     CPR introduces new image with gold beaver herald
1999/06     Conrail absorbed (shared) by NS and CSX
1999/11     ETR acquires ex-IC SW14 1475 ; renumbered to 104
1999        CN makes new connection at Pelton from CASO to Pelton spur 
2000        CP adds new yarding and siding from Lauzon Rd to Walker Rd.
2001/09     Leamington Branch torn up - rail removed
2001/11     Southwood hotel (across from CN Windsor South depot location) damaged by fire; repaired
2001/11     Last VIA LRC locomotive run
2001/late   VIA acquires new locomotives (9xx-series) from GE. In service
2002        STL&H officially disappears into CP fold
2002        CN gets Roadrailer contract - trains now handled through Sarnia
2002?       CP takes over control of tunnel from CN
2002/09     ETR #9 (0-6-0) visits Windsor for week long ETR 100th anniversary
2002/09     CBC 50th anniversary train visits Windsor on its way east.
                        Accompanied by a VIA Renaissance trainset
2003/06     Royal Hudson CP 2816 makes an appearance
2004/06     Royal Canadian Pacific (RCP) visits - CP 1401, 1900, 3084
2005/late   New acquisitions from GE appear minus the 'Golden Rodent'
2005/late   New F40PH Budweiser scheme for VIA promotion of 2006 Superbowl in Detroit
2009        New grade separation completed at Walker Rd.
2010/06     4-stall roundhouse at CP razed
2010/late   VIA starts construction of new Windsor/Walkerville station
2011/early  New grade separation completed at Howard Ave.