3rd rail at Windsor, Ontario.

I just saw a picture of a NYC lsteam locomotive and it claims it was at Windsor Ontario, but theres 3rd rail in the picture. Was this trackage electrified for a Detroit Windsor tunnel and if so when? any pics available?

There is indeed a Detroit-Windsor tunnel and during the steam era, electrics were used to pull trains through the tunnel. Here are some links:
Tunnel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_C ... way_Tunnel
Electric locomotives http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/drt.htm

There is another photo on MichiganRailroads.com showing the MC coach yard between Vernor and Michigan from the steam era. The electric locomotives are clearly visible.

Before a fire destroyed the Third Street depot in 1912, the Canadian trains emerging from the Detroit side of the tunnel would have to be backed up almost a mile in order to arrive at Third Street.

If one looks very closely, one would see a very short segment of one track still remaining in the moat just west of Twelfth Street that still remains between the tunnel and the former Sixth Street yards. For some reason those few feet of track were never pulled.

From what I understand, the third rail was the same under-running style that was used in New York.

That's right, Otto.

What was strange was the gantry arrangement to support the overhead third rail at various crossovers. That wasn't the same in GCT as the overhead rail was simply supported from the ceiling.

Here's a photo of a pair of Alco P units being hauled by a couple of R2 motors at Windsor. The photo came from to me from Tom Rock, and must date from 1954 or after because R1 motors were used previously. You can see the third-rail pickup.

Another photo from the same source, of a Hudson backing through electrified trackage at Windsor.