Hamilton Street Railway

Infobox Bus transit
name = Hamilton Street Railway

logo_size = 120

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image_size =
image_caption = New Flyer C40LF #510213 on the 5C route in downtown Hamilton.
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founded = 1874
headquarters = 2200 Upper James St.
locale = Hamilton, Ontario
service_area = Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Dundas, Ancaster and Burlington.
service_type = Public Transit
alliance =
routes =
destinations =
stops =
hubs =
stations =
lounge =
fleet =
ridership =
fuel_type = Diesel, CNG, Diesel hybrid
operator = City of Hamilton
ceo =
website = [http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/CityandGovernment/CityServices/Transit/ Official Website] The Hamilton Street Railway Company (HSR) is the Transit Division of the City of Hamilton, Public Works Department [Name and relationship of HSR as shown on City website] in Ontario, Canada. The name is a legacy of the days when the majority of public transit vehicles were streetcars; the present-day Hamilton Street Railway is in fact a bus operator.

Services

Bus routes

* 1/1A King to McMaster Medical Centre
* 2 Barton
* 3 Cannon
* 4 Bayfront
* 5/5A/5E Delaware (eastbound)
* 5B Main West (University Plaza)
* 5C West Hamilton/52 Main West - Dundas (westbound)
* 6 Aberdeen
* 7 Locke
* 8 York
* 9 Rock Gardens (summer Sunday/holiday service)
* 10/10A Beeline Express (interlined with 55/55A/58)
* 11 Parkdale
* 12 Wentworth
* 16 Ancaster
* 18 Waterdown (returns September 2008)
* 21 Upper Kenilworth
* 22 Upper Ottawa
* 23 Upper Gage
* 24 Upper Sherman
* 25 Upper Wentworth
* 26 Upper Wellington
* 27 Upper James
* 33 Sanatorium
* 34/34A Upper Paradise
* 35 College
* 41/41A Mohawk
* 43 Stone Church
* 44 Rymal Road (begins September 2008)
* 51 University
* 52A Dundas Local
* 55/55A Stoney Creek Central
* 56 Confederation Park (summer Saturday/Sunday/holiday service)
* 58 Stoney Creek Local
* 99 Waterfront Shuttle (Seasonal)

Route histories

In the early 90's the HSR eliminated many routes by expanding current routes. The following is a list of eliminated/replaced routes:

* 1 King - this route had two previous ends of line during this time: 1B King-Reid and 1 King (to Donn Avenue in Stoney Creek). The 1B was replaced by extended service to Eastgate Square and it was changed to 1A King and the 1 King to Donn Avenue was moved to a new terminal at the Fiesta Mall. The 1A operated Monday to Saturday between Eastgate Square and downtown Hamilton and the 1 King operated Sundays only from Fiesta Mall and downtown.
* 2 Barton - trips alternated between Melvin & Osborne (2C Barton-Talbot) and the Bell Manor Loop near Grays Road (near the Hamilton/Stoney Creek border). All trips were extended to the Bell Manor Loop.
* 15 Sherman/Ottawa cancelled and replaced on Ottawa Street only first by the 4 Bayfront, then 53 Burlington and eventually 41 Mohawk.
* 17 Ancaster Local eliminated due to low ridership.
* 18 Waterdown to Aldershot GO station eliminated, not replaced (Low ridership)
* 31 Fennell replaced by 21 Upper Kenilworth (Route moved from Concession Street to Fennell Avenue) and 41 Mohawk (Now serves Kenilworth Avenue & Ottawa Street)
* 32 Garth replaced by 35 College (Route extended south of Mohawk College)
* 45 Limeridge eliminated, not replaced (Limeridge Road closed as a through street)
* 53 Burlington replaced by 41 Mohawk (Now serves Ottawa Street) and 11 Parkdale (Route extended into Burlington)
* 57 Nash replaced by 4 Bayfront (Now serves Nash Road & Quigley Road to Mount Albion Loop)

treetcar routes

The HSR operated horsecars from 1874 to 1892 and electric streetcars from 1892 to 1951. Trolleybuses replaced streetcars in Hamilton in 1951. List of streetcar routes in Hamilton prior to 1951:

* Belt Line 1913-1946 (Red Line)
** James St 1874
** King St 1874
** Bartonville shuttle 1907
* Burlington-Westdale 1941-1946 (Green Line)
** James Street North 1874 - later as Westdale-James North
** Burlington Street 1896 - opened by Hamilton Radial Electric Railway; later as Burlington-James South (Yellow Line)
** King Street West & Westdale 1874 - later as Westdale-James North 1930
* Aberdeen-King West 1874-1947 (Yellow Line)
** York Street 1874
** Herkimer Street between James and Queen 1883 - renamed King West-York 1892 (Green Line)
** Aberdeen late 1870s by Hamilton & Dundas Street Railway; later acquired by HSR and mergered by West Hamilton 1923; renamed Aberdeen-Stuart
** York & Aberdeen 1930 - replaced Aberdeen-Stuart line; sections closed 1939 and ceased operations along entire route 1947
* Crosstown (Sanford) Shuttle 1924-1948
* Firestone shuttle 1927-1939
* Wentworth 1874-1913 - renamed Wentworth-Stuart and used until 1942

Trolleybus routes

Trolleybuses were used by the HSR from 1951 to 1992 along the following routes:

* King-Barton
** later as 1 King - until 1987
** later as 2 Barton - until 1992
* Cannon 1951-1989
** later 3 Cannon

Trans-Cab

Introduced in 1998 as a two year pilot project, Trans-Cab is a shared-ride taxi service between HSR and specific local taxi providers, currently offered in portions of Glanbrook and Stoney Creek.

Accessible transporation

Accessible Transportation Services (ATS) is the section that administers a variety of accessible services on behalf of the City
* Accessible low-floor (ALF) buses provide level entry and exit to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers. It is anticipated that the entire HSR fleet will be accessible by 2009.
* Disabled and Aged Regional Transportation System (DARTS) is a non profit charitable organization that is the paratransit service provider.
* Taxi Scrip program provides discounted taxi coupons for ATS registered persons who are unable to access regular transit buses.

Rapid Transit System

HSR is considering the use of LRT in Hamilton, Ontario.

Plans to use the UTDC ICTS technology were scrapped in the 1980s. No lines were created for the HSR.

Facilities

Barns/Garages

* 1875 first horsebarn opens
* 1887 second horsebarn opens
* 1889 Sanford Avenue carhouse opens
* 1927 - 1990 Wentworth Street North carbarn/garage opens (machine shops etc...)
* 1984-1996;1998 to present Mountain Regional Transit Centre on Upper James Street
* 1990 - 1998 Wentworth Street Transit Centre

Loops

* King & James turntable - streetcars
* Guise loop - street car
* Westdale loop - streetcar
* CNIB/Main West Loop
* West Hamilton Loop
* Scenic & Lavender Loop
* Princess Point Loop
* Glancaster Road Loop
* Valley Park Loop
* Titan Loop
* Levi Loop
* Lakeland Loop
* Short Turn Loop - Kenilworth and Cannon - trolleybus
* Short Turn Loop - Kenilworth and Barton - trolleybus

Terminals and connections

HSR routes serving the downtown core stop near the intersection of King and James streets (routes 1, 1A, 2, 3, 4, 5/5A/5B/5C/5E/52, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 33, 34, 35, 51).

HSR connects with GO Transit at Hamilton GO Centre, the terminus of the Lakeshore West railway line. The station, located at 36 Hunter St E, a few blocks south of King and James, serves as the Hamilton bus terminal, with both Express Highway 407 and Queen Elizabeth Way GO Buses, and the main Greyhound Lines bus stop (mainly serving London, Ontario and those connections) in Hamilton. Canada Coach Lines, once owned by HSR, is now served by Coach Canada, formerly Trentway-Wagar, and operates routes between Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, and Niagara. It is also the former Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway (TH&B) passenger station, and there is a small museum above the public concourse.

Via the Mountain Transit Centre transfer point (served by route 27) and a contract with Blue Line Taxi, the HSR also connects with other areas in the northwest portion of the former Glanbrook Township.

In addition, the HSR is connected with Burlington Transit, as one route (11 Parkdale) travels into Burlington via Burlington Beach, and BT Route 1 enters downtown Hamilton from Plains Road West.

Other terminals and loops:

* West Hamilton Loop (routes 5C and 51)
* Limeridge Transit Terminal (routes 25, 26, 41/41A and 43)
* Eastgate Transit Terminal (routes 1, 10, 55/55A, 56 and 58)
* McMaster University (routes 1A, 10, 5A/5C, 51 run through or terminate at the university; routes 5B/5E/52 pass nearby on Main St) - also GO Transit service to/from Burlington GO with train connections to Toronto
* Bell Manor Loop (routes 2 and 55A)
* Meadowlands (routes 5A/5C (peak), 16, 41 and 43, Redeemer University College Shuttle (limited service))
* Glancaster Loop (route 34, Redeemer University College Shuttle (limited service))
* Upper Horning Loop (route 34A)

Fares

The Presto card will be added to the fare system by 2010.

Roster

HSR also once operated horsecar (1873-1892) and streetcar (1892-1951) lines (hence the name) as well as incline railways (Hamilton and Barton Incline Railway - Wentworth Incline 1895-1936, demolished 1949 and Hamilton Incline Railway - James Street Incline 1892-1932).
Trolleybuses were also run on a routes 1 King, 2 Barton and 3 Cannon from 1951 to 1988 - the trolleys lasted on route 2 Barton until 1993. Today HSR is exclusively a transit bus operator and plans to make the entire fleet accessible by 2009.

Buses

* Fageol-Brill Twin Coach 44S
* Ford 29B
** 72B
** 99T
** E-450
* White Motor Company 788
** 798
* ElDorado National Hawk PM
* Yellow Coach TG2101
** TG-2401
** X
* Brill/Canada Car and Foundry T48 and T48A trolleybus
** Flyer Industries E700A Trolley Coaches
** E800B-10240 Trolley Coaches
** D900-10240 Diesel Coaches
* Canadian Car and Foundry C36 and 36A
** CD36A
** CD-44A
* Mack Trucks RB
* General Motors Diesel Division Buses 4512
** General Motors Diesel Division Buses TGH-3102
** General Motors Diesel Division Buses TA60102N
** 4517
** 4519
** T6H-4521
** T6H-5307N
* Rek-Vek Industries Club Car
* Motor Coach Industries / General Motors Diesel Division Buses TC40102N Classic
* Orion Bus Industries Orion V
** Orion Bus Industries Orion V CNG
** Orion Bus Industries Orion VI CNG Access icon|15px
* New Flyer Industries C40LF CNG Access icon|15px
* New Flyer Industries D40LF Access icon|15px- 22 ordered in 2006
* New Flyer Industries DE40LF (Hybrid) Access icon|15px- 5 ordered in 2006
* New Flyer Industries DE60LFR (Hybrid) Access icon|15px- 7 ordered in 2006
* NovaBus LFS Access icon|15px

Access icon|15px Denotes wheelchair accessibility

treetcars

* Paterson & Corbett Line car 1908
** Line car /896
* Preston Car Company closed car
** Preston car 1912
** DEST closed 1912
** 28 DEDT closed 1912
** DEST Paye
* G.C. Kuhlman Car Company ST closed
** sweeper 1908
* 18 ex-Cleveland cars 1902
* Laconia Car Company closed car
** 1 DT/DEcar 1907 - ex Boston
* 16 Ottawa Car Company DT/DE closed car 1910
** sweeper
* McGuire-Cummings Manufacturing Company sweeper 1916
* Jones SE closed car
** 5 Jones ST open
** closed car
** open car
** DT closed
** 10 DT open cars 1900
* 24 National Steel Car SEDT closed 1927
* 11 NSC DT/SE 1928
* 11 NSC DT/SE 1929
* Laconia Car Company DEDT
* 15 ex-open horse cars
* 10 ex-closed ST horsecars
* 1 ST sand car
* 5 ex-Brooklyn Rapid Transit Co 10 bench cars 1904
* 10 ex-BRT Co cars 1905
* 1 DT closed car from Boston 1906
* 1 ex Boston car 1906
* 1 work motor car (Koppel) 1900
* 4 ex Boston cars 1908
* 1 DT closed - ex Boston

Horsecars

* Stevenson & Co. closed horsecar
** 6 - June 1874
** 4 - December 1874
* J. G. Brill and Company closed horsecar 1876
* Jones's Sons Company closed horsecar 1879, 1890 (5)
* Jones's Sons Company open horsecar 1889, 1890 (6)
* J. G. Brill and Company open horsecar 1886
* unknown builders of open and closed horsecars 1884
* unknown builder, 4 closed and 1 open 1887
* unknown builder, 3 closed and 4 open 1888
* Allen horsecar sleigh 1881 and 1884
* Jones sleigh 1877 (3)
* Jones sleigh 1879 (4)

Ownership

From 1873 to 1889, the HSR was owned by Lyman Moore and operated as a private business. In 1889 HSR was sold to Hamilton Cataract Interests, later known as Dominion Power and Transmission Company. HSR was later acquired by Ontario Hydro.

Provincial ownership ended in 1946 when HSR was bought by Canada Coach Lines. CCL was purchased by the city of Hamilton in 1960. Hamilton-Wentworth Region began ownership of CCL and HSR in 1977.

* Hamilton & Dundas Street Railway 1873-1923
* Hamilton, Grimsby & Beamsville Electric Railway 1891-1931
* Hamilton Radial Electric Railway 1893-1925
* Brantford & Hamilton Electric Railway 1896-1931
* Hamilton Terminal Company 1907-1930s

References

External links

* [http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/CityandGovernment/CityServices/Transit/ HSR website]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20060108100452/collections.ic.gc.ca/industrial/hsr-history.htm HSR History]
* [http://www.tomsbuspage.ca/HSR.htm HSR Bus Roster]
* [http://www.trainweb.org/elso/hsr-sc.htm HSR streetcar roster]
* [http://www.trainweb.org/elso/hsr-hc.htm HSR horsecar roster]
* [http://www.trainweb.org/elso/hsr-inc.htm HSR Incline]
* [http://www.trainweb.org/elso/hsr.htm HSR General Info]
* [http://pccmph.com/dewired.html DEWIRED (Re: 1992 close-down of Trolleybus service)]
* [http://www.jncorporation.ca/hsr/ JN's HSR Pages]
* [http://www.trolleybuses.net/ham/ham.htm Tom's Trolleybus Pix Hamilton ON]
* [http://www.busdrawings.com/Transit/ontario/hamilton/index.htm Drawings and photos of Hamilton Street Railways buses]