Hamilton Transit in Pictures:

Today, Hamilton’s public transit system is simply referred to as the “HSR”. These initials, however, stand for the “Hamilton Street Railway”, the once-vibrant network of streetcars and incline railways that made up the bulk of the city’s public transit infrastructure.

Ironically, the HSR may once again refer to rails when the newly funded B-line of the proposed light rail transit system is completed in the early 2020s. Here’s a look back at our history of rails to roads to rails.

Move over, Pittsburgh, Hamilton used to have incline railway access between the upper and lower city in the late 1800s and into the early 1900s. They were removed in favour of road accesses.

Gore Park has always been the heart of downtown Hamilton. In this image, taken at the corner of James and King Streets, a Hamilton Street Railway streetcar is seen with a crowd of passenger boarding the service bound for James Street North.

An Artist’s rendering of what Hamilton’s future light rail system might look like.

While the single B-line LRT route is being debated today, this 1930 map of Hamilton shows a robust light rail network across the lower city.

Streetcars, like this one pictured here in 1947, served as the backbone of Hamilton’s public transit system until 1951 when the tracks were ripped up or paved over in favour of buses.

Since 1951, buses have served as the primary vehicle of the HSR. For years, this was seen as efficient and modern, as fuel and labour costs were low, and automobiles were the way of the future.