ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[KevinL]

I'm so pleased to finally see King Street torn up and primed to be rebuilt! It's been in such terrible shape for decades and this will really help rejuvenate it.

[rangersfan]

Where was the Queen st station located? Is the original building still standing.

[DHLawrence]

If memory serves, all GRR/LE&N stations are gone with the wind save for the CP station in Galt. And even that is only an honourable mention as it was an interchange with the main line. The proper GRR station was at Wellington and Main and was torn down to put in the River Park Village apartment complex.

[panamaniac]

It was located around where the medical building is now, wasn't it? Between the existing tracks and the Iron Horse Trail. Memories fade.....

[KevinL]

There's a plaque marking the spot on the IHT... you can just see it here on Street View.

[DHLawrence]

Something funny about the "Iron Horse Trail" name and use of a steam engine in the logo when the line was electrified from the beginning!

[clasher]

Yeah, that always cracks me up, especially considering how unique the GRR was, they could do a little bit more with the plaques they have up with the poor quality photos, I have a whole bunch of nice ones I've picked up off ebay for a few bucks, I'm sure they could license some better ones. There is one of the LE&N freight motor at the Halton County museum and if you're ever in Cornwall, somewhere there is a GRR locomotive in a park, I think it's painted Maroon but it doesn't have the full GRR livery, which is pretty wild for a locomotive paint scheme.

[DHLawrence]

Halton County has both a freight motor and LE&N car 797, the only survivor of the CP Electric Lines. They repatriated it from the US in 1999; it's been under restoration ever since. I wonder if transit and rail fans of the region should lead a fundraising campaign to get it finished in time for the completion of ION. Won't be able to run on the line, but it would be nice to display.

[clasher]

It might be cheaper to build a replica than try to move and restore the original coach. Static train displays often end up seriously neglected after a while, I remember the CN steam engine in Guelph was in pretty shabby condition until people got it moved and sunk a lot of money into restoring it a bit.

[nms]

Given that the TTC offers heritage streetcar charters it's within the realm of possibility that a heritage streetcar could operate on some sections of the ION route.  New Orleans, Memphis, Portland, Dallas and San Francisco have at various times operated heritage or replica heritage cars alongside their existing, modern, streetcar and light rail routes.

[Canard]

The Interurbans that ran here were/are much, much heavier than streetcars, or our LFLRV's. That being said, since some of the Waterloo track will also cary freight and will presumably be built to a different code, I guess it's a conceivable idea! Might be something neat for the Waterloo railway guys to look into...

[zanate]

Given that the TTC offers heritage streetcar charters it's within the realm of possibility that a heritage streetcar could operate on some sections of the ION route.  New Orleans, Memphis, Portland, Dallas and San Francisco have at various times operated heritage or replica heritage cars alongside their existing, modern, streetcar and light rail routes.

Within the realm of possibility: perhaps. Within the realm of practicality, though?

Are the motors and electricity requirements compatible? Are the pantographs compatible? Are the gauges and turn radii compatible? Are they compatible with the signalling and traffic control system? Height restrictions? Width restrictions? Grade restrictions? Platform height? Accessibility requirements? Does it make even sense to run "some sections" of the route with a different vehicle?

I don't see this happening.

[clasher]

The GRR trains all ran off trolley poles and I think it was a 1500 volt line.

[jamincan]

I think nms is talking about the possibility of running charters using a heritage vehicle. This is something that the TTC does with some regularity. It wouldn't be used for regular operations, but more as a sight-seeing/novelty thing on occasion. All that said, are there actually any passenger vehicles from the early era of the GRR when the trains ran down King St.? Or even the later era when they only ran on the freight track?

[clasher]

The combine that is at the Halton County museum was built in 1915 but went through one or two rebuilds so it's not really the same as the original car that was a street-running vehicle.

There is a line in San Francisco that operates with vintage streetcars every day carrying passengers. It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility to do it.