Start of service: May 26 1877
End of service: 1878?
Route: From Stuart & Bay (Although the Great Western Railway station at Stuart & Caroline was the advertised terminus) to King & Burlington (today's Sanford) via Stuart, James and King St
East.
Antecessor route: Eastern Branch
May 26 1877
The Green route was previously called the Eastern Branch, and was renamed to match the colour of the horsecars on its route. The Green route ran from from Stuart & Bay to King &
Wentworth via Stuart, James and King St East. However, the HSR depicted the nearby second Stuart St station as the Stuart terminus.
Circa 1878
The Green Route was renamed the GWR Station and King Street East Route, although it was informally still called
the Green Route.
Start of service: July 11, 1887
End of service: Dec 31, 1892
Route: From Stuart & Bay to King & Burlington (today's Sanford) via Stuart, James and King St East.
Antecessor route: GTR Station & King Street East
July 11, 1887
The GTR Station and King Street East Route is renamed back to the Green Route.
1890
The construction of the East Car Barn at King & Burlington (today's Sanford Ave) resulted in the tracks being removed from Wentworth and from Main St west of Burlington Ave, and were relaid
on Burlington and on King, west of Burlington. The Green route was extended east to Burlington.
Spring 1892
The HSR electrified most of its system in 1892. The installation of poles for the overhead wires on the Green
route began at King St E & Burlington on April 12. By April 16 the poles had reached Ferguson, and all wooden poles along King St E were installed by April 18. Installation of the overhead
wiring began on April 19. The installation of poles for the overhead wires on James St North began at Cannon on April 18. Work began on spreading apart the set of double tracks on King St
East between James & Mary on April 26. This was to allow for the installation of iron poles between the tracks for the overhead wires.
June 29, 1892
The Green route is the first route converted to electric operations. Also at this time, the route was extended west along Stuart to the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) Station at Caroline, as the
more powerful electric streetcars could climb the hill on Stuart St.
October 6, 1892
the HSR's double track that had existed before 1892 was not rebuilt when the system was electrified. Due to its age and the faster, heavier streetcars now running on it, this track very
quickly broke down. On October 6, crews were installing a new crossover on James at York, and repairing the switches at James & King.
Before Jan 1, 1893
At the end of the year, the HSR renamed the Green route the King St East & GTR route.
HSR 41 at Gore park in August 1892. This is one of the earliest photos of an electric streetcar in Hamilton, taken as part of an avertising pamphlet about the City of Hamilton for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair (Photo courtesy of the Toronto Public Library, Digital Collections)
Hamilton Spectator
“Hamilton Street Railway Time Table” May 26, 1877, pg 3
“Hamilton Street Railway Time Table” February 19, 1878, pg 3
"Traveller's Guide" November 18, 1879, pg 3
"Traveller's Guide" July 11, 1887, pg 3
“The Street Cars - What is Being Done in the Trolleyward Direction” Apr 12 1892, pg 1
“To Start Next Week - Converting the Street Railway into an Electric System” Apr 16 1892, pg 1
“The Street Railway - A City Firm to Make the Iron Work For the Power House” Apr 18 1892, pg 1
“Brief Local Items” Apr 26 1892, pg 8
“Brief Local Items” Oct 6 1892, pg 1
Mills, John M. Cataract Traction; The Railways of Hamilton. Toronto: Upper Canada Railway Society/Ontario Electric Railway Historical Association, 1971
