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The Cars of the HTC

Hamilton Transit History

The Cars of the HTC

In addition to the existing radial railways, the Cataract Company created the Hamilton Terminal Company (HTC) to operate the Hamilton Terminal Station, handle most track maintenance on the Cataract system, and to be the official owner of most new radial cars bought by the Cataract Company.

Maintenance Equipment

The HTC operated several different pieces of track maintenance equipment over its lifespan. Most of the equipment was numbered in the #130-149 range, with exceptions.

Number Builder & Year Type Dimensions Notes
20
? Hopper car ? second hand, possibly belonged to steam railway
136-139
Koppel?, 1910? Single truck gondola 13'10" x 9'0" bought second hand 1913, scrapped 1933
142-144 Ohio Falls, 1900? Ballast Cars 28'3" x 9'0" bought second hand, scrapped ca 1930
145:2
Elevated Railway Improvement Co, 1906 Bonder 9'0" x 5'0" x 10'0" bought second hand, scrapped ca. 1930
146-147
Koppel?, 1912? Dump motors 34'3.5" x 9'0" x 11'3" bought second hand as trailers ca. 1913, to Canada Crushed Stone in 1933
148
Koppel?, 1900? Flat car
35'3" x 8'0" bought second hand 1913, became part of Brantford Freight Station
149
Koppel?, 1900? Work Motor
37'1" x 9'1" x 12'10" bought second hand as trailer 1913,transferred to HSR in 1931, scrapped 1948

HTC dump motor 146 at Sanford Yard, circa 1921.

HTC dump motor #146 at Sanford Yard, circa 1921. Like a self-propelled hopper car, dump motors were used to transport gravel for line reconstruction, and dump their loads where needed. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)

HTC 147, July 1920, place unknown.

HTC #147, July 1920, place unknown. (Photographer unknown)

HTC 147, now Canada Crushed Stone 14, in 1947.

Ex-HTC #147, now Canada Crushed Stone #14, in 1947. The Canada Crushed Stone Company hauled stone from its quarry in Flamborough Township to its rock crusher next to the CN mainline near Dundas using electric cars. When the Hamilton radials went out of business, the CCS bought several of the work cars for use on its electric line. Compared to the previous photo, HTC #147 became CCS #14 with the replacement of its three smaller containers with one large flatbed, and a pantograph on top of the cab has replaced the electric trolley pole in the middle of the car. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)

HTC 149 at Sanford yard, date unknown.

HTC #149 at Sanford yard, date unknown. (Photographer unknown)

HTC 149 at Sanford yard, March 1923.

HTC #149 at Sanford yard, March 1923. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)

The 1910 Preston Cars

In 1910 the HTC received three interurban cars from the Preston Car & Coach Company of Preston, Ontario. These cars were examples of the type of car unofficially called Preston Prairies, so named for the large arched windows along the sides that were favoured among transit companies on the Canadian Prairies.

Number Type & Dimensions Notes
600
Interurban, 55'8" x 8'10.5" x 13'0" Renumbered HRER 308 in mid 1920s, scrapped 1933
601
Interurban, 55'8" x 8'10.5" x 13'0" Renumbered HRER 309 in mid 1920s, scrapped 1933
602
Interurban, 55'8" x 8'10.5" x 13'0" scrapped 1933

HTC #600, date & place unknown.

HTC #600, Date & place unknown.

HTC 601 has derailed on the HG&B at Maplewood and Prospect in Hamilton during the 1920s

HTC #601 has derailed on the HG&B at Maplewood and Prospect in Hamilton during the 1920s. (Photo courtesy of the Hamilton Public Library, Local History & Archives, used with permission)

HTC #602 pokes out of the Beamsville car barn on the last day of service, June 30 1931.

HTC #602 pokes out of the Beamsville car barn on the last day of service, June 30, 1931. From left to right is Conductor Omar Cosby, Motorman Jim Steven, Earl Spencer, Bill "Greeny" Greenfield, unknown, unknown, Albert Dipper, unknown, with Harry Barnes on top of #602. (Photo from the James McFarlane Collection, courtesy Trevor Parkins-Sciberras used with permission)

The 1913 Preston Cars

In 1913 the HTC received six more Preston Prairie type interurban cars from the Preston Car & Coach Company of Preston, Ontario. HTC #603 was destroyed in the Beamsville Car barn fire on December 29, 1919. All the others were scrapped or sold in 1933.

Number Type & Dimensions Notes
603
Interurban, 55'8" x 8'10.5" x 13'0" Burned Dec 29, 1919
604
Interurban, 55'8" x 8'10.5" x 13'0" retired 1933
605
Interurban, 55'8" x 8'10.5" x 13'0" retired 1933
606
Interurban, 55'8" x 8'10.5" x 13'0" bought by Canada Crushed Stone for parts in 1933
607
Interurban, 55'8" x 8'10.5" x 13'0" retired 1933
608
Interurban, 55'8" x 8'10.5" x 13'0" retired 1933

HTC 603 at the HRER's Oakville station, circa WWI.

This unused postcard shows HTC #603 at the HRER's Oakville station, circa WWI.

HTC 603 is towed back to the Sanford yard

HTC #603 is towed back to the Sanford yard after being damaged in a collision during the 1910s. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)

HTC 605 and B&H 235 at the Hamilton Terminal Station, 1928.

HTC #605 and B&H #235 at the Hamilton Terminal Station, 1928. (Photographer unknown)

Close up of HTC 605 and B&H 235 at the Hamilton Terminal Station, 1928.

Close up of HTC #605 and B&H #235 at the Hamilton Terminal Station, 1928. (Photographer unknown)

HTC #606 at the H&D Dundas station, circa 1917.

HTC #606 at the H&D Dundas station, circa 1917. (From the Dundas Museum & Archives)

HTC 606 at the Canada Crushed Stone Company near Dundas circa 1935.

Ex-HTC #606 at the Canada Crushed Stone Company near Dundas circa 1935. (From the Sirman collection, used with permission)

HTC 608 & 609 at the Hamilton Terminal Station, date unknown.

HTC #608 & #609 at the Hamilton Terminal Station, date unknown. (Photographer unknown)

HTC 608 heading eastbound on Main St W in Grimsby, just west of Mountain St, May 24, 1926

HTC #608 heading eastbound on Main St W in Grimsby, just west of Mountain St, May 24, 1926. (Photo courtesy of the Hamilton Public Library, used with permission)

The Jewett Cars

These three cars were part of a set of eight built by the Jewett company for the Cincinnati & Columbus Traction Company of Ohio in 1905. While part of the C&C they were numbered in the 2-16 range, even numbers only. However their exact former identities have been lost, and records from their previous owner are unclear as they are able to account for 9 out of the 8 cars (no, that's not a typo).

The Cataract Company purchased the cars in 1920 and they were rebuilt by Preston. #610 and #611 were outfitted with Tomlinson couplers salvaged from Toronto Suburban Railway #102 and 103, which had been destroyed in a fire at the Preston works on January 7, 1917. These couplers allowed #610 and #611 to be coupled together and operated as a single train with only one driver, known as Multiple-Unit or MU operation. All three cars were scrapped or sold in 1932.

Number Type & Dimensions Notes
609
Interurban, 57'10" x 9'11" Ex Cincinnati & Columbus #?, scrapped 1932
610
Interurban, 57'10" x 9'11" Ex Cincinnati & Columbus #?, bought by Canada Crushed Stone for parts in 1932
611
Interurban, 57'10" x 9'11" Ex Cincinnati & Columbus #?, scrapped 1932

HTC 609 at the Sanford yard, circa 1921.

HTC #609 at the Sanford yard, circa 1921. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)

The soon to be HTC 610 or 611 at the Sanford Shops in 1920.

The soon to be HTC #610 or #611 at the Sanford Shops in 1920. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)

HTC 610 at the Hamilton Terminal Station, 1927.

HTC #610 at the Hamilton Terminal Station, 1927. (Photo from the Richard Vincent collection, courtesy of the Halton County Radial Railway)

HTC 610 at the Canada Crushed Stone Company near Dundas sometime in the 1930s.

HTC #610 at the Canada Crushed Stone Company near Dundas sometime in the 1930s. (Photographer unknown)

HTC 610 at the Canada Crushed Stone Company near Dundas sometime in the 1930s.

HTC #611 at Wilson and Sanford in 1927. (Photo from the Richard Vincent collection, courtesy of the Halton County Radial Railway)

The Freight Motors

The HTC also owned three Freight motors, used for hauling freight or towing boxcars. Each freight motor was unique in size, builder, and date of arrival.

Number Builder & Year Dimensions Notes
675
Russell, 1906 41'5" x 7'9" x 11'8" Bought second hand 1913, frequently used as snow plow, scrapped 1932
676
McGuire-Cummings, ? 49'1" x 9'10" x 12'8" Ex New York & Brooklyn Bridge Ry #?, bought 1910, scrapped 1934
677
Preston, 1913 53'8" x 9'3" x 13'2" Twin of HG&B 171:2 scrapped 1932

HTC 676, place and date unknown.

HTC #676 at the Hamilton Terminal Station, date unknown. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)

HTC 677 at the Hamilton Terminal Station, circa 1920.

HTC #677 at the Hamilton Terminal Station, circa 1920. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)

A clip of HTC #675 has been found online, inside a short 1920 film on fruit picking in the Niagara Peninsula called 'Where Nature Smiles.' It can't be linked to directly, but here's how to find it:

Visit the National Film Board of Canada Images Search page

  • on the NFB page, click 'More Options' below the search bar

  • in the field 'Shot ID', type 27708.

  • The full documentary is 9 minutes, 15 seconds. HTC 675 appears at about 12:05:31:00 (for some reason this clip starts at 12:00:00:00)

The clip shows HTC #675 hauling one of the Hamilton Radial's flat cars, HRER #393-398. These cars were originally ordinary flat cars, and had sides installed and a beam mounted at the top of the car running lengthwise, so that a tarp could be placed over the cargo like a tent.

Sources

Bailey, William and Parker, Douglas. Streetcar Builders of Canada, Volume One. Montreal: The Canadian Railroad Historical Association, 2002

Mills, John M. Cataract Traction; The Railways of Hamilton. Toronto: Upper Canada Railway Society/Ontario Electric Railway Historical Association, 1971