Located near Rockwood Ontario, the Halton County Radial Railway (HCRR) is a operating streetcar museum run by the Ontario Electrical Railway Historical Association (OERHA). Over the years the HCRR has been home to a number of HSR related artifacts
The HCRR is home to HSR #521, the only surviving HSR streetcar. After the end of streetcar service on the HSR in 1951, HSR #521 and #536 were sold and became part of a farm shed near Beamsville, Ontario. In 1973 the owners contacted the OERHA about the two streetcars. HSR #521 was donated to the HCRR on October 22, 1973, while #536 was found to be too deteriorated to be salavaged. HSR #521 is currently undergoing restoration at HCRR.
HSR #521 ready to leave the farm near Beamsville and head to the Halton County Radial Railway, October 22, 1973. (Photo by W.N.Carr, Halton County Radial Railway Collection)
HSR #521 at the HCRR, August 25, 2002. The plaque reads "Hamilton Street Railway 521, Built by National Steel Car Company in Hamilton, Ontario in 1927. Retired at end of streetcar service in Hamilton Friday, April 6, 1951. Sold for scrap, 521 became part of a farm shed near Beamsville, Ontario. Arrived at the Museum October 22, 1973. Estimated restoration cost $65 000"
HSR #521's headlight in the HCRR's shop after repair and repainting, June 30 2020. Photo by Trevor Parkins-Sciberras.
All the layers of paint that have been applied to HSR #521 over the years. Underneath the gray applied by the farmer is the original green. Photo by Trevor Parkins-Sciberras.
HSR #521 getting its first paintjob in years, October 12, 2024. Photo by Trevor Parkins-Sciberras.
HSR #521 getting its first paintjob in years, October 12, 2024. Photo by Trevor Parkins-Sciberras.
HSR #521 with its new paint job, October 12, 2024. Notice at the top the old bus sign from the Hamilton Bus terminal on Rebecca St. Photo by Trevor Parkins-Sciberras.
HSR #521 showing the other side that still needs work, November 30, 2024. Photo by Trevor Parkins-Sciberras.
In 1934 HSR #403 was retired and sold. It was turned into a cabin on Regional Road 20 near Tapleytown Rd. Its origins were forgotten until it was being dismantled in 1982. It was donated to the HCRR, but continuing deterioration forced it to be finally scrapped in 1999.
HSR #517 on display at the Halton County Radial Railway Museum, August 25th, 2002. HSR #517 was sold to Burlington Transit in 1975/76, then became Brampton Transit #5741 in Spring 1976 before arriving at the museum. The route displayed is a Brampton Transit route. Now owned by the Canadian Transit Heritage Foundation
HSR #732 on display at the Halton Radial Railway Museum, June 26, 1983. (Photo from the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission.)
HSR #732 on display at the Halton Radial Railway Museum, Apr 1984 (Photo by David Andrew, Halton County Radial Railway Collection)
HSR #732 on display at the HCRR, August 25, 2002. It was sold in 2022, and is now in Sandon BC
HSR #765 on display at the HCRR, August 25, 2002.
HSR #7801 on display at the HCRR, August 25, 2002.
HSR #7802 on display at the August 25, 2002. The bus is signed for the BARTON-TALBOT 2C route. It was scrapped in September 2020 due to deteriorating condition, but the front of the bus was saved.
The front of HSR #7802. Notice to the upper right the HSR Ticket Office sign from the 1970s.
Overhead line truck HSR #34, built by Ford in 1940 and used by the HSR to maintain the overhead lines of the streetcar and trolleybus network until 1976 when it was donated to the HCRR. November 1978, photo by Lorne Hymers, Halton County Radial Railway collection
Not every HSR artifact at the HCRR is large. This is a former HSR rollsign
Former TTC rail-grinder #W-30 in a safety yellow paint scheme that looks surprisingly close to the HSR's TiCat scheme, making it the closest we'll ever see to a HSR PCC (at least in real life)
