131-430: The Hamilton LRT (also known as the B-Line ) is a planned light rail line in Hamilton , Ontario , Canada, to operate along Main Street , King Street , and Queenston Road . It is one of five planned rapid transit lines which form Hamilton's proposed BLAST network . The 14 km (8.7 mi), 17-stop route is planned to extend from McMaster University to Eastgate Square via downtown Hamilton. The LRT
262-607: A pedestrian corridor to the Hamilton GO Centre . The capital costs for the project would be $ 1 billion, funded entirely by the province. For the B-Line LRT, procurement was expected to begin in 2017 and line construction in 2019. The transit line was scheduled to open to the public in 2024. On February 2, 2017, the province scrapped the A-Line spur altogether, announcing it would opt for bus rapid transit along
393-724: A "light rail" vehicle (it is a heavy rail vehicle), and is only included for comparison purposes. Low-floor LRVs have the advantage of a low-floor design, allowing them to load passengers directly from low-rise platforms that can be little more than raised curbs. High-floor light rail systems also exist, featuring larger stations. Historically, the track gauge has had considerable variations, with narrow gauge common in many early systems. However, most light rail systems are now standard gauge . Older standard-gauge vehicles could not negotiate sharp turns as easily as narrow-gauge ones, but modern light rail systems achieve tighter turning radii by using articulated cars . An important advantage of
524-458: A bus, there will be even more capacity when there is a combination of cars and light rail. Table 3 shows an example of peak passenger capacity. The cost of light rail construction varies widely, largely depending on the amount of tunneling and elevated structures required. A survey of North American light rail projects shows that costs of most LRT systems range from $ 15 million to over $ 100 million per mile. Seattle's new light rail system
655-553: A campaign of addressing poverty issues. Sharon Anderson, an Ainslie Wood resident, focused on better soliciting resident feedback on important projects. Seeking a third term on council, incumbent Jason Farr faced competition from seven candidates. Cameron Kroetsch, a former union president and LGBT rights activist in Hamilton, and Nicole Smith, a local literacy centre manager, were the first candidates to register on May 1. They were followed by Suresh Venodh Daljeet and Mark Tennant in
786-403: A chaotic breakdown inflow and a dramatic drop in speed (a traffic jam ) if they exceed about 2,000 vehicles per hour per lane (each car roughly two seconds behind another). Since most people who drive to work or on business trips do so alone, studies show that the average car occupancy on many roads carrying commuters is only about 1.5 people per car during the high-demand rush hour periods of
917-1142: A common right-of-way (however, Link converted to full separation in 2019). Some systems, such as the AirTrain JFK in New York City, the DLR in London, and Kelana Jaya Line in Kuala Lumpur , have dispensed with the need for an operator. The Vancouver SkyTrain was an early adopter of driverless vehicles, while the Toronto Scarborough rapid transit operated the same trains as Vancouver, but used drivers. In most discussions and comparisons, these specialized systems are generally not considered light rail but as light metro systems. Around Karlsruhe , Kassel , and Saarbrücken in Germany, dual-voltage light rail trains partly use mainline railroad tracks, sharing these tracks with heavy rail trains. In
1048-481: A former Liberal candidate in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, and former Government House Leader in the cabinet of Paul Martin , Tony Valeri . During one of the first mayoral debates of the campaign, hosted by local community cable channel Cable 14 , mayoral contenders focused mainly on the city's planned light rail project. Sgro, Ryerson, Geissler, Fromm, and Graydon all took stances against
1179-416: A light rail train may have three to four cars of much larger capacity in one train under the control of one driver, or no driver at all in fully automated systems, increasing the labor costs of BRT systems compared to LRT systems. BRT systems are also usually less fuel-efficient as they use non-electrified vehicles. The peak passenger capacity per lane per hour depends on which types of vehicles are allowed on
1310-435: A live rail. In outer areas, the trams switch to conventional overhead wires . The Bordeaux power system costs about three times as much as a conventional overhead wire system and took 24 months to achieve acceptable levels of reliability, requiring the replacement of all the main cables and power supplies. Operating and maintenance costs of the innovative power system still remain high. However, despite numerous service outages,
1441-543: A longer distance. Light rail cars are often coupled into multiple units of two to four cars. Light rail systems may also exhibit attributes of heavy rail systems, including having downtown subways, as in San Francisco and Seattle . Light rail is designed to address a gap in interurban transportation between heavy rail and bus services, carrying high passenger numbers more quickly than local buses and more cheaply than heavy rail. It serves corridors in which heavy rail
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#17327906479601572-570: A lower capacity and speed than a long heavy rail passenger train or rapid transit system. Narrowly defined, light rail transit uses rolling stock that is similar to that of a traditional tram, while operating at a higher capacity and speed, often on an exclusive right-of-way. In broader use, it includes tram-like operations mostly on streets. A few light rail networks have characteristics closer to rapid transit or even commuter rail , yet only when these systems are fully grade-separated are they referred to as light metros . The term light rail
1703-642: A more diverse range of design characteristics than LRT, depending on the demand and constraints that exist, and BRT using dedicated lanes can have a theoretical capacity of over 30,000 passengers per hour per direction (for example, the Guangzhou Bus Rapid Transit system operates up to 350 buses per hour per direction). For the effective operation of a bus or BRT system, buses must have priority at traffic lights and have their dedicated lanes, especially as bus frequencies exceed 30 buses per hour per direction. The higher theoretical of BRT relates to
1834-760: A neo-Nazi by the Southern Poverty Law Centre , Fromm was fired from his job as a public school teacher in Peel Region after attending far-right events and shouting racial slurs. Sgro launched his mayoral campaign with a $ 250-a-plate fundraiser on Thursday, August 9 at the Michelangelo Banquet Centre. In attendance were former Liberal candidate in Hamilton Centre and Hamilton Mountain, Javid Mirza (who served as one of Sgro's campaign advisors), Michelle Stockwell,
1965-525: A provincially-imposed March 31, 2018 deadline to update their respective ward boundaries, but were denied a stay by the provinces' Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Ministry of Education The HWCDSB was the first board to meet the provincially-imposed deadline, with Catholic trustees opting to abandon their long-standing practice of having two trustees elected for Ward 9, 10, and 11, and instead establishing single trustee seats for Ward 1, 2, and 15, Ward 8 and 14, Ward 9 and 11, and Ward 12 and 13. In mandating
2096-407: A result, has many of the operating characteristics of a metro system rather than a light rail system. A capacity of 1,350 passengers per train is more similar to the heavy rail than light rail. Bus rapid transit (BRT) is an alternative to LRT and many planning studies undertake a comparison of each mode when considering appropriate investments in transit corridor development. BRT systems can exhibit
2227-556: A single trustee for Ward 1, 2, and 15, the HWCDSB created the first non-contiguous electoral ward in the city's history. The HWDSB initially proposed merging the newly constituted West Mountain Wards 8 and 14, as well as considering options that would blend Wards 5 and 10, and 9 and 11. Following a public survey in which 47 percent of respondents approved of the board's proposed changes, trustees voted 9–1 to pair Wards 8 and 14. Following
2358-401: A small-business owner and founding member of The Mustard Seed, a local organic co-operative , campaigned on improving pedestrian and cyclist safety as well as reviewing the ward's participatory budgeting project. Syed Bakht, a self-employed tax specialist and Jordan Geertsma, a local pub owner ran on campaigns skeptical of LRT. Lyla Miklos, a Unitarian lay chaplain and education worker sought
2489-534: A top speed of 55–71.5 miles per hour (88.51–115.1 km/h) depending on the system, while the trains on the all-underground Montreal Metro can only reach a top speed of 72 kilometres per hour (44.74 mph). LACMTA light rail vehicles have higher top and average speeds than Montreal Metro or New York City Subway trains. Many light rail systems—even fairly old ones—have a combination of both on- and off-road sections. In some countries (especially in Europe), only
2620-481: A tramway, a light metro, and, in a narrow sense, rapid transit. This is especially common in the United States, where there is not a popularly perceived distinction between these different types of urban rail systems. The development of technology for low-floor and catenary-free trams facilitates the construction of such mixed systems with only short and shallow underground sections below critical intersections as
2751-565: Is a form of passenger urban rail transit that uses rolling stock derived from tram technology while also having some features from heavy rapid transit . The term was coined in 1972 in the United States as an English equivalent for the German word Stadtbahn , meaning "city railway". Different definitions exist in some countries, but in the United States, light rail operates primarily along exclusive rights-of-way and uses either individual tramcars or multiple units coupled together, with
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#17327906479602882-470: Is a generic international English phrase for types of rail systems using modern streetcars/trams, which means more or less the same thing throughout the English-speaking world . Light rail systems can range from trams runnig in streets along with other traffic, to semi-metro systems having portions of grade separated track. People movers are even "lighter", in terms of capacity. Monorail
3013-575: Is a separate technology that has been more successful in specialized services than in a commuter transit role. The use of the generic term light rail avoids some serious incompatibilities between British and American English . The word tram , for instance, is generally used in the UK and many former British colonies to refer to what is known in North America as a streetcar , but in North America tram can instead refer to an aerial tramway , or, in
3144-602: Is a significant amount of overlap between the technologies; similar rolling stock may be used for either, and it is common to classify streetcars or trams as a subcategory of light rail rather than as a distinct type of transportation. However, some distinctions can be made, though systems may combine elements of both. Low-floor light rail lines tend to follow a reserved right-of-way and with trains receiving priority at intersections, and tend not to operate in mixed traffic, enabling higher operating speeds. Light rail lines tend to have less frequent stops than tramways, and operate over
3275-563: Is by far the most expensive in the US, at $ 179 million per mile, since it includes extensive tunneling in poor soil conditions, elevated sections, and stations as deep as 180 feet (55 m) below ground level. This results in costs more typical of subways or rapid transit systems than light rail. At the other end of the scale, four systems (Baltimore, Maryland; Camden, New Jersey; Sacramento, California; and Salt Lake City, Utah) incurred construction costs of less than $ 20 million per mile. Over
3406-426: Is especially important for wheelchair access, as narrower gauges (e.g. metre gauge) can make it challenging or impossible to pass the tram's wheels. Furthermore, standard-gauge rolling stock can be switched between networks either temporarily or permanently, and both newly built and used standard-gauge rolling stock tends to be cheaper to buy, as more companies offer such vehicles. Overhead lines supply electricity to
3537-575: Is expected to begin in 2024. The western terminus is to be built on Main Street in front of McMaster University . The line will continue east until Dundurn Street, where it will turn north to access King Street. After turning back east on King Street, the line continues through downtown Hamilton. At the King–Main intersection, the line will continue on Main Street until Queenston Circle and then Queenston Road until Eastgate Square. A benefits case analysis
3668-502: Is expensive. Similarly, the most expensive US highway expansion project was the " Big Dig " in Boston, Massachusetts, which cost $ 200 million per lane mile for a total cost of $ 14.6 billion. A light rail track can carry up to 20,000 people per hour as compared with 2,000–2,200 vehicles per hour for one freeway lane. For example, in Boston and San Francisco, light rail lines carry 9,600 and 13,100 passengers per hour, respectively, in
3799-575: Is hard to distinguish between what is called light rail, and other forms of urban and commuter rail. A system described as a light rail in one city may be considered to be a streetcar or tram system in another. Conversely, some lines that are called "light rail" are very similar to rapid transit ; in recent years, new terms such as light metro have been used to describe these medium-capacity systems. Some "light rail" systems, such as Sprinter , bear little similarity to urban rail, and could alternatively be classified as commuter rail or even inter-city rail. In
3930-559: Is impractical. Light metro systems are essentially hybrids of light rail and rapid transit. Metro trains are larger and faster than light rail trains, with stops being further apart. Many systems have mixed characteristics. Indeed, with proper engineering, a rail line could run along a street, then go underground, and then run along an elevated viaduct. For example, the Los Angeles Metro Rail 's A Line "light rail" has sections that could alternatively be described as
4061-484: Is one of the highest capacity ones, having been upgraded in a series of expansions to handle 40,000 passengers per hour per direction, and having carried as many as 582,989 passengers in a single day on its Line 1 . It achieves this volume by running four-car trains with a capacity of up to 1,350 passengers each at a frequency of up to 30 trains per hour. However, the Manila light rail system has full grade separation and as
Hamilton LRT - Misplaced Pages Continue
4192-557: Is the "first mayor since amalgamation to survive back-to-back Hamilton elections." Incumbent Ward 1 councillor Aidan Johnson registered for re-election on the day nominations opened, May 1. On the same day, McMaster graduate student and vice-president of the Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas NDP , Sophie Geffros, registered to seek the seat. Greffos' campaign focused on improving civic engagement and increasing dialogue in west Hamilton. On July 18, nine days before
4323-630: The 2014 provincial election , the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing , Ted McMeekin , announced the province would be reexamining the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 to determine if the length and voting systems of Ontario's municipal elections needed alterations. Part of the reexamination was a proposal that would have allowed municipalities to adopt a ranked ballot system for the 2018 municipal elections. In June 2015, Hamilton's manager of elections, Tony Fallis, commented that
4454-489: The BLAST network plan in 2008, which called for 5 rapid transit lines to be constructed across the city. In 2014, the city's mayoral campaign focused heavily on the light rail issue, with Eisenberger and challenger Brian McHattie taking a position in favour of light rail while candidate Brad Clark opposed the project. Eisenberger won the race with 39.93%, while McHattie took 20.38%. Clark, who placed second, received 31.53% of
4585-542: The Cádiz TramBahia , where trams share track with commuter and long-distance trains from the main terminus in the city and curve off to serve cities without a railway connection. Some of the issues involved in such schemes are: There is a history of what would now be considered light rail vehicles operating on heavy rail rapid transit tracks in the US, especially in the case of interurban streetcars . Notable examples are Lehigh Valley Transit trains running on
4716-539: The Liberal Party and past chair of the Hamilton Port Authority , announced he would be running for mayor on a platform of cancelling the city's LRT plan, hiring an auditor to study the city's finances, and changing the city's ward boundaries to create five superwards that conform to the city's federal and provincial ridings and would elect 3 councillors each. Sgro had been rumoured to jump into
4847-758: The London Underground and the New York City Subway . Conventional rail technologies including high-speed , freight, commuter , and rapid transit urban transit systems are considered "heavy rail". The main difference between light rail and heavy rail rapid transit is the ability for a light rail vehicle to operate in mixed traffic if the routing requires it. The world's first electric tram operated in Sestroretsk near Saint Petersburg , Russia , invented and operated on an experimental basis by Fyodor Pirotsky in 1880. The first tramway
4978-637: The Netherlands , this concept was first applied on the RijnGouweLijn . This allows commuters to ride directly into the city center, rather than taking a mainline train only as far as a central station and then having to change to a tram. In France, similar tram-trains are planned for Paris, Mulhouse , and Strasbourg ; further projects exist. In some cases, tram trains use previously abandoned or lightly used heavy rail lines in addition to or instead of still in use mainline tracks. In 2022, Spain opened
5109-874: The O-Train Trillium Line in Ottawa, Ontario , Canada, the River Line in New Jersey , United States, and the Sprinter in California , United States, which use diesel multiple unit (DMU) cars. Light rail is different from the British English term light railway , long-used to distinguish railway operations carried out under a less rigorous set of regulations using lighter equipment at lower speeds from mainline railways. Light rail
5240-703: The Philadelphia and Western Railroad high-speed third rail line (now the Norristown High-Speed Line ). Such arrangements are almost impossible now, due to the Federal Railroad Administration refusing (for crash safety reasons) to allow non-FRA compliant railcars (i.e., subway and light rail vehicles) to run on the same tracks at the same times as compliant railcars, which includes locomotives and standard railroad passenger and freight equipment. Notable exceptions in
5371-530: The medians of roads . If run in streets , trains are usually limited by city block lengths to about four 180-passenger vehicles (720 passengers). Operating on two-minute headways using traffic signal progression, a well-designed two-track system can handle up to 30 trains per hour per track, achieving peak rates of over 20,000 passengers per hour in each direction. More advanced systems with separate rights-of-way using moving block signaling can exceed 25,000 passengers per hour per track. Most light rail systems in
Hamilton LRT - Misplaced Pages Continue
5502-504: The provincial NDP nomination on Hamilton Mountain in 2007 and in Flamborough-Glanbrook in 2018 . On July 3, Ricky Tavares, who finished in 10th place during the 2014 mayoral campaign, registered to seek the office again. Tavares was notable during that campaign for demanding Ryan McGreal, the editor of local affairs website Raise The Hammer , purchase marijuana seeds from him before he would answer questions from
5633-624: The 1970s was proven to have been a technical failure by the following decade. After World War II, the Germans retained many of their streetcar networks and evolved them into model light rail systems ( Stadtbahnen ). With the exception of Hamburg , all large and most medium-sized German cities maintain light rail networks. The concept of a "limited tramway" was proposed by American transport planner H. Dean Quinby in 1962. Quinby distinguished this new concept in rail transportation from historic streetcar or tram systems as: The term light rail transit
5764-465: The 2018 election. Despite this, in November, 2016, councillors rejected an attempt by Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Green to initiate a study into the feasibility of ranked balloting. Opponents of the plan called ranked ballots 'confusing' and worried they would hinder voter turnout. Council ultimately voted 9–5 against making any moves toward the change. Beginning in 2008, city council and Metrolinx ,
5895-465: The City of Hamilton that the project will be terminated "effective immediately", because the estimated cost of the project had risen to an "astonishing $ 5.5 billion". The Mayor of Hamilton, Fred Eisenberger , called the cancellation "a betrayal by the province to the City of Hamilton." The capital expenditures had increased from $ 1 billion excluding financing as of 2014 to $ 2.85 billion including financing at
6026-581: The City of Hamilton to convert Main Street from one-way to two-way traffic and is intended to save cost. Access to the OMSF will be via Frid Street instead of via the busier Longwood Road. The mainline would shift from Main Street west to King Street via Dundurn Street, adding two 90 degree turns to the route. The Dundurn stop would be relocated along Dundurn Street to be closer to Hamilton's Innovation District instead of along King Street. Light rail Light rail (or light rail transit , abbreviated to LRT )
6157-410: The City of Hamilton. He is the first mayor since amalgamation to be re-elected for two consecutive terms. In June 2012, councillors committed $ 260,000 to conduct a study that would examine boundary reform in 2015, with a proposal to come forward regarding changes for the 2018 Municipal Election. This was following the 2006–2010 and 2010–2014 councils opting to push an examination of ward boundaries into
6288-646: The Environmental Project Report (EPR) Addendum for Hamilton's Light Rail Transit (LRT) plan. In 2018, before its election defeat, the previous Liberal government knew that the project cost had increased from $ 1 billion (established in 2014) to $ 2.85 billion, according to the Progressive Conservative government that succeeded it. However, Metrolinx continued to show the cost as $ 1 billion until late 2019. On August 30, 2018, property acquisitions and other spending related to
6419-495: The French city of Bordeaux , the tramway network is powered by a third rail in the city center, where the tracks are not always segregated from pedestrians and cars. The third rail (actually two closely spaced rails) is placed in the middle of the track and divided into eight-metre sections, each of which is powered only while it is completely covered by a tram. This minimizes the risk of a person or animal coming into contact with
6550-646: The LRT line) to spend on other transit improvements. To this end, the provincial government set up a task force to decide on the best use for the money. In March 2020, the task force reported their preference for the funds to be spent on higher-order transit (such as light rail or bus rapid transit) along the Hamilton LRT route. In November 2020, there was talk of the project being revived. During an announcement in Hamilton, Ontario, Premier Doug Ford said he had been working closely with Hamilton mayor Fred Eisenberger on
6681-559: The LRT would be entitled to compensation as a result of the cancellation. Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney said the province has cancelled the Hamilton LRT, but not the Hurontario LRT with similar costs, because the Hurontario project was further along and bidders on the Hamilton LRT had raised concerns about costs. As a consolation, the provincial government offered the city $ 1 billion (the original estimated cost of
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#17327906479606812-567: The Municipal Elections Act. In 2006, Di Ianni plead guilty to violating the Municipal Elections Act and was forced to return $ 26,000 in illegal contributions, make a $ 4,500 donation to charity, and write an essay on his actions. Chapman noted that Sgro, a registered accountant , had access to Di Ianni's campaign financials and was aware of the violation prior to signing off on the documents. Di Ianni pushed back against Chapman's accusations, telling Hamilton Spectator columnist Andrew Dreschel, "To sort of try to damage someone through innuendo — which, by
6943-643: The Progressive Conservatives won the June 7 vote. Incumbent mayor Fred Eisenberger announced his intention to seek a third term in January 2018, aiming to continue the projects begun under his second administration. Speaking with CBC Hamilton, Eisenberger emphasized his commitment to a platform of economic development, improved public transit, and looking to public/private partnerships to build more affordable housing. Edward Graydon, who sought
7074-662: The US are the NJ Transit River Line from Camden to Trenton and Austin's Capital MetroRail , which have received exemptions to the provision that light rail operations occur only during daytime hours and Conrail freight service only at night, with several hours separating one operation from the other. The O-Train Trillium Line in Ottawa also has freight service at certain hours. With its mix of right-of-way types and train control technologies, LRT offers
7205-455: The US as a whole, excluding Seattle, new light rail construction costs average about $ 35 million per mile. By comparison, a freeway lane expansion typically costs $ 1.0 million to $ 8.5 million per lane mile for two directions, with an average of $ 2.3 million. However, freeways are frequently built in suburbs or rural areas, whereas light rail tends to be concentrated in urban areas, where right of way and property acquisition
7336-666: The United States and in North America . In Britain, modern light rail systems began to appear in the 1980s, starting with the Tyne and Wear Metro from 1980 and followed by the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in London in 1987, continuing into the 1990s including the establishment of the Manchester Metrolink in 1992 and the Sheffield Supertram from 1994. Due to varying definitions, it
7467-590: The United States are limited by demand rather than capacity (by and large, most American LRT systems carry fewer than 4,000 persons per hour per direction), but Boston's and San Francisco's light rail lines carry 9,600 and 13,100 passengers per hour per track during rush hour. Elsewhere in North America, the Calgary C-Train and Monterrey Metro have higher light rail ridership than Boston or San Francisco. Systems outside North America often have much higher passenger volumes. The Manila Light Rail Transit System
7598-472: The United States, "light rail" has become a catch-all term to describe a wide variety of passenger rail systems. Light rail corridors may constitute a fully segregated corridor, a dedicated right-of-way on a street, an on-street corridor shared with other traffic, a corridor shared with other public transport, or a corridor shared with pedestrians. The most difficult distinction to draw is that between low-floor light rail and streetcar or tram systems. There
7729-520: The Ward 3 seat on June 15. Perennial candidate Keith Beck registered to run in Ward 3 on July 6. Beck sought the office of Ward 7 councillor in 2014 , receiving 12.41% of the vote. He had filed to papers to run for council in Ward 2 in 2010 , but withdrew and refiled to run in Ward 7, and finished last with 5.14% of the vote. In 2006 , he filed to run for mayor, but withdrew and refiled to run for city council in Ward 10, where he finished last with 6.58% of
7860-415: The ability of buses to travel closer to each other than rail vehicles and their ability to overtake each other at designated locations allowing express services to bypass those that have stopped at stations. However, to achieve capacities this high, BRT station footprints need to be significantly larger than a typical LRT station. In terms of cost of operation, each bus vehicle requires a single driver, whereas
7991-557: The ballot. On June 17, 2018, Hamilton Spectator columnist Andrew Dreschel reported that sitting Ward 3 councillor Matthew Green was considering seeking the NDP nomination to stand as the party's candidate in Hamilton Centre for the 2019 federal election . At the time, Green declined to confirm if he was going to seek federal office or reoffer for his Ward 3 council seat. Local transgender advocate Kristeen Sprague filed to seek
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#17327906479608122-412: The best city you've ever seen," and "Here's a motion: Get rid of Matthew Green. He's a terrible politician. You've got to get rid of him. You're only going to make the city great when I'm in." Graydon and Green have scuffled publicly in the time since the incident, with Graydon taking to social media in profanity-laced posts demanding apologies from the Ward 3 councillor. Phil Ryerson, who placed last in
8253-420: The campaign, with Eisenberger pledging to conduct feasibility studies for rec centres in the next term of office. Pattison proposed the idea of reviewing all city facilities while Rusich promised to have a number of facilities built and operational by 2022. On Election Day, October 22, Hamilton's residents gave incumbent Fred Eisenberger a second term as mayor. According to The Hamilton Spectator , Eisenberger
8384-866: The case of the Disney amusement parks , even a land train . (The usual British term for an aerial tramway is cable car , which in the US usually refers to a ground-level car pulled along by subterranean cables .) The word trolley is often used as a synonym for streetcar in the United States but is usually taken to mean a cart, particularly a shopping cart, in the UK and elsewhere. Many North American transportation planners reserve streetcar for traditional vehicles that operate exclusively in mixed traffic on city streets, while they use light rail to refer to more modern vehicles operating mostly in exclusive rights of way, since they may operate both side-by-side targeted at different passenger groups. The difference between British English and American English terminology arose in
8515-422: The city's LRT plan. A week after entering the mayoral race, Sgro was the subject of some controversy when Joanna Chapman, a retired businesswoman and former Dundas town councillor, told local media that Sgro was the accountant who approved former Mayor Larry Di Ianni's financial statements during his 2003 mayoral campaign . In that campaign, Di Ianni accepted donations that exceeded the legal limit required by
8646-417: The city's West Mountain. In January, 2018, local media reported that a group of residents from Hamilton's suburbs, working under the name "Free Flamborough", had taken issue with the imposed boundaries and council's decision to not pursue an appeal. The group, led by Flamborough resident Roman Sarachman, had begun exploring options such as launching legal action against the municipal government, or pressuring
8777-583: The city's existing A-Line express bus line. During the 2018 Ontario Provincial Election campaign, the Progressive Conservative Party sought to attract the support of anti-LRT advocates by suggesting the party would be open to disbursing the earmarked $ 1 billion for LRT to the city for use on general infrastructure. This caused Ward 6 councillor Tom Jackson, Ward 8 councillor Terry Whitehead, and Ward 12 councillor Lloyd Ferguson to openly discuss changing their votes in favour of LRT if
8908-420: The city's existing public housing stock. A majority of the council candidates in Ward 2 indicated support for the city's light rail transit project, including Kroetsch, Daljeet, Smith, Farr, and another 2010 challenger of Farr's, Chiarelli. Tennant and 2014 council candidate and Progressive Conservative candidate for Hamilton Centre , Vail, both opposed the project. Smith's campaign focused on addressing
9039-425: The city's mayoralty in 2010 , registered to run for mayor on the first day of nominations. Graydon was a vocal opponent of the city's planned LRT project , interjecting himself into a press conference held by Ward 8 Councillor Terry Whitehead and Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Green in 2017, interrupting Green by shouting "If you don't want LRT in this community, in 2018 vote for me, Edward Graydon, and I'll make this city
9170-617: The city's transit network. During the debate, candidates Graydon and Carlos Gomes were cautioned against using foul language and personal attacks, while Gomes used the debate to defend his marijuana use, though did not reference the Federal government's planned legalization of the substance on October 17, five days before the municipal election. Mayoral candidate Tavares was again invited to the debate but demanded financial compensation to appear. The issue of recreation facilities for people in Hamilton's suburban communities became an issue during
9301-453: The city) and to agree to negotiate a memorandum of understanding (MOU). After a two-week delay, council voted 9–6 in favour of negotiating the MOU and proceeding with the LRT project. On June 2, 2023, Metrolinx and City staff presented a project update to the City of Hamilton's LRT Sub-committee, in which Metrolinx is recommending a different delivery model and contract packaging strategy from what
9432-548: The close of nominations, Johnson announced they were withdrawing their nomination to become the executive director of the Niagara Community Legal Clinic, which serves residents in Welland and St. Catharines . Jason Allen, third-place candidate in 2014 and a former staffer with Metrolinx registered to contest the seat, touting an endorsement from Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi . Carol Lazich, one of
9563-421: The closure of Glasgow Corporation Tramways (one of the largest in Europe) in 1962. Although some traditional trolley or tram systems continued to exist in San Francisco and elsewhere, the term "light rail" has come to mean a different type of rail system as modern light rail technology has primarily post-WWII West German origins. An attempt by Boeing Vertol to introduce a new American light rail vehicle in
9694-607: The controversy, local residents appealed council's decision to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) . After holding a series of hearings in October, the OMB struck down the city's redrawn boundaries and imposed a new electoral map for the 2018 election. The new map eliminated a distinct ward for the former municipality of Wentworth, and significantly altered boundaries across the city, most notably providing another ward to
9825-415: The day. This combination of factors limits roads carrying only automobile commuters to a maximum observed capacity of about 3,000 passengers per hour per lane. The problem can be mitigated by introducing high-occupancy vehicle ( HOV ) lanes and ride-sharing programs, but in most cases, policymakers have chosen to add more lanes to the roads, despite a small risk that in unfavorable situations an extension of
9956-755: The direct translation, which is city rail (the Norwegian term, by bane , means the same). However, UMTA finally adopted the term light rail instead. Light in this context is used in the sense of "intended for light loads and fast movement", rather than referring to physical weight. The infrastructure investment is also usually lighter than would be found for a heavy rail system. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), in its Glossary of Transit Terminology, defines light rail as: ...a mode of transit service (also called streetcar, tramway, or trolley) operating passenger rail cars singly (or in short, usually two-car or three-car, trains) on fixed rails in
10087-549: The entire A-Line corridor from Hamilton's waterfront to the airport . On March 28, 2017, Hamilton City Council chose to delay the crucial Environmental Assessment vote to April 19, 2017, citing they needed more time to read it for themselves. On April 19, 2017, City Council voted again to delay the Environmental Assessment, this time to April 26, 2017, claiming the plan at that stage (which was to build Phase 1 from McMaster University to Queenston traffic circle)
10218-541: The federal government. On May 11, 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $ 1.7 billion in federal funding for the Hamilton project. The capital costs would be split equally between the federal and provincial governments for the full 14-kilometre route. On June 2, 2021, Metrolinx and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation met with Hamilton city council to discuss operating costs (which would be funded by
10349-438: The file but said they would need funding support from the federal government to move forward with it. The following day, then federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Catherine McKenna said she supported the project, and that it was up to the province to formally endorse the LRT project and submit a business case for the federal government to review. Laborers' International Union of North America's Joseph Mancinelli cited
10480-412: The following months. Farr registered on July 19, and was followed by James Unsworth, John Vail, and Diane Chiarelli on July 27, the final day of nominations. Kroetsch, who received the support of previous challengers to Farr - Terri Wallis ( 2014 ) and Matt Jelly ( 2010 ) - as well as former Green Party federal and provincial candidate Peter Ormond, campaigned for better communication and allocation of
10611-458: The late 19th century when Americans adopted the term "street railway", rather than "tramway", with the vehicles being called "streetcars" rather than "trams". Some have suggested that the Americans' preference for the term "street railway" at that time was influenced by German emigrants to the United States (who were more numerous than British immigrants in the industrialized Northeast), as it is
10742-524: The latter is described as light rail. In those places, trams running on mixed rights-of-way are not regarded as a light rail but considered distinctly as streetcars or trams. However, the requirement for saying that a rail line is "separated" can be quite low—sometimes just with concrete "buttons" to discourage automobile drivers from getting onto the tracks. Some systems such as Seattle's Link had on-road mixed sections but were closed to regular road traffic, with light rail vehicles and buses both operating along
10873-462: The light rail concept was the "Shaker Heights Rapid Transit" which started in the 1920s, was renovated in 1980-81 and is now part of RTA Rapid Transit . Many original tram and streetcar systems in the United Kingdom , United States , and elsewhere were decommissioned starting in the 1950s as subsidies for the car increased. Britain abandoned its tram systems, except for Blackpool , with
11004-540: The media. Tavares again requested money from the media in exchange for answers to questions when approached by CBC Hamilton reporter Samantha Craggs in July, 2018. In response to an inquiry about his platform, Tavares told Craggs "Its ( sic ) gonna cost you $ 500 for this information. I am making it cheap for you because I think I remember you from city hall meetings many months ago and I think your ( sic ) beautiful. I like you." Also on July 3, 2018, Vito Sgro, an organizer with
11135-642: The most vocal anti-LRT activists in the city campaigned on a platform of opposing the project. Maureen Wilson, a former staffer with Hamilton Mayor Bob Wade and partner to former Hamilton-Wentworth Regional Chair Terry Cooke campaigned on an urbanist platform. Wilson maintained support from across the political spectrum, earning the endorsements of former Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale MPP Ted McMeekin , then-NDP candidate for MP in Hamilton Centre Matthew Green , and former Hamilton Police Service Chief Ken Robertson. Linda Narducci,
11266-542: The next council term. The issue arose during the 2014 municipal election, with Hamilton's three top mayoral contenders supporting ward boundary reform during their campaigns. In early 2015, councillors approved city staff's request to put out a call for proposals for the consultants who would examine ward boundaries. The successful bidders, Watson and Associates Economists Ltd., then began a process of public consultation and examination. Throughout February, 2016, community consolation meetings were held across Hamilton to inform
11397-529: The office of Ward 1 councillor, and finished 5th with 13.6% of the vote. Myrie would later drop out of the race before the close of nominations. At a press conference held on July 17, Green formally announced that he would not seek re-election in Ward 3, instead opting to seek the NDP's nomination for Parliament in Hamilton Centre. On the day Green announced his intention to seek higher office, business owner and vocal anti-LRT activist Milena Balta registered to seek
11528-465: The old and new systems. Since the 1980s, Portland, Oregon , has built all three types of system: a high-capacity light rail system in dedicated lanes and rights-of-way, a low-capacity streetcar system integrated with street traffic, and an aerial tram system . The opposite phrase heavy rail , used for higher-capacity, higher-speed systems, also avoids some incompatibilities in terminology between British and American English, for instance in comparing
11659-473: The original Environmental Assessment from October 2011 which covers the original route from McMaster University to Eastgate Square. The motion to submit the original Environmental Assessment was by Terry Whitehead, who was one of the project's harshest critics. The motion passed 10–5, with Councillor Robert Pasuta absent. On August 4, 2017, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change approved
11790-759: The peak direction during rush hour. 2018 Hamilton, Ontario municipal election Fred Eisenberger Fred Eisenberger The 2018 Hamilton municipal election was a municipal election that occurred on October 22, 2018, as per the Ontario Municipal Elections Act, 1996. Residents of Hamilton selected one mayor, members of the Hamilton City Council , and members of both the English and French Public and Catholic School Boards. On election day, Hamiltonians re-elected Fred Eisenberger to serve his third term as mayor of
11921-602: The project as an ideal stimulant of economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario . On February 9, 2021, the province confirmed its commitment to the project and added the Hamilton LRT to its slate of priority transit projects in the GTHA . The proposed route would be a shorter 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) kilometre line between McMaster University and Gage Avenue and would require an additional $ 1.5 billion in funding from
12052-484: The project were put on hold by the newly elected provincial government. About 50 percent of the properties still needed to be purchased before completing the light rail line. Light rail was a key issue in the 2018 Hamilton municipal election . Mayoral challenger Vito Sgro campaigned primarily on a platform of cancelling the B-Line project while incumbent mayor Fred Eisenberger was pro-LRT. On October 22, 2018, Eisenberger
12183-421: The project, while George Rusich, Schmid-Jones, and Eisenberger were supportive. Sgro used the debate to advocate for road-widening schemes, while Fromm attempted to downplay his connections to white supremacist movements and focus on his advocacy for Hamilton's drivers. Schmid-Jones proposed banning bottled water from the city's facilities, while Eisenbeger promoted his record of reducing homelessness and integrating
12314-531: The provincial government for the right to de-amalgamate from Hamilton The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board's (HWDSB) attempt to reallocate the ward boundaries for trustees in 2013 also resulted in the decision to task the 2014–2018 Board with examining ward boundary reform after city council redraws boundaries. Following the OMB decision on Hamilton's council wards, the HWDSB and Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB) sought relief from
12445-594: The provincial government would fund the city's LRT project at 100% and invest in the construction of a new GO Train station in Stoney Creek at Centennial Parkway . While the initial plan announced by the provincial government was to construct the city's B-Line LRT line with a 'spur' line to the West Harbour GO Station , in 2017, Metrolinx announced the 'spur' would be dropped from the project in favour of express bus service that would feed into
12576-491: The public and collect feedback from residents. The final report presented a number of options for changing the city's existing boundaries. On February 8, 2017, councillors voted to reject the consultant reports and redraw the city's ward boundaries themselves, opting to avoid any substantial boundary changes, except for a minor ascetic alteration to the boundary between Ward 6 and Ward 7 on the East Mountain. The change
12707-434: The purchase of a 14.5-acre property which will be the site of an operations, maintenance and storage facility (OMSF) for the light rail vehicles. Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx planned to deliver the Hamilton LRT project according to IO's Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model which basically is a public–private partnership arrangement. On February 2, 2017, Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario issued
12838-433: The race for the city's mayoralty in 2014, registered to run on May 25, 2018. Ryerson's platform focused on cancelling the city's LRT plan, turning city streets into cement roads, and ending all in camera meetings. Nathalie Xian Yi Yan, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner who had lost two bids for Ward 6 councillor in 2006 and 2010 , registered to run for mayor on May 31. Xian Yi Yan also unsuccessfully sought
12969-651: The race when he first signaled to Hamilton Spectator columnist Andrew Dreschel in January that he was considering a run. On June 9, 2018, former federal Green Party candidate for Hamilton Centre , Ute Schmidt-Jones, registered to run for mayor. Schmidt-Jones was previously a candidate for city council in Midland, Ontario during the 2014 municipal campaign . Schmidt-Jones was banned from Hamilton City Hall after throwing pumpkin seeds adorned with smiley faces at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2016 to protest his support for oil pipelines. Schmidt-Jones expressed support for
13100-419: The request for qualifications to shortlist proponents to respond to a request for proposals. On April 16, 2018, teams shortlisted by IO and Metrolinx allowed to bid on designing, building, financing, operating, and maintaining the LRT are: The procurement of a dedicated fleet of light rail vehicles and the construction of a maintenance and storage facility were included in the deal. The deadline to submit bids
13231-556: The required clearance height can be reduced significantly compared to conventional light rail vehicles. Reference speed from major light rail systems, including station stop time, is shown below. However, low top speed is not always a differentiating characteristic between light rail and other systems. For example, the Siemens S70 LRVs used in the Houston METRORail and other North American LRT systems have
13362-432: The right-of-way that is often separated from other traffic for part or much of the way. Light rail vehicles are typically driven electrically with power being drawn from an overhead electric line via a trolley [pole] or a pantograph ; driven by an operator onboard the vehicle; and may have either high platform loading or low-level boarding using steps." However, some diesel-powered transit is designated light rail, such as
13493-415: The road network might lead to increased travel times ( Downs–Thomson paradox , Braess's paradox ). By contrast, light rail vehicles can travel in multi-car trains carrying a theoretical ridership up to 20,000 passengers per hour in much narrower rights-of-way , not much more than two car lanes wide for a double track system. They can often be run through existing city streets and parks , or placed in
13624-401: The roads. Typically roadways have 1,900 passenger cars per lane per hour (pcplph). If only cars are allowed, the capacity will be less and will not increase when the traffic volume increases. When there is a bus driving on this route, the capacity of the lane will be higher and will increase when the traffic level increases. And because the capacity of a light rail system is higher than that of
13755-618: The same as the German term for the mode, Straßenbahn (meaning "street railway"). A further difference arose because, while Britain abandoned all of its trams after World War II except in Blackpool , eight major North American cities ( Toronto , Boston , Philadelphia , San Francisco , Pittsburgh , Newark , Cleveland , and New Orleans ) continued to operate large streetcar systems. When these cities upgraded to new technology, they called it light rail to differentiate it from their existing streetcars since some continued to operate both
13886-481: The seat on a campaign of respecting the democratic process and speaking for marginalized Hamiltonians. Richard Massie, who lived in Ward 14, ran on a platform of redeveloping the Chedoke Golf Course, Sharon Cole focused on housing affordability, and Harrison White, the youngest candidate in the ward at the age of 22, focused on housing issues and hospital wait times. Ela Eroglu, a local architect , ran on
14017-408: The standard gauge is that standard railway maintenance equipment can be used on it, rather than custom-built machinery. Using standard gauges also allows light rail vehicles to be conveniently moved around using the same tracks as freight railways. Additionally, wider gauges (e.g. standard gauge) provide more floor clearance on low-floor trams that have constricted pedestrian areas at the wheels, which
14148-551: The system was a success with the public, gaining up to 190,000 passengers per day. Automatic train operation is employed on light rail networks, tracking the position and speed of a train and hence adjusting its movement for safety and efficiency. One line of light rail (requires 7.6 m, 25' right of way) has a theoretical capacity of up to 8 times more than one 3.7 m (12 foot) lane on a freeway, excluding busses, during peak times. Roads have ultimate capacity limits that can be determined by traffic engineering , and usually experience
14279-408: The system would confuse electors, while Ward 3 councillor Matthew Green called the system a "fantastic opportunity." The following month, Green invited ranked ballot-advocate Dave Meslin to speak in Hamilton on the issue, sparking a call for a citizen's group to promote the proposed electoral system. Mayor Eisenberger spoke favourably about the new system and indicated he was willing to consider it for
14410-412: The technical advisor for its Hamilton LRT. By November 2023, Metrolinx introduced a design change affecting access to the planned Operations, Maintenance and Storage (OMSF) facility on Chatham Street as well as a change in alignment of the mainline. The mainline would cross Highway 403 via a rebuilt and widened Main Street bridge instead of via a rail-only flyover bridge. This change followed a decision by
14541-471: The time of project cancellation. Also, the Ford government is adding the 30-year estimated cost of $ 1 billion for operations and maintenance to the capital and financing costs. The City of Hamilton would have been expected to pay the LRT's operating and maintenance costs. The province has already spent $ 184 million on the project including the acquisition of 60 properties. Consortiums who were competing to construct
14672-503: The trams, making it safe on city streets. Several systems in Europe and a few recently opened systems in North America use diesel -powered trains. When electric streetcars were introduced in the late 19th century, conduit current collection was one of the first ways of supplying power, but it proved to be much more expensive, complicated, and trouble-prone than overhead wires . When electric street railways became ubiquitous, conduit power
14803-549: The transit agency responsible for projects across the Toronto and Hamilton areas, developed plans for a new rapid transit system in Hamilton to ease congestion on the city's Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) system. In September, 2008, a city-commissioned survey found that 94% of Hamiltonians surveyed supported investment in rapid transit with 66% supporting light rail transit (LRT), 8% favouring bus rapid transit (BRT) , and 20% endorsing either option. Hamilton City Council endorsed
14934-460: The vast majority of light rail systems. This avoids the danger potentially presented by an electrified third rail . The Docklands Light Railway uses an inverted third rail for its electrical power, which allows the electrified rail to be covered and the power drawn from the underside. Trams in Bordeaux , France, use a special third-rail configuration where the power is only switched on beneath
15065-557: The vote. Across Hamilton, pro-LRT councillors were elected with the express goal of supporting the project. In early 2015, activists feared the HSR had abandoned hope the project would be successful, as the agency's new director, Dave Dixon, had submitted for council's approval a request for new express buses totaling $ 302 million. Fears were abated in May, 2015, when Premier Kathleen Wynne and Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca announced
15196-476: The vote. During a 2004 by-election for the office of Ward 2 councillor caused by Andrea Horwath's election to the Ontario legislature, received 29 votes, or 0.57%, placing 9th out of 11 candidates. The candidates were joined by former staffer with Mayor Fred Eisenberger, Laura Farr, on July 12. Farr, a Liberal Party activist, served on the party's Electoral District Association in Hamilton Centre . On July 16, one day before incumbent councillor Matthew Green
15327-439: The ward's infrastructure backlog and collaborative decision-making, Daljeet campaigned on waterfront re-development, business attraction, and transit affordability, Tennant's campaign emphasized community safety and tackling the opioid epidemic while Chiarelli emphasized community safety and sustainable development. Local media indicated that James Unsworth had opted to not campaign for the seat, despite having his name remain on
15458-577: The way, is a Joanna Chapman specialty — is just not fair." On July 20, neo-Nazi , Holocaust-denier , and white-supremacist , Paul Fromm , registered to run for mayor of Hamilton. Fromm moved to Hamilton Mountain from m Mississauga earlier in 2018. Fromm previously ran for Mayor of Mississauga in 2014 and, in the 2018 Ontario provincial election , stood as a candidate for the Canadians' Choice Party in Etobicoke Centre . Identified as
15589-434: The widest range of latitude of any rail system in the design, engineering, and operating practices. The challenge in designing light rail systems is to realize the potential of LRT to provide fast, comfortable service while avoiding the tendency to overdesign that results in excessive capital costs beyond what is necessary to meet the public's needs. The BART railcar in the following chart is not generally considered to be
15720-543: Was coined in 1972 by the U.S. Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA; the precursor to the Federal Transit Administration ) to describe new streetcar transformations that were taking place in Europe and the United States. In Germany, the term Stadtbahn (to be distinguished from S-Bahn , which stands for Stadtschnellbahn ) was used to describe the concept, and many in UMTA wanted to adopt
15851-547: Was conducted, showing a net benefit for implementing LRT, and that it would be adequate dealing with long-term travel demand growth. An environmental project report was completed in October 2011. On May 26, 2015, the Government of Ontario announced a shorter route between McMaster University and Queenston Circle, but also including a segment of the A-Line to provide a direct connection to West Harbour GO Station , as well as
15982-430: Was controversial, with community tensions flaring at the approval meeting. Robert Williams, one of the consultants the city hired to study the boundaries told council Watson and Associates could not support the changes, saying, "I've told you in black and white, we couldn't endorse it." Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Green stated that he believed the approved wards were councillors ' gerrymandering ' boundaries. In response to
16113-491: Was indefensible and unfit as it did not go from a destination location to a destination location. On April 26, 2017, the province announced with the money saved from removing the spur line from King and James to the West Harbour GO Station, they would work with the City to get the 3 km (1.9 mi) Eastgate Square extension included in the capital funding. Later that evening City Council voted to submit
16244-677: Was introduced in North America in 1972 to describe this new concept of rail transportation. Prior to that time the abbreviation "LRT" was used for " Light Rapid Transit " and " Light Rail Rapid Transit ". The first of the new light rail systems in North America began operation in 1978 when the Canadian city of Edmonton, Alberta , adopted the German Siemens-Duewag U2 system, followed three years later by Calgary, Alberta , and San Diego, California . The concept proved popular, with there now being numerous light rail systems in
16375-511: Was originally funded by the province of Ontario in 2015 but was then cancelled in 2019 due to rising costs. In February 2021, the province recommitted to the project, subject to additional funding from the Canadian federal government. In May 2021, the federal government committed funding for the project as part of a larger spending package to fund rapid transit initiatives in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area . Preliminary construction
16506-636: Was originally scheduled for April 2019 but was later extended by six months. As of 2019, no vehicles have been chosen, but the trains could be similar to the Flexity Freedom cars to be used in Waterloo Region 's Ion rapid transit and Toronto's Eglinton Crosstown LRT or the Alstom Citadis Spirit cars ordered by Metrolinx as a backup fleet for Eglinton Crosstown LRT. On December 16, 2019, Doug Ford 's government told
16637-560: Was previously contemplated under the former procurement process. Instead of procuring project partners to deliver all aspects of the project by adopting a Public-Private Partnership (P3) contracting model, Metrolinx is recommending splitting up the Hamilton LRT project into 3 packages, as described below, and using different contract delivery methods following feedback from the market to decrease project risk, strengthen stakeholder management and improve interface between civil and systems scope: In October 2023, Metrolinx appointed AECOM to serve as
16768-455: Was re-elected to a second consecutive term (and third overall) receiving 54% of votes and claimed that the results indicated a "strong mandate on LRT to move forward." On March 29, 2019, Ontario Transit Minister Jeff Yurek announced that project-related spending could resume after an eight-month freeze. He indicated that Metrolinx could now continue to purchase land along the route needed for LRT construction. Four days later, Metrolinx announced
16899-497: Was scheduled to hold a press conference regarding his political future, NDP supporter and founder of a local consulting firm, the Empower Strategy group, Evelyn Myrie registered to run in Ward 3. Myrie had previously been involved with the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, was awarded with Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal, and has been inducted into Hamilton's Gallery of Distinction. In 1994 , Myrie ran for
17030-632: Was the Gross-Lichterfelde tramway in Lichterfelde near Berlin in Germany, which opened in 1881. It was built by Werner von Siemens who contacted Pirotsky. It initially drew current from the rails, with overhead wire being installed in 1883. The first interurban to emerge in the United States was the Newark and Granville Street Railway in Ohio, which opened in 1889. An early example of
17161-527: Was used in those cities that did not permit overhead wires. In Europe, it was used in London, Paris, Berlin, Marseille, Budapest, and Prague. In the United States, it was used in parts of New York City and Washington, D.C. Third rail technology was investigated for use on the Gold Coast of Australia for the G:link light rail, though power from overhead lines was ultimately utilized for that system. In
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