Hamilton Street Railway celebrates 150th anniversary

The Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) company is celebrating its 150th birthday this week.

To commemorate the event, the company has wrapped two of its buses in designs inspired by those of yesteryear. If you manage to spot one, you might as well catch a ride — it won’t cost you a thing.

Free rides will be provided on the retro-inspired rides until May 25.

Along with the free ride, the company says it will give away some celebratory merchandise and, starting Tuesday, will offer limited edition PRESTO cards.

If you don’t spot one of the free, retro-inspired buses, don’t fret. On May 20, all fares across Hamilton will only be a $1.50.

On top of the vintage-themed bus and the discounted rides, the company is hosting a free public exhibition. Located at the Tourism Hamilton Visitor Experience Centre, it runs from from May 21 to Dec. 21, 2024.

The exhibit will be open between Tuesday and Saturday.

Take the bus on us from May 19 to 25 on the retro buses! You’ll find these two commemorative #HSR150 buses on Route 41 Mohawk and Route 2 Barton today, May 20. https://t.co/5u65Wgcl4K pic.twitter.com/GzCDZTkyoS

— Hamilton Street Railway (@hsr) May 20, 2024

HSR — From horse-drawn carriage to excellence

The HSR’s long history makes it one of the oldest transit agencies in Canada.

It first started in May 1874. At the time, the city was entering the “modern era” when it got its first horse-drawn streetcar.

The company started with six streetcars, 22 horses and five kilometres of track.

The earliest vehicles seated 14 passengers.

By the mid-1920s, it had become apparent that motor buses would be more efficient than streetcars on some routes.

By August 1926, the first buses began running along the Main-Balmoral route, with Cannon being established the following year.

In 1960, the City of Hamilton purchased the HSR alongside Canada Coach Lines, and the Hamilton Transit Commission was established to operate the newly founded organization.

Seventeen years later, the company came under the jurisdiction of the regional municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth.

Now, it serves an estimated 21 million passengers, per year.