Traction On The Grand Story of Electric Railways along Ontario's Grand River
Traction On The Grand Electric Railways along Ontarios Grand River Valley By John Mills
Hard Cover with Dust Jacket
Copyright 1977
96 Pages
Galt Preston & Hespeter Street Railway
Grand River Ry
Lake Erie & Northern Ry
Brantford Street
Brantford Municipal
Grand Valley
Woodstock Thames Valley & Ingersoll
Berlin & Waterloo Street
Kitchener - Waterloo Rys
Guelph Radial Ry
Preston Car & Coach Company
Equipment list
This hook, the third in a series, concentrates on the electric lines of the part of Southern Ontario adjacent to the Grand River (plus a corporate outpost at Woodstock). Naturally fertile and prosperous, this area attracted early settlement which coalesced around two points: the head of river navigation at Brantford, and the waterpower sites at and north of Galt. The latter gave rise to a densely-settled triangle bounded by Galt, Waterloo and Guelph, with outliers to the north at the Elmira and Fergus areas. Such conditions were ideal for the development of local railway transportation which appeared as expected: horse-car lines were built at an early date in Brantford and Berlin/Waterloo, and the Galt Preston & Hespeler was one of the first interurban lines in Canada. The vitality of the lines, particularly those in the northerly triangle, was thus established and it continued for many years: the transformation of the G. P. &H. into the Grand River Railway in the early twenties was the most complete reconstruction in Canadian traction history.
As with the author's other books, the basic research for this one was done in the University of Toronto Library's comprehensive collections . Essential flesh was added to the bones by such knowledgeable friends as Mr. Orin Maus of Brantford (who placed a lifetime of research at the author's disposal). Mr. William Houston of Kitchener, Mr. W. E. Miller of Galt and Mr. B. McCarvell of Guelph. A fascinating day was spent delving into the remote recesses of the old Preston office building which produced a great deal of useful information, but unfortunately revealed that most rolling-stock and shop records had been destroyed some years before. Many fine photos (far more indeed than could be used) were supplied as noted in the captions of each photo. Information and encouragement was also given by many other individuals: no author could function without this support. My personal gratitude is also extended to Railfare Enterprises Limited for having rescued this book from the doldrums into which it threatened to decline, and for giving reason to hope that further volumes of this series will appear in due course.
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