History Question

scotto

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Feb 15, 2004
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#1
This was sent in by a D. O'Reilly, I did send back that the A.R.P. stood for Air Raid Patrol and that the Bascule Bridge was doubled.
Maybe some of our history people can add more.
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Hello;
"Burlington Beach has a 27-man volunteer fire department with completely modern equipment, two inhalators, and three boats. In
charge of Chief Dan Hazell, it originated from the war-time A.R.P."

could I please ask you to indicate what (ARP) stands for?

I am also interested in the Hamilton RadialRailroad's bascule bridge. I have found a page that indicates that the Hamilton Radial built a (double leaf bascule bridge) but the only picture that I have seen (on the Hamilton Radial Electric Railroad page) seems to be of a (single leaf structure). do you have any information?
thank you in advance.
http://hamiltonbeachcommunity.com/forum/showthread.php?t=651

http://ca.geocities.com/hsrradials@rogers.com/HRER.html
 

scotto

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Feb 15, 2004
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#2
David has sent in a few more questions.
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Thank you for this. Was the original single leaf bridge built by the Hamilton Radial Electric Railroad? I know that the railroad had a swing bridge.

I should point out that I am blind, and so use a voice synthesizer, to listen to, rather than read web pages. so sometimes I'm not able to find all of the information that appears. however, it seems that the page (Wars Fires and Picnics) from which I got the information on the double leaf bascule bridge, is a related page, to the one that has the information the volunteer fire department. the information on the double leaf bridge, is rather vague. first of all, there doesn't seem to be a date given, and secondly, it doesn't indicate if the (Radial bridge) was a bascule, or swing bridge. and it doesn't indicate that the radial railroad didn't use the new bridge. the dates are important, because a page on the Hamilton Radial Electric Railroad, indicates that the railroad stopped running in 1929, and at that time, the rails were located on a lift bridge. could I please ask you to take a look at this?

http://hamiltontransithistory.alotspace.com/HRER.html

I'm sorry I intended to send this link in my last e-mail. there are two pictures of the HRER's swing bridge. as well, click on the Index for related information.

http://www.hhpl.on.ca/GreatLakes/Documents/Brookes/TableOfIllustrations.asp
 

Fred Briggs

Beach History Moderator
May 27, 2004
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#3
Just to clarify the bridges situation without going into a welter of details:
The bridge built across the canal in 1896 was a swing bridge, and it was completed in 1896.
The Radial Line was extended to Burlington in 1898, and to Oakville in 1906.
The swing bridge was replaced by a bascule bridge in 1923.
The tracks from Burlington to Oakville were abandoned in 1925. Radial Service to the beach was abandoned in 1929.
Work began on doubling the width of the canal and adding a second bascule bridge in 1930 and finished in 1931.
None of the bridges over the canal were built by the Radial Railway.
I hope this clears up any confusion.
 

scotto

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#4
Thanks Fred;
Was it you that told me that the Radial Line was asked to contribute to the building of the Bascule bidge but declined because of poor ridership back then.
 

scotto

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#6
Those are super links leading to a wealth of information on Hamilton's electric railways. Too bad they don't exist today. We could use more electrified transit systems.
I would be packed with people all summer long, yes too bad. The City (or Waterfront Trust) has trolleys now running at bayfront park, they are well used.
 

scotto

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Feb 15, 2004
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#7
David has added a couple more comments
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Hi Scott;
the Grand Trunk Railroad didn't lay tracks on the beach in 1855. in fact, it wasn't in the Hamilton area until it purchased the Great Western Railroad in 1882. but the GWR didn't go across the beach. it was the Hamilton and Northwestern Railroad (H&NWRR) that had laid the tracks. the GWR purchased the H&NWRR in 1888.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Trunk_Railway

http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/301/ic/cdc/industrial/grandtrunk.htm

http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/301/ic/cdc/industrial/hamiltonnw.htm
 
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