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At last! The first track test of an LRV on Waterloo Region's iON LRT system. For now it is being towed up and down the Waterloo Spur - you can see the yellow towing vehicle behind the tram. Although the train's pantograph is deployed, it is not drawing power but its electrical contact to the catenary is being tested. Speaking of contact, there are styrofoam buffers mounted at the far end of the car to test clearances - particularly for passenger platforms. And the reliable function of crossing gates along the spur line is also part of the current test programme. The Waterloo Spur is an off street regional rail corridor which was upgraded along the iON's revenue alignment to support the LRT. Until the iON, the spur was used as a low volume freight service running from Kitchener, Ontario through Waterloo to Elmira. In the summer there was/is a tourist train which runs between Waterloo and the touristy village of St. Jacobs. And once-upon-a-time (pre-automobile) the line regularly shuttled commuters between Elmira and Waterloo. LRV testing starts on these tracks so as to not disrupt street and pedestrian traffic - for now. Later, powered trains will venture onto the greater system that includes on-street running in the central areas of Waterloo and Kitchener. This will provide residents with a preview of tram operations prior to the system's proposed opening date in Spring 2018.1 Back in February I did announce the arrival of another LRV to Waterloo Region. At the time, I boasted about seeing it "soon" as part of iON system testing programme. Well, not so much. As it turned out LRV #1 (now christened 501) was not track ready - apparently no motor, no functional brakes, no control software - and it still isn't. It was delivered incomplete for the purpose of shop static testing. Essentially, a full scale test vehicle for ensuring that the new OMSF can readily maintain the trains. A worthwhile exercise but not what most fans and supporters were allowed to believe. Still car 501 was handy for open houses and photo ops all summer long. LRV #2 is still not christened and does not have the full iON livery but it is understood that it will become car 502. This vehicle was delivered in late September and was planned for initial track testing in mid October - 19 Oct 2017. However, Bombardier (the manufacturer) did not sign over ownership of the vehicle and the well publicized track test was abruptly called off the morning of. As Stephen Harper might say, I was 'very disappointed'. After that, the Region decided to not pre-announce any future testing for fear of another bureaucratic SNAFU - or the usual issues with testing any new and complicated vehicle. It is with this background that I consider myself fortunate to be able to capture this shot. I made a special trip to Waterloo on the day of the abandoned October test. It was just coincidence that work brought me back to Waterloo when the next (and unannounced) track testing was attempted. But then the local twitter-verse lit up - yes, I finally have a smartphone - with news that the new train was out on the line. I was one of about twenty (20) fans that quickly congregated around University of Waterloo station to watch LRV #2 slowly (they call it "dead slow") pull up to the platform. NOTES: GRT: Grand River Transit LRT: Light Rail Transit LRV: Light Rail Vehicle LFLRV: Low Floor Light Rail Vehicle OMSF: Operations, Maintenance and Storage Facility (aka. the Car Barns) 1The original opening date for iON was to be in September 2017. But Bombardier repeatedly pushed back the delivery dates for the vehicles - fourteen (14) in all. This was and continues to be true for Toronto's new streetcars which are of similar design. Bombardier: Canadian for "hurry up and wait"

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