WATERLOO - John Dolinar felt almost like he had won the lottery.

He's among the lucky few picked from thousands who applied to be an operator on Waterloo Region's flagship light rail system.

"It's a lot of pride. We don't take it for granted," Dolinar said.

And, like the others who have been training for months at the helm of an Ion train, he's keen for service to start.

They feel like pioneers.

"It's unique what we're doing. We're the first group to do it," said Cameron Jones, lead operator and trainer.

All 42 operators needed to run the Ion system have been hired, with the last group finishing up the first stage of training. That includes classroom learning and hands-on practice, starting out in an Ion train contained to the yard of Ion headquarters in Waterloo.

There's no time for nervous anticipation to get the better of trainees.

"We get them in the seat the first day," Jones said.

It's tradition to snap a photo of every operator after they sit in the driver's seat for the first time and get their hands on the master controller that takes the train from full speed ahead to full stop.

That first-day thrill hasn't yet faded for Jones. "I still get butterflies," he said.

Once the operator feels comfortable going back and forth on the yard tracks, it's time to try more complicated manoeuvres like moving the switches to change tracks.

The yard is a safe space to get a feel for the size of the train and how it handles before heading out onto the 19-kilometre route between Kitchener and Waterloo, where other complications like cars, pedestrians and tricky intersections are thrown into the mix.

Looking out for risk is a key part of the training. When approaching an intersection, the operator does a methodical scan.

"We learn to anticipate hazards," Jones said. "It's almost like we build a ritual in their head."

Every day, the drivers do training where they learn how to handle any situation that may come up, such as an obstacle on the tracks.

When in doubt, the rule is always to stop the vehicle. The operator then gets in touch with the control booth at headquarters to walk them through the situation.

"They make the final decision," Dolinar said.

Dolinar and Jill Haughton are among the first classes of operators. Now they're serving as mentors to the newer recruits to Keolis, one of the partners in the GrandLinq consortium contracted by the region to design and build the light rail system.

Both jumped at the chance when they saw the job posting.

"I saw the ad and I thought, 'Wow that would be an amazing opportunity,' " Haughton said.

Applicants didn't need any light rail experience.

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Haughton was an office manager and before that a school bus driver. Jones was a regional sales supervisor for Sony North America. Dolinar worked for a linen and uniform service in charge of customer service and driver training after being a touring musician.

While they're all Kitchener natives, some operators relocated here. The unique job appealed to people both near and far.

"This is just awesome to be a part of," Dolinar said.

The operators are seeing more people in the community embrace the Ion. When they first started heading out, bewildered looks were common. Now they're greeted with waves and thumbs up.

"The public's come a long way," Haughton said.

It's good to see they're paying attention to the trains, especially as they move so quietly and can sneak up on people. Operators can sound a melodic "ding ding" to get people's attention or, if needed, a louder horn.

They sit in a comfy chair at the front in a booth with a door, giving them the quiet space needed to focus on operating the train. Jones called it an "office with a view."

The exact start date for Ion has not yet been announced.

A spring start continues to be the target, said TJ Flynn, community relations manager for Ion. "However, there is still considerable work that needs to be done to get the vehicles and the system ready for service."

The start has been postponed several times, largely due to delivery delays from vehicle manufacturer Bombardier. That means extra training time out on the tracks "to be a well-oiled machine by the time we get out there," Jones said.

The operators can't wait for the day when they're no longer at the front of an empty train, or one loaded with sandbags to simulate the weight of passengers.

"We're very excited to get going," Dolinar said. "It will be a special day. It will be a celebration."

jweidner@therecord.com

Twitter: @WeidnerRecord