Toronto subway and RT
The Toronto subway is underground the Canadian city of Toronto in the province of Ontario. The first section was opened in 1954, bringing the Toronto Subway is the oldest underground railway in the country. Through several expansions, it grew to the longest of Canada. Launched by the municipal transport company Toronto Transit Commission (TTC ) powered network includes four lines with a total length of 68.3 kilometers and 69 stations.
On working days average 942 800 passengers are carried. The brunt of the traffic bear the running east -west Bloor- Danforth line and the U-shaped, north-south trending Yonge- University - Spadina Line. Shuttle functions meet the Sheppard line and the Scarborough RT. While the latter to standard gauge ( 1435 mm) is built, the other three lines have a unique track gauge of 1495 mm, which was taken from the tram Toronto.
- 4.1 First generation railcars
- 4.2 Second generation railcars
- 4.3 Third generation railcars
Line network
The Yonge- University - Spadina Line, which has approximately the shape of a U, is the oldest and most used subway line in Toronto. It begins in Downsview and first runs south to Spadina, then to the east parallel to the Bloor- Danforth Line to St. George. Then she runs to the south under the Queen's Park and University Avenue. Prior to Union Station, she turns to the east, and shortly thereafter to the north. Then it runs under Yonge Street to the terminus Finch. The line is 30.2 km long and has 32 stations (seven above ground). At the station Sheppard - Yonge is connected to the 5.5 km long, fully underground Sheppard Line with five stations.
Most important east-west connection in the transport network is the Toronto's Bloor- Danforth line with a length of 26.2 km and 31 stations (six above ground). It begins at the station Kipling and follows the Bloor Street and Danforth Avenue, the Don River is bridged with the Prince Edward Viaduct. Between Spadina and St. George it is parallel to the Yonge- University - Spadina Line. After Victoria Park Avenue, the line turns to the northeast and ends at the station Kennedy.
In Kennedy is following the 6.4 km long and completely above-ground Scarborough RT to McCowan. This line differs in several respects from the rest: The rails are laid in the standard gauge of 1435 mm instead of the usual in Toronto subways and trams track gauge of 1495 mm. In addition, the rolling stock used differs considerably, as the vehicles are equipped with linear motors.
History
Projects
1910, a network consisting of three lines was provided. The metro project failed, however, in 1912 in a referendum with a negative votes share of 57% and was not realized. As the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC ) in 1921 the entire urban transport took over, they focused on the renovation of run-down tram network. Another proposal for a north-south subway there were in 1931, but the TTC came in a study concluded that the track " economically justified " was; There was already a tight financial situation due to the global economic crisis.
In 1941 the TTC by a distinctive population and traffic growth in the period after the Second World War. For this reason, she planned two underground tram routes under the Bay Street ( north-south) and Queen Street (east-west ). The project came in 1942, however, at the city council 's approval. Then designed the TTC a new plan, which is now provided for the tunnel under the Yonge Street and Queen Street. The latter should continue to be driven by trams, so the track gauge of 1495 mm was taken. The Toronto residents spoke out in January 1946 in a referendum with 89 % in favor of the project. Finance Minister CD Howe 1945 had pledged a financial contribution from the federal government. However, this did not materialize because the federal and provincial government could not agree on a post- employment program. To compensate for the under-funding, the Queen Street Tunnel was postponed and finally abandoned.
Yonge- University - Spadina Line
1949, work began on the first line, the Yonge Subway. The first 7.4 km long section between Union and Eglinton was opened on 30 March 1954. On February 28, 1963, the commissioning of the 3.8 km section from Union to St. George, who was named University Subway followed. A 3.9 km long extension of Ostastes of Eglinton to York Mills went on 31 March 1973 in operation on March 30, 1974 further 4.5 km to Finch. On 28 January 1978, the 9.9 km long was when opened Spadina Subway designated section of St. George to Wilson. In order for the Yonge- University - Spadina line was now formed. Two minor additions there was on 18 June 1987 with the opening of the station North York Centre between existing stations Sheppard - Yonge and Finch, and on 30 March 1996, a 1.1 km long section of Wilson after Downsview.
Bloor- Danforth Line
In the postwar period, the brunt of the east-west traffic would go to Bloor Street, which is why a mass transportation there appeared more appropriate than an underground tram under two kilometers south to Queen Street. In addition, as was the lower level of 1918 finished Prince Edward Viaduct are used, which had then been created for exactly this purpose. The construction of the Bloor- Danforth Line began in 1959. The first section of 12.9 kilometers between Keele and Woodbine went on 26 February 1966. A trial operation in which trains the Bloor- Danforth line, the lower level of the station Bay used to thereby directly to the Yonge- University - Spadina Line, was abandoned after six months; this part of the station has since been a ghost station. On May 11, 1968, there was a combined Opening: In the west, the trains now drove to Islington, in the east to Warden, with the entire line length increased by 9.8 kilometers. The last date openings were made on 22 November 1980 in the west to Kipling and east to Kennedy.
Scarborough RT
At the eastern terminus of the Bloor- Danforth line, the Scarborough RT joins ( = Rapid Transit), which leads to McCowan in Scarborough district and technically different from the other lines. The 6.4 km long, on March 23, opened in 1985, range of RT is running in standard gauge and thus 60 mm narrower than those of the Subway. Originally planned the TTC to operate a light rail line on this predominantly running on viaducts route. But politicians in the province of Ontario, they wanted to use as a reference track for modern technologies and translated by the system Bombardier Advanced Rapid Transit. The vehicles of the RT run automatically with linear motors. This technology is for example also on the SkyTrain Vancouver used.
Sheppard Line
On 24 November 2002, opened with the Sheppard line a new subway line. The route under the Sheppard Avenue connects with Don Mills Sheppard - Yonge, where it can be switched to the Yonge- University - Spadina Line. This subway line north of Toronto, a large residential area is developed. Planning began in 1982, but the start of construction was delayed due to financing problems and political reasons until 1995.
The Sheppard Line is part of a once planned tangent line through the northern parts of the city, which will be but probably never realized in this form. Part of this tangent would have the Eglinton West Subway should be that would be diverted from the Yonge- University - Spadina line in the west. 1994 Bauvorleistungen were provided, one year later, however, the provincial government stopped all construction work.
Expansion plans
In June 2007, the provincial government of Dalton McGuinty announced the program MoveOntario 2020. It provides a number of transport infrastructure projects in the Greater Greater Toronto - Hamilton with a total cost of 17.5 billion CAD, to be completed by 2020. In addition to several tram lines include three enhancements to the Toronto Subway. According to the program, the Province of Ontario to participate in two-thirds of the costs, the federal government to a third.
The Yonge- University - Spadina Line is extended to the northwest from the present terminus Downsview on the campus of York University Vaughan in the Regional Municipality of York. The under construction section is 8.6 km long and will include six new stations. Construction began in November 2009, the opening of the extension is planned for the year 2015. At its northeastern end of the line around 6.8 kilometers and six stations to the bus terminal Richmond Hill Centre in the suburb of Richmond Hill is to be extended, but the medium-term realization is uncertain at present.
Currently, the TTC is considering various options for modernizing the Scarborough RT, since the rolling stock used there approaches the maximum duration of use and the line is overloaded. To make matters worse, that the trains are no longer produced. The successor models are longer, which would result in expensive modifications to the stations by itself. An extension of the Bloor- Danforth line of the route of the Scarborough RT is no longer considered. Instead, the route to be navigated by a conventional light rail (as was originally planned) will be extended and increased by 4.9 km.
Rolling stock
The trains of the Toronto Subway are all consistently 3.15 meters wide, and thus much more receptive than, for example, the unequal narrower great section of the Berlin U -Bahn with 2.65 meters. On all lines, the trains relate the electric current from a power rail. The voltage is 600 volts DC.
First generation railcars
The first 104 cars were ordered from the UK Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company. Due to the then high price of lightweight trains, the TTC decided to steel cars, but were much harder and use more energy as well. At the opening of the subway in March 1954 100 vehicles were delivered, as the two-car train ( Dtw ) wrong. In the years 1955 and 1956, an additional 28 cars without cab came hinz. The number of passengers was increased significantly, so eight- car trains were held four-car trains now run with four sidecar. 1958 to 1959, six further trains to the various innovations possessed and can be considered an experiment so.
Until then, there were a total of 140 vehicles in the service of the Subway, which the series designation G1 to G4 were given. All vehicles of this type are out of service since 1990, except some service vehicles. A car received the Halton County Radial Railway Transport Museum in Milton, others were in a fire in the parking area Union heavily damaged and not aufgebarbeitet again.
Second generation railcars
For the University Subway opened in 1963 procured the TTC in the years 1962 to 1963 new trains of type M1, which were, however, in contrast to the predecessor vehicles manufactured in Canada at the Montreal Locomotive Works. Also, these cars have been built in the energiersparenden lightweight construction. In the following years for the Bloor- Danforth Line there were more orders and thus the types of vehicles manufactured at Hawker Siddeley Canada H1 (1965 /66), H2 and H3 (1971 ) and H4 (1974 /75) have been delivered. The Urban Transportation Development Corporation ( UTDC, now part of Bombardier Transportation ) presented the successor series H5 (1976 /79) and H6 (1986 /89) ago. The vehicles from the type H4 received a reduced number of seats, but there were more standing room.
The type T1 produced in 1992/ 1998 by Bombardier also received fewer seats, but the first time a separate wheelchair space. After the T1 - types were made gradually in service, the TTC drew the series vehicles M1 and H1 -3 from circulation. Here also received the Transport Museum in Milton a vehicle of the type M1. While the older trains reach a maximum speed of 80 km / h, which trains depart from the series H6 maximum of 88.5 km / h (55 mph).
For the separate operation of the standard gauge Scarborough RT, the TTC ordered 28 cars ( 14 two-car units ) of the type S1 in the years 1983-85 at the UTDC. This 2.5 m wide and 12.7 m long vehicles have only 30 seats and are thus clearly too small. The vehicles with a net weight of 15.45 tonnes reached a speed of 80 km / h However, this often extended speed brings a significant disadvantage, namely an enormous volume development. The trains are used for small repairs in the terminal waiting McCowan, otherwise in the main workshop of the Subway.
Third generation railcars
2006, the city gave approval for the purchase of 234 new subway cars, because the lifetime of old vehicles is coming to an end. As of 2010, Bombardier delivers a new Zugstyp, the Toronto Rocket. These trains depart from the previous principle of the double car. They form a continuous walkable, connected by joints unit with two head and four intermediate cars. The commissioning of the first trains delayed due to the insolvency of a supplier factory for a year .. Since 2011, the old vehicles, the types H4, H5 and H6 gradually replaced by new vehicles manufactured by Bombardier, are.
Depots
All trains can be serviced in three depots. The oldest plant Davisville Yard is located at the station Davisville Yonge - University - Spadina Line. She was from 1954 to 1966, the only one in the Toronto Subway and today after a brief closure phase around the turn of the millennium for the trains of the Sheppard Line responsible. The second depot Greenwood Yard is located at the Station Greenwood the Bloor- Danforth Line. It was built in 1963-1965, is about twelve acres in size and has a direct connection to the railway network. There is also the main workshop of Subway; so the trains can be lifted from the axes also to perform the necessary studies major. The third depot Wilson Yard, with built in 1976-1977 and the youngest, is located near the Wilson station on the Yonge- University - Spadina Line. He was initially designed much smaller, but has been significantly extended in the years 1994 to 1998 and also includes a bus garage. The plant is approximately eleven acres.
Operation
A train is usually manned by two drivers, one each in the front and rear cab. The rear driver made from the train and controls the doors. This method allows for a short stay in the end stations, but is due to the increasingly high cost of criticism. For this reason, it is planned to switch to a video-based check-in system.