TORONTO | Public Transport

[Jaye101]

Originally Posted by ilovetoronto

I guess since I'm 13, I can't make comments on other transit systems, but I like the TTC. The Scarborough RT is REALLY ugly. It looks fake. The subways, however, look real. The idea of putting coloured stripes on the cars is impractical beacuse it would mean that the TTC could not move wagons between the diffrent lines.

I find the beauty in the SRT, only the little portion around Kennedy is ugly.

[addisonwesley]

I agree with the majority of the Toronto forumers here, the subway cars are much more 'subway' looking. The SRT and other system trains with all the paint and such look as though they belong in an amusement park or world's fair. Rounding or 'smoothing' the front of a subway train is such a stupid idea. It's a subway, not a monorail, and besides - here in Toronto, the only thing that designates the front of the train is a conductor's cabin. This way, trains can be hooked up without a problem. The MTA in New York is overhauling the entire subway system, or so I've heard. Their are automatic station and direction announcements at every stop, but their seats are as hard as plastic now <-- DiscoveryChannel.

[hkskyline]

TTC to get new, tubular subways
Design will allow passengers to move between cars
James Cowan
National Post
20 October 2005

Toronto transit commissioners yesterday endorsed a new design for subway trains that will allow passengers to walk between cars, offer more standing room and break down less often.

The TTC needs 234 new cars by 2011 to replace its already 15-year-old fleet.

The transit system wants to replace its current T-1 model with new cars that link into an uninterrupted tube. Passengers will be able to walk from one end of the train to the other along a single centre aisle.

The open design tends to give riders a sense of security and improves air circulation, according to Rick Cornacchia, deputy manager of subway operations.

"From the customer environment perspective, this is a significant improvement," Mr. Cornacchia said.

In addition, the open model allows the trains to carry 8% more passengers without sacrificing seats.

"Currently, we're at maximum capacity on the Yonge line," he said. "So if we wanted to put another train on in the morning, we couldn't do that because of our signalling system."

Linking the cars together also eliminates the need to have redundant systems on the train, meaning fewer things can go wrong.

"There's a whole bunch of equipment you can just eliminate from the systems. It's a much simpler design," Mr. Cornacchia said.

The subway currently experiences 900 minutes of delays a year. Based on the models of New York and Hong Kong, the TTC projects the new cars will only suffer 300 minutes of delays each year.

The trains will also be designed with new safety features, including smoke alarms and intercoms that allow passengers to speak directly with the driver. In addition, the emergency exits will each be fitted with either an extendable ladder or ramp to make evacuations easier.

Councillor Olivia Chow said she had seen similar trains in Hong Kong.

"They are very, very efficient and beautiful. I was totally jealous when I saw them," she said.

TTC chairman Howard Moscoe said the system will ask riders to help tweak the final design of the trains.

"I've heard suggestions from skylights on the train to changing the way the poles are placed," Mr. Moscoe said. "I'm not saying they're all rational suggestions."

Last month, the TTC rejected a plan to install video screens on subway cars, quashing the proposal before a three-month pilot project could begin.

Built the same size as the overhead advertisements displayed on subway cars, the silent screens would have displayed the time, weather forecast and news along with ads. Plans called for the TTC to be able to override the system to show information during transit delays or emergencies.

TTC commissioners voted 4-3 against the plan.

Councillor Joe Mihevc said the screens were too intrusive. "If you do a study of TTC riders, they do one of three activities: They read, they talk or they enjoy their quiet time," Mr. Mihevc said in September. "Moving images are a distraction from the culture we have on the TTC."

[ssiguy2]

Any pics?
Toronto is getting a crap load of money for the TTC from the feds/prov over the next two years so it sounds like the ability to replace the current fleet with the new trains is quite do-able. As for those new streetcars................

[salvius]

^ they're hardly getting a 'crapload.' I'm waiting until the province and feds actually commit; if they do, then I'll celebrate.

The new subway cars are not the nicest looking, but there are politics at play here.

The TTC has not committed to the new streetcars. The model shown is one of the possibilities, but it's certainly not a done deal.

[addisonwesley]

God damnit, we're getting those London Underground style trains, eck.

^ they're hardly getting a 'crapload.' I'm waiting until the province and feds actually commit; if they do, then I'll celebrate.

No, wait till you're actually using them, then celebrate.

[DrJoe]

Originally Posted by addisonwesley

God damnit, we're getting those London Underground style trains, eck.

What makes you say this??? London is forced to run tiny little trains, Toronto does not have to and has no reason to.

[canuckbanana]

Originally Posted by addisonwesley

God damnit, we're getting those London Underground style trains, eck.

Actually, if these are the Hong Kong style subway cars, they are far superior (in terms of comfort) to the London underground cars. First, they are not as cramped. Second, the London underground trains (at least the lines I've been on) are not one continuous tube like the ones in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong's MTR is gorgeous. If there is a system that the TTC wants to model itself after, Hong Kong is not a bad choice!

That being said though, I'm not going to get my hopes up

[zivan56]

Originally Posted by Jaybird

Charming. Looks like a carbon copy of Detroit's People Mover trains.

Looks like a carbon copy of Skytrain MKI

[ssiguy2]

Ya, those MK1 are pretty awful. Very small, thin, small doors, dark, and loud.
The MK11 are light years ahead.
Roomy, the seats are more comfortable, they are articulated so the crowds can be more evenly spread out, much quieter, much brighter with more and larger window, wider and much better doors, far superior climate control and they look a hell of a lot better too.
You would hardly know they are used for the same thing

[addisonwesley]

The subway cars we have now are the roomiest. I prefer the cars' straight walls as opposed to those curved or 'leaning in' ones.

Looks like a carbon copy of Skytrain MKI

An exact copy of the SRT cars. Very tiny, and cramped.

[zivan56]

Originally Posted by ssiguy2

Ya, those MK1 are pretty awful. Very small, thin, small doors, dark, and loud.
The MK11 are light years ahead.
Roomy, the seats are more comfortable, they are articulated so the crowds can be more evenly spread out, much quieter, much brighter with more and larger window, wider and much better doors, far superior climate control and they look a hell of a lot better too.
You would hardly know they are used for the same thing

I actually prefer them over the new ones, as the new ones are cramped in terms of leg room for knees, the seats are very hard and bad for your back, and are much more pleasant when heated (the MKII's are hotter than a sauna during the winter). Although, I guess during the rush to/from home the new ones are better.

The subway cars we have now are the roomiest. I prefer the cars' straight walls as opposed to those curved or 'leaning in' ones.

I don't really notice the walls curving in on the MKII cars, but it does make it look nicer and modern (the square design went out of fashion some time ago), but subways aren't really concerned about image.

An exact copy of the SRT cars. Very tiny, and cramped.

They are all the same Bombardier MK1 cars. Again, whenever I take it everybody that gets on gets a seat, but it probably would be during rush hour.

[PhilippeMtl]

Cars are very large and spacious compare to Montreal subway. But I don't really like station architecture and style.

[raymond_tung88]

Well, all I can say for Toronto's subway is that it is clean and efficient enough. North America isn't big on subways (except New York). IMO, Toronto's got a decent network of urban infrastructure. The only problem is that it takes WAY too long for Toronto to build even a five station subway line (Sheppard Line). Anyways, we're going to have too few subway lines for a more 'spread-out' city.

[hkskyline]

TTC Ridership Booming

TORONTO, Oct. 27 /CNW/ - TTC ridership is up almost 3 percent over the same period last year.

TTC expects to carry at least 427 million riders by year end ... a 9 percent increase over ridership in 1999 when the TTC carried 393 million.

October saw record sales of Metropasses - 202,000 passes in one month, a 50 percent increase in sales over October 1999.

- 70 percent of Torontonians have taken the TTC within the last 12 months
- 50 percent of Torontonians take the TTC at least once a week

[Jaye101]

Muhahaha, Montreal... Watch out, Tdot's on a rampage.

[VansTripp]

Wow, Subway station in Toronto is nice and modern archiculture that like in LA subway station.

[addisonwesley]

Two thirds of them do not have modern architecture - they're from the 60s and 70s. They also look the same. And yes, there are a few modern looking ones, just as there are almost anywhere else in the world there is a subway.

[hkskyline]

TTC figures show 10 million jump in ridership
CTV.ca News Staff

Bus lines, streetcars and subway lines are running at full capacity during the morning rush hour thanks to a spike in ridership, according to the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).

The TTC's statistics show 10 million more passengers are using public transit over this time last year.

Officials are downplaying the increase.

Spokesperson Marilyn Bolton told CTV.ca by the end of the year the TTC will have had 428 million rides, up from 418 million at this time in 2004.

"While we're very pleased with the increase it's not astronomical," she said. "We're not going around screaming about how amazing we are, it's less than a three per cent increase, but we're very happy. It's better than a decrease."

Bolton said the main reason for the spike is the transferable Metropass introduced in September, which enables more than one person to use the monthly or weekly pass for different rides.

"The transferable Metropass is something we've been talking about for years, and when we introduced it back in September people latched onto it," Bolton said. "So I think perhaps the best news for us here is that it's brought us some extra ridership."

Other factors include a better economy, which means more people are working in Toronto, and higher gasoline prices which can make vehicles too expensive to run.

Bolton downplayed an earlier report that suggested possible capacity problems caused by extra riders. Some trains on the Bloor line are crowded as early as 6 a.m.

"We have extra capacity on the subway, and we've been getting replacement buses and extra buses, so we feel that current capacity looks good," she said.

[CrazyCanuck]

Thats good news to hear, but I can't help but wonder how residential increase around ttc stops is helping ridership.