Toronto streetcar system Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Toronto streetcar system

Toronto streetcar in May 2009.

Info

Locale

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Transit type

Streetcar

Number of lines

Number of stations

685 stops

Daily ridership

292,100 (avg. weekday,
Q4 2016)

Operation

Began operation

1861 (electric lines since 1892)

Operator(s)

Toronto Transit Commission

Technical

System length

83 km (52 mi)

Track gauge

4 ft 10 ⁷⁄₈ in (1,495 mm) Toronto gauge

Minimum radius of curvature

36 ft 0 in (10,973 mm)

Electrification

Overhead lines, 600 V DC

Route map

The Toronto streetcar system is a network of eleven streetcar routes in the Canadian city of Toronto, Ontario. It is by far the largest network of its kind in the Americas. It operates as part of the Toronto Transit Commission's public transport network, and shares a common fare system with buses and subway services.

Unlike modern light rail systems that are becoming more commonplace in North America, streetcars runs on city streets and call at frequent bus-type stops, where the passenger waits on the sidewalk for the next streetcar and pays his or her fare on board the vehicle. There are 685 of these stops, eight of which are shared with and connect to the subway system. The system mainly serves the downtown and waterfront areas of the city, and acts as feeder routes to the subway.

The system, which has been one of the longest in continuous operation, was opened in 1861 as a horse tramway. The system was bought by the Toronto Railway Company in 1891 and it was electrified in 1892. Vehicles run on 82 km (51 mi) of tracks with a non-standard gauge of 1495 and collect power from overhead lines at 600 V DC using trolley poles mounted on each streetcar.

More than 300,000 people ride the system on an average weekday, and about 100 million on an annual basis, making it among the busiest systems in the world.

Images for kids

Horse-drawn Toronto Street Railway streetcars, 1890. By 1894, horse-drawn streetcars were replaced by electric streetcars.
Opening ceremonies for the Roger Road line, in York, 1924. The TTC was contracted to operate streetcars in the township.
Streetcar and trolleybus routes/tracks in October 1965. In the next year, plans were announced to eliminate the streetcar system.
Two TTC streetcars used in the 20th century. The CLRV model to the left entered service in 1979, eventually replacing the PCC model next to it.
A CLRV streetcar operating on route 510 Spadina. Streetcar service on Spadina Avenue was reintroduced in 1990.
A streetcar operating on a reserved track on route 512 St. Clair. Dedicated right-of-way lanes were completed on route 512 in 2010.
A Flexity Outlook streetcar on its first day of service, August 31, 2014
Route 504 displayed at the front of a streetcar
The majority of streetcar routes in Toronto operate in mixed traffic, reflecting the original track configurations of the streetcar system.
Route 509 Harbourfront is a TTC streetcar route that features dedicated right-of-way lanes.
Peter Witt streetcars operated by the TTC, 1925. The Witt streetcar was ordered by the TTC in the early 1920s.
A flange rail, which is typical of Toronto streetcar lines.
Older streetcar models used by the TTC, like the ALRVs and CLRVs, receive their electricity by trolley pole.
The streetcar to the left uses a pantograph, while the one on the right uses a trolley pole. Conversion of the overhead wire to be compatible with pantographs began in 2008. Note that the one on the left has vinyl wrap for advertising.
Maintenance tracks at Roncesvalles Carhouse, one of four maintenance and storage facilities used by the streetcar network

Toronto streetcar system facts for kids

Images for kids

See also