Doors Open 2014 - Russell Carhouse

Photos taken at the TTC Russell Carhouse on Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario on May 24, 2014.

New Toronto Streetcar - Night Time Test Run

Nighttime shots of the TTC's new streetcar (4401) beginning a test run near Connaught and Queen Streets in Toronto, Ontario on April 9, 2014. 

For the daytime version, see my previous post here.

New Toronto Streetcar

Today I finally got to see Toronto's newest generation of streetcar in action as it entered a testing run from the Russell Carhouse at Queen and Connaught Streets in east-end Toronto. The sleek, quiet and LONG (30m) vehicles are meant to replace an aging fleet of Canadian (and Articulated) Light Rail Vehicles which have been plying Toronto streets since 1979 (1988 for the ALRVs). The first of these new quasi-"Flexity" cars will enter service on the Bathurst, Spadina and Harbourfront routes later in 2014.

Photos taken near Queen and Connaught Streets in Toronto, Ontario on April 2, 2014.



Some additional photos of the new (and old, older and REALLY old) cars are in in the posting TTC Hillcrest Shops Tour 2013 from November 2013.

Express!?!?!

Well well well...what is THIS!?! An EXPRESS streetcar?!? Whowhatwherewhenwhyhow is THIS going to happen? I mean, seeing a full car skip a few stops always happens. Is this the way the TTC is going to start advising people who are left stranded at the side of the road why their car passed them by?

(with apologies for the lousy cellphone photo quality) Taken at the Russell Car Barn on Sunday, April 19, 2009.

Not In Service, Not

...eventually.

Taken at 9pm, Sunday, April 27, 2008 at the Russell Division car barn, Toronto, Ontario.

Strikeout!

Well folks, it finally happened, a TTC strike. With virtually no notice, Local 113 of the Amalgamated Transit Union decided to take a million plus TTC users hostage, with thousands left stranded at the witching hour of Midnight this morning.

Since I live around the corner from the Russell (Connaught) car barn, I went for a stroll to see just what was going on down there this morning.

The sight was both over- and underwhelming.

Overwhelming since every single streetcar assigned to the Russell division was parked in place, with their trolley poles retracted so that at the very least, we're not sucking off the power grid to keep the cars' fluorescent lighting burning away. Underwhelming since there was not a person to be seen on site. No pickets, no security guards, nothing.

How long will this last? More importantly, how long will the Union keep their thugs at the helm?

Stay tuned....

In the meantime, enjoy some sleeping streetcars.





Photos taken this morning, April 26, 2008 at the Russell Division, Toronto, Ontario.