Toronto subway rolling stock
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Toronto subway system's rolling stock consists of 880 subway cars for Line 1 Yonge–University, Line 2 Bloor–Danforth, and Line 4 Sheppard. The rolling stock is owned and maintained by the Toronto Transit Commission.
Subway trains
| Identifier | Quantity | Year(s) built | Builder & model | Class | Date retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5000–5099 | 100 | 1953–1954 | GRC&W | G-1 | October 6, 1990 | 5080–5081 experimentally retrofitted with fluorescent lighting. 5068–5069 converted to service cars RT 36 & RT 37 (grinding train power units) in February 1991; 5066–5067 & 5074–5075 had been held for future conversion to service cars; 5098–5099 preserved by the Ontario Electric Railway Historical Association. |
| 5100–5105 | 6 | 1954–1955 | GRC&W | G-2 | October 6, 1990 | Experimental aluminum train |
| 5200–5227 | 28 | 1956 | GRC&W | G-3 | October 6, 1990 | Non-driving motor cars permanently coupled with mating G-1 cars (50xx-52yy-52xx-50yy) |
| 5110–5115 | 6 | 1958–1959 | GRC&W | G-4 | October 6, 1990 | Experimental cars built as an integral train (5110-5111-5112-5113-5114-5115); electro-dynamic braking equipment and motors removed April 1966 through March 1967 (for installation in service cars), and remarshalled as: 5110–5115, 5030-5111-5114-5031. |
| 5300–5335 | 36 | 1962–1963 | MLW | M-1 | May 1, 1999 | 5300–5301 preserved by the OERHA |
| 5336–5499 | 164 | 1965–1966 | HSC RTC-75 | H-1 | November 29, 1999 | 5374–5375 rebuilt to service cars RT 9 & RT 10; 5388–5391 scrapped due to Christie station fire in October 1976; 5391 rebuilt to service car RT 23 in March 1984. |
| 5500–5575 | 76 | 1971 | HSC RTC-75 | H-2 | September 28, 2001 | 5500–5505 equipped with experimental Hitachi chopper controls and regenerative braking and reclassed as H-3 in 1973; converted back to H-2 between September 1984 and April 1985. |
| 5576–5663 | 88 | 1974–1975 | HSC RTC-75 | H-4 | January 27, 2012 | Last subway cars outfitted with vinyl orange upholstered seats, also the last without air conditioning. They also had an interior design similar to the H-2 cars, with reduced seating in a 2+2 configuration (instead of 2+3) to allow for more standees. Some H-4 subway cars were retired from revenue service between 2000–2002 by the delivery of T-1 class cars. By January 27, 2012, all H-4 cars were retired from revenue service.[1] |
| 5670–5807 | 138 | 1976–1979 | HSC RTC-75 | H-5 | June 14, 2013 | 5755 was retired in June 1984 and scrapped November 1985 due to accident in December 1981; 5754 modified in November 1985 for use as A or B unit to substitute for cars out of service for maintenance (can also operate as a single unit for testing); 5796 modified by UTDC in July–December 1990 to become T-1 prototype, which was retired and scrapped in September 2012; first subway cars outfitted with air-conditioning systems, all H-5 trains were retired from service by June 14, 2013, some of which were taken to Buffalo, New York for refurbishment, before being sold to the Lagos Rail Mass Transit, but scrapped by August 2015. |
| 5810–5935 | 126 | 1986–1989 | UTDC RTC-75 | H-6 | June 20, 2014 | Accessible seating areas were added near the operator's cab and the first set of doors in each car during technological upgrades (like the T-1s) between 2005 and 2008. All H-6 trains were retired from service by June 20, 2014. |
| 5000–5371 | 372 | 1995–2001[2] | BT RTC-75 | T-1 | Active | First cars with AC propulsion, cars 5344–5345 converted to Toronto Rocket T35A08 mock-up cars in June–July 2006. Electronic side destination signs, including automated audible pre-boarding route and destination announcements and closed-circuit television cameras have since been installed on all T1 trains. |
| 5381–5386 ⋮ 6131–6136 6141/2/5/6 ⋮ 6191/2/5/6[2] | 480[3] | 2009–2015[2] | BT T35A08 | Toronto Rocket | Active | 76 six-car permanently coupled trains with open gangways being delivered. First train delivered on October 1, 2010. Sets are numbered 5xx1-5xx2-5xx3-5xx4-5xx5-5xx6. In February 2013, set 5461–5466 was retrofitted with additional plastic yellow handholds, and external door chimes, displacing the exterior blue lights on the car. Similarly, another set, 5851–5856 was also modified with the same features as with set 5461–5466 in May 2014. External door chimes, electronic side destination signs, including automated audible pre-boarding route and destination announcements, have since been installed on all TR trains. First subway cars to adopt numbering in the 6000s. Set 5471–5476 was temporarily converted to a four-car train for testing purposes on Line 4 Sheppard, which was converted to full Toronto Rocket operation. After the testing phase, six additional four-car trains were received for use on Line 4, which reduced the original 80 six-car trainset order to 76 six-car trainsets. Unlike the six-car trains, the four-car trains feature two pairs of A (cab) and B (non-cab) cars, numbered 61x1-61x2-61x5-61x6. All six four-car TR Trains are in service on Line 4 and all seventy-six six-car TR Trains are in service on Line 1. |
All active Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) subway cars are equipped with flip-up seats located in each car (near the operator's cab), which can accommodate mobility devices such as wheelchairs, strollers, scooters, and bicycles. The new Toronto Rocket trains have two designated areas in each car with automatic flip-up seats, and high-level platforms allow access to all cars.
Toronto Rocket
As of January 2025,[update] the Toronto Rocket (TR) is the newest version of TTC subway trains and operate on Lines 1 and 4.[4] Its design differs from its predecessors, which were formed by coupling sets of married pairs of identical cars. The trains consist of six cars for Line 1 and four cars for Line 4, both of which are connected with open gangways, similar to Bombardier's Movia family of metro trains. They only have two full-width operator cabs per trainset (as opposed to one on the right-hand corner of every subway car on the older versions), greater accessibility options and the skin of the train is welded rather than the previously used riveting method. The TRs' exterior front and rear destination and train run number signs are outfitted with digital orange LED boards, while all previous TTC train models use back-lit roller signs.
The first of the new TR trains was scheduled to be delivered in late 2009, but in early 2010, TTC officials stated that the new trains would not enter service until late 2010.[5][6] The first train arrived on TTC property in October 2010, and entered revenue service on July 21, 2011.[7]
Next-generation cars
By 2022, the TTC had decided that the next generation of subway cars would have a design different from the T1 and TR fleets. Like the TR fleet, riders would be able to walk the full length of the interior of the new trains. Like the T1 trains and unlike the TR fleet, the new trains would consist of three coupled pairs. Only the two end cars of the new trains would have cabs; cab-less cars would have hostler controls to allow the independent movement of cab-less pairs within workshop areas.[8][9]
In April 2024, a TTC staff report recommended ordering 80 new trains, 55 to replace the T1 fleet on Line 2 and 25 for Line 1. The estimated cost of the new trains was at $3.23 billion with the earliest delivery being in 2030, four years after the lifespan of the T1 fleet.[10]
In July 2024, TTC CEO Rick Leary reported that the TTC would launch procurement for 70 new trains, pending funding from the federal government.[11]
By March 2025, the federal government had signed an agreement for $2.3 billion in funding for the new trains.[12] In August 2025, it was announced that the competitive procurement process which had been underway had been cancelled and that all new trains would be built at the Alstom Thunder Bay plant in a single-sourced contract.[13] The decision was made to keep most of the work to build the new trains in Canada in the face of U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty. All three levels of government agreed to equally share the cost of the Alstom contract, which would be subject to an independent cost estimate.[14] The initial order was for 70 Alstom Metropolis 6-car train sets: 55 to replace the T-1 fleet plus 15 to support the Scarborough extension on Line 2 and the Yonge North extension on Line 1, with the option to procure more trains from Alstom in the future.[15]
Former Line 3 Scarborough trains
All units were retired in July 2023 at the time of the line's closure.[16]
| Numbers | Year(s) built | Builder & model | Notes[17] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3000–23, 3024–27 | 1982–1983, 1986 | UTDC ICTS Mark I | 3014 was displayed at the 1983 Canadian National Exhibition. All units have been refurbished. Refurbished cars include, since 2015, electronic side destination signs, including automated exterior audible pre-boarding route and destination announcements, along with closed-circuit television cameras and a new vinyl wrap. |
| ST-1 | 1984 | Niigata Transys | Centre-cab diesel locomotive |
| ST-2 | 1984 | (likely) Arva Industries | Non-motored rail maintenance car with Wajax hydraulic crane |
| ST-3 | 1984 | Niigata Transys | Non-motored rail grinding truck |
| ST-4 | 1986 | Schmidt & TTC | Snow-blower installed on a non-powered PCC truck |
| ST-5 | 1987 | TTC | Non-motored power rail cleaner and de-icer |
| ST-6 | 1987 | General Crane and Hoist | Non-motored rail grinding truck |
| ST-7 | 2002 | Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5000 short cab | Equipped with crane and Arva Industries snowblower |
| E291 | New Holland TC 18 | Tractor used to push cars where there is no traction power |
A Line 3 train in its typical four-car configuration in its original 1985–2015 livery
An interior view of a Line 3 train
Work vehicles
Work vehicles are used for infrastructure maintenance within the subway. Most work vehicles are painted yellow, with the exception of retired passenger cars, which retain their natural aluminum exterior with added yellow accents.
| Identifier(s) | Type | Year(s)
built |
Builder | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RT 1, 2, 42, 47, 57, 58, 59, 70 | Unpowered flatcar | 1997-2005 | Arva Industries | |
| RT 5 | Tunnel leak repair | 1997 | Arva Industries | |
| RT 6, 46, 56, 84 | Drain vacuum | 1997-2011 | Arva Industries[18] | |
| RT 7 | Diesel locomotive | 1998 | Plasser American | |
| RT 8 | Unpowered rail delivery system | 1997 | Plasser American | Consists of 13 articulated bogies |
| RT 9/10, 30/31, 32/33, 38/39, 60/61, 62/63, 64/65, 66/67, 68/69 | Structure maintenance & tunnel liner rehab | Hawker Siddeley Canada, Arva Industries | Even numbered cars are retired H-4 subway cars. Odd numbered cars are powered flatcars. | |
| RT 11 | Unpowered crane car | 2000 | Arva Industries | |
| RT 13/14/15, 34/35/36 | Asbestos removal consist | Arva Industries | RT 13/14 and 34/35 are retired H series subway cars. RT 13 and 36 are powered flatcars. | |
| RT 16, 17 | Tunnel washer | 1996 | Arva Industries | Nicknamed The Clean Machine and Krystal Klean respectively |
| RT 18 | Diesel locomotive | 1977 | Anabel Corporation of Houston, Texas | |
| RT 19 | General utility | Arva Industries[19] | ||
| RT 20 | Diesel crane car | Arva Industries[20] | ||
| RT 21, RT 41 | Diesel tie tamper | 1993 | Plasser American | |
| RT 25, 73 | ATC installation | 1973 | Nippon Sharyo | |
| RT 27 | Unpowered beam replacement crane for maintenance of the Prince Edward Viaduct | 1986 | TTC | Non-motored trucks reused from a 1953–1954 G series Gloucester car |
| RT 28, 55 | Crane car | 2000 | Arva Industries | |
| RT 29 | Tunnel liner rehab | 2001 | Arva Industries | Painted a warmer shade of yellow than the rest of the fleet |
| RT 40 | Non-motored ballast spreader | 1989 | Dynex | |
| RT 48, 49 | Snow thrower/utility | 2001 | Arva Industries | |
| RT 50-53 | Unpowered snow thrower | 1999 | Arva Industries | |
| RT 71 | Tri-Mode locomotive[21] | 2006 | Arva Industries | |
| RT 72, 76 | Overhead maintenance & ATC installation | |||
| RT 77-80 | Ballast buggy | Arva Industries | Used alongside RT 40 | |
| RT 81 | Anchor bolt drilling | |||
| RT 82, 83 | Crane car | Arva Industries[19] | ||
| RT 85 | Structure rehab, leak repair, track welding | 2013 | Arva Industries | |
| RT 87, 88 | Crane car | Arva Industries[22] | ||
| RT 89 | Track vacuum car | 2017[23] | Arva Industries | |
| RT 90/91 | Track inspection vehicle | 1996-2001 | Bombardier Transportation | T-1 subway cars retired from regular service following a 2008 crash[24] at Wilson Yard, converted to work cars in 2018[25] |
| Sources[26][17][27][28][29][30] | ||||
Track gauge
The Toronto Transit Commission uses two different track gauges:
- 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge – Line 5 Eglinton, Line 6 Finch West, and the former Line 3 Scarborough
- 4 ft 10+7⁄8 in (1,495 mm) Toronto gauge – subway and streetcar
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