interchange42

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Database file coming soon, but in the meantime, here are the first renderings:

05_Queen_BofM_01_2022_0204-2647241983-1648143618132.jpg
05_Queen_Saks_01_2022_0204-2986308434-1648143647334.jpg
 
I had assumed it was going to be on North=West corner of Queen & Yonge where the CF building has been left a shell for 2+years. If they are not using it why?????
There aren't more detailed station plans that I can find yet (if anyone else knows about better ones, please jump in), but this neighbourhood context map includes orange triangles wherever there will be entrances from the street, and in this case, that includes all current entrances to Queen Station. The renderings simply aren't exhaustive, that's all. We'll see eventually the station layout…

QueenStnCxt.png


42
 
I had assumed it was going to be on North=West corner of Queen & Yonge where the CF building has been left a shell for 2+years. If they are not using it why?????

The new O/L station is placed in such a way that the platform needs to distribute entrance/exit capacity to the east and west, which would be required in any event by the code required for an alternate path from the platform in the event of a fire.

So they need to have entrances east of Yonge in addition to those to the west.

In terms of the western entrance, you raise a perfectly good question though, in that the relatively rarely used station entrance that is on the north side of Queen, West of Yonge is stairs only, and most people use the Eaton Centre to make their exit there.

There is certainly a compelling case reorganizing that, however, doing so would require either a negotiated agreement C-F or expropriation. (Certainly something Mx is not above doing, I'm merely noting that would be the case) .

I'm actually quite concerned w/the way they've laid out the new station here below-ground, as it makes transfers and exits somewhat more cumbersome than I think ought to be the case, and I also believe they are under-sizing the entrance/exit requirements. It's difficult to be certain giving the limited info that has been put out.

Edit to Add: This is the layout diagram:

1648422381924.png


Poached that off Steve Munro's site, here: https://stevemunro.ca/2021/12/02/ontario-line-downtown-construction-i-queen-station/

You can see the station box siting here:

1648422654024.png


Taken from a UT front page story: https://urbantoronto.ca/news/2020/09/metrolinx-fills-more-details-downtown-section-ontario-line
 
Last edited:
The new O/L station is placed in such a way that the platform needs to distribute entrance/exit capacity to the east and west, which would be required in any event by the code required for an alternate path from the platform in the event of a fire.

So they need to have entrances east of Yonge in addition to those to the west.

In terms of the western entrance, you raise a perfectly good question though, in that the relatively rarely used station entrance that is on the north side of Queen, West of Yonge is stairs only, and most people use the Eaton Centre to make their exit there.

There is certainly a compelling case reorganizing that, however, doing so would require either a negotiated agreement C-F or expropriation. (Certainly something Mx is not above doing, I'm merely noting that would be the case) .

I'm actually quite concerned w/the way they've laid out the new station here below-ground, as it makes transfers and exits somewhat more cumbersome than I think ought to be the case, and I also believe they are under-sizing the entrance/exit requirements. Its difficult to be certain giving the limited info that has been put out.

Edit to Add: This is the layout diagram:

View attachment 388212

Poached that off Steve Munro's site, here: https://stevemunro.ca/2021/12/02/ontario-line-downtown-construction-i-queen-station/

You can see the station box siting here:

View attachment 388216

Taken from a UT front page story: https://urbantoronto.ca/news/2020/09/metrolinx-fills-more-details-downtown-section-ontario-line

Holy.... this line is deep! Those elevators are going to be extremely popular if they aren't broken 6/7 days a week.
 
Montreal has a few stations that rival that depth, but yeah - you want the escalators and elevators to be in good trim at all times.
 
Yeah, that's unbelievably deep…

1648422381924-png.388212


…and is the 'blank' section in the middle to be unexcavated, meaning that the new station below will be mined? The excavations at the east and west ends will be staggering to look into.

42

Yes, the station below will be mined.

From Steve Munro's site:


1648438630097.png
 
That looks expensive (as well as pretty deep) though.
 
That looks expensive (as well as pretty deep) though.

Montreal used this method extensively. They actually spent less money to build their system than we did. I believe the reason is that bedrock is more stable for tunneling than the soil closer to the surface. Also, narrower trains mean you only have to build a single tunnel.

I hope we invest in uniquely designed stations like in Montreal, too. That would leave a legacy of excellence.
 
A subway station at Yonge and Queen, what a time to be alive...

I can't believe they didn't think to use the already partially-constructed E-W platform at Queen Station. If only they knew it was there.
 
A subway station at Yonge and Queen, what a time to be alive...

There's one there now. LOL

I can't believe they didn't think to use the already partially-constructed E-W platform at Queen Station. If only they knew it was there.

They did and are; but the old Ghost station will be part of an expanded concourse, not the new platform.
 
Yeah, that's unbelievably deep…

42
As we talked about before in the Ontario line thread, for some reason (probably Canadian/US building codes) they won't be using very long escalators to get down there. 5 escalators from street to platform is pretty embarrassing when other cities do that depth in 1 or 2 escalators.

(and assuming each escalator in that diagram has a friend going the other direction- that's at least 22 escalators at this station. Schindler, Kone, and Otis must be rubbing their hands in glee!🤑)

Oh, and the use of a full length lower concourse levels - when other cities like Stockholm or London don't do this - saving money!
 

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