[Richard White]

While unearthing a lot of interesting facts about the subway and streetcars I remembered a favorite series "Secrets of the Underground" by Rail Fanatic Geoff Marshall (he also recently travelled to all of Britains 2500+ national rail stations). While I'm sure transit fanning isn't at the same level here I was curious if anyone would be interested in creating a similar series for the TTC subway and it's interesting quirks?

Geoff is well respected in the UK and has some deep running connections while working for Londonist. There really is not that much to see here to make it worthwhile unless you want to view endless mechanical rooms.

When I worked for Transit Toronto years ago I spoke with the TTC about doing something like as an archival piece. I was told that due to security reasons they would not allow people to make such videos here. I had attempted to get into places like Lower Bay and the Lawrence Station attic.

To that end, the subway lines are bland in Toronto. They are all quite similar in design with not many quirks so it would be a quick set of bland videos.

In London they have plenty of unfinished, replaced and closed stations along with stations that have changed names. Toronto has Lower Bay whereas London has Charing Cross on the Jubilee Line, Aldwych on the Piccadilly Line and Mill Hill East on the Northern Line that was supposed to connected to the other branch of the line before being stopped by World War 2. There is a former station building on the Metropolitan Line at Marlboro Road and Highbury and Islington Station's former station building.

I would rather do all the stations in Canada before I do Secrets of the TTC.

 

[Richard White]

Well... nearly half of his episodes are looking at art etc at Platform Level something we have a fair bit of, he also sometimes points out more efficient ways of exiting the station as well as different intricacies of the line which I think we have enough of, certainly not to the same degree as the tube though.

True but who wants to know the faster way of exiting Bloor - Yonge Station?

 

[Richard White]

Hypothetically at least some of the like 200,000 that use it every day

The tube is far more interesting and even he skipped over the boring parts like the Bakerloo Lines outdoor section. I took that section last June and it was barren.

 

[DSC]

If you read the article you would have seen the whole purpose of these doors being vertical is that the trains don't need to be aligned exactly and a variety of stock can be used. -_-

OK, but there is still the rather major question of priorities for spending limited dollars. (Before you say that we could add more money - I agree we could and should but in my opinion the addition of platform doors is well down my wants list.)

 

[johntauren]

While unearthing a lot of interesting facts about the subway and streetcars I remembered a favorite series "Secrets of the Underground" by Rail Fanatic Geoff Marshall (he also recently travelled to all of Britains 2500+ national rail stations). While I'm sure transit fanning isn't at the same level here I was curious if anyone would be interested in creating a similar series for the TTC subway and it's interesting quirks?

I had always thought about doing such myself, but I'm lazy.

There are plenty of funny little quirks that can be shown off in public areas. Such as stations with signals actually on the platform.

 

[Richard White]

I had always thought about doing such myself, but I'm lazy.

There are plenty of funny little quirks that can be shown off in public areas. Such as stations with signals actually on the platform.

Did they ever take the sign out of College Station that said Maple Leaf Gardens?

 

[Sandpit]

Did they ever take the sign out of College Station that said Maple Leaf Gardens?

No (IIRC). The name "Maple Leaf Gardens" can still be used to refer to the entire building, which consists of the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) and Loblaws (plus the LCBO and some small stores on the second level).

 

[Richard White]

No (IIRC). The name "Maple Leaf Gardens" can still be used to refer to the entire building, which consists of the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) and Loblaws (plus the LCBO and some small stores on the second level).

This was the sign on across from the collector booth dating back to the 80s I believe.

 

[Amare]

On a side note (I completely forgot to take a photo) I believe Global News has replaced CP24 as the news and weather source on the next vehicle platform screens. Personally I like the change since I find Global's weather forecasts are much accurate compared to CP24's.

 

[Richard White]

On a side note (I completely forgot to take a photo) I believe Global News has replaced CP24 as the news and weather source on the next vehicle platform screens. Personally I like the change since I find Global's weather forecasts are much accurate compared to CP24's.

I noticed that as well. I like the Global News version better. CP24 has not changed its look since it was founded and is very repetitive. Even when I am at home, I turn off CP24 because I hear the same news story at least a dozen times each hour with the same annoying anchors and the same useless information. Onestop CP24 was bad but not nearly as bad as the TV version.

I like to joke that the US can skip waterboarding, mild electric shocks or beatings if they want to torture someone. They can stick their eyelids open ala a clockwork orange and lock the channel to CP24 instead.

 

[Richard White]

On a side note (I completely forgot to take a photo) I believe Global News has replaced CP24 as the news and weather source on the next vehicle platform screens. Personally I like the change since I find Global's weather forecasts are much accurate compared to CP24's.

I got a picture just now at Old Mill.

 

[Megaton327]

When is Union going to get next train displays? Amazing that they spent all that time, money, and hassle renovating the station, up until the TYSSE opening it had the newest interior of any station, and IIRC it's either the only or one out of two or three stations in the entire TTC that doesn't have screens. Every couple of months they say they're being installed but it never seems to happen.

 

[Amare]

View attachment 131476

I got a picture just now at Old Mill.

And for comparisons sake:

 

[Richard White]

When is Union going to get next train displays? Amazing that they spent all that time, money, and hassle renovating the station, up until the TYSSE opening it had the newest interior of any station, and IIRC it's either the only or one out of two or three stations in the entire TTC that doesn't have screens. Every couple of months they say they're being installed but it never seems to happen.

Even Warden has had 2 of them on the Westbound Platform only for the past decade or so.

 

[drum118]

Time to scape these screens and go with a new style like the extension ones and place them in between the stations columns for non centre platforms. Centre platforms would be on the wall of the tunnel since they can be thin these days.

Show the first 3 train times like the extension ones.

You can put back to back screens between the columns in the centre of the stations for non centre platforms