"Toronto got itself a subway...really!"

[digitalcabana]

Here's an interesting video clip that I came across about the opening of the Yonge subway.

http://archives.cbc.ca/science_techn...on/clips/6099/

"Toronto got itself a subway...really!"

The Story
With station walls decorated in such "restful colours" as "pearl grey," "English eggshell" (green), and "primrose" (yellow), Toronto's subway system is finally open to the public. This CBC special report — which airs several days after the opening — celebrates the event with a quick look back at how it all came together, followed by a lesson for viewers on how the subway works. To conclude the report, the announcer proudly declares, "Toronto got itself a subway...really!"

Did you know?
• Ontario Premier Leslie Frost and Toronto Mayor Allan Lamport presided over the opening on March 30, 1954, with hundreds of citizens showing up to enjoy the ceremony.
• This first subway line, stretching 7.4 kilometres along Yonge Street (from Eglinton to Union Station), cost approximately $59 million to build — quite a bit more than the originally estimated $28 million.
• In its inaugural run, the train completed the entire journey of the subway line in just 12 minutes.
• Torontonians would have to wait almost a decade before seeing any new additions to the subway network. The TTC opened the University Avenue section of the Yonge/University line (which ran parallel to the original Yonge line along University Avenue, from Union Station to St. George)on Feb. 28, 1963; the long-awaited east-west Bloor line (initially running from Keele Station to Woodbine Station) opened on Feb. 25, 1966.

Credits
'Toronto got itself a subway... really!'
Medium: Television
Program: CBC Newsmagazine
Broadcast Date: April 4, 1954
Duration: 06:23

[Conrad Black]

Nice find!

[yin_yang]

lol at the dude smoking on the platform, awesome!

[Mustapha]

When the subway had its 50th aniversary they laid on some 'special' trains (bunting and what not). I rode it down to Union station to hear a speech by McQuinty and then new mayor Miller. I got a free commemoration button. Alas there was no buffet.

[W. K. Lis]

$59 million to build. How much to build today? Without the current building standards and with? Today it would have to be handicapped accessible, two exits, and probably more real estate.

[W. K. Lis]

Go to this link to view a 1948 video "Going Places". Looks like Toronto took the 1948 suggestions to heart. It's a 14 minute film.

[Long Island Mike]

Cabana: Good TTC 1954 archive link-also I found that news report on the August 1995 Spadina line accident interesting-I remember hearing about this accident but I never recall seeing any reports or pics of it. LI MIKE

[syn]

It's amazing how different the city has become. Those token dispensers looked a lot nicer than our current ones.

It's too bad it's so difficult to get any subways built now.

[Spoonman]

After watching 4'28" - 4'35", you'll see that 50 years after the fact, some things truly don't change.