8 Hours on the Streetcar

[SimonP]

This Sunday a few of my friends and I decided to try and ride every TTC streetcar line in a single day. It took about eight hours and 20 different cars, but we did it. The only bits we missed were the two stretches currently under reconstruction (west end of St. Clair, and Roncesvalles) and the Kingston Daytripper that doesn't run on weekends.

Despite being a very cold and snowy day it was a lot of fun. A great way to explore the city and spend time with friends. Drivers were helpful, and the people who overheard us talking about our journey were all very friendly.

A few interesting observations:
*Average streetcar speed was about 16 kph
*Average wait time for a streetcar was about 3 minutes
*Longest wait was about 15 minutes at Main Station for the Carlton car.
*Slowest streetcar was the Spadina Line. The most important factor really seems to be be number of passengers. More riders equals more stops, and more time spent at each stop.
*Fastest streetcar was the new St. Clair line. Not very crowded and made full use of the right of way.
*Shortturned once, on the Carlton Car at Landsdowne
*Favourite Loops: High Park, Exhibition, Longbranch, Union Station

 

[W. K. Lis]

As a kid, I would have tried to collect paper transfers from each subway station.

As well, when I rode the PCC streetcars, I would pick up the transfer stubs from the streetcar's little garbage can behind the driver. Can't do so nowadays.

 

[Agram]

Any horror stories in the 8 hours you spent riding around? You should have visited the streetcar divisions, Im sure one of the drivers that was going in would have taken you on a tour in there.

 

[steverino]

This Sunday a few of my friends and I decided to try and ride every TTC streetcar line in a single day.

[Long time lurker, first time poster.]

This would be a great contest some day! who can do it in the least amount of time? Arrange to have spotters at the different loops to make sure you're actually doing it.

I recall that in London, England, it is an ongoing contest to see who can visit every tube station in the shortest length of time. There are groups that organize contests, validate attempts, keep track of the record, etc. Doing the entire TTC subway wouldn't be that challenging at the moment, but doing all the streetcars is a great idea.

 

[Archivist]

Something like getting around on the subways and visiting different stops has the potential to be made into an interesting board game, I would think.

 

[ProjectEnd]

/\ Cue the Castlemar theme music Interchange!

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

The Toronto version would come with its own hoarding kit, so not everyone who wanted to play would get a game piece. Rules can be changed at any time and are never announced, or if they are, in an incomprehensible fashion. There'd also be an emergency doodle fold-out paper for shuttle buses, and when you open the box and find some items are missing, you call customer-service to be browbeaten (in seven languages, mind you) by overpaid union thugs. Supervisor hat included, but you have to first assign that position so that player can then confiscate other players' pieces in the event of a dispute. Gamepieces are, in fact, rebuilt Monopoly and Hungry Hippo pieces as no money was available for new designs. And similar to Snakes and Ladders, the TTC game has Surly Collectors and Broken Escalators.

Fun for the whole family!



Adam Giambrone not included. Some assembly by Steve Munro required.

 

[GregWTravels]

I recall that in London, England, it is an ongoing contest to see who can visit every tube station in the shortest length of time. There are groups that organize contests, validate attempts, keep track of the record, etc.

The Tube Challenge current record holders are Steven Karahan and Andi James, who completed the challenge in 17 hours, 12 minutes and 43 seconds. Because of the criss-crossing of lines, the challenge is really about route planning in advance.

Anyone interested in the full rules can read them here: Tube Forum. You have to visit every station, but don't have to travel on every part of the track (i.e. if you roll into Green Park on the Jubilee line, you don't have to travel through it again on the Victoria or Piccadilly lines).

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

About three years ago I put on my iPod and rode the 501 Queen car from west to east and then back to Yonge. I had never been past Roncesvalles (I grew up in the east end) so it was interesting to see what was beyond. It's a great ride if you have the time, or inclination.

 

[SimonP]

If anyone is interested in our exact route, this is what we did:

1. St. Clair to Landsdowne Loop (512)
2. Landsdown Loop to Landsdowne Station (Bus)
3. Landsdowne Station to Dundas West Station (Subway)
4. Dundas West Station to Queen and Roncevalles (504 replacement bus)
5. Queen and Roncevalles to Longbranch Loop (501)
6. Longbranch Loop to Neville Park Loop (501)
7. Neville Park Loop to Queen and Wineva (501)
8. Queen to Main Station (Bus)
9. Main Station to High Park Loop (506)
10. High Park Loop to Dundas and Roncevalles (walk)
11. Dundas and Roncevalles to Dundas and Spadina (505)
12. Dundas and Spadina to Union Station (510)
13. Union Station to Exhibition Loop (509)
14. Exhibition Loop to Bathurst Station (511)
15. Bathurst Station to Spadina Station (Subway)
16. Spadina Station to Dundas and Spadina (510)
17. Dundas and Spadina to Broadview Station (505)
18. Broadview Station to Queen and Roncevalles (504)

We started at 10:37 and got off at 7:15, but took a few breaks for lunch and coffee.

 

[andomano]

How brutal would that have been if you tried that on a weekday!

 

[Joe]

Cool. A TTC subway/streetcar scavenger hunt thing would be fun.

 

[Admiral Beez]

If anyone is interested in our exact route, this is what we did:

1. St. Clair to Landsdowne Loop (512)
2. Landsdown Loop to Landsdowne Station (Bus)
3. Landsdowne Station to Dundas West Station (Subway)
4. Dundas West Station to Queen and Roncevalles (504 replacement bus)
5. Queen and Roncevalles to Longbranch Loop (501)
6. Longbranch Loop to Neville Park Loop (501)
7. Neville Park Loop to Queen and Wineva (501)
8. Queen to Main Station (Bus)
9. Main Station to High Park Loop (506)
10. High Park Loop to Dundas and Roncevalles (walk)
11. Dundas and Roncevalles to Dundas and Spadina (505)
12. Dundas and Spadina to Union Station (510)
13. Union Station to Exhibition Loop (509)
14. Exhibition Loop to Bathurst Station (511)
15. Bathurst Station to Spadina Station (Subway)
16. Spadina Station to Dundas and Spadina (510)
17. Dundas and Spadina to Broadview Station (505)
18. Broadview Station to Queen and Roncevalles (504)

We started at 10:37 and got off at 7:15, but took a few breaks for lunch and coffee.

In addition to the 502 that you mentioned, you also missed the Lakeshore 508 http://www3.ttc.ca/Routes/508/Eastbound.jsp, which like the 502 only runs on weekdays.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Cool. A TTC subway/streetcar scavenger hunt thing would be fun.

Scavenger hunts are great fun. When I lived in Fredericton, New Brunswick I once spent almost ten hours in the saddle of my 1970 Triumph motorcycle on the cover bridge hunt. I started in Sussex, and spent the day finding over 20 bridges, many down country lanes and cow paths, perfect for a 500cc air British bike.

 

[GenerationW]

How brutal would that have been if you tried that on a weekday!

Twelve hours, maybe more?

I remember as a teenager I did King from Broadview to Dundas West Stns during rush hour and it took well over two hours. Not quite the exciting adventure I thought it would be.