Danforth Line 2 Scarborough Subway Extension

[DonValleyRainbow]

Horrible. Kill me now.

Why couldn't they have preserved the wide black outline stripe that encompassed the windows? The centred TTC crest makes me gag.

This is not "design." This is absolute fucking bullshit.

I don't think it was a legitimate attempt at design, probably more function (covering the dilapidated exterior) than fashion.

 

[P23]

Everything about it is so arbitrary. It's not bad, but it could have been so much better.
I wonder if they considered a simple metalic grey wrap.

You people complain about the buildings being grey all the time, I am personally tired of the kitchen sink appearance.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Honestly, is the TTC still stuck in the clipart phase of graphic design?

AoD

 

[P23]

I can't believe you people are chimping out over a solid colour. The station names are unnecessary and the TTC logo still looks like crap but it's a solid colour. They didn't paint swastikas all over it for christ's sake.

 

[MrsNesbitt]

As I said before, there was nothing wrong with the previous SRT colour scheme. If a simple new coat or paint could've been applied to the cars in the existing livery, plus a bit of TLC on the interiors, the system could've looked so much newer and fresher.

This blue livery is garish. No better word to describe it than that. Garish, and ridiculous. How many people will be laughing and shaking their heads the first time one of those pulls into STC station?

 

[MafaldaBoy]

I personally do not mind the solid colour as much, but I agree that the design would be vastly improved without the large (3) and station names on the exterior.

Adding more fuel to the fire, from @ttcdesign on Twitter:

Old vs New. Cars will also get interior refresh and mechanical overhaul.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

The old looks so much better.

 

[the lemur]

I personally do not mind the solid colour as much, but I agree that the design would be vastly improved without the large (3) and station names on the exterior.

Agreed. I don't totally get the logic in putting the line colour or line number on the train (it's not as if it would run on a different line as well, where riders would need to know it was the right train, like NYC stations served by multiple lines). I'm okay with the colour, but redoing the white, with or without the stripes, but minus the RT logo, would have been better.

 

[44 North]

Although it probably wouldn’t make sense to do it, one white stripe like Montreal’s Metro would look pretty good. The shade of blue is almost identical.

This probably isn’t news for many, but apparently TTC tried out striped designs for the subway. From Transit Toronto:

TTC H1 car 5496 was experimentally repainted in Gloucester red, as seen here in Greenwood Shops in 1967. The experiment didn't pan out, however, and the car was soon returned to its bare-metal appearance. Photo by John F. Bromley.
http://transit.toronto.on.ca/subway/5503.shtml

***
The Gloucester Series Cars (1954-1990).

For historical and speculative colour schemes, click here to see these drawings from Alan Gryfe. (* I’m not certain if the last one was an official idea, or if the artist merely sketched it in just for the fun of it).
http://transit.toronto.on.ca/subway/5501.shtml

 

[k10ery]

Agreed. I don't totally get the logic in putting the line colour or line number on the train (it's not as if it would run on a different line as well, where riders would need to know it was the right train, like NYC stations served by multiple lines)..

Come on guys, this is an obvious attempt to revive the brand and get Scarborough commuters to fall in love with the line and its stations. I'm almost surprised the new cars don't say "See Scarboro, you DO have a subway!"

If this had been done ten years ago it might have worked. But, typical for TTC, it's too little too late. Just some more money down that $3 billion hole at Kennedy station, I'm afraid.

 

[Canadian Chocho]

I quite like it. If there's anything that needs colour in this city it's the SRT line, all the stations are grey-looking or grey-feeling.

 

[picard102]

The old looks so much better.

You must be joking.

 

[MrsNesbitt]

You must be joking.

I can't speak for TigerMaster, but I certainly think the old livery is far better. Honestly, I don't see how enrobing the entire train cars in a garish blue and plastering a bunch of haphazard decals with "3" and the station names all over the train makes it look like anything but a bad reskinning of a model that someone did in Microsoft Train Simulator Paint Shed.

The entire SRT system has a quintessentially 80s feel to it. Just like many of the original Yonge Line stations have a 50s feel, and the Spadina Line has definite 70s flair, it's part of the architectural and design history of the TTC rapid transit system in Toronto for a line to reflect the aesthetics of the era in which it was built. When it comes to the SRT, the red-and-grey stripes on a white body were really not that bad. By far, the external colour scheme of the trains themselves is the least offensive-looking part of the SRT. If the TTC could only spend some time and money keeping the interiors from looking tired and ratty, and to prevent the stations from falling apart and looking almost abandoned in their grunginess, there would be nothing wrong with the visual aesthetic of the SRT.

 

[nfitz]

I can't speak for TigerMaster, but I certainly think the old livery is far better. Honestly, I don't see how enrobing the entire train cars in a garish blue ...

It looks like the same blue that Montreal subway trains are. I've seen more than one Torontonian whine about how much more colourful Montreal trains are.

Now we whine that ours colourful.

There is a common theme here ...

 

[MafaldaBoy]

You must be joking.

Count me as another who likes the old livery better.

I made a template of the Flexity Freedom, and sketched in the SRT colour scheme. I think the red + white stripe design still looks okay. I've made about a dozen other colour combinations that I'll probably post later. Or perhaps in the appropriate threads.

View attachment 42159

That's definitely an attractive design in my eyes, nice work!