News   Dec 05, 2025
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Toronto Eglinton Line 5 | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | Arcadis

It takes some time to get all the way to Kennedy from the EMSF, although not nearly that long.

Which supports my theory that they were drawing from the training schedule for that day.

One thing I have noted from watching the training/testing runs is, operators coasting towards stale green traffic signals, waiting for the light to turn yellow so they can stop and wait thru a light cycle. Possibly the training schedule is slower and this keeps them from getting ahead of schedule....or perhaps operators don't trust the signals yet.... but in service, trams need to be kept moving and the schedule should be tight enough to discourage this.

It's still early days, but I fear this is a sign of old TTC culture already creeping into the new line. If operators develop this habit during training, Crosstown will indeed devolve to "just another streetcar" with longer trip times. We need a subway culture where operators are expected to run on every green.

- Paul
 
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Which supports my view that they were drawing from the training schedule for that day.

One thing I have noted from watching the training/testing runs is, operators coasting towards stale green traffic signals, waiting for the light to turn yellow so they can stop and wait thru a light cycle. Possibly the training schedule is slower and this keeps them from getting ahead of schedule....or perhaps operators don't trust the signals yet.... but in service, trams need to be kept moving and the schedule should be tight enough to discourage this.

It's still early days, but I fear this is a sign of old TTC culture already creeping into the new line. If operators develop this habit during training, Crosstown will indeed devolve to "just another streetcar" with longer trip times. We need a subway culture where operators are expected to run on every green.

- Paul
If anything they need to reprogram the light signals to not prematurely turn red and sync it with the road lights at the very least. Its bonkers how trains are held at intersections by a red why cars are still zooming by.
 
If anything they need to reprogram the light signals to not prematurely turn red and sync it with the road lights at the very least. Its bonkers how trains are held at intersections by a red why cars are still zooming by.
The other problem is the use of regular traffic signals with English verbage sign clutter for the transit signals. People still mix up signals and will move on the transit signal. In the rest of the world, they use specific transit signals, and without the sign clutter. But Toronto (or more likely MTO) refuses to update their highway/road/transit signals. And no gate arms in Toronto to stop traffic for the light rail vehicles/streetcars because it would upset the car drivers.
 
In the rest of the world, they use specific transit signals, and without the sign clutter
Including in City of Vaughan, ON. So, this is not a provincial traffic code issue. This is at the exit from Hwy 407 Station to Jane St.
1748791869222.png

Sorry about the image quality, only the 2019 Streetview image had the vertical bar illuminated, and I'm not sure why the red Transit light is on at the same time!
 
The other problem is the use of regular traffic signals with English verbage sign clutter for the transit signals. People still mix up signals and will move on the transit signal. In the rest of the world, they use specific transit signals, and without the sign clutter. But Toronto (or more likely MTO) refuses to update their highway/road/transit signals. And no gate arms in Toronto to stop traffic for the light rail vehicles/streetcars because it would upset the car drivers.
Actually I did see them using it for a few stretches in toronto for the streetcars.... crazy though why they're not having it widespread
 
Including in City of Vaughan, ON. So, this is not a provincial traffic code issue. This is at the exit from Hwy 407 Station to Jane St.
View attachment 655434
Sorry about the image quality, only the 2019 Streetview image had the vertical bar illuminated, and I'm not sure why the red Transit light is on at the same time!
There are actually several examples throughout York Region, namely in places where they need dedicated bus light cycles.
1748802353820.png

1748802393334.png


There's also one in Barrie right outside Allandale Waterfront
1748802444857.png
 
If anyone is interested in what the inside of Chaplin Station looks like:
View attachment 655618View attachment 655619

Look at those missing ceiling panels, you can tell the handover to the TTC has started and their standards people have been in the place.

I’d imagine they’ll have to yank a few more before the station is at full compliance with TTC spec
 
Look at those missing ceiling panels, you can tell the handover to the TTC has started and their standards people have been in the place.

I’d imagine they’ll have to yank a few more before the station is at full compliance with TTC spec

lmao, I was.going to comment the same thing when I saw the photos but decided to remain optimistic that this will be fixed

I do want to point out the fare box lol, will be obsolete once the line opens
 
White! I love the colour scheme!

They picked that during the design phase (long ago) because it shows how clean these new electric trains are compared to the old steam locomotive hauled trains other lines were using at the time.


Honestly, the construction timeline probably wouldn't bother me if Metrolinx staff didn't shit all over the TTC in the press for both Spadina delays and on Eglinton targeting 2022 (purposefully staggered station construction to reduce traffic/bus-service interruptions) rather than 2020.
 
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The other problem is the use of regular traffic signals with English verbage sign clutter for the transit signals. People still mix up signals and will move on the transit signal. In the rest of the world, they use specific transit signals, and without the sign clutter. But Toronto (or more likely MTO) refuses to update their highway/road/transit signals. And no gate arms in Toronto to stop traffic for the light rail vehicles/streetcars because it would upset the car drivers.

It is likely some nonsense Metrolinx stipulation. KWs LRT (which Metrolinx didn't touch) doesn't have the same mess of signals. The signals they use where it is street running is a white bar that changes from being vertical (LRVs can move through the intersection) or horizontal (trains must stop and wait). The white bar will start flashing before it switches to warn the operators that a switch is happening.

This is the setup for KWs signal, the train signal is to the left. If you mix the train signal up with a traffic signal you really shouldn't be driving.
1748866449812.png
 

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