Toronto Eglinton Line 5 | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | Arcadis

[Monarch Butterfly]

...and to allow the drivers a washroom break.

Each subway station (and LRT station) will have washrooms (plural) for TTC (and Metrolinx) staff, drivers, and operators to use. They have a key for that purpose. Like the washroom key for dentists and doctors. If passengers ask very nicely, they may or may not get a TTC (or Metrolinx) employee to use the facilities.

 

[Richard White]

Like the washroom key for dentists and doctors. If passengers ask very nicely, they may or may not get a TTC (or Metrolinx) employee to use the facilities.

I doubt that.

That's essentially private space for use by employees only. They don't want some crackhead lighting up in there.

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

I doubt that.

That's essentially private space for use by employees only. They don't want some crackhead lighting up in there.

That's the "may not" part.

 

[hawc]

 

[Bojaxs]

Now imagine if Metrolinx had the Midtown line and that were a GO train.

 

[rbt]

Now imagine if Metrolinx had the Midtown line and that were a GO train.

I'm afraid I imagined Metrolinx had the Midtown line and spends the next 10 years trying to figure out what infrastructure upgrades are required to run passenger service on it while not running passenger service on it.

 

[T3G]

I'm afraid I imagined Metrolinx had the Midtown line and spends the next 10 years trying to figure out what infrastructure upgrades are required to run passenger service on it while not running passenger service on it.

And then another 15 years of construction before a single train can use the corridor, at which point it will be rush hour service only.

 

[evandyk]

That's essentially private space for use by employees only. They don't want some crackhead lighting up in there.

If you have a toddler in tow, people will open up a lot of normally private bathrooms if you ask nicely.

 

[SaugeenJunction]

Very cool shot. A fun fact about Line 5 is that it is directly connected to the North American rail network at Mount Dennis.

 

[Bojaxs]

Very cool shot. A fun fact about Line 5 is that it is directly connected to the North American rail network at Mount Dennis.

Imagine seeing a CPKC train running down the middle of Eglinton.

 

[hawc]

Imagine seeing a CPKC trains running down the middle of Eglinton.

For those curious about the above...

The train is indeed on street trackage, meaning the rails were embedded in the roadway, shared with car traffic. This was the Canadian Pacific “East Wharf Lead”, also called the “Toronto Harbour Lead”. It branched off CP’s mainline downtown, crossed Scott Street, and ran at street level along Lake Shore Blvd East (now Queens Quay) to serve the industrial and port facilities on the waterfront. It ran as far east as Cherry Street, serving customers like Redpath Sugar and other port terminals. Trains would typically run slowly (under 10 km/h) with a crew member on the front pilot to flag intersections and clear traffic.

 

[A 6264]

View attachment 688034



For those curious about the above...

The train is indeed on street trackage, meaning the rails were embedded in the roadway, shared with car traffic. This was the Canadian Pacific “East Wharf Lead”, also called the “Toronto Harbour Lead”. It branched off CP’s mainline downtown, crossed Scott Street, and ran at street level along Lake Shore Blvd East (now Queens Quay) to serve the industrial and port facilities on the waterfront. It ran as far east as Cherry Street, serving customers like Redpath Sugar and other port terminals. Trains would typically run slowly (under 10 km/h) with a crew member on the front pilot to flag intersections and clear traffic.

I love comparing old pictures to the same location today. This is a picture of the same intersection from Google Earth.
The intersection is Queen's Quay and Bay Street. You can see a street sign for Bay Street in both pictures. The street light on the right corner looks almost the same, but not quite.
Harbour Castle must be the building at the right, and it looks like it was still under contruction. It opened in 1975, so the picture may be from the year before, which is about what I would have guessed.
The big mystery is why the Toronto Star building at left, looks like it's at the same intersection, but in the modern picture it's much further down the street.
I think it's an illusion of perspective. It's further away than it looks. The building recently dropped the Toronto Star signage and now has no name. The Google Earth image is a few years old.

 

[hawc]

I love comparing old pictures to the same location today. This is a picture of the same intersection from Google Earth.

Very cool!

So in the original picture it called it Lakeshore not Queens Quay. I was confused by that. Did they change the name at some point?

 

[urbanclient]

View attachment 688034



For those curious about the above...

The train is indeed on street trackage, meaning the rails were embedded in the roadway, shared with car traffic. This was the Canadian Pacific “East Wharf Lead”, also called the “Toronto Harbour Lead”. It branched off CP’s mainline downtown, crossed Scott Street, and ran at street level along Lake Shore Blvd East (now Queens Quay) to serve the industrial and port facilities on the waterfront. It ran as far east as Cherry Street, serving customers like Redpath Sugar and other port terminals. Trains would typically run slowly (under 10 km/h) with a crew member on the front pilot to flag intersections and clear traffic.

This shot is very cool.

Very cool!

So in the original picture it called it Lakeshore not Queens Quay. I was confused by that. Did they change the name at some point?

I cannot for the life of me find any source stating Queens Quay used to be called Lake Shore Boulevard East. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[T3G]

I cannot for the life of me find any source stating Queens Quay used to be called Lake Shore Boulevard East. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm not aware of any such thing, either. I would assume the photo description was mislabeled.