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Transit Fantasy Maps

I came across this map

7kBSRwI.jpg
 
Last night found myself looking at the Washington Metro map (pdf), and think I've decided that it's one of my favourite subway maps in terms of its style. It has a bit of a bulky retro look similar to ours, but seems to have a cleaner approach and better use of standards. And with its use of interlining, it got me thinking about how our map could look if we interlined Lines 1 and 2 (naturally making an extra line in the process). Not really my fantasy, and doubt there's much value in going back to a Bloor-Danforth / Yonge-University interline. But I think it's cool to see displayed.

TTC-interline-subway-map_44N.png

*edit to update x-town names, terminii, realign Bay
 

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Either go down Sherbourne with an interchange at Sherbourne/Bloor, or continue down the Don Valley with a Gondola interchange with Castle Frank.

Gondola interchange? Keep dreaming.

Last night found myself looking at the Washington Metro map (pdf), and think I've decided that it's one of my favourite subway maps in terms of its style. It has a bit of a bulky retro look similar to ours, but seems to have a cleaner approach and better use of standards. And with its use of interlining, it got me thinking about how our map could look if we interlined Lines 1 and 2 (naturally making an extra line in the process). Not really my fantasy, and doubt there's much value in going back to a Bloor-Danforth / Yonge-University interline. But I think it's cool to see displayed.

View attachment 80879
*edit to update x-town names, terminii, realign Bay

I'm fine with trying the interlining again, but not at the expense of the University-Spadina line. You could also try something like, building a connection from Lower Bay to Wellesley, to send some trains down Yonge.

I'd like to see a map where the DRL is interlined with YUS to create something like Chicago's Loop.
 
yTAgUw7.jpg


Here's my Scarborough fantasy map. Key points:

-The RT is kept as RT or LRT, using the original plan to extend to Malvern. Ideally a cross-platform interchange with the BD.
-Crosstown, Eglinton East, and Finch become a continuous loop around the city (through the Airport in the west).
-Sheppard is extended: either subway, LRT, RT, whatever. It would underground from Don Mills to Agincourt Smartrack station, then follows the RT corridor to Scarborough Town Centre. An east extension along Ellesmere would be elevated, connecting UTSc, maybe an extra stop at Port Union to pick up Durham commuters.
 
I'm fine with trying the interlining again, but not at the expense of the University-Spadina line. You could also try something like, building a connection from Lower Bay to Wellesley, to send some trains down Yonge.

I'd like to see a map where the DRL is interlined with YUS to create something like Chicago's Loop.

I wasn't really advocating it, just interested to see how it looked. Kinda neat that it wouldn't really require any added infrastructure (with the exception of maybe a new crossover just north of St George station). Definitely wouldn't advocate connecting Lower Bay to Wellesley...sounds expensive. However a ciculator as part of the DRL is no doubt an intriguing concept. Not sure how optimal/efficient it'd be, but with proper wyes in place it may not even require that much added infrastructure.
 
That would be an extension over 12 km, while the existing BD is 26 km - that's 50% it's current length. If we're going with subway I'd rather see the RT corridor and Malvern extension reused by a Sheppard extension.
 
That would be an extension over 12 km, while the existing BD is 26 km - that's 50% it's current length. If we're going with subway I'd rather see the RT corridor and Malvern extension reused by a Sheppard extension.
Now with talk about the Sheppard Subway being extended to STC, maybe we need to find a way of making the SELRT work.

With the Sheppard subway to STC, a 1 seat ride is possible to downtown North York, and nowhere else. With an interlined Sheppard line, everywhere would be a 1 transfer ride - either transfer to DRL, or Sheppard line to downtown or York U. Here is the ultimate laundry list.
  1. Interline Sheppard Line (pink) with the Spadina Line so alternate trains run to Vaughan and to downtown. Cost $1.5B.
  2. Build Scarborough Line (orange) from Malvern to Don Valley and to downtown. Cost $4.0B.
  3. Build DRL (red) from Seneca to Downtown and up to Eglinton, in phases. Cost $∞.
  4. Build Yonge extension (yellow and pink) to Richmond Hill. Cost $0.5B, rest paid for by others (i.e. York).
  5. B-D West extension (green) to Honeydale Plaza (427). Cost $0.5B.
  6. Finch West LRT (purple). Cost - already funded.
  7. Finch West to YYZ (purple). Cost $0.5B.
  8. Sheppard East LRT to UTSC (dashed blue). Cost - already funded.
  9. Eglinton East LRT to UTSC (dashed blue). Cost $1.5B.
  10. Eglinton West (blue) grade-separated LRT to YYZ. Cost $2.5B.
  11. Waterfront LRT (dashed navy blue). Cost $2.0B?
We currently have $3.5B already committed to the Scarborough subway and $2.6B (from the feds) for the SmartTrack. Now that some GO-RER stations have been proposed, Let Metrolinx take over the role of SmartTrack. This $6B is enough to complete the Scarborough Line (orange), the B-D West extension (green), Sheppard subway (pink).

Better than a 1 stop subway extension, Eglinton East LRT, SELRT impasse and dwindling SmartTrack.
TO.jpg
 

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Hi everybody, I'll like to submit my proposal for all those wonderful fantastical transit maps out there.

Procedural Points:
-Lines 1, 2, 3, and 4 are subway lines
-Lines 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are LRT lines
-A total of 10 lines, including the Hurontario Line because the Bloor-Danforth, Eglinton, Finch and Waterfront Lines would be extended into Peel Region
-Some GO station names are changed to accommodate more prominent station locations that are better suited with the older GO station name
-Eglinton GO station is changed to Cedarbrae because of the more prominent existing Eglinton station on the University Line/Eglinton Line
-Brampton GO station is changed to Rosalea because Brampton City Centre should take precedent and is a more important location​

Greater Transportation:
-Pearson Airport would be serviced by the Finch Line, Eglinton Line, and Queen line (DRL)
-Billy Bishop Airport is serviced by the Lakeshore-Kingston Line at Eireann Station
-Jack Layton Ferry Terminal is serviced by the Lakeshore-Kingston Line

Education:
-The two satellite University of Toronto campuses, Scarborough and Mississauga, are now connected on each ends of the Eglinton Line
-All three UofT campuses are connected by rapid transit​
-The two Toronto-located Humber College campuses, North and Lakeshore, are connected by the Finch and Lakeshore-Kingston Lines, respectively

Entertainment:
-Canada's Wonderland is serviced by the Yonge-University Line
-Toronto Zoo is serviced by the Sheppard East Line
-BMO Place is serviced by the Lakeshore-Kingston Line
-Molson Amphitheatre/Ontario Place is serviced by the Lakeshore-Kingston Line
-Exhibition Place is serviced by the Lakeshore-Kingston Line
-Woodbine Racetrack is serviced by the Finch Line
-Sherway Gardens is serviced by the Bloor-Danforth Line
-CN Tower, Rogers Centre, and Ripley's Aquarium are a 5 minute walk from Rees station on the Lakeshore-Kingston Line
-Distillery District is a 2 minute walk from Parliament or Cherry stations on the Lakeshore-Kingston Line

Politics:
-To the detriment of Councillors Matlow and Ainslie and the satisfaction of Mayor Tory, a Line 2 subway extension would be built to better shuffle all the people coming from the Eglinton and Sheppard East Lines to and from downtown
-To the detriment of almost all the Brampton Councillors and the satisfaction of Mayor Jeffrey, the Hurontario Line would be extended into Brampton along Main Street
-To the satisfaction of Councillor Di Ciano, Bloor-Danforth will be extended to Sherway Gardens
-To the detriment of Councillor Karygiannis, the Sheppard LRT would be built instead of a subway


13717361_1050926748326243_6041558697579570121_o.jpg
 
That's a pretty nice looking map! One thing I like is that you don't make the distinction between subway or LRT. I guess each line would end up using whatever technology is most appropriate for the ridership levels.
 
^ very nice map!

Here's something I've been toying with:

DRTES_v3%20%28Diagrammatic%29.jpg

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43869799/DRTES_v3 (Diagrammatic).jpg

There are two main infrastructure components:
1) An extension of the Relief Line up Spadina to connect to the existing Spadina Subway.
2) A streetcar subway under King/Wellington/Church.

Benefits to the Lower Spadina Subway:
  • Allows for the Yonge-University line to use the original wye, drastically reducing pressure on Bloor-Yonge. The Yonge-University line would extend in both directions on Bloor-Danforth during peak, but terminate at St. George outside of peak. With ATC being installed on both lines, the 1960s interlining issues shouldn't be a problem.
  • Allows for both Yonge-University and Spadina-Pape lines to use Wilson as their main yard, negating the need for a separate DRL yard.
  • Adds operational redundancy to the downtown subway system (two separate lines heading northbound out of downtown).
Benefits to the King/Wellington Streetcar Subway:
  • A Waterfront/CBD loop connects the two, bypassing Union and reducing pressure on the streetcar loop (and potentially negating the need for its expansion).
  • Can be built as a tunnel, but if an extension of Church St is built, can also be built at-grade as an interim solution (using King instead of Wellington).
The reality is that the alignments and technology required to provide the 'relief' aspect of the DRL east of downtown are different from the transit improvements required west of downtown. Trying to shoehorn both of these goals into one single alignment using one technology is sub-optimal. By splitting the two up, this version of the DRL provides far more relief since it allows for the reactivation of the wye, while the streetcar subway provides the transit improvements the areas immediately west of downtown need.

Thoughts?
 

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