May 2008

Changes to Canada’s longest streetcar route are underway.

The 501 Queen streetcar, which operates in a mixed-traffic environment, is currently being re-evaluated as the TTC implements measures to improve the quality of service for customers.

Operating this route, the TTC’s longest streetcar route, has become more difficult to manage with increasing traffic on the roadways.

Last July, the Commission received a petition from dissatisfied customers complaining about the 501 Queen route and demanding improvements, especially on the east end in the Beach area.

Earlier this year, Service Planning Manager Mitch Stambler presented a report on the current state of the Queen route to the Commission at City Hall.

“The TTC has always been, and is currently highly committed, to providing the best possible quality of service on all of its routes,” he said.

Streetcars are often stuck in traffic, stalled by auto collisions on the tracks or waiting behind left-turning vehicles, causing delays and affecting the reliability and quality of service.

Named one of the top 10 rail routes in the world by National Geographic, 501 streetcars travel a distance of 24 kilometres each way from Scarborough to Etobicoke.

Roncesvalles Operator John Lake has spent the last 30 years serving along the Queen route. Despite the three-hour round trip, he enjoys the scenic ride.

“I’ve always liked it because it spans the whole city,” he says, “and you’re servicing the people downtown.”

The veteran Operator, though, can envision the 501 route operating as two separate lines. Often when streetcars do not leave from each end of the route on time, it leads to disruptions that ripple across the line, such as irregular spaced service and short-turning streetcars.

Stambler explained a study is underway to determine if the line would run more reliably if it were split into two or more sections, as each route would operate independently of each other.

According to Stambler, the revised routes might have an overlap in the central area to allow customers who wish to travel through and past the central area and could transfer between the services. Route Supervisors would also be assigned to designated route locations to keep the flow of streetcars on schedule. The study is expected to be completed later this summer.

Managing the operation of the route is also one of the most important actions staff have to monitor and co-ordinate vehicles. Under the new Rail Operations Group, guidelines have been implemented for short-turning streetcars that are clearly based on customer service.

“There are new performance measures that focus on reliability of service as opposed to a technical schedule adherence,” Stambler said of the way guidelines were set up to minimize overtime costs when vehicles were running behind schedule.

In order to resolve the problems associated with the route, several issues have been categorized into three groups:

  • Within the TTC’s control.
  • Within the City of Toronto’s control.
  • Within the Toronto Police Service’s control.

“The TTC can control many aspects of this fixed rail service, including how we manage the route, the way we construct the schedules and what vehicles are used,” Stambler said.

He also explained there are six measures to be reviewed within the control of the TTC. These are:

  • Automatic Vehicle Location System.
  • Operator Work Assignments
  • Aging Equipment.
  • Route Structure.
  • Assignment of Streetcar Types to Routes.
  • Workforce Shortages.

As the TTC’s streetcar fleet ages, it’s also becoming less reliable and more prone to breakdowns. Currently, the 501 route is using Articulated Light Rail Vehicles (ALRVs), a 23-metre-long, high-capacity vehicle.

Occasionally, however, when not enough ALRVs are available, they are replaced by lower-capacity CLRVs (Canadian Light Rail Vehicles), resulting in overcrowding and delays.

The 20-year-old ALRVs will be overhauled starting early next year, so that they can continue to run until they can be replaced by next-generation streetcars. The first overhauled car is expected to be in service in 2009, with all 52 ALRVs completed by 2011.

A further report on the improvement of service reliability will be presented to the Commission in May.