The first new TTC Toronto Rocket subway car

May 2010

The first new Toronto Rocket arrives on TTC property in late summer. It will undergo a series of tests prior to entering revenue service.

Delivery of the new trains is scheduled to occur in three batches. The first batch of 13 trains will arrive one a month. The remaining trains will arrive weekly. Total shipment of trains is scheduled to take up to two years to complete.

The Toronto Rockets, and the re-signalling of the Yonge-University-Spadina Subway, will ultimately allow the TTC to improve subway train headways (time between trains) up to 90 seconds, as well as carry more people.

Features at a glance

  • Passenger alarm intercoms: these are located in every alternate doorway and multi-purpose area (six per car; 36 per train). The intercoms allow for voice communication with either the Operator or Guard. Five-foot doorways will include stanchions on either side. All stanchions will have an anti-bacterial coating and will be colour-coated to help the visually impaired.
  • The Passenger Assistance Alarms in the current trains (commonly known as the yellow strip with black lettering) that customers can press in the event of an emergency will continue to be a feature in the new Rockets.
  • Multi-purpose areas: each new car will include two accessible areas (12 per train). The space includes three individual, user-friendly fold-down seats.
  • Electronic information displays: flashing subway/rt route maps to visually announce the next station will work in conjunction with ceiling-mounted visual displays. Synchronized audio and visual announcements will be provided together with additional LED/LCD displays for board-casting operational messages (i.e. delays).
  • Closed circuit cameras (four per car; 24 per train) are strategically located to cover the interior of each car. The Operator and Guard will have access to live images when the passenger alarm is activated.