For those of you who collect variants on the subway map, here is the version that was published as part of the report to the Commission last week.
Many people seem to come to this page innocently looking for the real subway map. It can be found on the TTC’s website.
Steve Munro 
TTC guides are going to have to be situated on the platforms at Museum and St. George all day long, especially with Lower St. George closed. The more I think about it, I’m surprised the TTC is actually doing this, as they have a history of KISS (keep it simple stupid).
This arrangement might come back to bite the TTC in two ways. First, Bloor passengers might start to get ideas (after all they’ve been shafted for the last 40 years). Hmmm … if I can get to Museum directly, why stop here?
Second, they’re trying to merge three lines instead of the original two, and this has never been done before, not to mention the tight two minute headways. I hope they test the schedule first before this service plan kicks in.
In retrospect, I’m surprised the Yorkville BIA and its residents never fought the TTC on Lower Bay later on. When it originally closed, Yorkville was still a hippie hangout.
Steve: When Lower Bay closed, I don’t think there was such a thing as the Yorkville BIA,
As to testing, before the BD line opened for service, the TTC did undertake a full scale test of the integrated service in the middle of the night. Security at station sites was appalling by modern standards, and the fans had already walked through parts of the system before the line opened (including across the Prince Edward Viaduct). I popped into Dundas West Station with some friends, met a train whose crew we knew and rode part of a trip.
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The good news is that the wide, mostly open platform at Museum is ideal for something like this. I just hope they remember to turn up the volume on the PA system — it’s probably calibrated for peak “crowds” of 10-20 people at a time!
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I assume there must be some practical reasons why Lower Bay can’t be opened for passengers. I bet a lot of westbound passengers are going to get a really close look at it as they wait for the other trains to clear Museum.
Steve: Considering that the stairways to Upper Bay are blocked off and are accessible only through a standard size door, passengers would have a big problem getting to and from the Lower Bay level. Also, the platform has been used for various storage functions over the years and who knows what’s down there right now.
Are the B-D trains going to run end-to-end or turn back at University?
Steve: See my post on the subject. The B-D trains will run south to Osgoode and to St. Andrew (depending on which way they are headed ultimately) and will reverse using the pocket tracks at that location. It is physically impossible to turn back on either side of University Avenue.
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Remind me to swing into town during this period.
A Ride Guide showing this particular alignment could prove to be quite the collector’s item 20 years down the road.
And, of course, the chance to snap a picture of Lower Bay.
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Wonder how many railfans will be taking multiple trips consecutively between Museum and Bloor-Yonge. Getting on and gawking then getting off and getting on the next train and gawking some more. I can see myself doing that numerous times filling my camera’s memory card up with photos.
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Problems with crews operating on the “wrong” line aside, I believe that the trains from Kipling should run in service at least as far as Eglinton to provide a headway on Yonge of less than 6 minutes. I know it would be a 4 minutes, 2 minute service split but that would be a lot better than every 6 minutes and the west enders would have a more convenient method of getting down town than changing at museum and then at Bloor Yonge. I know the could just ride south on a Yong train but they always changed at Bloor Yonge so why should they change now. It will be interesting to watch but I will only be in town for the last weekend.
Steve: The temporary schedule is designed to use the same number of trains as the regular schedule so that there is no additional cost except for managing the movement of passengers at the wye.
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With respect to running the BD wye trains to Eglinton or Davisville, I agree. Whatever happened to passenger convenience? Is cost the only thing the TTC cares about?
Use the opportunity to give the passengers a decent direct ride and put it out there as a positive instead of forcing 2 or 3 awkward transfers.
Steve: Alas, we keep hearing about bloated spending in the public sector and this sort of thing would only take money from the many other service improvements that are backlogged.
They could also use this opportunity to discourage the urban explorer tunnel runners by giving passengers a legit way to see and tour Lower Bay if they wish. Charge a premium fare or something like that. I’ll bet it would draw a lot of people.
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It’s nice to see the first 3-route transfer station on the new map. Is it known if the TTC will actually post this, and if so, where? Subway cars, platforms, or station entrances? (Or combinations of the above)
I’m surprised that it looks like the TTC created the map from scratch. I would’ve thought they’d modified the current route map using Paint.
Steve: Given the official style of the map, I think you will see them posted liberally around the system. Be happy that they didn’t just put paste on stickers on the regular maps and then leave them there months after the diversion was no longer in effect. That’s the way they do every other notice in the system.
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To Andrew’s post … Bloor-Yonge was the first 3-route station in the 60s — two routes on the upper level (YUB, YUD), and two routes on the lower level (YUD, BD).
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To answer John Galeazza, here’s one railfan who will be doing just that. And I’m really happy it coincides with Carleton’s reading week. Or else I think I may have taken a trip home for this. I’m so pumped!
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