This day was quite a disaster for service on the King route. The service operated on the special Christmas-week schedule with the assumption that traffic would be lighter and have a different distribution. Congestion played havoc with the schedule with a one-way trip from Broadview to Dundas West peaking at about 90 minutes, over half an hour longer than the usual pm peak schedule time. Eastbound trips peaked well over an hour.
The principal delay was westbound through the core beginning at noon and lasting until about 5:00 pm. The Yonge-to-Peter link saw travel times triple from about 6 to 18 minutes and more between 2:00 and 3:00, while the Peter-to-Portland link rose from around 4 to over 12 minutes. Another large increase was in Parkdale where the Jameson-to-Marion link rose from 5 minutes to a peak of 14 at around 4:00 pm. A smaller rise also occurred on Roncesvalles itself.
Eastbound, the pattern was much different. Increases in link times can be seen on Roncesvalles and in the core Peter-to-Yonge link, but the changes, if any, elsewhere are much smaller.
The graphic timetable chart shows the onset of the congestion quit clearly as the slope of various segments changes dramatically from midday onward. Short-turns at every conceivable location become common, and service at the outer ends of the lines is very irregular.
Things settle down in the evening although the service is still somewhat irregular from the effects of the afternoon.
This is a good example of a day when the actual operating conditions completely overwhelm the service.
Westbound headways become quite extended through the afternoon and early evening due to extended running times. Several gaps of over 20 minutes go up Roncesvalles to Dundas West Station, and service east of Roncesvalles isn’t much better.
Eastbound headways are also disturbed with echoes of the northbound gaps coming south on Roncesvalles, and irregular service continuing over the rest of the line. The average headway is rarely below 6 minutes east of Parliament Street from 11:30 onward, and gaps over 15 minutes a common.
King Dec 22 Headways Westbound
King Dec 22 Headways Eastbound
Link times are unusual on this date because the peak does not occur when and where normal. For example, there is some increase in running time bothways on Roncesvalles from Queen to Bloor during the afternoon, but a much more marked rise westbound through Parkdale lasting about 4 hours.
Downtown, the Yonge to Peter segment sees an onset of longer westbound running times at noon, peaking just about 15:20 and falling back to normal by 18:00. A smaller peak occurs from Peter to Portland and smaller again from Portland to Crawford. Eastbound, there is some increase in running times between Peter and Yonge, but the effect is shorter and not as severe.
Note that there is no theatre/club district congestion in the evening.
Steve Munro 