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An Unusual Visitor to 509 Harbourfront

For a few hours today, July 1, the TTC operated not only PCC 4500 but also Peter Witt 2766 back and forth along the Harbourfront route. Here are a few photos for those who could not catch this rare event.

The parade of four cars made a bit of a mess of service during a very busy day a the waterfront thanks to the so-called transit priority signals that simply could not deal with that many cars trying to operate close together. All the same, it was good to see the old cars out for a spin.

6 thoughts on “An Unusual Visitor to 509 Harbourfront”

  1. Now if they were single-occupant and making a left turn, they would be able to handle maybe 3 or four to make that left turn. lol (not really)

    Steve: Yes. We can have a detector to sense whether there are still cars in a left turn queue, but we can’t do the same for a lineup of streetcars. Remember that we’re living in the 21st century!

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  2. Steve wrote: “We can have a detector to sense whether there are still cars in a left turn queue, but we can’t do the same for a lineup of streetcars. Remember that we’re living in the 21st century!”

    I totally agree, Steve. There is no reason why the TTC cannot do a better job with this if the City would play ball. I noticed this two weeks ago when I tried (and failed) to get pictures of a PCC on the 509. At Fleet and Strachan, the TTC streetcar light would only last for one streetcar. It was not an issue the day I was there, but it could be at other times when there are two (or more) streetcars trying to get across Strachan.

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  4. With cuts, cuts, and more cuts to the operation budget forced upon the TTC by Mayor Tory (and former Mayor Ford) there is very little the TTC can do. The TTC is already the most efficient transit agency, making do with the lowest subsidy, but the politicians still want more cuts. That is why the TTC can’t make streetcars operate better, with little or no funds to fix the track switches or to make better use of or get more detectors or GPS technology.

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  5. Ooooh! Nostalgia time. I’m old enough to have actually ridden a Peter Witt car in regular service along Davenport Road. (You, too?)

    Deb

    Steve: Not on Davenport. Bay, I think.

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  6. If she was taking me down to Eatons/Simpsons/Northways, Mom and I used to travel up and down Yonge on the old Witt cars, before the subway! On winter days, the snow would whirl around its single dim light, which was a joy to finally make out! It could be a slow go up to St Clair. The trips always fascinated me as a little kid.

    They also had a coal stove in the middle.

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