Author: Steve

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Service Analysis of 512 St. Clair: January-February 2025

This article reviews the behaviour of service on 512 St. Clair during the first two months of 2025. This period was marked by an intense snow storm in mid-February that left many transit routes in disarray thanks to poor snow clearing.

Updated Mar. 21, 2025 at 10:30pm: The service chart for February 12, 2025, the first of the two major snow storms, has been added to this article.

Updated Mar. 22, 2025 at 1:00pm: Detailed charts of headways and travel times for February 12, 2025, have been added showing the consistency of travel times along the route even though headway quality deteriorated through the evening due to bunching.

The typical problem on four-lane roads was that snow was not removed to the curb causing parked cars to foul the streetcar tracks. Despite streetcar lines being “Snow Routes”, the signs were little more than decorations. The oft threatened but rarely practiced removal of cars for proper clearing did not occur, and some snow/ice banks remained until they eventually melted. Delays for blocked service occurred repeatedly well after the storms.

Another common problem was the absence of breaks in windrows (ploughed snow banks) at stops that lasted weeks after the snowfall. A few special cases had problems that were not addressed:

  • Where a street had permanent curb lane installations such as bump-outs for loading zones at stops, a windrow would be ploughed separating the streetcar lane from the waiting area making entry and exit from cars difficult, dangerous and in some cases impossible.
  • Where a bike lane occupied the curb lane, there would be a windrow between the streetcar and bike lanes blocking transit access.

While the City is officially responsible for snow clearing, the TTC was noticeably silent on a critical issue of operational reliability and passenger safety. They talk a good line about “safety”, but here, in a real crunch, the TTC did nothing beyond pleading by press release with motorists to not block the tracks.

The 512 St. Clair cars run in reserved lanes on a wider-than-usual Toronto street, and snow clearing was much less of an issue for them. Looking over the two-month period, we can see the benefit of a clear, protected right-of-way when many other routes were snarled or inoperative thanks to parked cars.

St. Clair is a relatively short route running between Yonge Street (St. Clair Station) and Keele Street (Gunn’s Loop). It loops through St. Clair West Station underground. In theory, this should provide four points — the two termini and the midpoint at St. Clair West both ways — where service could be regulated easily. Actual headway data show highly erratic service even during the pre-snow period.

By contrast, travel times along the route were consistent, with only small variations thanks to the storm, indicating that the snow was not a major problem. Of course, with a reserved lane, the TTC’s favourite chestnut about “congestion” could not be blamed for headway problems.

The charts in this article show both the travel times and headways (spacing between vehicles) for 512 St. Clair in January and February 2025, as well as detailed charts for specific days.

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TTC Audit & Risk Management Committee – March 24, 2025

This article was originally published with a title of “February”. It has been changed to “March”.

The TTC’s Audit & Risk Management Committee will meet on March 24 to discuss several items. The agenda includes:

  • TTC Internal Audit 2025 Audit Plan and Departmental Evaluation
  • City of Toronto Auditor General’s Report on TTC Non-Union Workforce Planning and Management

There is also a confidential update on the Fare Compliance Action Plan, but no hint of what this might entail.

The 2025 Audit Plan includes four areas for review including:

  • A review of the TTC’s customer-centric initiatives, performance metrics, and public reporting practices to ensure alignment with customer needs, operational best practices, and global transit standards.
  • A review of processes and controls over maintenance and rehabilitation of subway tunnels.

Follow-up reviews include:

  • […] implementation of various third-party Hydraulic Leak Investigation Recommendations

The Auditor General’s report covers many aspects of employee management including issues with retention, succession planning, employee satisfaction and complaint handling. There are profound problems with lack of confidence in the internal complaint handling process.

Departing employees gave very negative marks to the management and culture at TTC, and yet for the period from 2016 to 2024 there was no analysis or reporting on data from exit interviews. This is not surprising considering that the CEO during much of this time was not noted for his open, collegial manner, and critical reviews might have been embarrassing.

As a quick overview, there is an Audit at a Glance, but more troubling information is in the full report.

The Auditor General is silent on the number and cost of “resignations” that were accompanied by buy-outs and non-disclosure agreements that occurred throughout Rick Leary’s tenure as CEO. A difficulty in attracting staff would also be affected by a “poisoned work environment” at TTC which became fairly common knowledge.

I was deeply troubled by the Auditor General’s report because it reveals an organization with widespread problems in employee attitudes, and by extension a dysfunctional management-employee relationship. Long-time TTC watchers have been aware of issues, although getting comments on the record has been challenging. The TTC Board should be concerned at how this situation developed on their watch, and how complicit they are in allowing this decline. Any incoming CEO will face challenges to rebuild the esprit de corps within the TTC, on top of the many other problems our transit system faces.

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TTC Expands Fare Inspection to Bus Routes

The TTC has announced that effective Monday, March 17, fare inspection will occur on bus routes. However, unlike the streetcar system, this will be done at locations where bus passengers enter subway stations at fare-paid interchanges.

To maximize efficiency, inspections will be carried out on bus platforms at integrated stations where customers could be required to show proof-of-payment between exiting buses and entering the subway system.

Fare inspection on board buses is more challenging than on streetcars due to tighter circulation space, and on both modes is particularly difficult on crowded vehicles. A further wrinkle will be added when the new Lines 5 and 6 open because their cars have no on board fare equipment, and riders are expected to “tap on” using machines on platforms at surface stops unlike existing streetcar lines where riders can tap as they enter vehicles.

This type of inspection already occurs at streetcar/subway interchanges. While the tactic is “efficient”, it will not address fare evasion for trips that do not end at a station. The TTC regularly cites a $140-million annual loss to evasion. They give no estimate of the proportion of losses bus-to-subway transfer trips represent, nor the net revenue they expect to obtain after allowing for the cost of inspectors.

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A Sign Of Life on Line 5 Eglinton

The TTC work signup is now in progress for the schedule period starting March 30.

It includes a signup for the Eglinton LRT for non-revenue simulation training.

Now if only we could get Metrolinx to give a clear indication of an opening date. They did once claim that there would be a three-month pre-opening period. We will see just how long “three months” is.

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TTC Hillcrest Update: March 2025

The project to reconfigure Harvey Shops at TTC’s Hillcrest facility was formally launched today. The work involves rejuvenation of the 100-year old property so that it can host up to 25 streetcars serving 512 St. Clair and, at least to some extent, 511 Bathurst greatly reducing dead-head time from carhouses for these routes.

This change in use is triggered by the new longer cars and the shift of major streetcar maintenance to Leslie Barns which is designed for them. Hillcrest was built in an era of Peter Witts, later PCCs, that are half the length.

See also:

This project is long overdue because the extra capacity is needed for streetcars to be delivered over the coming year. The situation is compounded by the loss of capacity at Russell Carhouse where major reconstruction is still incomplete. The TTC has improved overnight streetcar service as a means of “storing” surplus cars, although this has the added benefit of generating new riding and providing more convenient service for users of the night routes.

The Hillcrest project will be done in two phases allowing it to begin carhouse operation before the planned end date in 2029.

The eastern portion of the shops will be converted so that tracks run through from north to south. The current arrangement is oriented south to north, and most car movement within the building uses a transfer table to shift cars between the entry at the east side of the building and stub tracks further west.

The views below look west along the transfer table runway from the east side of the building in 2012 when CLRVs were the dominant form of vehicle. The runway will be filled in, and tracks which are now separated by it will be connected to provide a through route.

And here are views in earlier days showing the transfer table itself, and Peter Witt 2894 undergoing restoration for Tour Tram service. (This car is now at the Halton County Radial Railway Museum.)

Tracks around Harvey Shops will be reconfigured to provide a clockwise loop rather than the counter-clockwise arrangement now in place. Most of the storage area will be east of the building replacing some employee parking.

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TTC Board Meeting: February 24, 2025

The TTC Board met on February 24, 2025 with an agenda that seemed light going in, but the meeting itself ran well into the afternoon partly due to a long in camera discussion and partly to debates that expanded the scope of the items on the agenda.

Reports of interest:

    No Strategy for the TTC?

    Notable by its absence was a report on establishment of a Strategic Planning Committee, an item approved by the Board on January 10 with an implementation plan due at the February 24 meeting. (See minutes at p. 3) Such a committee is vital so that consultation and planning can occur before and while the 2026 budget is in preparation, a process that gets underway in roughly June-July each year. If there is to be some brave new vision of what transit can become, there is no point in asking that it be included in an already final budget in December.

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    Subway Reduced Speed Zone Update: Feb 2025

    Revised at 6:30 pm on February 23, 2025: Additional RSZ charts posted to the Urban Toronto site over the past year were passed on to me by a reader. I have incorporated info from them into the charts below to fill in several blanks in my own data.

    For roughly one year, the TTC has published a list of reduced speed zones (RSZ) on the subway system. Many of these are long-lasting and span multiple stations.

    In recent discussions of service quality, TTC management speaks of twelve zones as a reasonable number to exist at any time. Things will go out of whack, or otherwise need repair, to be sure, but the number and longevity of RSZs is extremely frustrating for riders.

    As with some other performance indices, the one chosen by the TTC only tells part of the story, even if we agree (which I do not) that having 12 RSZs is perfectly acceptable. What this number does not tell is the extent of each slow order (mileage or proportion of the line affected) or duration (days, weeks, months). Indeed, TTC could get the number down to two simply by making all of Lines 1 and 2 an RSZ. That is obviously nonsense, but shows the problem inherent in just counting items in a list.

    The charts below show the areas with RSZs for the two major subway lines over the past year. I was not assiduously collecting this information every week, and used the Internet Archive to fill in a few gaps. Where there is a break of more than a week in my snapshots, I have left a blank line in the chart, although the similarity of data before and after the break suggests that the RSZs persisted.

    Most striking about these charts is the proportion of Line 1 that has been under an RSZ for the past year. Some problem areas appear and disappear implying that the problem was minor and fixed quickly, but others are permanent.

    A common factor among many of the affected areas is that they are in open areas where track sits on ties and ballast. These are subject to shifting and deterioration far more so than track in tunnels that is bolted to the concrete floor, or sitting on concrete ties (except for switches and crossings). This makes repairs more complex compounded by the problems of working in winter. However, these areas have been on the chart since long before the snow, and a real problem for the TTC is whether repairs can even be achieved in weekend shutdowns.

    There are many problems with how the TTC reports is own performance, notably that problems are understated or masked by the choice of metric and presentation. A further concern from these charts is whether the TTC will ever dig itself out of the backlog of work they represent.

    Reading the charts:

    • The colour bands extend from the limits of a slow order as shown on TTC maps or text descriptions.
    • The symbols “>” and “<” indicate the affected direction of travel, and “<>” means “both ways”.

    I will update these charts from time to time to show the TTC’s progress, or not, in resolution of chronic subway slow zone problems.

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    King/Church Construction Diversions and Transit Priority Plans

    From May until early Fall, the TTC and City of Toronto will rebuild an aging water main and track at the intersection of King & Church Streets. A report before Toronto & East York Community Council on February 20, 2025, details plans for service diversions and transit priority measures.

    There are two general plans for this project: the first is for phases when the intersection remains open for east-west traffic, and the second for the period when it will be closed. Note that the planned diversions are not the same as in the recent Annual Service Plan. Significant changes are the provision of service to the Distillery District replacing the 504A streetcar with the 504C bus, and the extension of 503 Kingston Road west to Dufferin Loop as opposed to the originally planned McCaul Loop.

    Service along Queen Street between River and Spadina will substantially increase with the routes normally on King diverted to the north. Buses will operate as a streetcar replacement.

    Traffic restrictions such as parking and turning permissions will change to provide more capacity for transit. Although the report cites the use of traffic wardens and changes to signal timings, it is silent on provisions for the much increased volume of streetcar turns at intersections where no priority signals exist today. (I await feedback from the City on exactly what they propose.)

    The entire stretch of Queen Street as well as the Richmond/Adelaide diversion will not be used for CaféTO installations to conserve road space.

    As part of this plan, a reserved lane will be created for streetcars eastbound approaching Broadview on Queen, and left turns by other traffic will be banned there.

    Restrictions will be in effect from May 11 to October 14, 2025, although the City project is planned to run until August. Streetcar service could return in September, but this will depend on TTC plans for overhead reconstruction on King Street East and on the Sumach/Cherry branch to the Distillery District.

    Details of routes and planned changes to traffic regulations follow in the full version of this article.

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    Queens Quay East Bus Lane Proposal

    Updated Feb 18, 2025 at 12:55pm: A TTC report with more extensive information about the proposal was posted today as part of the Board’s agenda for February 24. Information from that report has been merged into this article.

    In the long wait for any kind of transit improvement for the eastern waterfront, the City of Toronto and TTC now plan to install reserved bus lanes on Queens Quay between Bay and Parliament Streets. A short stretch is also proposed for Front Street between Bay and Yonge Streets eastbound.

    The proposal would add red lanes:

    • eastbound on Queens Quay from Jarvis to Parliament,
    • westbound on Queens Quay from Parliament to Bay, and
    • eastbound on Front from Bay to Yonge.

    The Martin Goodman Trail (cycling) will not be affected. A new westbound right turn lane will be added on Queens Quay at Jarvis. Parking spaces will be removed on Front east of Bay Street.

    Updated Feb. 18, 2025: Maps of the proposed changes to Queens Quay and to Front Street are included in the TTC report.

    There is more reservation westbound on Queens Quay than eastbound, and that is the direction with the worst congestion problems. The south side offers less space for creation of a bus lane, and in some cases there might be lane narrowing to free up space for the north side.

    The reserved lane westbound is generally in the curb lane, but between Sherbourne and Jarvis it will be the second from the curb. The curb lane will be dedicated to right turns given the high demand for this at Jarvis. With this change, the westbound stop at Richardson Street will be removed. The lane disappears between Cooper and Yonge Streets due to space constraints, but reappears west of Yonge in an area now used for Motorcoach loading.

    On Front Street, although this is a “red lane”, the intent is for storage of up to five buses, not for speedy travel. Moreover, the bus stop will be shifted further east adding to the walking distance for riders to Union Station.

    The accessible loading zone will shift west behind the bus layby. The layby area is now occupied by ten parking spaces which will be removed. This area will be shared by 114 Queens Quay, 19 Bay and 202 Cherry Beach.

    For further details on the proposal, please see the TTC Report at pp 12-15.

    [End of Feb. 18 update]

    The area is now served, albeit infrequently, by a mix of routes that can often be snarled in traffic. The intent is to save up to five minutes travel time between Bay and Parliament. The reserved lanes will also host future improved service to developments on the eastern waterfront pending construction of the planned, but long-delayed Waterfront East LRT.

    • In May 2024, 114 Queens Quay replaced the southern end of 19 Bay which now terminates at Front Street. From a loop via Front, Yonge, Wellington and Bay it runs south on Bay then east on Queens Quay into the Port Lands. The 114 operates every 10 minutes in peak periods, 12-15 minutes at other times. This is the primary route serving waterfront developments.
    • 202 Cherry Beach (summer months only) runs from the same downtown loop as the 119 and follows its route as far as Parliament where it shifts north to serve the Distillery District. The 202 then turns south via Cherry Street to a loop at Cherry Beach. In summer 2024, this route operated every 20-30 minutes with no service in the AM peak.
    • 75 Sherbourne has a south end loop via Sherbourne, Queens Quay, Jarvis and The Esplanade. It operates every 6-8 minutes during weekday daytime, and 20 minutes or more during most other periods.
    • 65 Parliament loops at the George Brown Campus on Queens Quay. (This loop was the former eastern terminus of 19 Bay). It operates every 8-9 minutes during peak periods, 13-15 minutes at other times. Overnight service is provided every half hour by 365 Parliament.

    The service between Union Station and the waterfront on 114 Queens Quay is not on a par with other routes that have dedicated lanes, and real improvement in accessibility of the waterfront will only come with much better service and eventually the LRT link via the Bay Street tunnel. A recommendation and decision on staging of the LRT should come to Council and the TTC later in 2025, but the project is not funded.

    Public consultation will be held via a survey that is active until Thursday, February 20, and via three sessions:

    • Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. This session was held via webex.
    • Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at the George Brown Waterfront Campus:
      • 3 – 5 p.m. A pop-up event will occur in the main lobby.
      • 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. An in person session in the 2nd floor main auditorium, room 237.

    This page will be updated when more information is available.

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    Streetcar Reduced Speed Zones

    The TTC has added a section for streetcars to its list of speed zone restrictions. As of February 17, TTC claims that there are only five of them.

    LocationAffected Routes (per TTC)
    Dundas St. at the DVP Bridge505
    Bathurst St. at Bridgeman Ave. (*)511
    King & Church Intersection503/303, 504/304
    Queen St. E. & Degrassi St. (*)501/301
    Queens Quay from York to the Harbourfront Tunnel (*)509
    (*) Seasonal restriction during winter.

    This table is inaccurate on so many counts it is embarrassing.

    • Bridgman (the correct spelling) actually refers to the underpass north of Dupont Street at the CPR. This is non-revenue trackage used primarily by 512 St. Clair cars entering and leaving service. The 511 Bathurst car does not run this far north.
    • King & Church also hosts the 508 Lake Shore car and 501 Queen cars when they cannot divert via Richmond/Adelaide.
    • Queen & De Grassi (the correct spelling) is near an overpass on the GO Lake Shore East corridor. The 503/303 services also operate here, not to mention carhouse trips to Leslie Barns for other routes.
    • Queens Quay is also used by 510/310 Spadina when the route operates with streetcars.

    After repair work on Dundas Street, the slow order was lifted but has mysteriously returned.

    Updated Feb. 17/25 at 6:20pm: I have been advised by a reader that the Dundas slow order is due to noise complaints from a neighbouring resident, not due to track conditions, and that the complaint came via the local Councillor. Streetcars have operated here for over a century. If there is are issues with rough track or broken joints causing new noise, then fix them.

    This may seem as if I’m quibbling, but there is a much longer list of permanent speed restrictions in effect:

    • All facing point switches have a mandatory stop to check their setting.
    • All special work (switches, crossings) are operated at low speed until the rear of the car clears the junction.
    • All underpasses are operated at low speed. This is a holdover from trolley pole operation lest a dewirement damage the car and/or overhead.
    • In theory, streetcars are not supposed to pass at junctions lest one of them derail and strike the other. In practice only junior operators following all of the rules observe this.
    • Where reserved lanes cross roads such as on The Queensway, streetcars are to operate at low speed lest an auto make a left turn in front of them.

    These practices have accumulated over time in the name of safety, a TTC watchword that in at least some cases is a cover for lack of maintenance.

    Problems with misbehaving electric switches go back three decades to controllers installed to deal with streetcars of different lengths (CLRVs and ALRVs). These were always problematic, and the TTC is only now working through their replacement. That capital project has been on the books for years.

    The track at Church & King is long overdue for replacement and this is finally scheduled for 2025. There have been enough intersections with problematic trackwork that a blanket slow order is easier to implement than an ever-changing site-specific list. This affects streetcar service everywhere because the TTC network has so many crossings.

    Some errors in the TTC’s list are trivial, but they show that whoever built it does not know the system. The obvious concern is the accuracy of other defect lists for TTC infrastructure and vehicles. The SRT derailment and various subway incidents revealed issues with rapid transit inspection and maintenance. Why can the TTC not accurately report the condition of their own system? They have a substantial “Enterprise Asset Management System”, but this is only as good as the information fed to it.

    The City and TTC seek a new CEO for our transit system. One early job for the “lucky” candidate will be to look under a lot of rocks to see just what the state of the system is, and how much has been missed or hidden from sight.