Toronto and York Radial Railway

Last updated
Toronto and York Radial Railway
Toronto and York Radial Railway vehicle, circa 1921.jpg
Radial car on the Metropolitan line, circa 1921
Overview
HeadquartersToronto
Locale Toronto
Dates of operation19041921 (T&YRR)
1922–1927 (HER)
1927–1948 (TTC)
Technical
Track gauge 4 ft 10+78 in (1,495 mm)
4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification Trolley wire, 550-600 V DC

The Toronto and York Radial Railway was a transit operator providing services to the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was a subsidiary of the Toronto Railway Company. [1] The company was created by merging four Toronto-area interurban operations. The company was part of the empire of railway entrepreneurs Sir William Mackenzie and Donald Mann which included the Canadian Northern Railway and the parent Toronto Railway Company. The line was abandoned by the TTC in 1948.

Contents

Lines

The table lists the 4 lines composing the T&YRR. Each line became a separate division of the T&YRR except for the Schomberg and Aurora which was a branch of the Metropolitan Division. Click on the predecessor company name for further details about each line. In 1904, the four predecessor companies were merged to form the Toronto and York Radial Railway.

LinePredecessor company
that created the line
Maximum extent of line under T&YRRLine
Opened
Line
Closed
Metropolitan
(Lake Simcoe)
Metropolitan Street Railway CPR midtown line – Sutton 18851930
Schomberg and Aurora Schomberg and Aurora Railway Schomberg Junction (Oak Ridges, south of Aurora) – Schomberg 19041927
Mimico Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company SunnysidePort Credit 18921935
Scarboro (Scarborough) Toronto and Scarboro' Electric Railway, Light and Power Company Kingston Road & Queen Street – West Hill 18931936

Timeline

Timetable effective November 1919 for Toronto divisions of the T&YRR service Toronto and York Radial Railway, Time Table for Metropolitan, Mimico and Scarboro divisions, 1919.pdf
Timetable effective November 1919 for Toronto divisions of the T&YRR service

Pre-T&YRR era (1885–1904)

Events prior to the merger creating the T&YRR in 1904

In 1885, the Metropolitan Street Railway Company of Toronto (incorporated March 2, 1877, renamed Metropolitan Railway Company in 1897) started a horsecar line on Yonge Street. [2]

On September 1890, electric service began on the Metropolitan line. [2]

On 16 July 16, 1892, the Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company (incorporated November 14, 1890) began initial service between Sunnyside (Toronto) and the Humber River. [2]

On July 1, 1893, the Toronto and Scarboro' Electric Railway, Light and Power Company (incorporated August 18, 1892) started electric, radial operations. [2]

On July 5, 1893, the Toronto Railway Company acquired controlling interest in the Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company. [2]

On July 10, 1893, the Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company extended service from Humber River to Mimico Creek, and further to Etobicoke Creek (Long Branch) on September 29, 1893. [2]

On March 6, 1895, the Toronto Railway Company acquired controlling interest in the Toronto and Scarboro' Electric Railway, Light and Power Company. [2]

By 1899, the Metropolitan line was extended to Aurora and Newmarket. [2]

In 1903, Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company changed its name to the Toronto and Mimico Railway Company. [2]

Mackenzie & Mann era (1904–1921)

Events when the T&YRR was under the control of William Mackenzie and Donald Mann

On August 1, 1904, the T&YRR merged four rail operations, converting them into three T&YRR divisions, with the Metropolitan Division having a branch line: [3]

In 1904, regular passenger service started on the Schomberg and Aurora Branch of the T&YRR's Metropolitan Division. At this time, the line operated with steam trains. [3]

On December 24, 1905, the Mimico line was extended from Long Branch to Port Credit. [2]

On June 1, 1907, the T&YRR opened a 40 km (25 mi) extension of the Metropolitan line from Newmarket to Jackson's Point. [3]

On January 1, 1909, the T&YRR opened a 2.4 km (1.5 mi) extension of the Metropolitan line from Jackson's Point to Sutton. [3]

On June 25, 1915, a City of Toronto work team ripped up the tracks of the Metropolitan Line along Yonge Street from the CPR crosstown line north to Farnham Avenue. This was a result of a dispute between the city led by Mayor Tommy Church and the T&YRR. Mayor Church complained about the "inadequate services provided by the Mackenzie-Mann traction companies" which included the Toronto Railway Company as well as the T&YRR. This was the first contraction of the T&YRR, albeit only 400 metres (1,300 ft) long. [4]

In 1916, electrification of the Schomberg and Aurora Branch was completed. [3]

In 1921, a plebiscite approved the purchase by the City of Toronto of the Toronto Railway Company and the T&YRR. [4] The Toronto Transportation Commission was to operate all radial lines within the city limits. [5]

On September 1, 1921, the TTC took over operation of all streetcar operations in the city, and shortly after took control those portions of the Scarboro and Mimico radial within the city limits. [5]

By fall, 1921, the TTC took over the portion of the Metropolitan line on Yonge Street south of Glen Echo Road (at the city limit). [5]

Hydro Electric era (1922–1927)

Events when the T&YRR was managed by Hydro-Electric Railways

In August, 1922, the City of Toronto formally acquired the T&YRR lines. [6]

On November 1, 1922, operation of the T&YRR was taken over by Hydro Electric Power Commission of Ontario and run as the Hydro-Electric Railways: Toronto and York Division. [2] Hydro made improvements to both the Metropolitan and Mimico lines. [6]

At the end of 1923, the T&YRR under Hydro management had a deficit. The City blamed Hydro mismanagement. Hydro blamed the TTC's acquisition of the profitable portions of the radial lines within the city limits. [6]

By 1925, Toronto City Council felt that integrating the radials within TTC operations would produce efficiency by avoiding duplication of carhouses and shops, by allowing the transfer of vehicles between radial and city lines to meet passenger demand, and by having firmer control over expenditures. [6]

TTC era (1927–1948)

Events when the TTC operated the T&YRR lines

On January 12, 1927, the Toronto Transportation Commission started operating the T&YRR lines under contract with operations being the responsibility of the TTC's new Radial Department. [7] Along with 3 radial lines, the TTC acquired 54 double-ended radial cars. [8] The TTC now operated the second largest electric railway in North America with 585 kilometres (364 mi) of lines. [6]

In June 1927, the Schomberg line was closed. [2]

On March 16, 1930, the TTC closed the Metropolitan line. [6]

On July 17, 1930, the TTC reopened a portion of the defunct Lake Shore line between Richmond Hill and Toronto as the North Yonge Railways. This line was owned by area municipalities and operated under contract by the TTC. [2]

On February 9, 1935, the Long Branch-Port Credit radial service ended. [2]

On June 25, 1936, the Scarborough radial service ended. [2]

On October 9, 1948, service was terminated on the North Yonge Railways, the last surviving Toronto radial. [2]

Track gauge

Both Toronto gauge and standard gauge were used. The T&Y radial lines did not use a common gauge until the TTC took over the operation of the surviving lines in 1927 in order to connect the radial lines to the Toronto streetcar system.

The Metropolitan radial line started off with Toronto gauge in 1885, but switched to standard gauge after the Metropolitan Street Railway Company received provincial permission in 1895 to use any gauge it pleased. Standard gauge allowed the Metropolitan to exchange freight cars with steam railways. [9] When the TTC took over the line in 1927, it converted the line to Toronto gauge but built a short section of four-rail, dual-gauge track in Aurora to deliver freight cars to a factory there. [7]

The Mimico radial line used Toronto gauge until 1922 when the Hydro-Electric Railways converted the line to standard gauge. When the TTC took over the line in 1927, it converted the line back to Toronto gauge. [6]

The Scarboro radial line used only Toronto gauge throughout its years of operations.

The Schomberg and Aurora line used only standard gauge throughout its years of operations.

Electrical system

The system initially used 550 volts DC [10] and later 600v DC, allowing the system to run into Toronto (the Toronto network runs at 600v DC). [11]

Comments

Unlike the city systems, the radial (interurban) operators used larger rail cars.

Radial routes ceased due to introduction of inter-urban buses and new highways that allowed for better access to many areas served by rail service.

Rail service returned to some of the communities served by the T&YRR by regional rail service of GO Transit in the 1970s.

Other Toronto area lines controlled by Sir William Mackenzie

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halton County Radial Railway</span> Railway museum / Heritage railway in Milton, Ontario

The Halton County Radial Railway is a working museum of electric streetcars, other railway vehicles, buses and trolleybuses. It is operated by the Ontario Electric Railway Historical Association (OERHA). It is focused primarily on the history of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and its predecessor, the Toronto Transportation Commission, Its collection includes PCC, Peter Witt, CLRV and ALRV, and earlier cars from the Toronto streetcar system as well as G-series and M-series Toronto subway cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Street Railway</span> Streetcar operator in Toronto, Canada, from 1861 to 1891

The Toronto Street Railway (TSR) was the operator of a horse-drawn streetcar system from 1861 to 1891 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its successor, the Toronto Railway Company, inherited the horsecar system and electrified it between 1892 and 1894.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Railway Company</span> Streetcar operator in Toronto, Canada, between 1891 and 1921

The Toronto Railway Company (TRC) was the operator of the streetcar system in Toronto between 1891 and 1921. It electrified the horsecar system it inherited from the Toronto Street Railway, the previous operator of streetcar service in Toronto. The TRC was also a manufacturer of streetcars and rail work vehicles, a few of which were built for other streetcar and radial operators.

The Toronto Suburban Railway was a Canadian electric railway operator with local routes in west Toronto, and a radial (interurban) route to Guelph.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Civic Railways</span> Streetcar operator in Toronto, Canada, from 1912 to 1921

Toronto Civic Railways (TCR) was a streetcar operator created and owned by the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to serve newly annexed areas of the city that the private operator Toronto Railway Company refused to serve. When the Toronto Railway Company's franchise expired in 1921, its services were combined with those of the Toronto Civic Railways, and are now assumed by the new Toronto Transportation Commission (TTC). The first route of the TCR started operation on December 18, 1912.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan line (Toronto)</span> Toronto railway electric radial line

The Metropolitan line in the Toronto area, operated by the Metropolitan Street Railway, started out as a local horsecar line and transformed itself into an electric radial line extending to Lake Simcoe, following an old stage coach route. In 1904, the railway was acquired by the Toronto and York Radial Railway (T&YRR) and became the T&YRR Metropolitan Division. In 1922, the City of Toronto acquired the T&YRR and contracted Ontario Hydro to manage the four T&YRR lines including the Metropolitan. In 1927, the TTC took over the operation of the Metropolitan Line to Sutton, and renamed it the Lake Simcoe line. In 1930, the TTC closed the Metropolitan Line but shortly reopened the portion between Glen Echo and Richmond Hill operating it as the North Yonge Railways until 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Yonge Railways</span>

The North Yonge Railways was a radial railway line operated by the Toronto Transportation Commission from 1930 to 1948 between Glen Echo (Toronto) and Richmond Hill. The line was created by reopening the southern portion of the TTC's Lake Simcoe radial line that had closed in 1930.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Transportation Commission</span> Former public transit operator in Toronto, Canada

Toronto Transportation Commission (TTC) was the public transit operator in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, beginning in 1921. It operated buses, streetcars and the island ferries. The system was renamed the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) in 1954.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Toronto Transit Commission</span>

The history of public transportation in Toronto in Canada dates back to the middle 19th century under many different private companies, organizations and owners, which were all later unified as a single government-run entity during the 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto and Scarboro' Electric Railway, Light and Power Company</span> Former railcar company in Toronto

Toronto and Scarboro' Electric Railway, Light and Power Company was established in August 1892 to provide street railway service to the Upper Beaches district within the City of Toronto, Ontario and to the neighbouring Township of Scarborough. Except for two branches, the line ran as a radial along Kingston Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company</span> Former operator of the Mimico radial line in Toronto

The Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company was incorporated in 1890, and operated the Mimico radial line in the Toronto area. The line started operation in 1892 as a short suburban line that later was extended to Port Credit. In 1904, the railway was acquired by the Toronto and York Radial Railway (T&YRR) and became the T&YRR Mimico Division. In 1922, the City of Toronto acquired the T&YRR and contracted Ontario Hydro to manage the four T&YRR lines including the Mimico line. In 1927, the TTC took over the operation of the Mimico line and extended its service eastward to Roncesvalles Avenue. In 1928, the TTC double-tracked the line from Humber to Long Branch and made that portion part of the Lake Shore streetcar line. The portion beyond Long Branch to Port Credit became the Port Credit line, and continued operation as a single-track radial line until its closure on February 9, 1935.

The Toronto radial lines were interurban lines radiating from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. All are now defunct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schomberg and Aurora Railway</span>

The Schomberg and Aurora Railway was a 36 km long railway in Ontario, Canada, running from the town of Schomberg to Oak Ridges, just south of Aurora. It connected Schomberg to the Metropolitan Line of the Toronto and York Radial Railway (T&YRR) tram service running along Yonge Street, and from there into the Toronto city proper. The service ran for 25 years between 1902 and 1927; the rails were pulled up shortly thereafter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bingham Loop</span>

Bingham Loop is a station and turning loop at the eastern terminus of the 503 Kingston Rd streetcar lines of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It lies between Victoria Park Avenue and Bingham Avenue, just north of Kingston Road in Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roncesvalles Carhouse</span> Storage and maintenance facility for streetcars in Toronto, Canada

The Roncesvalles Carhouse is a storage and maintenance facility for the streetcar network of the Toronto Transit Commission. Located at the northwest corner of the Queensway and Roncesvalles Avenue in Toronto, Ontario, west of its downtown core, it is the oldest of the TTC's three active carhouses. The carhouse serves vehicles on routes 501 Queen, 504 King, 505 Dundas, 506 Carlton, 511 Bathurst, and 512 St. Clair.

Beginning operation in 1861, the Yonge streetcar line was the first streetcar line in Toronto and the first in Canada. It started off as a horsecar line and closed in 1954 operating two-unit trains of Peter Witt motors pulling a trailer. Under the Toronto Transportation Commission, the Yonge line was the busiest and most congested streetcar line in the city leading to its replacement in 1954 by the Yonge Subway line, also Toronto's first and the first in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public transportation in Toronto</span>

Public transportation in the Canadian city of Toronto dates back to 1849 with the creation of a horse-drawn stagecoach company. Today, Toronto's mass transit is primarily made up of a system of subways, buses, and streetcars, covering approximately 1,200 km (750 mi) of routes operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and inter-regional commuter rail and bus service provided by GO Transit.

The Canadian National Electric Railways (CNER) was a subsidiary of the Canadian National Railways created to operate a few electric lines. It was formed in November 1923, with headquarters in Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto-gauge railways</span> Railway track gauge (1495 mm)

Toronto-gauge railways are tram and rapid transit lines built to Toronto gauge, a broad gauge of 4 ft 10+78 in. This is 2+38 in (60 mm) wider than standard gauge of 4 ft 8+12 in which is by far the most common track gauge in Canada. The gauge is unique to the Greater Toronto Area and is currently used on the Toronto streetcar system and the Toronto subway, both operated by the Toronto Transit Commission. As well, the Halton County Radial Railway, a transport museum, uses the Toronto gauge so its rail line can accommodate its collection of Toronto streetcars and subway trains. Several now-defunct interurban rail systems also once used this gauge.

References

  1. History of Regional Transit at Toronto, Ontario
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Wyatt, David A. "History of Regional Transit in Toronto, Ontario" . Retrieved 2016-05-01.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Robert M. Stamp (1989). Riding the Radials, Toronto's Suburban Electric Streetcar Lines. The Boston Mills Press. ISBN   1-55046-008-0 . Retrieved 2016-04-16. Chapter 5 - The Toronto & York Radial Railway
  4. 1 2 Robert M. Stamp (1989). Riding the Radials, Toronto's Suburban Electric Streetcar Lines. The Boston Mills Press. ISBN   1-55046-008-0 . Retrieved 2016-04-16. Chapter 7 - Tommy Church vs. William Mackenzie
  5. 1 2 3 Robert M. Stamp (1989). Riding the Radials, Toronto's Suburban Electric Streetcar Lines. The Boston Mills Press. ISBN   1-55046-008-0 . Retrieved 2016-04-16. Chapter 8 - Hydro Radials, Clean-Up Deals, and Waterfront Grabs
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Robert M. Stamp (1989). Riding the Radials, Toronto's Suburban Electric Streetcar Lines. The Boston Mills Press. ISBN   1-55046-008-0 . Retrieved 2016-04-16. Chapter 9 - Who Wants to Run the Radials?
  7. 1 2 John F. Bromley (1979). TTC '28; the electric railway services of the Toronto Transportation Commission in 1928. Upper Canada Railway Society. pp. 10–12: The Radial Network, pp. 14: TTC Freight Operations. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
  8. John F. Bromley and Jack May (1973). 50 Years of Progressive Transit. Electric Railroaders' Association. pp.  39. ISBN   9781550024487 . Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  9. Robert M. Stamp (1989). Riding the Radials, Toronto's Suburban Electric Streetcar Lines. The Boston Mills Press. ISBN   1-55046-008-0 . Retrieved 2016-04-16. Chapter 2 - The Mighty Metropolitan Moves North
  10. "The Metropolitan Electric Railway". Canadian Electrical News and Steam Engineering Journal. Vol. 13, no. 6. Toronto. June 1903. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  11. "Toronto and York Radial Railway Group". Toronto and York Radial Railway Group on facebook. Retrieved March 11, 2019. Yes, all the Toronto lines ran at 500 to 600V DC with one exception. The Toronto Suburban line to Guelph ran on 1500V DC from Keele and St Clair until it hit the streets of Gur...streets of Guelph on its way to the GT/CN station. For that short distance, it ran on the city system voltage of 500 to 600 Volts. It was not considered good practice to have 1500V over city streets in case the overhead came down but there were some exceptions.
Preceded by
None
Public Transit in Toronto - interurban street car
1904-1927
Succeeded by

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