The Toronto Rocket (TR) is the fifth and latest series of rapid transit rolling stock used in the subway system of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Owned and operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), the trains were built by Bombardier Transportation in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada to replace the last remaining H-series trains as well as increase capacity for the Spadina subway extension to Vaughan. They operate in a six-car configuration on Line 1 Yonge-University and a four-car configuration on Line 4 Sheppard. The sets are based out of Wilson and Davisville Yards.
The TR series is the newer of the two currently active series of rolling stock on the heavy-rail lines in the Toronto subway network, featuring a completely new design based on the Movia family of trains. They are notable as the first subway trains in North America equipped with full-open gangways, which allows passengers to see and walk through the entire length of the train. They are currently the only ones in Toronto compatible with the communications-based train control (CBTC) system, which will replace the current signaling system in several phases on Lines 1 and 4 between 2017 and 2019 (starting with the Line 1 extension to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre due to open on December 17, 2017) and also has the ability to operate with one staffer (a system that is currently in place on Lines 3 and 4) who plays the dual role of driving the train and opening/closing the doors.
The trains were designated under the production name as T35A08 before the name "Toronto Rocket" was chosen through a contest open to the public. They are jointly funded by the City of Toronto (via Toronto Transportation Services), the Province of Ontario (via the Ministry of Transportation), and the Government of Canada (via Transport Canada).
Video Toronto Rocket
History
The initial order was signed in 2006 for the delivery of 234 cars, making 39 six-car fixed trains, which allowed for the retirement of the H4 and H5 subway cars. Delivery was expected to begin in late 2009, and they were scheduled to enter passenger service in early 2010. However, delivery was delayed by the bankruptcy of a key part manufacturer, Curtis Doors, which was to install door components for the TTC's TR subway trains.
On May 6, 2010, the TTC voted to exercise a contract option with Bombardier for an additional 186 cars, making 31 six-car fixed train sets. This allowed for the retirement of the older H6 series trains, and to have enough TR trains to meet future ridership demands for the opening of the Spadina Subway extension to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (signed as "Vaughan" on the TR train's exterior destination signs for brevity), which was then scheduled for opening in mid-2015 (in time for the opening of that summer's Pan Am Games). However, the opening of the extension has since been delayed until December 17, 2017.
On October 1, 2010, the first train set (5391-5396) was delivered to Wilson Yard. It was unveiled to the public and media at Sheppard West station (formerly Downsview station) on October 14, 2010.
Between October 2010 and July 2011, the TR trains underwent a series of testing and training runs on Line 1. The first TR trainset (5411-5416) entered passenger service on Line 1 on July 21, 2011. A further 10 train sets (60 cars) were authorized in March 2014 to bring the total to 160 six-car train sets and 840 cars. In March 2015, the TTC reported that the T1 trains running on Line 4 would have to be replaced with TR trains before conversion of Line 1 to automatic train control (ATC) in 2020, and that TTC would report soon on the option of converting an existing six-car train to a four-car train to test One Person Train Operation (OPTO) (which was in place on the ICTS trains on Line 3 Scarborough since its inception). They entered service on Line 4 on May 30, 2016 with two crew members, before switching over to OPTO on October 9, 2016.
In the summer of 2016, some TR trains were used on Line 2 to address the shortage of T1s caused by faulty air-conditioning units.
Maps Toronto Rocket
Design
The TR series trains are similar to that of the T-series cars, also built by Bombardier in the same facility, but have several new features that make them more accessible and user-friendly for passengers. They include:
- A four or six-car fixed configuration with full open interior gangways, departing from the married pair of previous models, allowing riders to move freely from one end to the other. This led to an increase in capacity by 10% on the lines in which they were used.
- Double the number of accessible seats for passengers using mobility aids per car compared to the T-series, with automatic flip-up seats to accommodate devices such as walkers, wheelchairs, bicycles and strollers. These are marked with exterior blue lights on each car adjacent to the doorway nearest to the accessible seating area. As with all TTC vehicles, these designated priority seats are covered in blue velour; general seating is covered in red velour.
- A new colour scheme consisting of white cream walls, stainless steel doorways, and grey floors with red, high-visibility floor markings and red-painted stanchions to assist visually impaired passengers. Antimicrobial properties are present on these and on various other surfaces.
- Enhanced passenger information systems in all cars, consisting of: digital orange LED signs that indicate the name of the next stop and if the station is an interchange or terminal station, visual arrows and, as of 2015, audible messages (which is based on direction of train movement) that indicate which side doors will open on at the next stop, and electronic LED route maps that indicate which stations have been served and which stations are next to follow (interchange stations are lit in yellow dots). The TR trains are equipped with a warning message when the doors are closing alongside the three-tone chime "Please stand clear of the doors". Video screens are also present, displaying safety messages, TTC-related advertising and the name of the next station at the bottom.
- Improved safety systems for use in the event of an emergency, such as two-way passenger assistance intercoms for passengers to communicate with the train crew and built-in evacuation ramps located at the ends of the train to allow for faster and easier evacuation. Each car also has four ceiling-mounted CCTV cameras for passenger safety and security. Footage is recorded and can be reviewed in the event of an incident.
- Full-width operator cabs located at the ends of the train for the enhanced safety and security of operating personnel. They are equipped with doorways to allow operators to access the cab unit directly from the subway platform and prevent exposure to the public while performing operating duties. The railfan window (which allows passengers to see the front/rear of the train), present on older series trains in the emergency doorway, is replaced with a one-way mirror in the cab access door from the interior. The cab also has a slanted end design for better aerodynamics, and have bright orange digital LED exterior destination and three-digit run number signs in place of the rollsigns used on previous models.
Retrofits
In February 2013, the TTC began a trial phase with the installation of exterior door chimes (above each set of doorways) on the TR trains. Set 5461-5466 was the first to be retrofitted, followed by set 5851-5856 in May 2014.
Additional yellow plastic straps (placed underneath the HVAC units) along with audible door opening side announcements (based on direction of train travel) which is played after the "Arriving at" station announcement (except for terminal stations) to better assist visually impaired passengers have been installed in all TR trains as of January 2016. Meanwhile, it was reported that all TR trains were scheduled to be retrofitted with external speakers, together with exterior side destination signs, that audibly announce the route and destination of the train along with the door chimes, by (approximately) the end of 2016. However, as of October 2017, not all TR trains have yet been upgraded with these features.
Rolling stock numbers
The TR train sets are numbered 5381-6176. However, not all numbers in this range are used; unlike previous cars, which are number consecutively due to their married-pair formations, each six-car set is numbered xxx1-xxx6 and each four-car set is numbered xxx1-xxx2+xxx5+xxx6 (for example, 5381-5382-5383-5384-5385-5386 and 6141-6142-6145-6146) Car numbers ending in 0, 7, 8 and 9 are not used, nor are car numbers ending in 3 or 4 on four-car sets. Due to the numbers following from the last T1 set, which was numbered 5371, and reusing numbers from the retired H-series fleet; the TR set numbering extends into the 6000s, reusing numbers from retired buses in the TTC's fleet.
At one point, two train sets had their numbers temporarily exchanged. These included sets 5781-5786 in which the exterior bore the number 5803, while train set 5801-5806 bore 5783 on the exterior car. They have since been resolved as 5803 on 5781-5786 was renumbered as 5783, and train set 5801-5806, which bore 5783, was renumbered as 5803.
Criticism
Tendering process
During the tendering process, Siemens Canada (see Siemens Modular Metro) was seen a possible competitor to the Bombardier bid. Councillors Karen Stintz (who later also served as TTC chair), Denzil Minnan-Wong, and Rob Ford (who became mayor in late 2010 but died in March 2016) were opposed to sole-sourcing the contract to Bombardier. They alleged that many sole-source advocates had union ties and were thus not interested in getting the best financial deal available to the city.
Mobility issues
In late September 2011, it was reported that some passengers with mobility devices were experiencing difficulties while entering and/or exiting the then-new TR trains. TTC officials noted that this could either be because the train was sitting too high in relation to the level of the platform or be the result of the train's door threshold, which is not parallel with the platform and/or the number of passengers riding on the train. They were actively looking for ways to solve the problem.
To increase mobility, the train does not have centre poles, leaving standing riders with fewer places to hold. There are swinging handles hanging from a lateral pole along the length of each car near the ceiling, except near car ends, where an overhead ventilation unit is located.
"Teething issues"
In March 2012, TTC officials admitted that the door threshold incidents were the result of "teething issues". Another issue that was acknowledged involves a short delay in opening of the doors when the train pulls into a station. On the older train models, the door release interlock could be triggered just before or immediately after the vehicle came to a complete stop. The TR trains must come to a complete stop with confirmation from the onboard computer before the door interlock can be released and the guard can open the doors. This causes a one- or two-second delay from the time the train appears stopped and the time the doors open.
In December 2012, the TTC announced that it had demanded high-level meeting with Bombardier regarding ongoing performance problems related to "teething issues" with the doors. TTC officials admitted at the time that the new TR trains cannot move until all doors are fully closed (as with the older trains) and if the doors fail to close thrice consecutively fully, the TR train would require a system reboot, meaning that the train would have to be pulled out of service until it was resolved. This has led to several delays on Line 1.
Increased brightness
The TR trains feature a significantly brighter interior than previous models, which some passengers find distracting.
See also
- Bombardier Movia
- Toronto subway rolling stock
References
External links
Media related to Toronto Rocket at Wikimedia Commons
- "New Subway Train - The Toronto Rocket". Toronto Transit Commission. May 2011. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
- "New TTC Subway Cars - Urban Toronto". Forum » Greater Toronto Discussion » Transportation & Infrastructure » New TTC Subway Cars. Urban Toronto. 2006-01-29. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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