Fixing the Rundown TTC

[DSC]

Big cracks in the ceiling appear to be held together by pieces of wood bolted in. Way to go TTC.

Though I agree that the TTC needs to get its act together on both cleanliness and maintenance, it is only fair to point out that the "pieces of wood bolted in" to the ceilings of some subway station show that they have fairly recently pumped in concrete to fix a crack. I understand that the wooden form must remain for several weeks to ensure it has all set thoroughly. Of course, the wood usually stays for months but it is actually a sign they HAVE done something!

 

[Long Island Mike]

What has changed in recent years on the TTC?

Everyone: I read this topic and I want to ask: How bad is the litter on the TTC? I remember the clean appearance the TTC had back in the 80s. Litter is a pet peeve of mine-I do not do it and I despise it!

I agree that elevators can be a good addition to some TTC stations-but if some sort of security like survelliance cameras are not installed-they can become a problem-like being used for example as a latrine as well as a vandalism target.
Lest me mention the large cost of constructing them.

The TTC I recall had a reputation of having one of North America's best mass transit systems-how are things today as compared with the 80s and early 90s? Long Island Mike

 

[nfitz]

I have seen parents carry their infant strollers up the stairs in a station, even though there were working elevators in the station. Some think that it is only for the handicapped, but if you have shopping carts, strollers, a walking cast, or are elderly, you can use the elevators.

I normally carry the infant stroller up the stairs - because it's faster than waiting for an elevator. Unless you've got one of those SUV-type strollers (and how one get's those onto the streetcar at the subway station I don't know), the stroller isn't that heavy.

There's an implication in this post. That if your able-bodied you can't use the elevator? I've used it occasionally if the station is pretty empty, and it saves me walking 2 stories from Level 3 to Level 1 - though I'm normally too lazy to wait for it.

 

[W. K. Lis]

At one time, there were 240 lifts throughout the London underground system, but with the invention of escalators in 1911, the number of lifts began to dwindle. Turned out that one escalator can do the work of five elevators, eliminating the waiting lines that plagued the earliest London tubes. Today, there are less than 100 lifts in operation in the London subway system.

 

[dowlingm]

except in the London Underground depths are much deeper, so stairs are impracticable and escalators mandated. Not a problem Toronto has - but a solo elevator broken means a disaster for a mobility-limited rider who trusts the wheelchair legend on the TTC map.

 

[Observer Walt]

Everyone: I read this topic and I want to ask: How bad is the litter on the TTC? I remember the clean appearance the TTC had back in the 80s. Litter is a pet peeve of mine-I do not do it and I despise it!

...

The TTC I recall had a reputation of having one of North America's best mass transit systems-how are things today as compared with the 80s and early 90s? Long Island Mike

Litter has been an increasing problem, especially as, following 9/11, the garbage containers at track level were removed. Only within the past couple of months have they been replaced (new design, using see-through plastic bags). Maybe I am fooling myself, but I think I notice an improvement in the litter situation quite recently. People are actually carrying their garbage off the train again (I think!) -- or is this just my wishful thinking?

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

Well, sort of...

Platform bins have *not* been replaced on the Yonge line, and as a result, that line still has some serious litter problems, especially on the trackbeds and under the "lips" of the platforms. The TTC is not addressing this, at all, (I've just fired off a detailed e-mail to the Fixer, let's see what happens as I'm tired of writing to Giambrone about this) and I'm beginning to think it has eliminated any sort of routine right-of-way maintenance, as the trash I'm seeing in those areas hasn't been cleaned off in months. The weeds along the outdoor sections of the line are also reaching the height of a small child, and under the more rigorous standards of decades past, you would be mistaken in thinking that those sections of tracks have been abandoned.

So, in short, the TTC has a *very* long way to go.

 

[dowlingm]

The TTC will probably try and to fob off the Star with "Platform doors FTW!" as if we have a likelihood of seeing them any time before 2020 when we need them immediately for safety, orderly queueing, air quality and, yes, litter reasons - and can't get them before 2015 because of the wait for ATO anyway.

 

[trnstn]

How about purchasing equipment that lasts longe enough to be useful? The Sheppard lines escalators seems to work for a week, break down, get fixed for 2-3 weeks, comes back online for a week and so on... This is the newest subwya line yet it seems to have the crappiest escalators ever.

 

[AKS]

The TTC I recall had a reputation of having one of North America's best mass transit systems-how are things today as compared with the 80s and early 90s? Long Island Mike

Did TTC ever have a reputation of having one of NA's best mass transit systems? I think transit system in LA and NYC are way better than ours. They couldn't have built all those lines in the past 20 years I think? Or did Toronto just become so stagnant nothing got built over the past 20 years other than the sheppard line?

 

[junctionist]

Did TTC ever have a reputation of having one of NA's best mass transit systems? I think transit system in LA and NYC are way better than ours. They couldn't have built all those lines in the past 20 years I think? Or did Toronto just become so stagnant nothing got built over the past 20 years other than the sheppard line?

What makes LA's system better than ours?

 

[AKS]

What makes LA's system better than ours?

There's more tracks and seems to go to more places. On their website they even list the scheduled times the trains run and they seem to be on time. When I was there I found their website useful for planning to get to locations. The only problem I had was their bus system maybe cuz I'm not familiar with it and route changes. It wasn't as accurate so I end up getting to certain places longer than expected. I don't quite remember cuz I might have mixed it up with tokyo but I think on their website they also plan the route for you too. So let's say you want to go from point A to point B they tell you what to take and how long it will take to get there.

 

[nfitz]

So let's say you want to go from point A to point B they tell you what to take and how long it will take to get there.

Many cities do this. Heck, I think Mississauga does this!

 

[AKS]

Many cities do this. Heck, I think Mississauga does this!

The TTC website doesn't do this. Unless it's coming up in the new one. I find the TTC run time isn't too dependable too. There's always problems on the TTC. That's why I got fed up years ago and wanted to move downtown closer to work and forget taking the TTC. I didn't want to pay the premium for living downtown at first but after awhile I was fed up. So even if TTC does implement a website that calculates what time you leave and what time you'll arrive at your destination, don't count on it.

 

[Hipster Duck]

The TTC, warts and all, probably still offers the most practical system in North America. New York's subway is good for commuting into and around Manhattan but the frequency on IND and BMT trains can be spotty (to put it lightly) in the outer boroughs, and it's amazing how much of New York City (particularly half of Queens) is out of the subway's reach.

LA Metro is not great but it probably should get an award for the most improved transit system in North America and not for their light rail system, which is continuously expanding, but for their innovative Rapid bus routes which traverse the city on major arterials. An Angeleno friend of mine told me recently that the Wilshire rapid bus route alone cut 20 minutes off his commute.