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 (the H6 cars, though primarily serving Line 2, were also later retired). Manufacturing of the TRs began in 2008. 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 Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station (signed as "1 Vaughan" on the train's front and rear exterior signs and "Line 1 towards Vaughan" on exterior side signs for brevity), which was originally scheduled for opening in mid-2015 (in time for the opening of that summer's Pan American Games). However, the opening of the extension was 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 Downsview station (later renamed in mid-2017 in preparation for the opening of the extension to Vaughan) 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 with two-crew members on July 21, 2011. The purchase of ten additional train sets (60 cars) was authorized in March 2014, bringing the total number of TR stock to 80 six-car train sets and 480 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) (which was initially to be fully rolled out by 2020, but was delayed until 2022) and that the 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 had been in place on the S-series trains on Line 3 Scarborough from its inception in 1985 until its decommissioning in 2023). They entered service on Line 4 on May 30, 2016, with two crew members, before switching over to OPTO on October 9, 2016. OPTO was later rolled out on Line 1 in phases between 2021 and 2022.

In mid-2016, some TR trains were used on Line 2 to address the shortage of T1s caused by faulty air-conditioning units after Toronto mayor John Tory accepted a challenge posted on Twitter to ride an overheated T1 train on Line 2 during a hot summer day.[[File:TTC_Seat_Restricted_Sign.svg|thumb|Seat restricted sign used in the Toronto Rocket (and other TTC vehicles) during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]]] During the COVID-19 pandemic, certain seats on the Toronto Rocket were prohibited from use to encourage social distancing; these seats were marked with large laminated signs stuck with adhesive to the upper velour-covered part of the fixed seats (including the half-seats) and either to the top or the bottom of the automatic folding seats, depending on the individual train.

Design

The TR series trains have a similar interior design 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 ten percent on the lines in which they were used.
• Double the number of accessible seats for passengers using mobility aids per car compared with the T-series cars, with automatic folding 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 colour scheme consisting of white cream walls, unpainted stainless steel doorways, and grey floors with red, high-visibility floor markings and stanchions wrapped in red vinyl 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 multi-coloured LED signs that indicate the name of the next station. These signs also indicate if the station offers connections to other TTC subway lines as well as regional and intercity transit service providerssuch as GO Transit, Ontario Northland or York Regional Transitor the final station of the line along with visual arrows and audible messages that indicate which side the train doors will open on at the next stop.
  • Electronic LED route maps that indicate which stations have been served and which stations are next
  • Warning messages when the doors are closing alongside the three-tone chime "Please stand clear of the doors"
  • Video screens are also present, displaying safety messages and 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 from the front or rear of the train), present on T-series trains in the emergency doorway, is replaced with a one-way mirror in the cab access door from the interior, though it is still possible to see through the window. The cab also has a slanted end design for better aerodynamics with bright orange digital LED exterior destination and three-digit run number signs at the ends of each trainset in place of the rollsigns used on previous models.
• Half-seats are located near the cab doors for commuters to lean on during peak periods.

Retrofits

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, were installed in all TR trains as of January 2016. Additionally, all TR trains were retrofitted with external speakers, along with exterior side destination signs, that audibly announce the route and destination of the train.

File:TR Articulation 2.jpg|Gangway between cars. The poster, in French, when translated into English, reads "The Toronto Rocket is jointly financed by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, and the City of Toronto." File:Toronto Rocket Articulation.jpg|Exterior view of the gangway, seen at Wilson Yard File:Toronto Rocket Front.JPG|Side view of cab car, seen at Wilson Yard File:Toronto Rocket in Yorkdale 2021 (cropped).jpg|Front view of cab car at Yorkdale station File:TR Wheelchair spot.jpg|Automatic folding seats in wheelchair accessible position; depending on the individual train, some of these seats use blue velour instead to mark accessibility. File:Map on a Toronto Rocket car.jpg|LED-lit map of the system File:Next Station LED Display on Toronto Rocket Subway Train, December 7 2025 (01).jpg|Digital multi-coloured LED signs showing the next station

Lines serviced

• Yonge–University line (2011–present)
• Sheppard line (2016–present)

Criticism

Tendering process

During the tendering process, Oakville-based Siemens Canada (see Siemens Modular Metro) was seen as 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) 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 boarding or alighting 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 comes 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 a 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.

Gallery

File:Toronto Rocket Interior Gangway.jpg|Toronto Rocket corridor gangway File:TTC ACTIVE ROUTE MAP SAMPLE.jpg|Sample active route map on display in the interior mockup of the Toronto Rocket car File:Toronto Rocket Cab.jpg|Toronto Rocket cab File:Toronto Rocket car interiors 2021.jpg|Toronto Rocket interior File:Union TTC Rocket stop.JPG|Toronto Rocket train at Union station File:Toronto Rocket in Yorkdale 2021.jpg|Toronto Rocket train at Yorkdale station

References

References

1. (May 2011). "New Subway Train – The Toronto Rocket". [[Toronto Transit Commission]].
2. "Metro Subway Train "Toronto Rocket" – Toronto, Canada". [[Bombardier Transportation]].
3. (March 6, 2015). "TTC Service Summary – March 29,2015 to May 9, 2015". Toronto Transit Commission.
4. (June 4, 2011). "The Toronto Rockets Debut (Updated)". Steve Munro.
5. (October 11, 2016). "Bombardier Transportation Seminar".
6. Murno, Steve. (November 10, 2022). "TTC Service Changes Effective November 20, 2022 (Updated)".
7. Fox, Chris. (September 27, 2016). "TTC switching to single-operator model for Line 4 subway as of Oct. 9".
8. Bow, James. (April 21, 2012). "The Toronto Rocket Cars (T35A08)". Transit Toronto.
9. (October 13, 2006). ""Toronto Rocket" A Train with a new Name". [[Marketwired]].
10. Alcoba, Natalie. (January 14, 2010). "New TTC trains delayed after door company goes belly up". [[National Post]].
11. Bow, James. (September 22, 2009). "TTC Looking For New Subway Cars in October". Transit Toronto.
12. (May 6, 2010). "TTC approves 186 more subway cars". TBNewsWatch.com.
13. (May 6, 2010). "Procurement Authorization Amendment – option to purchase 31 additional new subway train sets (for H6 subway car replacement and TYSSE)". [[Toronto Transit Commission]].
14. (March 26, 2015). "Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension – Schedule and Budget Change". [[Toronto Transit Commission]].
15. Westoll, Nick. (September 5, 2017). "Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension scheduled to open in mid-December". [[Global News]].
16. (October 14, 2010). "TTC unveils new subway cars". [[CP24]].
17. (March 26, 2015). "Procurement Authorization Amendment to Purchase 10 Additional Toronto Rocket Train Sets – Purchase Order No. C31PD05761". [[Toronto Transit Commission]].
18. (March 26, 2015). "Procurement Authorization – Procurement Authorization Change Directive to the Toronto Rocket (TR) Supplier for the Design Provisions for Train Door Monitoring (TDM) System". [[Toronto Transit Commission]].
19. "Toronto Rocket trains take off on lightly-travelled Sheppard subway line". CBC News.
20. "One-Person Train Operation on Line 1".
21. "Feeling the heat, passengers? TTC working to fix its 'hot car' problem on Line 2". CBC News.
22. McGillivray, Kate. (August 29, 2016). "Mayor John Tory accepts Twitter challenge to ride in hot subway car". CBC News.
23. "COVID-19: Staying safe on public transit".
24. "TTC Customer Service (@TTChelps)".
25. [http://www.blogto.com/city/2014/07/ttc_set_to_fix_most_annoying_feature_of_rocket_trains/ TTC set to fix most annoying feature of Rocket trains. BlogTO] {{Webarchive. link. (January 15, 2015 . blogto.com. Retrieved on January 13, 2015.)
26. (2008). "Toronto Rocket: Overview and Key Features". [[Toronto Transit Commission]].
27. (January 31, 2013). "TTC tweaks its new Rocket trains". [[Toronto Star]].
28. Ross, Oakland. (April 20, 2012). "New TTC train, the Rocket, takes away some of the 'fun factor'". [[Toronto Star]].
29. (August 31, 2006). "TTC approves Bombardier deal". [[CBC News]].
30. Kalinowski, Tess. (April 18, 2009). "A streetcar now for city of tomorrow". [[Toronto Star]].
31. (October 3, 2006). "Made in Canada Matters! – Why the City of Toronto Should Purchase 'Made In Canada' Products". [[Toronto & York Region Labour Council]].
32. Kalinowski, Tess. (September 25, 2011). "Wheelchair users can't always roll onto the Rocket". [[Toronto Star]].
33. [https://nationalpost.com/posted-toronto/matt-gurney-fixing-the-doors-on-new-ttcs-subway-cars-an-opportunity-to-change-other-things-as-well Matt Gurney: Fixing the doors on new TTC's subway cars an opportunity to change other things as well]. ''National Post''. Retrieved on July 26, 2013.
34. Kalinowski, Tess. (March 30, 2012). "TTC working out bugs on new subway trains". [[Toronto Star]].
35. Grewal, San. (December 4, 2012). "Toronto's new Rocket subway trains malfunctioning". [[Toronto Star]].