What the next generation of TTC subway trains will look like
Replacements could be on the way for the aging subway trains operating on the TTC’s Line 2 Bloor-Danforth, and a new rendering is offering an updated preview of the future fleet.
The T1 trains currently operating on Line 2 were delivered to the TTC between 1995 and 2001, meaning they are just about at the end of their 30-year design lifespan, with the first cars to age out next year.
Designs have been evolving behind the scenes for the future Line 2 subway trains, and an updated rendering was recently unveiled in a TTC CEO report, shedding light on changes to the new rolling stock since the last images were released.
Notable changes include a flatter front profile with revisions to the red livery, and the addition of a Line 2 logo in the train’s front destination readout.
Latest CEO report includes an updated rendering (first image) for TTC’s new subway cars
Second image is previous rendering pic.twitter.com/Sv6g5xM6h1
— Redesigning TTC (@redesigningTTC) July 13, 2024
Despite the new rendering, funding remains a barrier to these new trains becoming a reality.
According to transit expert Steve Munro, the TTC’s 2023 budget called for 80 trains at a cost of $2.487 billion. However, this has been slashed to just 55 trains in the 2024 budget for around the same price tag of $2.4 billion to $2.5 billion — meaning the cost of the trains has increased by roughly 50% in just a year.
Combined with the 25 new trains to expand capacity on Line 1 in advance of the Yong North Subway Extension, the total cost of 80 trains is now estimated at a staggering $3.52 billion.
With commitments to municipal and provincial funding in place, Premier Doug Ford and Unifor issued a rare joint statement earlier in July, calling on the federal government to pitch in funding for the new trains.
The TTC has stated that talks about funding are still ongoing, though the federal government hasn’t shown much willingness to commit, at least in the near term.
The feds have proposed a permanent transit fund that would take effect in 2026, though, in the current political climate, that proposal might crumble if the current administration is voted out in 2025.
Follow Channels and Categories