February 25th, 2007
Railfans Delight: Lower Bay diversion brings out cameras
By James Bow // 15 Comments
Less than twenty-four hours after the TTC began diverting Bloor-Danforth subway trains through Lower Bay and Museum stations, railfans have posted a number of videos on YouTube. In my opinion, the best one I've seen is below.
The video shows the train's departure from Yonge, its operation through the switches and down into Lower Bay as well as beyond, around the curve and into Museum station. You can clearly hear the announcements on the PA explaining the diversion as well as some oohs and aws from the passengers as the train passes through Lower Bay.
Other videos include:
- Passing westbound through Lower Bay, a slow pan of the platform
- A shorter video of the trip from Yonge to Lower Bay, taken from the rear of a westbound train
From these links, you can see other videos railfans have taken. More will probably be added in the coming days.
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when I went through LB yesterday evening, the announcer said something like "we are now passing through Toronto's mystery station, Lower Bay."
I was the one who shot that video.
I also have one going eastbound through Lower Bay, and one going westbound through the connector tracks from the YUS platform at St. George to the BD platform at Spadina. (I haven't gotten around to compressing them and putting them on youtube yet)
I was lucky enough to be stopped at Lower Bay for timing delays. Gave me the opportunity to get some good snaps.
Rule of thumb: go westbound. Then the incoming timing delays'll give you a good chance of a good glimpse. (No real need for such delays eastbound.)
Went through today. I have to say that I was quite giddy. (Sad, I know.)
Lucky for me, we got stuck there for a few minutes.
I went through today too. The subway announcer couldn't resist informing us to keep an eye out for the "lady in red"!
*rolls eyes*
By the way, how's the publicity for this move been for the TTC?
I've heard nothing but good things (at least from the TTC fans), especially since Doors Open Toronto will bring them out in droves.
This was a teaser trailer, in essence.
I find, that if you're in front, watching the tunnels and the station, The view Westbound is definately better than eastbound, awesome and amazing, I say.
The brick pillars east of LBay, and the high clearance ceilings.
One thing i did notice is that even through 40 years of closing and use for films and other equipment, there's still trash on the ground, lol. I won't say who it's most likely from, but there was an empty pack of DuMaurier's near a trip arm at a signal, lol.
Well, better a "lady in red" than a guy skinning sheep carcasses (to piggyback on another Toronto story of the weekend)
The Lower Bay experience was amazing! and TTC information on route diversions was more than adequate. What they neglected to pass on to riders was that 2 out of every three trains heading Southbound through Queens Park, St. Patrick and Osgoode, and every second train through St. Andrew would be 'deadheading' Bloor/Danforth trains being brought to the Osgoode, and Union Storage tracks for switchback purposes.
It was made all the more confusing for some passengers when switching delays lead some of the ‘deadheading’ trains to stop – in some cases for several minutes – inside the University line Stations obviously not accepting any passengers.
There were no TTC officials, no signs, and no announcements from the train crews as to what was going on, which lead to one frustrated customer I saw actually knocking on the door, as if asking to be let in.
Perhaps next weekend as the adventure continues, train conductors who are trapped in a station due to a red signal can make a PA address from their train, informing passengers that a North or Southbound train will be their shortly. Or at least switch the Roll signs to ‘sorry not in service’
Im envious. My eastbound train went only as far as Museum,then turned around and went back west.
Lower Bay will be part of Doors Open this year, but apparently only for 3 hours on the Saturday. Expect a mega line-up.
I loved going through it. Too bad they closed it... they should have spent a week "rehabilitating" it. First thing I thought when going through it was that the ceiling was pretty tall. My dog (Half Portuguese Water Dog, Half Standard Poodle) was not noticing anything though 
.
Re: why didn't they put ads on the walls?
I noticed that the old ad frames still adorn the walls. The ones that were landscape-oriented and small compared to today's specs. These were replaced around 1994 -- I remember it was around when the movie Speed came out.
Anyway, it adds to the ghost-appeal to leave the old ads and frames there. I liked it.
I'm surprised that ad space wasn't sold on lower bay, considering that everyone would be looking out the window then. Just imagine how much more popular [product X] would be?
..
Considering the number of people that will be waiting on the platform at Musuem, you'd think that the TTC would have the foresight to temporarily open the barred-off section of the Museum platform?
Comment by EM
February 25, 2007 | 12:37 pm