July 29th, 2007
Where have our streetcars gone? (Part II)
By Sean Marshall // 3 Comments
My first post on the Wire discussed Kenosha, Wisconsin's re-use of five ex-TTC PCC streetcars. Other disused streetcars that escaped the wreckers had fates that were not quite as happy as those sent to Kenosha.
At Highways 10 and 89 near Shelburne, one former Toronto streetcar is now used as a seating area for a hamburger restaurant, and the streetcar makes it hard to miss. While the exterior is kept looking in decent shape, the front of the car was removed and turned into the way in, the floor removed and replaced with a tile floor. But the owners put up a poster heraldling the opening of the new Harbourfront streetcar line (to be served with PCCs, ironically, until local residents complained) and a few postcards and pictures of PCCs in Toronto.
In this rural area 100 kilometres from downtown Toronto, this PCC looks very out of place. Even little more than a shell, it is still a better fate than most streetcars that disappeared from Toronto's streets endured.
Like the streetcars in Kenosha, the car still displays the fares in effect when it was decommissioned and dates to 1989. In 18 years, a Metropass more than doubled in price - from $49.00 to $99.75 today. Cash fares were $1.10, or tickets 8 for $7.50.
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Awe. My home town! I have so many memories of this Super Burger!
I agree that the prices are too astronomical. Since moving here, I've watched it rise a dollar. When I moved to College Street, I absolutely refused to take TTC until I had to. I'd walk or bike everywhere. And every other city I visited had ridiculously cheaper transit.
But now I'm living in Zà ¼rich, Switzerland and wish I was paying the TTC prices.
From the Bank of Canada inflation calculator, the $49 metropass would cost $73.21 as a result of inflation; the $1.10 cash fare would be at $1.64; and the 8 tokens would be $11.20 ($1.40 each).
Back in 2005 I put together a chart showing historical increases in TTC fares (unadjusted and adjusted for inflation), which was an interesting exercise. PDF on Transit Toronto:
http://transit.toronto.on.ca/archives/reports/TTCfares1954-2005.pdf
That rapid $ increase is bloody retarded. It is a magical wonder that toronto is such a fantastic place despite 18 years of the beat-down from other governments beholden to voters who's wellbeing is made well by Toronto.
Comment by Angie Uggachuma
July 29, 2007 | 10:29 pm