Flexity Outlook (Toronto LRT car)

The Toronto Flexity Outlook is the planned light rail vehicle replacement for the Toronto Transit Commission's fleet of CLRVs and ALRVs on its streetcar system. A separate set of vehicles is also planned to operate on the future Eglinton–Scarborough Crosstown line and would have also been used on the cancelled Transit City lines.

History

The TTC's streetcar fleet is nearing the end of its service life, and as a result the Commission began looking for a replacement vehicle. In mid-2009, the Bombardier Flexity Outlook was chosen to be the replacement vehicle for the existing streetcar network.^[4] On 26 June 2009 the Toronto City Council approved funding for 204 new vehicles and signed the contract with Bombardier.^[5] The vehicles are to be built in part at Bombardier plants overseas, with final assembly to be completed in Thunder Bay, Ontario, in order to meet the Commission's Canadian content requirements.^[6] The new prototype streetcar will be unveiled at the Bathurst Hillcrest Complex for tours between November 12-15, 2011, and it is anticipated that the new streetcars will enter revenue service starting in 2013.^{[6] [7]}

On 14 June 2010, an option for an additional 182 vehicles was exercised to provide vehicles for Transit City; there is an option for up to 118 more.^[8] These vehicles include a number of differences from the streetcar replacements:

• They are double-ended, as Transit City lines will not have turnaround loops at the ends of the lines;
• They are 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in), standard gauge, as opposed to the unique 4 ft 10 ⁷⁄₈ in (1,495 mm) gauge used for TTC streetcar and subway lines;^[9]
• They do not need to be able to navigate the sharp curves found on some TTC streetcar lines.

Specifications

In 2010, Bombardier released the specifications of the Toronto LRVs. The vehicle will be based on the Flexity Outlook Cityrunner product, but will be tailored to Toronto's unique needs. The vehicles will use TTC's unique gauge (1,495 mm or 4 ft 10 7⁄8 in) rather than standard gauge, traditional trolley poles using 600V DC for power collection, and as the existing streetcar system runs predominantly in mixed traffic and not on dedicated rights of way. Other design requirements such as the ability to handle tight turning radi, climb steep hills, clearance, and ability to upgrade into a more modern pantograph current collection system will be also be factored in to the TTC's unique design. The Outlook is almost twice as long as the current CLRV and has five articulated sections.^[1]

See also

• Inekon Superior Plus

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} http://stevemunro.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/LRV-Fact-Sheet.pdf
2. ^ http://www.cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Toronto_Transit_Commission#Rail_vehicles_2
3. ^ http://www3.ttc.ca/PDF/Transit_Planning/Service_Summary_2009_10_18.pdf
4. ^ Toronto Transit Commission (April 24, 2009). "TTC Staff recommend Bombardier for new streetcar order". http://www3.ttc.ca/News/2009/April/TTC_staff_recommend_Bombardier_for_new_streetcar_order.jsp. 
5. ^ Toronto Transit Commission (June 26, 2009). "City Council approves funds for TTC purchase of new streetcars". http://www3.ttc.ca/News/2009/June/City_Council_approves_funds_for_TTC_purchase_of_new_streetca.jsp. 
6. ^ ^{a b} thestar.com (April 24, 2009). "TTC picks Bombardier to supply streetcars". Toronto Star (Toronto). http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/623916. 
7. ^ TTC to unveil streetcar of the future this weekend www.cp24.com, November 9, 2011,
8. ^ Toronto buying 182 more Bombardier streetcars
9. ^ Kalinowski, Tess (2010-01-06). "Transit City measures up to international standard". Toronto Star (Toronto). http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/transportation/article/746626--transit-city-measures-up-to-international-standard. Retrieved 2010-05-02.