G-series (Toronto subway car)

The interior of a G-1 car, with fluorescent lighting replacing the original incandescents

The G-series rapid transit cars were a Toronto subway car model, built between 1953 and 1959. The cars were built by the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company for the Toronto Transit Commission.

The cars are influenced by Gloucester's Q38 and R stocks built for the London Underground. Since the TTC's original concept for the subway system foresaw the use of rapid transit cars derived from the PCC streetcar, like the Chicago Transit Authority's 6000-series cars, they also bear some minor influences of these. These influences are visible in the use of bulls-eye incandescent lighting similar to that of a PCC car (one pair of cars later had fluorescent lighting installed),^[2] and the small operator's cabin located in the front left corner of each car. The Chicago influence was felt through the work of DeLeuw, Cather & Co. of Chicago, whom the TTC contracted as a consultant for the rapid transit project.

The G-series cars were frequently described as "robust and reliable", despite being constructed overweight and energy-inefficient. The last cars in this series were retired from revenue service on October 6, 1990.^[2]

The only surviving cars in original condition are 5098/5099, which reside at the Halton County Radial Railway in Milton, Ontario.^[1]

G1 Mockup

Two mockup cars were delivered with slight variation from the final design:

• doors slid on the outside of the cars
• more interior lighting
• no additional handle bars for standees
• ceiling vents - missing on final design

Design variances

A total of 140 cars were built. Most were steel-bodied and had painted exteriors; however, six (G-2 series) experimental aluminum-bodied cars demonstrated the benefits of using aluminum for rapid transit car construction. The G-3 class cars were built as 'non-driving-motors' in that they had motorized trucks but were not equipped with an operator's cab or driving controls and thus could only be used in the middle of the train.^[3]

Formation

The G cars were originally designed in 2-car "married pair" formations, and were run in trains consisting of 2, 3 or 4 sets (4, 6 or 8 cars). When the G-3 class non-driving cars were introduced in 1956, 14 pairs of the G-3 class cars were inserted between G-1 class cars to form semi-permanently coupled 4-car trainsets, which could be coupled to the 2-car sets or operated on their own.

G-Work cars

Upon retirement from revenue service, several G-Series cars were rebuilt or refitted for duties as subway work cars.

• 5068/5069 converted to grinder cars RT-36/RT-37 in 1991 and are now retired
• 5100/5101 converted to garbage cars RT38/RT39 in 1987 and were retired in 1998
• 5102/5103 converted to grinding cars RT-34/RT-35 and were retired after an accident with a T1 subway car in 2004
• 5104/5105 became tunnel washing units RT14/RT15 in 1988 and were retired in 1999

Model G cars

Two 1/16 scale models of cars 5042 and 5043 were commissioned by Sir Leslie Boyce of GRC&W and constructed by Bassett & Lowke, and have been located at Hillcrest and Greenwood at various times.

The model cars are stored and on display at the Hillcrest Training Centre.

See also

• 1-50 series (Chicago 'L')

References

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