The Canadian Light Rail Vehicles (The CLRVs) - Transit Toronto - Content
It’s 1972, and you’re the Toronto Transit Commission. After following the thirty-year-old trend of other North American cities and gradually eliminating your streetcar fleet, you’ve come up against a hastily but effectively organized group of concerned Toronto citizens, inspired by the successes of other activists against the Spadina Expressway. They want you to keep the streetcars running into the 21st century. Wisely, you agree, bucking the longstanding trend, and you abandon your streetcar abandonment policy. However, being so progressive, you suddenly find yourself with an aging streetcar fleet in need of replacement amongst a continent that has largely given up its streetcars. You need a new fleet, and there’s no off-the-shelf model available. What do you do?
This is precisely what happened to the TTC in the early 1970s when it was convinced by concerned citizens to kill its policy of abandoning its streetcars by 1980. The youngest of the venerable PCCs had been bought by the commission in the early 1950s. Many more were now well over 30 years old, and in need of replacement. However, there was no easy answer as to what that replacement would be. So, the commission embarked on an extensive rebuilding campaign of their youngest PCCs to keep them in top condition. In the meantime, the search was on for the new generation of streetcar, that would trundle along Toronto’s streets into the 21st century.
Enter the Ontario government, who had already acted in support of Toronto citizens by killing the southern portion of the Spadina Expressway. The government created a crown corporation named the Ontario Transit Development Corporation (OTDC - later renamed Urban Transit Development Corporation or UTDC for short). The TTC, with Hawker-Siddeley, had embarked on a project to design a new car in 1972. The car, named the “Municipal Surface Car” was fully documented but when OTDC came on the scene, the TTC, beholden to the Ontario government for 75% of its capital funding, was told to support OTDC in its design program.
In August 1973, the TTC placed an initial order for 200 new vehicles from OTDC, ten prototypes of which would be designed and built by a manufacturer in Switzerland, called Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaftbefore (SIG) before design and manufacturing was transferred to Thunder Bay, Ontario. The initial order would have been followed up with more, as the TTC and Metropolitan Toronto planned to use the vehicles for its proposed Scarborough LRT line connecting the eastern end of the BLOOR-DANFORTH subway to the Scarborough Town Centre. This would have been the first phase of a branching network of high-speed light rail lines stretching out into the far reaches of Scarborough. Although the Province of Ontario convinced Metropolitan Toronto to abandon the idea in favour of more high-tech linear induction ICTS vehicles being designed by UTDC at the time, the CLRV still influenced parts of the design of the Scarborough RT, and featured on early literature promoting the line.
The order for ten Swiss CLRV models was cut down to just six in the late 1970s in order to provide the parts needed to build an experimental articulated version of the design. It is because of this that the CLRV fleet number jumps from 4005 to 4010 in sequence. There has never been any CLRVs numbered 4006, 4007, 4008 or 4009. Only one articulated prototype would be built (ALRV 4900). In the meantime, the new SIG cars started to arrive in 1977 and 1978, with the UTDC cars starting in 1979.
Revenue service began on September 30, 1979 on the LONG BRANCH route. As deliveries continued, this was followed by BATHURST (February 29, 1980), ST. CLAIR (including EARLSCOURT, which ended up merged into the former route name, April 16, 1980), KINGSTON ROAD (June 9, 1980), DOWNTOWNER (August 7, 1980), QUEEN (January 4, 1981), KING (July 20, 1981), and finally DUNDAS and CARLTON (October 23, 1981).
The CLRVs’ European styling was quite different from the Art Deco subtleties of the PCCs, which came as a bit of a shock to Torontonians. However, they didn’t arrive without their teething problems. Passengers complained about the inability to open windows (a design feature to enhance possible future air conditioning, although air conditioning was not installed in the cars ordered) and the seating arrangements (angled front seating in the first six cars was modified to the standard seating style of the remaining cars in 1981). Some Torontonians also didn’t like it when the streetcar route names like QUEEN and KING were removed from the front rollsigns, in favour of route numbers like 501 and 504, and some blamed the CLRV’s single rollsign design for this change.
As the cars started operating on Toronto’s streets, there were further complaints about wheel noise. These vehicles, which had been designed for heavy-duty use on the Scarborough RT (before its conversion to linear induction technology), were undeniably louder, and homeowners near the 501 QUEEN streetcar complained that passing streetcar would shake their homes. This issue was solved by changing the CLRV’s Bochum wheels (which contained rubber in compression) to SAB wheels (which contained rubber in shear, as was the case with the PCCs). The Commission also had to tackle the issue of salty slush. During the CLRVs’ first winter, the corrosive slush got under the streetcars and into the equipment shorting out components that weren’t adequately protected against the elements. Further fears about the couplers snagging pedestrians unlucky enough to be hit by these cars were trumpeted by councillor Edna Shiner, resulting in “safety skirts” nicknamed “Shiner shields” being installed in 1984. The couplers proved to be problematic in any event, and were removed by 1988.
It wasn’t long, however, before the mechanical issues were resolved and the cars properly shielded against Toronto’s weather. By 1985, the public had gotten used to the new vehicles. They quickly became the face of the TTC’s streetcar fleet as PCC retirements began in earnest in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The Canadian Light Rail Vehicle did not become the North American leader of the resurging American streetcar. Despite initial interest from Boston (which borrowed CLRVs 4027, 4029 and 4031 from the TTC for testing on the Green Line subway, including runs as two and three-car trains) and other cities, only the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority went as far as buying a version of these vehicles (50 double-ended articulated models; as of 2015, these are being used second hand by Sacramento and Salt Lake City). However, they still chalked up millions of kilometers of use on the TTC in the decades that followed. By 2009, only one CLRV (#4063) was scrapped; the rest were still in service.
By 2009, however, it was clear that these streetcars were reaching the end of their design life. In 2006, the TTC did consider a plan to refurbish 100 CLRVs to extend their life, ahead of a further purchase of new streetcars. CLRV 4041 was taken aside and rebuilt, with an air conditioning unit added to its roof. However, while the now distinctive-looking CLRV 4041 was returned to service, the TTC felt that the rebuilding would not produce a sufficient return on investment. In addition to the cars age and antequated electrics, the Ontarians with Disabilities Act would male all non-wheelchair-accessible transit vehicles illegal in Ontario by the end of 2024. With low-floor buses increasingly practical, the TTC and the City of Toronto felt that the time had come to commission a low-floor streetcar, to be the first of a new generation that would replace the CLRVs.
In 2007, the City of Toronto and the TTC took out a call for tenders on the replacement generation. Delays in the procurement process meant that the plan to purchase new Flexity LRVs from Bombardier was not approved by Toronto city council until July 2009. Delays in the construction of the Flexity LRVs meant that the CLRVs would remain the backbone of the fleet well into the 2010s, with the CLRVs celebrating their thirty-fifth and then their fortieth anniversary of operation on city streets.
On December 27, 2014, TTC bus #7807 ran a red light on Main Street, crossing Danforth Avenue and rammed CLRV #4062 head-on, de-railing the car and causing injuries. Car 4062 was hauled to Hillcrest but, after a few weeks at the facility, was deemed too costly to repair. It was removed from TTC property on a flatbed truck on March 16, 2015, the second CLRVs to be scrapped. Other retirements of CLRVs commenced soon after, primarily to remove the most decrepid cars and use them for parts to help rebuild the others. CLRV #4109 was retired in March 2015 followed by 4097 in April, and 4005 in May. CLRVs 4019 and 4031 followed that same year. Others followed in 2016. On July 28, 2017, the prototype car 4000 was officially retired. No attempts were made to preserve this vehicle, which apparently was not in salvageable condition. The car was hauled away for scrap on a sad day on December 9, 2017.
By 2016, the remaining CLRVs were in need of constant maintenance, and the extremely cold winter of 2015 conspired to freeze hydraulic lines on a number of the vehicles, forcing the TTC to pull almost 20% of the fleet during some winter rush hours. Extreme cold snaps in 2016 and 2017 again forced CLRVs out of service. On January 20, 2019, another extreme cold snap caused the TTC to pull every CLRV from service. Though they would return, the TTC would soon announce that, with over 120 Flexities now in service, and the bulk of the remainder likely to arrive before the end of 2019, the last of the CLRVs would be retired by the end of the year. The twilight of CLRV operation was now underway.
On Monday, November 4, 2019, the TTC packed off and shipped away CLRV #4010, which arrived later that day at the Halton County Railway Museum. There it was unloaded and travelled under its own power to Barn 2 at the museum. The next day, it was joined by CLRV #4003 and, the day after that, by CLRV #4039, both of which travelled under their own power to their own storage tracks where they posed for pictures with the replica of ex-TRC open car #327. On Thursday, November 14, the Illinois Railway Museum announced the arrival of CLRV #4034.
It is a lot to ask any vehicle to continue to serve as many people as the CLRVs do almost forty years after entering service. The CLRV has been a workhorse, almost on par with the TTC’s PCCs. As 2019 rolled on, railfans turned out in force, catching last runs, attending farewell charters, and taking as many pictures as possible to remember these venerable streetcars by.
Finally, in late October 2019, the TTC’s _Coupler_ magazine announced that the TTC’s plan for the final phaseout of these vehicles. For the November-December 2019 board period, the cars would run solely on 511 BATHURST throughout the week, while weekend extras would trundle along 501 QUEEN between Roncesvalles and Connaught. Finally, at the end of November, the TTC announced that Sunday, December 29, 2019, exactly 42 years to the day of the arrival of the first CLRV on TTC property, would be the official last day of operation for the CLRVs, holding a contest to select attendees who would ride the ceremonial last car.
After TTC CLRV #4063 became the first of its class to be scrapped on March 12, 2009, the days slowly began to count down on these vehicles. As the new generation of Flexities were slowly delivered, more were pulled off the line. A lucky few were set aside sent off to museums for preservation, but the rest were stripped for useful parts, and sent off to the scrap heap.
Andre Truffi, after digging through the CPTDB forums, Facebook and Twitter posts, private messages and his own experience, compiled this list of the final disposition of all CLRVs to have operated on the TTC. Those vehicles not listed were still on TTC property as of April 15, 2020:
One of the original six CLRVs poses at St. Clair carhouse with an experimental colour scheme in this shot taken on September 7, 1978. The photographer is unknown and the image is courtesy the Charles Houser collection.
CLRV 4000 takes break between training rides on a snowy day of January 28, 2010. This photo was taken by Roman Fomin in Russell Carhouse.
In this photograph, CLRV 4000 crosses College Street in service on 510 SPADINA route. The car operates on a short turn run to King Loop. Photo by Roman Fomin on February 21, 2014.
CLRV 4001 pulls into High Park Loop in service on 506 CARLTON route. Photo by Roman Fomin on January 6, 2010.
TTC CLRV #4002 passes beneath the Bathurst Street underpass with the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks north of Dupont. The engineers on hand are performing clearance tests. Note the difference in the paint scheme and the lack of numbers. This photo is by Robert McMann and courtesy the John Knight collection.
Here, CLRV 4002 turns onto King Street East having just passed Queen Street Viaduct. Photo by Roman Fomin on June 29, 2010.
TTC CLRV #4003 heads eastbound on Queen Street, heading towards King on a training run on August 1, 1978. Ted Wickson took this photograph.
CLRV 4003 is seen about to cross College Street operating southbound on 510 SPADINA route. Photo by Roman Fomin on December 12, 2009.
CLRV 4004 is heading eastbound to Broadview Station along Dundas Street West approaching University Avenue. This photograph was taken by Roman Fomin on June 4, 2010.
Though he was 5 at this time, Rob Hutch remembers this charter vividly. It was supposed to be the first CLRV charter, but the CLRVs had not yet been cleared to haul passengers. However, the chartered PCC drove up to Wychwood and the charter patrons were given a ride on CLRV 4004 around the carhouse.
CLRV 4004 rounds the southwestern corner of Wychwood, around two Peter Witt cars (including 2424) still in the TTC's possession. At this time (1978), Wychwood was still a working carbarn.
TTC CLRV car #4005 crosses Danforth Avenue heading south along Broadview Avenue towards Dundas Street West Station. This photo was taken by Roman Fomin on June 2, 2013.
TTC CLRV #4010, the first of the Canadian-built CLRV cars, crosses Strachan Avenue, westbound on 504 KING on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 15, 2014. Photo by James Bow.
On September 18, 2014, CLRV #4011 posed for this "squirrel-eye view" on Parliament Street just north of Queen Street East. The car, on duty along the 504 KING route, was diverting around construction on the King Street East leg of the Don River bridge. Photo: Jamaal.
CLRV 4012 is seen standing on a track #20 inside Russell Carhouse. The photo was taken by Roman Fomin on June 6, 2015.
TTC CLRV #4013 departs McCaul loop and is heading southbound on McCaul, passing Stephanie in 502 DOWNTOWNER service on June 24, 2005. Photo by Michael Doucet.
Roman Fomin took this picture of CLRV 4014 runing eastbound along Carlton Street on May 16, 2010.
CLRV 4015 in service on 504 KING route runs north to Broadview Station. The photo is by Roman Fomin on May 16, 2010.
TTC CLRV #4016 leads CLRV #4080 along Howard Park Avenue across Parkside Drive into High Park loop on September 2, 1983. The photograph is by William J. Madden.
CLRV 4017 boards passengers at Queen and Victoria on a winter evening in 2012. Photo by Eliot Rossi.
In this photograph, TTC CLRV #4018 operates eastbound to Main Station along College Street. The photograph was taken by Roman Fomin on July 12, 2010 near Bathurst Street.
CLRV 4019 in service on 504 KING heads east to Broadview Station about to cross Bathurst Street. Photo by Roman Fomin on December 8, 2009.
TTC CLRV 4020 runs along Spadina Ave having just crossed Dundas Street West. Photo by Roman Fomin on June 4, 2010.
CLRV 4021 faces eastbound at King and Yonge. This August 1999 photo by Rob Hutchinson.
TTC CLRV #4021 is seen here westbound on Lake Shore Blvd. W. at 14th Street in New Toronto while on the 501 QUEEN route. The picture was taken on January 23, 2016 by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV #4022 is seen westbound on Lake Shore Boulevard West on September 3rd, 2016 while on the 501 QUEEN route. It is approaching 35th Street. This photograph was taken by Edward Brain.
A view of the back end interior of CLRV #4022, taken by Patrick Yutiga on October 1, 2016.
TTC CLRV #4023 starts its turnaround towards Neville Park in 501 QUEEN service while another CLRV picks up passengers for Long Branch. This early 1980s photo was taken by John Calnan.
TTC CLRV 4024 heads eastbound on Queen, crossing Kingston Road on June 4, 2016. This photo was taken by Gerard Gava from the roof of Murphy's Law pub.
TTC CLRV #4025 crosses Spadina Avenue, westbound on Queen's Quay, in 509 HARBOURFRONT service on January 29, 2015. The photo was taken by James Bow.
Think of the paperwork! Rayson Ho was on hand as a police car crashes into CLRV 4026 on Dundas Street West near Alexandra Park on June 16, 2009. This photograph is used in accordance with his Creative Commons License.
Jeff Bentley captured this image of TTC CLRV 4027 eastbound on Carlton, approaching Yonge on December 2, 2002.
TTC CLRV #4027 turns from southbound Parliament onto eastbound Gerrard in service on 506 CARLTON on the afternoon of January 19, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV 4028 poses southbound on Roncesvalles Avenue, about to cross Howard Park in this mid-1980s shot by John Calnan.
CLRV 4029 was one of three Toronto units to be sent to Boston for evaluation. Here it is seen coupled to its comrade for testing on Boston's Green Line. Boston did not prove interested, however. Photo by Bob Redden.
As cherry blossoms bloomed in High Park, Benny Cheung headed south to the Queensway where he caught CLRV 4029 heading west at dusk on May 6, 2013. A TTC Wheel Trans bus can be seen driving away in the background.
Wrapped TTC CLRV #4030 crosses Kipling Avenue on a westbound 501 QUEEN run to Long Branch Loop on August 30th, 2014. Photo by Edward Brain
TTC CLRV #4031 is seen here on King Street, eastbound approaching Spadina Avenue, on December 20, 2014. This photo is by Booledozer and is used in accordance with his Creative Commons License.
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TTC CLRV 4032, wrapped up for the Bank of Montreal, turns from Spadina onto Queen's Quay, about to short turn at Queen's Quay loop, in 510 SPADINA service. This shot was taken by James Bow on January 29, 2015.
TTC CLRV #4033 turns from eastbound Queen to northbound Broadview in 504 KING service on June 26, 2013. Photo by Michael Doucet.
CLRVs 4033 and its comrade wait for service to begin at Connaught Carhouse. This 1999 photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4034 pulls through Keele loop, in service on 512 ST. CLAIR. Ted Wickson snapped this photograph on September 10, 1980. Less than a year later, the loop would be closed, and service extended to the new Maybank loop (today's Gunn's Loop) further west.
TTC CLRV #4035 seen here eastbound on Lake Shore Boulevard West on June 4th, 2016 while on the 501 QUEEN route. It is wrapped in an advertisement for The Stratford Festival's production of "A Chorus Line". It has just passed by 35th Street and is nearing the stop at Long Branch Ave. This photograph was taken by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV 4036 pauses at Humber Loop, about to turn back to Neville in 501 QUEEN service, while wearing a wrap for Heineken beer. Edward Brain took this photograph on August 21, 2016.
TTC CLRV #4037 pauses at Queen's Quay Loop in 510 SPADINA service on January 3, 2006. Photo by Michael Doucet.
CLRV 4037 waits to depart Exhibition East Loop in one of the final runs of the King-Exhibition Car. This August 1999 shot was taken by Rob Hutch.
TTC CLRV #4038 heads westbound on KING in 514 CHERRY service on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 13, 2016. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4039 is seen here westbound on Lake Shore Boulevard West on March 2nd, 2016 while on the 501 QUEEN route, at Kipling Avenue. It is wrapped an advertisement wrap for Kit and Ace. This photograph was taken by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV 4040 pulls into Humber Loop from the Queensway on January 7, 2017, one of the last days of streetcar service on the Queensway and Lake Shore Boulevard that year, due to track reconstruction. Youngjin Ko snapped this photograph.
Darren Parberry caught this view of CLRV #4041 crossing University Avenue eastbound along Dundas Street West on September 28, 2015.
TTC CLRV #4041 rounds Long Branch loop on July 19, 2018, in service on 501 QUEEN. This photo was taken by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV #4041 pauses on Ossington Avenue, just south of College, on a charter move on September 2, 2018. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4042 seen here exiting Dundas West station operating on the 504 KING service. This photo was taken by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos on September 6, 2013.
TTC CLRV #4043 heads westbound on St. Clair, approaching Gunns Loop on July 11, 2014. Photo by Michael Doucet.
CLRVs 4043 and 4058 rest at Connaught Carhouse in this June 1998 scene. Photo by James Bow.
CLRV 4044 turns north onto Bathurst street from College on a sunny winter afternoon in 2012. The car is ending its run at Bathurst Station, a common short-turn for Carlton streetcars. Photo by Eliot Rossi.
TTC CLRV #4045 was spotted eastbound on King, approaching Shaw Street, about to enter service on the 509 HARBOURFRONT streetcar. This shot was taken on September 3, 2000 by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4046 heads westbound on Queen's Quay having just crossed Spadina Avenue in 509 HARBOURFRONT service. Jeffrey Kay took this photograph on August 28, 2001.
CLRV 4046 westbound on College approaching Clinton right behind 4173. Photo by David Cavlovic.
TTC CLRV #4047 heads westbound on Queen Street, crossing Kingston Road. This shot was taken by Gerard Gava from the top of Murphy's Law Pub on June 4, 2016.
TTC CLRV #4048 heads westbound on Dundas, passing Crawford, on September 2, 1983. Photo by William J. Madden.
TTC CLRV #4049 turns from south on Victoria to east on Adelaide, looping around for the TTC's KING-EXHIBITION service on August 23, 2013. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4050 pulls into Queen's Quay station on the morning of Wednesday, October 15, 2014, in service on 509 HARBOUFRONT. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV 4051 crosses Broadview Avenue westbound in 506 CARLTON service, passing CLRV #4193 on the afternoon of April 11, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
Brett Lamb caught CLRVs 4052 and 4080 out for a summer evening stroll in 2002 at Dundas and Sorauren.
TTC CLRV #4052 serving 504 KING picks up passengers eastbound at Bay Street on the morning rush hour of July 17, 2014. James Bow took this photograph.
TTC CLRV #4053 sits at Russell yard displaying the 301 QUEEN Blue Night rollsign exposure on January 6, 2009. These blue exposures were replaced with black ones in 2000, but 4027. 4053 and 4113 kept the old rear signs. This photo was taken by Rob Hutchinson.
TTC CLRV #4054 is seen in 505 DUNDAS service turning from northbound Broadview onto westbound Dundas on July 16, 2013. There is a diversion on the route. This photograph was taken by Michael Doucet.
CLRV #4055 is seen here crossing the southbound lanes of Brown's Line as it enters Long Branch Loop on a westbound 501 Queen run on March 4th, 2015. Photo by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV #4056 pulls into the Long Branch portion of Humber Loop, in service on 507 LONG BRANCH in this early-to-mid 1980s photograph by John Calnan.
TTC CLRV #4057 passes from Roncesvalles Avenue onto King Street, crossing the Queen streetcar tracks in the process in this sunset shot by 416 Style. This photograph is used in accordance to his Creative Commons license.
TTC CLRV #4058 pauses at Fleet Loop while in service on 509 HARBOURFRONT on the morning of Wednesday, July 13, 2016. This photograph is by James Bow.
TTC CLRV 4059 lays over at Exhibition Loop, in service on 509 HARBOURFRONT, on the line's first week of streetcar operation after two years of track reconstruction on Queen's Quay. This photo was taken on Wednesday, October 15, 2014 by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4060 heads east in 510 SPADINA service to Union Station along Queens Quay before its reconstruction. Photo by Roman Fomin on January 25, 2010.
TTC CLRV 4061 picks up passengers at Union station's streetcar loading area, in service on 509 HARBOURFRONT on June 10, 2015. Photo by James Bow.
Photographer Andrew Barton happened to be at the scene of the accident when TTC bus #7807 collided with CLRV #4062 at the Main/Danforth intersection on December 27, 2014. The CLRV was scrapped soon after.
TTC CLRV #4063 heads southwest on Kingston Road, approaching Queen Street in 502 DOWNTOWNER service in this April 1997 shot by Brian Doucet.
TTC CLRV #4063 is seen at the north end of Hillcrest Shops, with its back window removed. The car had been removed from service as the first of a planned program to completely rebuild the fleet. This shot was taken on May 26, 2007 by Michael Doucet.
A year later, on May 5, 2008, CLRV #4063 still stands at the north end of Hillcrest, its back window open. The rebuild program was abandoned in favour of acquiring a new fleet of streetcars. CLRV #4063 was sold for scrap in 2009, the first CLRV to leave the fleet. Photo by Michael Doucet.
TTC CLRV #4064 prepares to depart its eastbound stop on College at Spadina in 506 CARLTON service on the morning of March 10, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
On a much brighter, sunnier and warmer day in the summer of 2010, CLRV 4065 heads northbound on Spadina, approaching College Street in 510 SPADINA service. Photo by Randy Meredith.
James Bow caught this picture of passengers boarding TTC CLRV #4066 eastbound at King and Yonge on the morning of February 19, 2013.
TTC CLRV 4067 heads eastbound on King, approaching Yonge Street on Saturday, December 17, 2016. This image was captured by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV 4068 pulls up to the Rees Street stop eastbound on Queen's Quay in 509 HARBOURFRONT service on Friday, August 19, 2016. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4069 pauses eastbound on King at Yonge Street in the afternoon of January 19, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4070 in 501 QUEEN diversion service, has turned from eastbound King onto northbound Spadina on the afternoon of Friday, August 19, 2016. Photo by James Bow.
Edward Brain snapped this shot of TTC CLRV #4071 deadheading out of Long Branch loop on August 2, 2015.
TTC CLRV #4072, seen from the back as it waits for the opening ceremonies of the 509 HARBOURFRONT route on Queen's Quay, west of Spadina, on July 21, 2000. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4073 pauses westbound on King at Yonge on the afternoon rush hour of January 19, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4074 turns from southbound Parliament onto eastbound Gerrard, while CLRV #4183 prepares to enter the intersection. This photograph was taken by James Bow on January 19, 2017.
TTC CLRV #4075 crosses Spadina Avenue, westbound on King Street, in 504 KING service on the afternoon of Friday, August 19, 2016. This photograph is by James Bow.
CLRV 4076 on Victoria Street during Labour Day weekend 2000 service disruptions. Photo by James Bow.
Richard White caught CLRV #4077 heading into Bathurst station on February 5, 2011.
TTC CLRV 4078 comes off duty, turning from southbound Roncesvalles onto westbound Queen, bearing a 504 BROADVIEW sign on January 1, 2001. Photo by Roger DuPuis.
TTC CLRV #4078 approaches Ossington Avenue, eastbound on Dundas in 505 DUNDAS service on the afternoon of March 29, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
Roman Fomin captured TTC CLRV 4079 in 503 KINGSTON ROAD TRIPPER service, westbound on Wellington approaching Scott on May 6, 2015.
TTC CLRV 4080 has dropped its passengers off at York and Wellington and prepares to head back along King Street in 503 KINGSTON ROAD TRIPPER service on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 13, 2016. Photo by James Bow.
CLRVs 4081, 4170 and 4097 receiving heavy-duty maintenance at Hillcrest Shops. This photo was taken in 2002 by Russ Hilder.
TTC CLRV #4081 heads westbound on College Street, approaching Bay Street in 506 CARLTON service on April 25, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
The driver on TTC CLRV #4082 changes the sign at Humber Loop on January 7, 2017. Youngjin Ko snapped this photograph.
TTC CLRV #4083 approaches Dufferin Street westbound on King, bearing an advertisement for Western Union's financial services. This image was captured by Edward Brain on December 17, 2016.
TTC CLRV #4084 pulls up to Yonge Street, eastbound on King on the morning of February 3, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
CLRV 4085 on a 504 KING run at the northern end of Broadview Station loop. Since only two cars can fit into this station, the loop has a tendency to get crowded. Photo by David Cavlovic.
Patrick Shepherd captured this image of TTC CLRV #4085 heading eastbound on Queen passing Russell Carhouse on Easter Sunday, April 16, 2017, bearing a tourism wrap.
TTC CLRV 4086 pauses at High Park Loop in service on 506 CARLTON on March 21, 2015. Photo by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV #4086 departs High Park loop in service on 506 CARLTON. This photo was taken on March 21, 2015 by Edward Brain.
CLRV #4087, wrapped for "Island Flavour", pauses at Dufferin loop on the first day of service on the 514 CHERRY streetcar, Sunday, June 19, 2016. This photo was taken by James Bow.
TTC CLRV 4088 picks up passengers heading westbound on Queen Street at Roncesvalles. This mid-1980s shot was taken by John Calnan.
CLRV 4089 blocks the progress of PCC 4500 on Lansdowne Avenue just north of Dundas Street. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4090 crosses Parliament Street, eastbound in 504 KING service on the morning of February 16, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4091 is stored, pole down, in the yard at Leslie Barns. This photo was taken by James Bow on May 28, 2016.
TTC CLRV #4092 heads westbound oN King Street, approaching Queen Street West in 504 KING service. This photo was taken January 15, 2010 by Roman Fomin.
TTC CLRV #4093 picks up passengers at the LONG BRANCH platform at Humber Loop in this early 1980s shot by John Calnan.
TTC CLRV 4094 passes compatriot CLRV 4149, heading eastbound through the chaos of College Street in Little Italy in this summer 2010 shot by Randy Meredith.
CLRV 4095 pauses beneath the Gardiner Expressway as it heads southbound on Spadina Avenue towards Queen's Quay. Photo by Mike.
TTC CLRV #4096 drops off passengers on Broadview Avenue, just north of Gerrard, in 505 DUNDAS service on the afternoon of April 11, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4097 pulls along the turn towards Bathurst Street while in service on 505 DUNDAS on September 2, 1983. This photo is by William J. Madden.
TTC CLRV #4098 heads northbound on Dundas, approaching Bloor Street, in 504 KING service on August 12, 2008. Photo by Michael Doucet.
CLRV 4099 pauses at Jamieson and King during a diversion to the Queen car. Photo by Rob Hutch.
TTC CLRV #4100 pulls through Union Station, in service on the 509 HARBOURFRONT route on January 29, 2015. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4101 lays over at Main Street station in 506 CARLTON service while TTC Orion VII bus #7754 pulls away in 64 MAIN service on the afternoon of January 19, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4102 is eastbound on Lake Shore Boulevard West and is approaching the eastbound stop at 23rd St. The streetcar is in an advertisement wrap for Moneris. This photograph was taken on December 30, 2016 by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV #4103 crosses the Dundas Street bridge over the Weston sub, eastbound, approaching Sterling Avenue, on May 6, 2015. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4104 heads southbound on Spadina in 501 QUEEN diversion service, about to turn right onto King Street on the afternoon of Friday, August 19, 2016. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4105 prepares to depart the Harbourfront Centre stop, eastbound on Queen's Quay in 509 HARBOURFRONT service on the morning of January 19, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV 4106 lays over at Dundas West station in 504 KING service, while compatriot #4098 waits in the 505 DUNDAS bay. This photo was taken on March 29, 2017 by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4107 prepares to pull out of Humber loop, circa 1985, in this photograph by John Calnan.
TTC CLRV #4108 operates westbound in 504 KING service approaching Strachan Avenue on the afternoon of February 16, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4109 operates southbound on Broadview, approaching Dundas Street in 504 KING service, wrapped in an advertisement for Massachusetts tourism. This photo was taken on September 10, 2014 by Robert Taylor and is used in accordance with his Creative Commons License.
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TTC CLRV #4110 discharges passengers at St. Clair West station on the afternoon of March 10, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4111, wrapped for the Royal Ontario Museum, heads eastbound on Queen's Quay, after stopping at Rees Street on Friday, August 19, 2016. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4112 heads eastbound on King, crossing Victoria on the afternoon of January 19, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4113 was the first official eastbound streetcar in 514 CHERRY service on the line's first day of operations, Sunday, June 19, 2016. It is seen here at Dufferin Loop at 7:45 a.m., getting ready to depart. This photograph was taken by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4114 heads southbound on Spadina on 501 QUEEN diversion service, about to turn right onto King Street on the afternoon of Friday, August 19, 2016. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4115 heads westbound on Gerrard, crossing over the Don River in 506 CARLTON service on the afternoon of March 29, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4116 heads westbound on King, approaching Sherbourne on December 26, 2016. This photograph was taken by Geo Swan and is used in accordance with his Creative Commons License.
TTC CLRV #4117 heads westbound on 504 KING service, approaching Shaw Street, on the afternoon of February 16, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4118 is seen here wearing an Amarula advertisement wrap, resting at Long Branch Loop while operating on the 501 QUEEN route on January 9th, 2008. Photo by Edward Brain.
TTC CRLV #4119 is seen westbound on Lake Shore Boulevard West at the stop at 15th Street. It is operating on the 501 QUEEN.The picture was taken by Edward Brain on November 1st, 2016.
TTC CLRV #4120 heads northbound on Victoria, approaching Dundas in a diversion of the 505 DUNDAS streetcar. This photo was taken on July 29, 2005 by Michael Doucet.
TTC CLRV #4120 prepares to cross Gerrard Street northbound on Broadview in 504 KING service on the afternoon of March 29, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
CLRV 4120 prepares to leave the shelter at High Park Loop. Photo by James Bow.
Due to work on the Queen Street bridge over the Don River, CLRV 4120 is about to divert off of King onto Parliament in this 2001 shot. Parliament loop is in the background. Photo by Rob Hutch.
TTC CLRV #4121 lays over at Dundas West in 504 KING service on the afternoon of March 29, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
CLRV 4122 and others stored at Roncesvalles Carhouse. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4123 lays over at the north end of Main Streets station's loop on January 23, 2011. Photo by Richard White.
TTC CLRV #4123, in diversion service on 501 QUEEN, turns from eastbound King onto northbound Spadina on the afternoon of Friday, August 19, 2016. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4124 drops off passengers at King and Yonge during the afternoon rush hour of Thursday, January 19, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
A railfan photographs an oncoming streetcar as CLRV 4125 passes the other way, westbound on Carlton, just west of Church. Photo taken circa 2000 by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4125 is seen here westbound on Lake Shore Boulevard West, crossing 23rd Street on December 30, 2016. Photo by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV #4126 operates eastbound on Gerrard, approaching Broadview in 506 CARLTON service on the afternoon of March 29, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV 4127 pulls out of Bingham loop onto Bingham Avenue, in service on 502 DOWNTOWNER in this summer 2010 shot by Randy Meredith.
TTC CLRV #4100, in service on 504 KING, pulls in front of southbound CLRV #4128 at Dundas West station on the morning of February 16, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
A passenger disembarks from CLRV #4129 as it operates eastbound on King at Parliament on May 19, 2013. Photo by Youngjin Ko. This photograph is used in accordance with his Creative Commons License.
TTC CLRV #4130 prepares to cross Parliament, eastbound on King in 514 CHERRY service, with the CN Tower as a backdrop. This photo was taken on the morning of February 16, 2017 by James Bow.
Richard Hooles caught this picture of CLRV 4131 at Spadina Loop, trying out its 509 rollsigns, a few months before the line was to open.
TTC CLRV #4132 heads eastbound away from King and John in 504 KING service on the afternoon of February 2, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
As part of the 2000 Queen Street track reconstruction, westbound 502 Downtowner cars were diverted along Church, Richmond and York. Here is CLRV 4133 turning from westbound Richmond onto northbound York for a short jog to Queen Street. Photo by Rob Hutch.
TTC CLRV 4134 sits at Dundas West station, in service on the 306 CARLTON BLUE NIGHT route in this 2000 shot. Photo by Rob Hutchinson.
TTC CLRV #4135 pauses out of service, northbound on Parliament, just south of Gerrard, on the afternoon of January 19, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4136 pokes its head out of Roncesvalles carhouse in this early 1980s shot by John Calnan. This photo is looking west.
TTC CLRV #4137 is seen from the rear on King Street East, approaching Yonge Street, on November 22, 2011. This photograph was taken by the Wikipedia user Simon Carr and is used in accordance with his Creative Commons License.
CLRV 4138 at the unloading platform at St. Clair station. Photo by David Cavlovic.
CLRV 4138 pulls into the loading platform at St. Clair station. Photo by David Cavlovic.
TTC CLRV 4138 at the end of the line. On November 6, 2016, photographer Dave Fisher captured the vehicle in the scrap line at Russell carhouse, its rear wheels on a towing bogie.
TTC CLRV #4139 is heading west along King Street on the 504 KING line and is about to cross Church Street on February 7th, 2016. Photo by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV 4140 drops off passengers on Charlotte Street, about to turn around for Spadina station in 510 SPADINA service on January 29, 2015. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4141 heading east on Lake Shore Blvd. W., between 28th and 27th Street on a Long Branch-Humber 501 QUEEN run. The picture was taken January 20th, 2016 by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV #4141 operates along Lake Shore Boulevard near 35th Street. Edward Brain took this shot on January 7, 2017.
CLRV 4142 crosses Yonge Street westbound on King. Chris Packman took this photograph in 1998 and donated it to the alt.binary.pictures.rail archive.
TTC CLRV #4142 sits at Gunns Loop on January 4, 2005 in 512 ST. CLAIR service. Photo by Michael Doucet.
TTC CLRV #4143 heads westbound on King, returning to Roncesvalles carhouse after a day in 511 BATHURST service. This shot was taken in the waning daylight hours of August 16, 2009 by Roman Fomin.
TTC CLRV #4144 heads eastbound on Queen Street, crossing Kingston Road. This shot was taken by Gerard Gava from the roof of Murphy's Law pub on June 4, 2016.
TTC CLRV #4145 sits in St. Clair station with a 312 ST. CLAIR BLUE NIGHT rollsign exposure in April 2002, two years after the 312 was changed to bus operation. The photograph is by Rob Hutchinson.
TTC CLRV #4146 heads westbound on Carlton, passing Maple Leaf Gardens and the chartered A15-class PCC #4549. This shot was taken by James Bow on September 3, 2000.
TTC CLRV #4147 heads westbound across Broadview Avenue on Gerrard Street East in 506 CARLTON service on the afternoon of April 11, 2017. Clearly, some day before, it had operated on 514 CHERRY. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV 4148 picks up passengers at Humber Loop in LONG BRANCH service in this early 1980s shot. Photo by John Calnan.
CLRV 4149 detrains passengers at Spadina Station. This 1999 photo by James Bow.
CLRV 4149 waits while a passenger rushes to board. This 1999 photo by Brad O'Brien.
TTC CLRV #4149 heads southbound on Bathurst Street, approaching King Street, bearing an advertisement for the PanAm Games. This photo was taken by Michael Doucet on July 21, 2015.
TTC CLRV #4150 pulls up to the Rees Street stop, eastbound on Queen's Quay, in 509 HARBOURFRONT service on Friday, August 16, 2016. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4151 heads westbound on Queen's Quay, approaching Bathurst, during the opening day of 509 HARBOURFRONT, July 21, 2000. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4152 emerges from St. Clair West station, eastbound on private right-of-way on December 19, 2009. This photo was taken by Roman Fomin.
TTC CLRV 4153 passes CLRV 4134, heading westbound on 501 QUEEN, about to cross Spadina on the afternoon of February 25, 2016. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4154 pulls up to Simcoe Street, eastbound in 504 KING service. This photo was taken on February 2, 2017 by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4155 crosses Gerrard Street East northbound on Broadview in 505 DUNDAS service on the afternoon of April 11, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4156 heads westbound on Queen's Quay, pulling up to the Rees Street stop on Friday, August 19, 2016. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4156 heads eastbound on College, approaching Yonge Street, on October 19, 2016. This photo was taken by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
TTC CLRV #4157 rests between rush hours in the storage track at St. Clair West station while CLRV 4178 picks up passengers on the afternoon of March 10, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
Alex Johnny took this shot of CLRV #4158, southbound on Spadina approaching Richmond. The streetcar is advertising the 2015 PanAm Games.
TTC CLRV #4159 heads westbound on Dundas, approaching Ossington, on June 18, 2011, on a diversion for 506 CARLTON. Photo by Michael Doucet.
CLRV 4159 departs Connaught Carhouse to enter service on Dundas, Sunday February 15, 1998 at 11 a.m.
TTC CLRV #4160 heads eastbound across Queen Street's Don River bridge on 504 KING service on December 19, 2011. Photo by Roman Fomin.
CLRV 4161 turns off of St. Clair Avenue into St. Clair station. Photo by Greg Northcott.
TTC CLRV #4162 operates eastbound on Queen's Quay, approaching Spadina Avenue in 509 HARBOUFRONT service on August 11, 2006. Photo by Michael Doucet.
TTC CLRV #4163 turns from Spadina Avenue onto Queen's Quay, heading towards Union Station on January 29, 2015. Photo by James Bow.
Southbound TTC CLRV 4164 arrives at King Street along the 510 SPADINA route on May 16, 2015. Photo: Lex Reid.
CLRV 4165 stares down the camera eastbound on route 504 King at Church street on a cold March evening in 2011. Photo by Eliot Rossi.
TTC CLRV #4166 heads westbound on Dundas, crossing Ossington, on September 2, 1983. This photograph is by William J. Madden.
TTC CLRV #4166 heads westbound on King, crossing Victoria on the afternoon of January 19, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4167 undergoes maintenance on a hoist at Roncesvalles carhouse on May 28, 2011. Roman Fomin captured this shot during a Doors Open event.
TTC CLRV #4168 heads eastbound on College Street, approaching Bay, in 506 CARLTON service. This photo was taken by James Bow on April 25, 2017.
CLRV 4168 speeds north across College on Spadina. Photo by David Cavlovic.
TTC CLRV 4169 heads westbound on King Street, approaching John in 504 KING service. This photo was taken on the afternoon of February 2, 2017 by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4170 is seen here at the westbound stop at Lake Shore Blvd. W. and 15th Street in New Toronto on February 6th 2016. Photo by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV #4171 heads eastbound on King, passing Roy Thompson Hall on the afternoon of February 2, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4172 heads southeast along Dundas Street, crossing a bridge over the Weston Sub on its way to Lansdowne Avenue. This shot was taken by James Bow on May 6, 2015.
TTC CLRV #4173 turns from southbound Parliament to eastbound Gerrard on the afternoon of January 19, 2017, bearing an advertisement for the television series The Audience. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4174 leaves Oakwood loop on a short turn, preparing to reenter 512 ST. CLAIR service on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 15, 2014. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV 4175 turns from Spadina onto eastbound Queen's Quay in service on 510 SPADINA on the morning of January 29, 2015. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV 4176 pulls towards University Avenue, passing St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, eastbound in 504 KING service. This photo was taken on February 2, 2017 by James Bow.
CLRV 4177 is seen here just leaving St. Clair station and heading west towards Yonge Street. Photo by Greg Northcott.
TTC CLRV #4178 heads eastbound on St. Clair, having just left St. Clair station on October 30, 1999. Photograph by James Bow.
TTC CLRV 4179 approaches Lansdowne Avenue, westbound on 505 DUNDAS, about to short turn. This photograph was taken by William J. Madden on September 2, 1983.
TTC CLRV 4180 picks up passengers at Queens Quay loop at the bottom of the 510 SPADINA line on Sunday, August 30, 2014. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4181 crosses Dufferin Street, eastbound on King. This photograph was taken by Edward Brain on December 17, 2016.
TTC CLRV #4182 heads northbound on Broadview, crossing Gerrard in 505 DUNDAS service on the afternoon of March 29, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4183 loops through Queen's Quay loop at the foot of Spadina Avenue. This shot is taken from the back of TTC Flexity LRV #4400 during the launch of public Flexity operation on August 31, 2014. Photo by James Bow.
In this photo taken by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos dated February 25, 2014, TTC CLRV #4184 seen going eastbound on Dundas Street on the intersection of Yonge on the 505 DUNDAS service.
TTC CLRV #4185 heads westbound on St. Clair, approaching Silverthorn on March 7, 2007. Photo by Michael Doucet.
CLRV 4185 prepares to leave Woodbine Loop in Queen service. Photo by James Bow.
CLRV 4186 prepares to leave Charlotte Loop in 510 SPADINA service in this 2000 shot. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4186 is seen here operating westbound on Lake Shore Blvd. W. at 26th Street on February 18th 2016 while on the 501 QUEEN run. Photo by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV #4187 turns from eastbound Dundas onto College in 506 CARLTON service on February 3, 2010. New Flyer D40LF bus #7340 operates in streetcar shuttle service for the 504 KING route. Photo by Roman Fomin.
TTC CLRV #4188 poses with its fresh paint job at Hillcrest Shops. Photo taken in 2002 by Russ Hilder.
TTC CLRV #4188 heads southbound on Broadview Avenue, past Riverdale Park in 504 KING service on March 20, 2010. Roman Fomin took this picture.
CLRV #4189 at Long Branch Loop, after arriving on a 501 Queen run. #4189 is in a n advertisement wrap for Westjet. Date: March 4th, 2015. Photo by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV #4190 is seen here operating westbound at 30th Street and Lake Shore Blvd. W. on February 6th 2016, in service on 501 QUEEN. Photo by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV 4191 heads westbound on Dundas Street, passing Dufferin, wrapped in an advertisement for the TTC's free service on New Year's Eve. This image was captured by Edward Brain on December 17, 2016.
TTC CLRV #4192 rushes eastbound along Dundas past Yonge Street on the afternoon of January 19, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV #4193 is seen here operating westbound on Lake Shore Boulevard, about to cross Thirteenth Street during Long Branch-Humber separated 501 QUEEN service on February 1, 2016. Photo by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV #4194 operates along Lake Shore Boulevard near 35th street on Saturday, January 7, 2017. This would be the last day of streetcar service on Lake Shore Boulevard for 2017 due to track reconstruction work. This image was taken by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV #4195 heads west on Dundas, approaching Yonge Street on the afternoon of January 19, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
TTC CLRV 4196 sits in the "Dead Line" at Russell Carhouse on October 13, 2016, alongside 4080, 4248, 4143, 4060 and 4138. Out of sight is 4012. Photo by Bill Robb.
TTC CLRV #4197, short turning for 501 QUEEN, prepares to leave Sunnyside loop for a run to Neville. This photograph was taken by William J. Madden on September 3, 1983.
CLRV 4197 pauses at Dundas and Yonge, facing westbound. The streetcar is operating on a 506 Carlton diversion in the summer of 2004. Photo by Mike.
TTC CLRV 4198 heads westbound on Gerrard, west of Broadview, passing the Zhong Hua Men gate of East Chinatown on the afternoon of April 11, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
Edward Brain caught this image of CLRV #4199 pulling through the "Long Branch" portion of Humber Loop in 501 QUEEN shuttle service. This photograph was taken on August 10, 2016.
A front view of CLRV #4199 as it prepares to pull out of Humber Loop on its way to Long Branch. This shot was taken on August 10, 2016 by Edward Brain.
TTC CLRV #4199 lays over at Dundas West station in service on 504 KING on November 23, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
A view through the rear doors of CLRV #4094 at High Park loop. This shot was taken by Damian Baranowski on September 22, 2019.
Robert King caught this photograph of a CLRV entering Gunns Loop at night. Note the promotion for the residential developments in the Slaughterhouse lands featured in the background.
CLRVs resting outside Roncesvalles Carhouse. Photo by Marc Dufour.
A CLRV on Spadina northbound from Bremner Boulevard, shot through the back window of PCC 4500. Photo by James Bow.