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The new Toronto Rocket was officially unveiled to the public on Sunday attracting large crowds at Davisville station to experience the sights and sounds of the TTC's newest addition to the fleet. TTC train instructors and engineers were on hand to answer questions. Stepping on board, one immediately notices how much brighter and seemingly more spacious the new train appears. Unlike the grey interior of the old T1 cars, the white walls and ceiling of the new vehicles, along with the endless view down the length of the train, makes for a different feel when on board.
A number of improvements have been made to the interior of the new vehicles.
Navigation: Inaudible 'next station' announcements? Last minute guessing of which side of the car the doors will open? New to the city and unsure if you are actually going in the right direction? Those days are over. The new trains feature LED system maps, ticker tape LED displays, LCD screens, as well as new automated voice announcements. On the LED system map, red lights indicate stations that have already been passed, green lights indicate stations that are coming up, and a flashing green light indicates the next station. For stations that interchange with the Bloor or Sheppard lines, the entire interchange line flashes green as well.
In anticipation of the subway extension, LEDs are already installed for the new stations up to Vaughan Centre. When the line opens for service in 2015, the maps will simply be switched and may look like the following image when complete:
Located on the air conditioning bulkheads at either end of each car are ticker tape LED displays showing the next station and highlighting on which side of the train the doors will open.
Also located about a third of the way down the side of each car is an LCD display in the banner advertising areas. For now, each display will only show safety and station information, but may at a later date also display video advertising.
Sitting and Standing: The look and feel of the existing seats on the T1 cars have been maintained in the new vehicles. What's different is their arrangement. The familiar arrangement of perpendicular seating between 3 and 2 wall seats is now offset on either side of the car, providing that little bit of extra walking space to improve passenger flow at the narrowest point.
Also new to the vehicle is the four seat arrangement which will now be found at the ends of the cars.
The new train features both straight and curved stanchions, as well as a long ceiling mounted hand rail with pull down handles. New stanchions are also located on the inside of each door, making it easier for those standing by the doors to hold on as the train starts and stops.
At either end of the car, standing seat cushions are provided for passengers to lean against the walls of the conductors cabin.
All stanchions and handles are coated to be anti-microbial, which TTC representatives indicate will have to be reapplied approximately once every year to maintain its effectiveness.
Accessibility: Significant improvements have been made for the visually impaired. Stanchions and handles are now painted red to noticeably stand out. The floors also have red, tactile wayfinders making it easier for passengers to feel their way through, as well as into and out of the cars.
Wheelchair spots are also easier to access as the seats in those areas are in the up position by default. Two wheelchair areas can be found at either end of each car. Seats can be pulled down for those who want to sit, or can remain up leaving more standing room during busy rush hour periods.
Safety and Security: Video surveillance will now have a significant presence in the new trains. Each car has four ceiling mounted cameras, two facing the ends, and two in the centre looking in all directions.
Passenger safety is also improved with on-demand, two-way voice and video communication through emergency intercom stations located at each pair of doors for the entire length of the train. A passenger can pull the emergency handle, initiating a link with the train guard who will be sitting in the rear cabin. The guard will be able to see the passenger through the nearest overhead camera, and will hear them through the microphone on the emergency station. The passenger will also hear the guard through the nearest overhead speaker.
Doors have obstruction sensors which will automatically reopen the door in the event that it catches someone or something in its grip. Doors also feature an emergency release handle which allow a passenger to effortlessly open a door during an emergency, even without electrical power to assist. Both ends of the train have evacuation ramps in the unlikely event that a train becomes stranded in a tunnel between stations.
Under the Hood: What you don't see on the train is actually what's most impressive. The technology underneath is state of the art computerized and mechanical control. Each of the six cars is capable of sensing if it is carrying a 'crush load' of passengers, automatically adjusting the amount of air in the suspension system. The same information can also allow a heavier loaded car to apply more brake pressure to even out the braking along the entire length of the train. Wheels are self-lubricating which will hopefully address some of the noise associated with going around tight corners like those at Union Station. Trains will also communicate their status and maintenance needs via wifi hotspots throughout the system, keeping TTC staff aware of any problems as they arise. The PA system has been improved to provide cleaner audio, and better volume. The same microphones on the emergency intercom system also continuously monitor the volume of the background noise. This information is used by the car to automatically increase the volume of any PA announcement by up to 8 Decibels, providing audible announcements at all times. Automated Train Control systems will be fully installed on all 70 trains. Early trains 1-8 will have those systems installed at a later date. Trains 9-70 will have them installed before delivery. Once the new signalling system is installed on the line, the ATC system will allow more frequent service by decreasing the time between trains. According to TTC engineers, once ATC is fully operational and has proven itself to be reliable and consistent, the next step will be to install platform screen doors at all the stations.
Final Observations:
While the doors are the same size as those of the existing T1 trains, they appear larger because of the extra few inches on either side of the entry ways between the glass dividers. This extra space will make it easier for people to stand by the doors while passengers are entering or exiting the train.
The new trains seem to have a visual downside for those who are tall. While TTC officials assure us that the lower ceiling height under the air conditioning units are the same height as those in the T1 trains, a number of tall visitors commented on the perceived height inadequacy. These new trains do have much wider air conditioning units than the old trains. In fact, they are so wide that they reach across the first set of doors on both ends of the train, and you can see that in the above image. The ceiling is approximately 6'7" in height under the units, which is more than enough for most tall people. It does however provide a moment of unease while you enter the train and wonder if you're going to bump your head.
By The Numbers:
- 70 train sets on order.
- 4 train sets delivered, 2 will go into service in early June with the rest entering service as they are delivered and tested through 2013.
- 24 LED system maps.
- 12 LED ticker tape displays.
- 12 LCD displays.
- 24 security cameras.
- 24 emergency intercom stations.
- 12 wheelchair areas.
- 2 conductor cabins.
- 1, 150m long interior.
Overall, the new train is certainly a sight to behold. Let the launch countdown begin.... T-5..4..3..2..1..
What's your take on the new train? Leave a comment here, or click this link to join in the discussion in UrbanToronto's thread for the new cars.
