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Toronto Street Railway AI simulator
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Toronto Street Railway AI simulator
(@Toronto Street Railway_simulator)
Toronto Street Railway
The Toronto Street Railway (TSR) was the operator of a horse-drawn streetcar system from 1861 to 1891 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its successor, the Toronto Railway Company, inherited the horsecar system and electrified it between 1892 and 1894.
After the Williams Omnibus Bus Line had become heavily loaded in 1861, the city of Toronto issued a transit franchise (Resolution 14, By-law 353) for a horse-drawn street railway. The winner was Alexander Easton's Toronto Street Railway, which was required to build streetcar lines along Yonge, Queen and King Streets. Service was required to be 16 hours per day, 14 in winter with a headway of no more than 30 minutes at a speed not to exceed 6 mph (10 km/h). The fare was 5 cents with no transfer privileges and no discounted fare for children.
The company opened the first street railway line in Canada on September 11, 1861, operating from Yorkville Town Hall via Yonge and King Streets to the St. Lawrence Market. (There was a ceremonial opening of the line on the day before.) The second line was opened in December 1861 operating from St. Lawrence Market via King, Yonge and Queen Streets to the Queen Street Asylum at Ossington Avenue (then known as Dundas Street). By the end of 1861, the railway was operating 2 routes on 6 miles (10 km) of track using 70 horses (stabled in Yorkville) and carrying 2,000 passengers per day. The first two routes were initially single-track lines with passing loops. In 1862, the railway acquired the Williams Omnibus Bus Line.
In 1868, the railway was in financial difficulty and could not pay bond interest. Thus, it passed into the hands of the bondholders under an appointed trustee. In 1873, William and George Kiely acquired the railway and obtained a new act of incorporation under the old name. The new owners operated the railway until the end of the franchise in 1891.
In 1874, the tracks on King Street were extended east to the Don River and west to Bathurst Street, becoming the city's third streetcar route. Later in that year, double track was laid on Church Street from King Street to Front Street then west to York Street in order to serve steam railway stations. The Sherbourne line followed, running on Sherbourne Street from King Street north to Carlton Street, east to Parliament Street and north to Winchester Street. In 1878, tracks were laid on Spadina Avenue between King and College Streets. By 1879, both the Yonge and Queen lines were fully converted to double track.
In 1881, the King line was extended west to Strachan Avenue then south to Wellington Street. The portion south of King Street operated only during the Toronto Industrial Exhibition (today the Canadian National Exhibition) that took place annually at Exhibition Place. Also in 1881, the Church line was extended north from King Street to Bloor Street; a single track was laid on Winchester Street from Parliament to Sumach Street to serve the new nearby zoo; tracks were laid on Queen Street between Sherbourne and Parliament Streets.
In 1882, tracks were laid on Parliament Street from Queen Street to Gerrard Street, proceeding east on Gerrard to River Street. Tracks were also laid on Ossington Avenue (then considered part of Dundas Street) and west on Dundas to Dufferin Street, which was then at the city limits bordering Village of Brockton. The Queen route was created along Queen Street East with the completion of track between Yonge and Sherbourne Streets, and between Parliament and River Streets. Tracks were also laid along York Street between King and Queen Streets, and on McCaul Street between Queen and College Streets.
In 1883, after an agreement between the City and the University of Toronto to make College Street a public throughfare, tracks were laid on College from McCaul Street west to Spadina Avenue, and then north on Spadina to Bloor Street (the then-city limits). By this time, most streetcar routes terminated at or near St. Lawrence Market, the area being a major traffic source in the early 1880s. The TSR's complex of stables, carhouse and car shops was located nearby on Front Street.
Toronto Street Railway
The Toronto Street Railway (TSR) was the operator of a horse-drawn streetcar system from 1861 to 1891 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its successor, the Toronto Railway Company, inherited the horsecar system and electrified it between 1892 and 1894.
After the Williams Omnibus Bus Line had become heavily loaded in 1861, the city of Toronto issued a transit franchise (Resolution 14, By-law 353) for a horse-drawn street railway. The winner was Alexander Easton's Toronto Street Railway, which was required to build streetcar lines along Yonge, Queen and King Streets. Service was required to be 16 hours per day, 14 in winter with a headway of no more than 30 minutes at a speed not to exceed 6 mph (10 km/h). The fare was 5 cents with no transfer privileges and no discounted fare for children.
The company opened the first street railway line in Canada on September 11, 1861, operating from Yorkville Town Hall via Yonge and King Streets to the St. Lawrence Market. (There was a ceremonial opening of the line on the day before.) The second line was opened in December 1861 operating from St. Lawrence Market via King, Yonge and Queen Streets to the Queen Street Asylum at Ossington Avenue (then known as Dundas Street). By the end of 1861, the railway was operating 2 routes on 6 miles (10 km) of track using 70 horses (stabled in Yorkville) and carrying 2,000 passengers per day. The first two routes were initially single-track lines with passing loops. In 1862, the railway acquired the Williams Omnibus Bus Line.
In 1868, the railway was in financial difficulty and could not pay bond interest. Thus, it passed into the hands of the bondholders under an appointed trustee. In 1873, William and George Kiely acquired the railway and obtained a new act of incorporation under the old name. The new owners operated the railway until the end of the franchise in 1891.
In 1874, the tracks on King Street were extended east to the Don River and west to Bathurst Street, becoming the city's third streetcar route. Later in that year, double track was laid on Church Street from King Street to Front Street then west to York Street in order to serve steam railway stations. The Sherbourne line followed, running on Sherbourne Street from King Street north to Carlton Street, east to Parliament Street and north to Winchester Street. In 1878, tracks were laid on Spadina Avenue between King and College Streets. By 1879, both the Yonge and Queen lines were fully converted to double track.
In 1881, the King line was extended west to Strachan Avenue then south to Wellington Street. The portion south of King Street operated only during the Toronto Industrial Exhibition (today the Canadian National Exhibition) that took place annually at Exhibition Place. Also in 1881, the Church line was extended north from King Street to Bloor Street; a single track was laid on Winchester Street from Parliament to Sumach Street to serve the new nearby zoo; tracks were laid on Queen Street between Sherbourne and Parliament Streets.
In 1882, tracks were laid on Parliament Street from Queen Street to Gerrard Street, proceeding east on Gerrard to River Street. Tracks were also laid on Ossington Avenue (then considered part of Dundas Street) and west on Dundas to Dufferin Street, which was then at the city limits bordering Village of Brockton. The Queen route was created along Queen Street East with the completion of track between Yonge and Sherbourne Streets, and between Parliament and River Streets. Tracks were also laid along York Street between King and Queen Streets, and on McCaul Street between Queen and College Streets.
In 1883, after an agreement between the City and the University of Toronto to make College Street a public throughfare, tracks were laid on College from McCaul Street west to Spadina Avenue, and then north on Spadina to Bloor Street (the then-city limits). By this time, most streetcar routes terminated at or near St. Lawrence Market, the area being a major traffic source in the early 1880s. The TSR's complex of stables, carhouse and car shops was located nearby on Front Street.
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