A Toronto Reddit user who shared a picture of a decades old subway transfer has sparked a nostalgic discussion about the transit network and inspired a group of internet sleuths to try and date the vintage stub.
According to the post, the person found the ticket in a book they were gifted. They said the book was from the 1970s but were not able to date the transfer left inside.
One Reddit user said they were a retired TTC employee and estimated the well preserved stub was from between 1982-85.
“Was gonna say early 80’s based on the ink pattern, which is super well preserved,” another user wrote.
Now Toronto reached out to the TTC which was not able to provide an exact date for the transfer, but a fair estimate.
“This looks like a transfer taken from a transfer machine at Sheppard station. Would have to be post March 29 1974 when we extended the Yonge Line to Finch,” Stuart Green, senior communications advisor for the TTC, said in an email statement.
The discussion sparked some Reddit users, who recall purchasing the now obsolete transfers, to share their early memories of riding the TTC.
“I remember the big red translucent button that made a very distinctive clunk when you pressed it and the transfer came out. When I was little I remember grabbing dozens,” one person wrote.
“I absolutely loved that sound, and got so many unnecessary transfers to hear it,” another person said.
“Ah, memories. My sister and I used to collect transfers. I remember us taking the train to Finch station when it opened in the 70s just to get a transfer,” another Redditor shared.
One user posted a link to a website built by a man who in 1984 decided to visit every single stop on the TTC in a single day and collect a transfer from each station. The man kept the tickets and uploaded pictures of them online.
“Gorgeous. Amazing find, keep it safe. Damn, why does this city not have a TTC museum?,” another person said.
