Behold, the new TTC Rocket!
It took several delays this morning (it is the TTC after all), but the media finally got a chance to go for a ride on one of four new subway trains that represent the next generation of public transit in the city. Two of the trains have been designated training vehicles and will soon be in regular service, followed by the other two within the coming weeks. By the end of 2013, the TTC will have 70 Rockets, most of which will be operating on the Yonge-University-Spadina line.
The vehicles are technically called train sets, and consist of six cars. The Rocket’s open gangway concept is a first of its kind in North America and allows riders to walk (or run, if it’s empty) from one end of the train to the other, aiding passenger distribution and also making for mind-bending sightlines when the train goes around corners.
Unlike the previous generations of TTC cars, there are no stanchions in the centre of the car. Instead there are handles that flip down from the ceiling, meaning maximum armpit exposure during rush hour. Luckily the Rocket boasts a state-of-the-art ventilation system as well as increased cooling capacity. But the lack of stanchions could make it difficult to find something to hold on to once the train gets crowded.
There will be no more stealing TTC maps to hang on dorm room walls once the Rockets are in service. Instead of the old plastic maps they feature active route maps that light up to show where the train is and which direction it’s going. LED panels in the ceiling indicate the next station as well as which side of the train to get off. Monitors on the walls will periodically flash TTC information as well.
A multipurpose area features seats that flip up or down to accommodate bikes, wheelchairs, and strollers. A blue light on the outside of the train marks where on the trains these are.
There are also four security cameras in every car, part of a new security system that allows passengers to press an alarm and immediately connected both visually and by voice to the driver and guard.
Germaphobes will be happy to know that all the stanchions (and other places you’re likely to put your hands) have been treated with Bombardier’s Antimicrobial Surface Treatment Program, a coating which attracts microbes using positively charged molecules and electrocutes them on contact. The coating will be put on after the train is cleaned and lasts 12 months.
If you get a chance, we highly recommend hopping a ride on one of these babies. It makes a trip on the old subways feel like being stuffed inside a shoe.
