Toronto's newest transit line faces first rush-hour test

The Eglinton LRT took even out thirster to establish than you believe

Will the Eglinton Crosstown face the same roadblocks as Line 6? Experts weigh in

'A historic moment': Toronto reacts to Eglinton LRT opening

Premier, mayor attend ceremony to mark opening of Line 5

Line 5’s reputation hasn’t been the best after years of delays, but that didn’t stop crowds of Torontonians from lining up in the freezing cold to get on the first trains Sunday. 

Some even camped outside Kennedy and Mount Dennis stations overnight. 

TTC employees were preparing in their own way. One worker said that after seeing the excited crowds, it felt like they were heading into battle on the first day of war.

'A historic moment': Toronto reacts to Eglinton LRT opening

Rarely do you hear cheering on public transit, but that was the sound as we departed Kennedy Station yesterday — one minute early — and made our way across the city. And it started before we even got on board: Eager riders chanted “Line 5, Line 5” as the sliding doors of the station were unlocked and they made their way to the platform downstairs.

Cheers would erupt when we entered tunnels, with passengers excitedly swapping speed measurements, travel times and how many red lights we stopped at. An impromptu marching band played on board, complete with flutes and a kazoo. 

It was only when we reached the final stretch into Mount Dennis station that a lull fell over the vehicle. Gavin Elliott, the TTC driver for the inaugural ride, got on the loudspeaker, announcing “Attention all passengers, welcome to the west end.” And the roar of cheers returned.

The first westbound trip took 55 minutes to travel 19 kilometres from Kennedy to Mount Dennis. That’s the same time it took me to ride the entire Line 6 from Finch West to Humber on its second morning operating (and it’s only 10 kilometres long).

Reduced hours, speed: What to know if you're using the Eglinton LRT

The Eglinton Crosstown LRT is finally set to open Sunday — but it’s a phased approach, meaning service will be limited. Here’s what you need to know about reduced hours and speed.

The Eglinton Crosstown launched the first phase of its rollout Sunday without the fanfare and celebration the city had for the Finch LRT just two months ago.

This soft launch means trains are running on a limited schedule for an undisclosed amount of time:

The TTC will gather feedback from riders during the gradual opening before moving to full service, said CEO Mandeep Lali last week. 

"This allows us to monitor performance, fully validate it collectively and allows upgrades we know are coming to be phased in in a controlled manner," he said.

Fifteen years after construction on the new line began, the first trains rolled out Sunday, mostly without a hitch. Monday will be a new test, as Line 5 gets its first taste of Toronto rush hour traffic. 

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