[ The facility is located on Transit Rd. north of Wilson Ave, in the former city of North York (now Toronto), between Wilson and Sheppard West stations.[2][3][4]]History
The site is on a large parcel of land first developed as an airport, in 1936.[7]
During World War II the airport was turned into a military facility, most often known as Canadian Forces Base Downsview. The site became available around the 1970s.
In 1974 the TTC considered interim expedients for storage of subway vehicles, until the Wilson Yard became available.[8]
The {{convert|60|acre|m2|sing=on}} yard was completed in 1976 and began operations in 1977.[1] The facility also houses a bus barn and maintenance facilities for subway cars.
By 2010, a tunnel was constructed to link the north end of the Wilson Yard to the mainline just south of Sheppard West Station (then named Downsview), though track was not laid and it was left dormant for a number of years.[10] When it finally opened in 2018, this new link provided an entry/exit at the north end of the yard to support traffic on the Toronto–York Spadina Subway Extension.[10]
Starting May 13, 2018, trains going out of service at the Wilson Yard do so southbound from Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station instead of northbound from Wilson station. This avoids northbound trains crossing the southbound track in order to go out of service after the evening rush hour, which was the practice prior to this date.[5]
Modifications to the Wilson Yard were made to accommodate the new Toronto Rocket trains, the Toronto–York Spadina Subway Extension and increased demand on Line 1 Yonge–University. Work included expansion of the carhouse, a new hostler platform to support new the north-end entry/exit track, a new north-end runaround track connecting 8 new storage
tracks in the west yard, a new power substation[6] and a new training building with a simulator for TR trains.[7]
Opened in September 2018, the new hostler platform and north-end entry/exit track helps to reduce traffic delays by 44% in the early morning when work cars return from their night shift and service trains depart.[8]
Subway division facilities
- Carhouse with nine interior tracks.[9]
- Exterior storage tracks.
- Power sub-station.[6]
- Connections to the mainline at the north and south ends of the yard.[7]
Wilson Yard is home to approximately half the commission's fleet of trains and work cars.[10] The yard regularly houses most of the Toronto Rocket subway trains. It also houses some disused and outdated equipment.[11]
Bus division facilities
- The {{convert|230000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} garage
- 2 wash racks, 2 fuelling stations (with 4 fueling pump) for diesel, 1 fuelling station for CNG
- a Eurovac system
- 11 40-foot hoists, 3 60-foot hoists
- 4 inspection pit stations
References
1. ^{{cite web|last1=Sunshine|first1=Fannie|title=OUR EXCLUSIVE LOOK: Keele and Finch most affected by subway extension|url=http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/2541130-our-exclusive-look-keele-and-finch-most-affected-by-subway-extension/|website=Inside Toronto|accessdate=31 July 2016}}
2. ^{{cite web|last1=Jai Centeno|first1=Chris|title=TTC subway crash sends 2 to hospital|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2008/04/19/ttc_subway_crash_sends_2_to_hospital.html|website=Toronto Star|accessdate=31 July 2016}}
3. ^{{cite book|author=Mike Filey|title=Mike Filey's Toronto Sketches|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g91hAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT369|date=23 April 2014|publisher=Dundurn|isbn=978-1-4597-2949-0|pages=369–370}}
4. ^{{cite web|title=Wilson Yard Expansion Project|url=http://www.bondfield.com/portfolio/construction-management/TTC-wilson-yard-expansion-project.php|publisher=Bondfield|accessdate=31 July 2016}}
5. ^{{cite web |url=https://stevemunro.ca/2018/04/23/ttc-service-changes-effective-sunday-may-13-2018/ |title=TTC Service Changes Effective Sunday, May 13, 2018 |publisher=Steve Munro |first=Steve |last=Munro |date={{date|2018-04-23}} |accessdate={{date|2018-04-24}} |quote=Trains leaving service in the evening to Wilson Yard will now do so southbound from Vaughan rather than northbound at Wilson. This avoids conflicts between the yard movements and southbound service. }}
6. ^1 {{cite web |url=http://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commission_reports_and_information/Commission_meetings/2014/July_23/Reports/Procurement_Authorization_-_Wilson_Yard_Expansion_Project_-_.pdf |title=Procurement_Authorization - Wilson Yard Expansion Project Contract AW85-4 |publisher=Toronto Transit Commission |date={{date|2014-07-23|dmy}} |accessdate={{date|2014-07-23|dmy}} }}
7. ^1 2 3 {{cite web |url=http://transit.toronto.on.ca/subway/5309.shtml |title=Wilson Yard Connection Tunnel |publisher=Transit Toronto |first=James |last=Bow |date={{date|2017-05-06|dmy}} |accessdate={{date|2017-06-04|dmy}} }}
8. ^{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/11/07/ttc-using-gap-trains-to-improve-service-on-busiest-subway-line.html |title=TTC using ‘gap trains’ to improve service on busiest subway line |newspaper=Toronto Star |first=Ben |last=Spurr |date={{date|2018-11-07|mdy}} |accessdate={{date|2018-11-08|mdy}}}}
9. ^{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com/maps/@43.7383327,-79.4535168,140m/data=!3m1!1e3 |title=Wilson Carhouse |publisher=Google Maps |accessdate={{date|2017-06-05|mdy}} }}
10. ^http://www3.ttc.ca/PDF/Transit_Planning/Service_Summary_2010_03_28.pdf
11. ^{{cite web|last1=Bateman|first1=Chris|title=Where to find abandoned TTC buses and subway trains|url=http://www.blogto.com/city/2012/08/where_to_find_abandoned_ttc_buses_and_subway_trains/|website=Blog TO|accessdate=31 July 2016}}
12. ^1 {{cite book| url = https://books.google.ca/books?id=K0tIsZ_TAIoC&pg=PA57&dq=%22mike+filey%22+wilson&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJ1Zbej57OAhVq04MKHWghB9wQ6AEIZzAN#v=onepage&q=%22mike%20filey%22%20wilson&f=false| title = A Toronto Album 2: More Glimpses of the City That Was| author = Mike Filey| publisher = Dundurn Press| year = 2002| page = 57| location = | isbn = 9781770701205| accessdate = {{date|2016-07-31|dmy}}| quote = }}
13. ^1 {{cite news | url = https://books.google.ca/books?id=6FQnAQAAMAAJ&q=%22wilson+yard%22+toronto&dq=%22wilson+yard%22+toronto&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiD6NezkJ_OAhVJ2oMKHYpIBDUQ6AEIMjAE | title = A review of proposed additions to Toronto's subway system| publisher = Metropolitan Toronto Transportation Plan Review| author = | date = 1974| page = 21| location = | isbn = | accessdate = {{date|2016-07-31|dmy}}| quote = Additional cars, without additional storage facilities at Kipling or Wilson, could be accommodated, to a limited degree, with "on-line" storage, until completion of the Wilson yard. }}
14. ^1 2 {{cite news | url = http://transit.toronto.on.ca/subway/5304.shtml| title = The Wilson Bus Garage and Subway Yard| publisher = Transit Toronto| author = Godfrey Mallion, James Bow| date = {{date|2015-06-25|dmy}}| page = | location = | archiveurl = | archivedate = | accessdate = {{date|2016-07-24|dmy}}| deadurl = No | quote = Given this and expected future growth, the TTC knew that a lot of space would be required for the complex. The alignment of the Spadina subway opened up an intriguing possibility of using largely vacant land beside Downsview Airport. Sixty acres were chosen north of Wilson Avenue and west of Wilson Heights Boulevard.}}
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