CityNews gets ride on TTC’s new sleek streetcar

CityNews stepped aboard Toronto’s new, sleek streetcar on Wednesday, getting a luxurious preview of what riders can expect when the first fleet is unleashed on the Spadina line Aug. 31.

Reporter Adrian Ghobrial was one of the lucky ones who got to ride the state-of-the-art vehicle that a streetcar driver said rides like “a Cadillac or Lexus.”

The new streetcars, which come with a hefty $2-billion price tag, aren’t just cool to look at, they’re also equipped with air conditioning for those hot, humid summer days.

They are also big, rolling in at a whopping 30 metres – twice as long as the current ones.

The low-riders are fully wheelchair accessible, with 70 seats. They can accommodate 250 passengers and have nine security cameras on-board, with four on the outside.

They were turning heads on Wednesday, with one rubbernecker calling them “futuristic chic” and another calling them “straight out of the future.”

TTC CEO Andy Byford agreed.

“I think these are cutting edge,” he said.

The TTC has been testing the new cars since the fall of 2012. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing.

“It’s particularly difficult to deploy in Toronto because you’ve got such tight curves and such steep hills,” Byford acknowledged.

The TTC said $800,000 has been spent adjusting curbs at hundreds of intersections. Alterations have also been made to streetcar islands and overhead wiring.

Byford said the cost is “absolutely” worth it.

“These cars will be good for the next 30 years,” he added.

Vehicle specifications:

Seating: 70

Standing: 62 (average) and 181 (maximum)

Length: 30.20 m

Width: 2.54 m

Height: 3.84 m

Weight: 48,200 kg

Maximum Service Speed: 70 km/h

Courtesy TTC.ca

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