End of the line for the St. Clair streetcar (Route 512). This venerable red rocket waits in silence (not idling) for its eastbound journey back to Yonge Street via St. Clair Avenue. An apt locale I suppose as all Toronto streetcars may soon be facing the end of the line next year. The current front runner in the race to be next mayor of the city wants to get rid of the trams - all of them. He intends to end Toronto's 'war on the car' and streetcars are the evil red foot soldiers enforcing the socialist take over of the asphalt of freedom. Or something like that. It boggles the mind that a candidate who also plans to restore 'fiscal sanity' to City Hall would even consider throwing away such potent transit workhorses. Especially after the massive re-investment into the network over the last eight years - including 200 new vehicles. Especially since it would take more than twice as many buses (and drivers) to match the capacity maintained by streetcars. Especially since streetcars are far more energy efficient than the most fuel efficient hybrid bus. Especially since the streetcars effectively prevent a lot of smog build up in the downtown. But then again, these beastly streetcars and their 80 passengers do get in the way of his single occupant SUV. I have to admit, he's got me there. In any case, I decided to set about capturing a CLRV in a way that really reflects its true potential to the city. Everyone knows that they are electrically powered but few realize that the high efficiency of their motors is enhanced by the fact that they run on steel rails. Pulling steel wheels on steel rails requires less power than rubber tires on asphalt. There is an old Canadian National Railways ad that depicts a man pulling a boxcar with his own strength. Albeit slowly and on a very level grade, but the point is clearly made. Alas, I couldn't convince the gentleman in the photo to give it a try. The best thing to do, capture the size and people moving ability of just one of these vehicles. Most people tend to equate streetcars with buses and they are not. Unfortunately, it is next to impossible to photograph a CLRV and provide a real impression its capacity. A side view requires at least 15m to capture the entire vehicle within the frame - even with a focal length of just 9mm. Though most Toronto trams travel in the centre lanes of a road, the narrow turn-of-the-last-century layout for the city forebades such a range in most places. And where space is found, there is the obstruction of traffic and people. Streetcars ply the busiest routes of Toronto where their capacity, cleanliness and energy efficiency are best utilized. Even when you find a spot promising 15m, there is always something or someone passing in front. Don't get me started about the ALRVs I needed a streetcar stopped and away from traffic, thus a loop. All Toronto streetcars are single ended so must loop at the end of their lines. But most streetcar loops are confined spaces, tucked away behind buildings or with buildings positioned within their centre. Leaving only enough space for a streetcar to turn around and no space for panoramic photo ops. Fortunately, Gunns Loop is a happy exception. This is the western terminus of the St. Clair streetcar line and a much more inviting place than the common streetcar loop. Recently rebuilt as part of the all too much maligned St.Clair ROW Project, today this loop is more a public park than its previous incarnation as a gray transit interchange from meandering suburban bus service to high density linear artery. This still occurs but it is obviously a much nicer place now than when it overlooked the brown fields of the former "Slaughter House Lands". And yet I still can not get an unobstructed shot... Much has changed for the better here and elsewhere in Toronto in the last decade. But still they would rip this all up just to make a point. It does not sound responsible or sane to me.