---

Hockey fans will well recognize the massive stone building in the background. This is Maple Leaf Gardens. From 1931 to 1999 one of the two legendary Meccas for sport in Canada1 as the home ice for the Toronto Maple Leafs NHL franchise. Though, after the Leafs departed for the hideously corporate "Air Canada Centre" (how long will that name last?), the Gardens suffered a near decade of abandonment prior to being taken over jointly by Ryerson University as an athletic centre (with hockey) and the Loblaws grocery store chain. Purists gnashed their teeth. It was a compromise fate to be sure, but far better than letting it be converted into an office building or condos. Out front, CLRV2 4160 waits as her driver manually manipulates the east-to-south switch just before the intersection of Carlton and Church Streets. One of a few remaining manually controlled switches in the TTC's3 extensive streetcar network. He will reboard his car, make the turn and then run back to set the switch back to eastbound mode. Normally these switches would be mechanically locked in position to prevent public mischief. However, due to some construction on Dundas Street to the south, cars of the Dundas Line (Route 505) have been rerouted along these Carlton Line (Route 506) tracks through the downtown. This streetcar will be using the service tracks on Church Street to return to Dundas and complete its eastbound run. The next streetcar will be a Carlton Line car passing straight through the intersection. I will admit, I was surprised that a switchman was not assigned to this corner to handle the task. Though it was a Saturday and traffic schedules are far more tolerant than during weekday rush hour. And with a mayor who's motto is, "cut, cut, CUT!", I suppose the TTC felt that the money for an FTE4 would be better used elsewhere. Recently, in a desperate defense of his clearly crumbling and ego inspired transit plan, mayor Rob Ford proclaimed that subways have been successfully serving the citizens of Toronto for over a hundred years. And, as usual, the mayor is dead wrong. Subways did not appear in Toronto until the mid-1950's. It is the streetcars that have served and continue to serve Torontonians for over a century. The first horse drawn streetcars ran as early as 1861 - that's pre-Confederation 1861. Complete electrification came in the mid-1890's. With that in mind this photo reflects just how difficult that task must have been back in automobile free Victorian Toronto. I expect switchmen were employed at key intersections all over the city to handle the regular transferal of cars from one set of tracks to another. The five-way interchange at Sunnyside comes to mind immediately. These days, most switches (at least those regularly used) are controlled electronically. Approaching streetcars send out a UHF signal along the tracks indicating a desired turn to the switch mechanism. There is no need for a half frozen switchman to anticipate a car's curve by reading its linens.5 Though, as you can see, all cars are still equipped with a switch leaver just in case a driver has to do it for him or herself. Switches can freeze just as readily as switchmen. As always, I thank everyone for taking the time to visit my gallery and feel free to offer any comments which you would like. Have a great week everyone. And if I don't get a chance later let me wish you all a Happy Groundhog Day (2 Feb).

---

1The other great Canadian hockey Mecca was of coarse the Forum in Montreal. Now also bereft of its historical NHL franchise, Les Canadiens. 2CLRV: Canadian Light Rail Vehicle 3TTC: Toronto Transit Commission. 4FTE: Full Time Employee. 5Linens: A destination or 'roll sign'. Originally, destination signs on many transit vehicles were made from dyed cloth.

---