So, in my last posting I said that I would have my next streetcar photograph posted "soon". I'm not certain if thirteen (13) days later constitutes "soon" on anyone's time scale - save an astrophysicist's - nevertheless here we are. In my defence, I had more demands at work and at home this spring than expected - not to mention my tax return had to be done. Also, I am completing two "quick" Poser renderings before I migrate to my new and more permanent rendering computer. Once the renders are complete, I'll transfer everything over to the new system. Thus it will take a little more time to put everything back together - and make work. Thank you for your cooperation and we apologize for any inconvenience. Here is TTC LFLRV 4415 traveling northbound on the Spadina Line (Route 510) just south of Adelaide Street in downtown Toronto. It is on it's way to Spadina Station on Bloor Street and the Bloor-Danforth Subway Line. If you compare this scene with the last time I posted a photo from the Spadina Line you will notice that the tram's means of power pickup has changed. Gone is the trolley pole at the end of the car, now electricity is delivered through a pantograph. In truth, the trolley pole is not literally gone but it is tucked away at the rear of the train. You can see it there if you look closely. This dual function allows the new LFLRV streetcars to function on all TTC streetcar routes while the system undergoes conversion to pantograph pickup. The obvious advantage with pantographs is a more reliable contact to the overhead power - especially through turns. Contact is also more reliable in winter when snow and ice accumulate on the wires - very commonplace in a northern city like Toronto. I've actually seen this during the testing of Waterloo Region's iON LRT system this past winter - pretty blue flashes. But pantograph cables are strung so that contact sweeps the width of a tram's pantograph arm as it travels. It does not remain centred above the train like trolley wires. Cars with just trolley poles can not reliably ply a pantograph configured line and thus Toronto's retiring CLRV and ALRV models of streetcar are now banished from this route - and several others. The thicker pantograph cable - for supplying increased power to the streetcar - is also not compatible with the smaller point contact of the older trolley poles. But now the network suffers fewer vehicle stalls ('dewiring') with increased acceleration and speed. And of course running off a trolley pole was a challenge for the much larger LFLRV streetcars - often the air conditioning was left off. For a more animated look at the distinction between trolley pole and pantograph operation, I have posted a YouTube video taken at the intersection of King Street (where trolley poles are still in use) and Spadina Avenue in Toronto. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UQtfdZKVBo Cheers! And Happy 24th of May Weekend to all my Canadian friends! Even if the actual 24th of May is not until next Friday. Don't drink and drive. I have to say that, it's the law. In Canada anyways.

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In other news, it was officially announced a week ago that the opening for Waterloo Region's iON LRT will be at 10:30am on the 21st of June 2019. After many delays - the original launch date was supposed to be in September of 2017 - the region and the iON team were determined to keep to the pledge of opening in the spring of 2019. And to their credit they appear to have succeeded. It was, however, not lost on anyone at Waterloo regional council that spring officially ends some ninety (90) minutes after the scheduled official opening of the line. Still, well done.

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NOTES: TTC: Toronto Transit Commission LFLRV: Low Floor Light Rail Vehicle LRT - Light Rail Transit iON - The service name for Waterloo Region's rapid system which includes LRT CLRV: Canadian Light Rail Vehicle ALRV: Articulated Light Rail Vehicle