Flexity Outlook (Toronto LRV)
Encyclopedia
The Toronto Flexity Outlook is the planned light rail
vehicle replacement for the Toronto Transit Commission
's fleet of CLRVs
and ALRVs on its streetcar system
. A separate set of vehicles is also planned to operate on the future Eglinton–Scarborough Crosstown line and would have also been used on the cancelled Transit City
lines.
fleet is nearing the end of its service life, and as a result the Commission began looking for a replacement vehicle. In mid-2009, the Bombardier
Flexity Outlook
was chosen to be the replacement vehicle for the existing streetcar network
. On 26 June 2009 the Toronto City Council
approved funding for 204 new vehicles and signed the contract with Bombardier. The vehicles are to be built in part at Bombardier plants overseas, with final assembly to be completed in Thunder Bay
, Ontario
, in order to meet the Commission's Canadian content requirements. The new prototype streetcar will be unveiled at the Bathurst Hillcrest Complex for tours between November 12-15, 2011, and it is anticipated that the new streetcars will enter revenue service starting in 2013.
On 14 June 2010, an option for an additional 182 vehicles was exercised to provide vehicles for Transit City
; there is an option for up to 118 more. These vehicles include a number of differences from the streetcar replacements:
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
vehicle replacement for the Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
's fleet of CLRVs
Canadian Light Rail Vehicle
The Canadian Light Rail Vehicle ' is a type of streetcar that is used by the Toronto Transit Commission in Toronto, Canada.-Background:...
and ALRVs on its streetcar system
Toronto streetcar system
The Toronto streetcar system comprises eleven streetcar routes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission , and is the largest such system in the Americas in terms of ridership, number of cars, and track length. The network is concentrated primarily in downtown and in...
. A separate set of vehicles is also planned to operate on the future Eglinton–Scarborough Crosstown line and would have also been used on the cancelled Transit City
Transit City
Transit City was a plan for developing public transport in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was first proposed and announced by then-Toronto Mayor David Miller and Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission Adam Giambrone on March 16, 2007...
lines.
History
The TTC's streetcarTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
fleet is nearing the end of its service life, and as a result the Commission began looking for a replacement vehicle. In mid-2009, the Bombardier
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
Flexity Outlook
Flexity Outlook
The Flexity Outlook is a family of 100% low-floor articulated light-rail trams manufactured by Bombardier Transportation. Part of the larger Flexity product line , Flexity Outlook cars fall into two distinct sub-categories with dramatically different appearances...
was chosen to be the replacement vehicle for the existing streetcar network
Toronto streetcar system
The Toronto streetcar system comprises eleven streetcar routes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission , and is the largest such system in the Americas in terms of ridership, number of cars, and track length. The network is concentrated primarily in downtown and in...
. On 26 June 2009 the Toronto City Council
Toronto City Council
The Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....
approved funding for 204 new vehicles and signed the contract with Bombardier. The vehicles are to be built in part at Bombardier plants overseas, with final assembly to be completed in Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, in order to meet the Commission's Canadian content requirements. The new prototype streetcar will be unveiled at the Bathurst Hillcrest Complex for tours between November 12-15, 2011, and it is anticipated that the new streetcars will enter revenue service starting in 2013.
On 14 June 2010, an option for an additional 182 vehicles was exercised to provide vehicles for Transit City
Transit City
Transit City was a plan for developing public transport in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was first proposed and announced by then-Toronto Mayor David Miller and Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission Adam Giambrone on March 16, 2007...
; there is an option for up to 118 more. These vehicles include a number of differences from the streetcar replacements:
- They are double-ended, as Transit City lines will not have turnaround loops at the ends of the lines;
- They are , standard gaugeStandard gaugeThe standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
, as opposed to the unique gauge used for TTC streetcar and subway lines; - They do not need to be able to navigate the sharp curvesMinimum railway curve radiusThe minimum railway curve radius, the shortest design radius, has an important bearing on constructions costs and operating costs and, in combination with superelevation in the case of train tracks, determines the maximum safe speed of a curve. Superelevation is not a factor on tramway tracks...
found on some TTC streetcar lines.